Difficult (hard to digest)
Difficult means difficult to digest. Beans are difficult to digest because they contain natural protein-digestion inhibitors (saponins) to protect them from insect invasion. Fiber is hard to digest. Red meat, nuts, cheese, and flour products are difficult to digest because they are heavy, dense foods. Cold food, raw food and foods that are high in fiber are generally hard to digest as well. How much a certain food is hard to digest is relative to the individual’s digestive capacity. A strong digestion can handle more hard to digest foods, while a weak digestion may fail to digest properly even easy to digest foods.
Digestion: The Energy drainer of the Body
Digestion consumes up to 60% of our daily energy requirements, therefor resting your digestion is a key component to resting your entire body and to healing. Whenever you have indigestion or you are feeling tired, exhausted or stressed, you can save on vital energy by avoiding difficult to digest food.
Fermentation in the GI tract
When foods are too difficult to digest, bacteria in our gut digest the foods faster than our digestive juices and organs, fermenting the foods. The cardinal sign of a difficult-to-digest food is gas and bloating. Stinky gas means that bacterial waste products are accumulating in the digestive tract. Eventually, fermentation irritates the GI tract, causing diarrhea and burdening the liver and kidneys with a substantial toxic load.
Ingredients that are Difficult
Grains
Brown Rice, Corn, Corn Flour, Corn Meal, Corn Starch, Cream of Wheat, Grits, Masa, Oat Bran, Pasta, Rice Flour, Rye, Seitan (wheat meat), Wheat Bran, White Flour (wheat), Whole Wheat Flour, Wild Rice
Beans-Legumes
Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-eyed Peas, Black Mung Bean, Brown Lentil, Butter Bean, Cannelini, Chick Pea (Garbanzo), Edamame, Fava Beans, Kidney Beans, Lima Beans, Pinto Beans, Red Lentils, Soy Beans, Split Peas, White Navy Bean, Yellow Lentil
Vegetables
Brussels sprouts, Crimini & Button Mushrooms, Portobello Mushroom, Parsnip, Radish
Greens
Cabbage (raw), Spirulina
Meats
Beef, Bone Marrow / Fat, Chicken Fat (rendered), Duck, Egg Yolk, Pork, Rabbit, Red Meat Fat (rendered), Turkey
Dairy
Blue Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Condensed Milk, Cream Cheese, Feta Cheese, Goat Cheese, Heavy Cream, Milk, Mozzarella Cheese, Paneer, Parmesan Cheese, Romano Cheese, Skim Milk Powder
Nuts-Seeds
Acorn, Brazil Nut, Cashews, Coconut Milk, Hazelnut, Hickory Nuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans, Pistachio, Tahini, Walnuts
Fruits
Coconut, Mango, Melon, Pears, Watermelon
Oils
Lard (pork fat(
Ferments
Chocolate (Cacao), Dosa Mix