New Liu’s Satisfies Stomachs with Tofu, Mixed Veggies

No matter what kind of diet you keep, if your food isn’t digested properly, you won’t get all the nutrients your body needs — and your stomach won’t be happy either.

If you often suffer from indigestion, there is a school of thought in the health and nutrition field that the culprit could be food combining or trophology. I’m not a nutritionist or health professional, but the theory is that you shouldn’t eat carbohydrate-rich foods and protein-rich foods in the same meal. So starch with vegetables or protein with vegetables, but not all at the same time. There are other food combination no-no’s, but vegetables and leafy salads are believed to combine well with all types of foods.

The science is that protein needs an acidic stomach to digest, and starch needs an alkaline environment, so they digest differently and impair each other. And without complete digestion, nutrients can’t be assimilated fully by the body.

As an added incentive, it’s also believed that you can lose weight by following this diet.

If you’re ready to give it a try, it’s not hard to do. Think pasta topped with mushrooms (hold the cheese, please) with a green salad, or even a sandwich or tortilla stuffed with fresh or sauteed veggies.

If you’re in the mood for Chinese food, New Liu’s Chop Suey, a popular and affordable eatery in Kalihi, offers Tofu with Mixed Vegetables, which owner Henry Liu assures contains no meat or meat products. It’s an appetizing dish with tofu, carrots, choi sum, bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms and more vegetables in a savory garlic sauce ($7.95).

Hold the rice and you’ve got a well-combined meal — and hopefully a happier opu.

New Liu’s Chop Suey