The Gracie Diet - Any science behind it?

[Morrigan]

A co-worker was telling me that following the Gracie Diet did a lot to improve his "energy level" (not in the "chi" woo way, mind you, but how he felt in good shape when waking up in the morning, he was never lethargic, etc.).
Apparently the "science" behind it is in how the foods are combined, which supposedly help digestion.

I am a little skeptical of the science behind this diet, as I haven't been able to find any scientific literature that backed up most of those claims. Also, the "NO PORK EVER" and "NO MILK" threw me off - why are the other meats OK but not pork? What is the science behind the claim that mixing starches, or mixing acid fruits (e.g. raspberries and blackberries) is bad for you? And so on.

I'm not saying it's a bad diet, it probably is overall, but if so it's likely not for the reasons they claim. I have a feeling that simply eating a balanced diet is sufficient, and the whole combination concepts is nonsense. At least, my woo-sense is tingling when I heard what my co-worker told me.

 

[Diakaryu]

I'd say.

Well... Eating right vs eating junk food is always going to leave you feeling more energetic. It’s right up there with never eating Vitamins then taking a few.. Bamm it’s almost like taking a hit of the o’l crack pipe. Not to mention if somebody thinks there on a special diet its likely some placebo effect is kicking in or because there actually paying attention to their energy levels... are apt to notice the good day’s vs the bad.

As for avoiding pork, I’m not a nutrionalist but take a look at the majority of pork products. Most of them are not what I’d call healthy. However, in fairness it’s not hard to find good pork products nor am I saying pork is bad just that it’s usually presented in poor shape.

Now on to the science or lack of.

I don’t see any science, a quick check on Google shows that the Gracie Diet was designed by a martial artist not a nutrionalist

Now, there is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Gracie and by extension the Gracie family are formidable fighters and surly their diet at least at a quick glance isn’t bad for you. But unless somebody can dig up some credible information regarding the Gracie that went to college in lue of the dojo. I’d chalk this up to at best family folk lore presented as science.

B.

 

[jon]

1 other odd thing - this is meant to be a good diet for athletes, but doing a lot of training while only eating every 4.5 hours would be hard...

 

[casebro]

Per my local gastro-enterologist, one of the reasons we have taste buds for different food is to control the excretion of the different digestive enzymes from our pancreas. So, your body will put out the proper mix, whatever you stick in your mouth. I suppose your system can be tricked, or slightly optimised by eating certain combinations, but in general I doubt that most folks would feel anything beyond the placebo effect.

I would suspect that too much of any particular food could deplete the supply of the needed enzyme, and give you indigestion?

 

[Morrigan]

1 other odd thing - this is meant to be a good diet for athletes, but doing a lot of training while only eating every 4.5 hours would be hard...

Yes, my co-worker did note that he lost a lot of weight using this diet. But I'm pretty sure it has to do with the foods being eaten, and at what frequency, rather than the combinations.

Per my local gastro-enterologist, one of the reasons we have taste buds for different food is to control the excretion of the different digestive enzymes from our pancreas. So, your body will put out the proper mix, whatever you stick in your mouth. I suppose your system can be tricked, or slightly optimised by eating certain combinations, but in general I doubt that most folks would feel anything beyond the placebo effect.

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[hgc]

...
As for avoiding pork, I’m not a nutrionalist but take a look at the majority of pork products. Most of them are not what I’d call healthy. However, in fairness it’s not hard to find good pork products nor am I saying pork is bad just that it’s usually presented in poor shape.
...

Pigs grown for consumption in the U.S. are a lot leaner than they were 50 years ago. Loin and tenderloin are particularly lean. I can't imagine what could be wrong with eating that, healthwise.

 

[elaine]

I haven't heard of this diet, but just by paying attention to what and how I eat and exercising, I've lost 30 pounds. I don't worry about food combinations, and the only thing I've cut out completely, at least until I get to my goal, is alcohol.

I have more energy now than I've had in a long time.

 

[jon]

I haven't heard of this diet, but just by paying attention to what and how I eat and exercising, I've lost 30 pounds. I don't worry about food combinations, and the only thing I've cut out completely, at least until I get to my goal, is alcohol.

I have more energy now than I've had in a long time.

Yeah, a wonderfully effective way to lose weight. Unfortunately, it's hard to make money just by saying 'eat less, exercise more', so you get all these 'interesting' diets

 

[casebro]

Pigs grown for consumption in the U.S. are a lot leaner than they were 50 years ago. Loin and tenderloin are particularly lean. I can't imagine what could be wrong with eating that, healthwise.

Not to mention also that pork fat (lard) is 40% Mono-unsaturated, that's the good kind. Probably the largest source of MU in the American diet.