The Hay Diet

The Hay Diet is an innovative food combining diet that works by looking at the way that eating certain foods at the same time can affect how our body processes them. It was created in the 1930’s by Dr. William Hay.

---

Type - Food Combining Diets

Are special products required - No

Is eating out possible? - Yes

Is the plan family friendly? - Yes

Do you have to buy a book? - Yes

Is the diet easy to maintain? - No

---

So how does it work?...

Dr. William Hay did a lot of research in the 1920’s to create his diet plan. Unfortunately, many of the techniques he used to provide evidence for his theories are outdated now. However, this does not prove or disprove his overall theories and claims.


The program is based on the idea that eating a mixed diet results in poor digestion and metabolic imbalance.


Our body doesn’t do its best when it is trying to digest multiple types of foods at once, said Hay.


Carbohydrates and proteins are digested in completely different chemical environments, so separating their consumption by leaving time between them would ease digestion and keep the body out of the acidic state and in the alkaline state.


The Hay Diet says that protein and starches should never be eaten at the same meal and that four hours must go between meals.

---

The Diet Plan...

The Hay Diet’s main tenant is separating the consumption of protein and starches. This means that you should always eat meats and cheeses separately from bread.


Additionally, most protein rich foods and starches should be avoided altogether due to their acid-forming characteristics.


Fruits and vegetables are identified as alkali-forming and therefore very good to us.


The program calls for a diet 50% vegetables and fruit. No processed foods are allowed whatsoever, and milk should be avoided as well.


Nuts and oils are considered another staple of this food combining diet plan, and along with vegetables, can be eaten with either starches or proteins.

---

Is it good for you?...

There is no modern science that backs up the claim made in the diet plan that our bodies are usually in a healthy “alkaline” state and that certain foods cause us to be “acidic” and thus, unhealthy.


His food combining theories are interesting and can be seen to make sense on a common sense level, but they are unsubstantiated.


The other ideas of the Hay Diet are healthy however, including the advice to eat whole grains and vegetables while limiting processed foods.

---

Example Day...

Breakfast
• Plain yogurt with sliced apple and flaked almonds

Lunch
• Toasted banana sandwich
• Mixture of grapes, hazelnuts, and raisins
• Fresh pear

Dinner
• Grilled cod with carrots, peas, and cauliflower
• Fruit salad of pineapple and fresh orange

Snacks
• Fresh fruit
• Chopped vegetables

---

Return to Food Combining Diets Homepage

Return to Diet Plans Homepage