The Gracie Diet
The History and Principles Behind Carlos Gracie's Famous Diet
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Fruits and vegetables: Staples of the Gracie Diet |
Created by Gracie Jiu-jitsu originator Professor Carlos Gracie, the Gracie Diet is a proven path to good health. It's also flexible, diverse, and easy to follow.
The Gracie Diet: Background
The result of 65 years of dedicated study and experimentation by the late Professor Carlos Gracie, the originator of Gracie Jiu-jitsu, the Gracie Diet is based on combining foods in ways that make them easiest for the body to digest. The Gracie Diet has had many devoted followers, the most notable being the late Grand Master Helio Gracie, who credited the diet with his longevity and ability to continue his daily Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training until the age of 95.
How to Follow the Gracie Diet
The Gracie Diet is easy to follow. Almost all foods are allowed and many of the guidelines are based on common sense. It takes time to become familiar with the food groupings though, so it’s easier to make a gradual switch than to jump in right away. Start with one meal a day and work from there. A difference in wellness and overall energy level is often felt within the first few weeks.
Gracie Diet Principles:
- Digestion is the Body’s Toughest Workout - The Gracie Diet is based on the principle that digestion is the body’s toughest daily workout and that streamlining this process enables the body to divert a maximum percentage of its resources towards other essential functions like training, healing injuries, fighting disease, etc.
- Different Food Groups Require Specific Digestive Enzymes - Specific digestive enzymes are needed to digest different types of foods. Foods can be grouped according to the digestive enzymes needed to break them down.
- Eat Only Foods from Compatible Groups at Each Meal - Since different combinations of foods require specific sets of enzymes and enzyme production is an energy-intensive process, one can dramatically reduce the body’s workload by only eating foods from compatible groups at each meal.
- Let the Body Recover Between Meals - The Gracie Diet specifies that one should allow four and a half hours between meals. This allows the body to finish its job, recover, and return to its neutral state before having to produce another set of digestive enzymes.
- Eat Whatever You Want - The only foods that are expresslyl forbidden under the Gracie Diet are pork products. Almost all foods can be eaten, provided they are combined correctly.
- Don’t Overeat - Eating too much overloads the body’s digestive system. Always leave the table feeling like you could eat more.
Gracie Diet Food Groups
The following is an abbreviated list of Gracie Diet food groups, as compiled by Professor Carlos Gracie:
Group A - combine with each other, plus one of Group B
- almonds
- avocado
- cauliflower
- chicken
- red meat
- spinach
Group B - Do not combine with each other
- cereals
- starches
- rice
- potatoes
- soybean
Group C - Combine with each other, plus one of Group B (but not prepared with fat)
- fresh sweet fruits
- bananas
- honey
- watermelon
- ricotta cheese
- cream cheese
Group D - Don’t combine with anything else, or each other.
- acidic fruits
- kiwi
- strawberry
- peach
- mango
Group E - Raw banana
Combines with:
- all fresh sweet fruits
- cheese
- cream
Does not combine with:
- avocado
- dried fruit
- honey
- oil/fat
- group A or B
Group F - Milk
Combines with:
- Group B
- bananas
Does not combine with:
- Group A
- avocado
- oil/fat
- most fruits
Group G - Fresh milk cream
Combines with:
- Group B
- apples
- bananas
- milk derivatives (except butter)
Does not combine with:
- Dried fruits
- egg whites
- meats
- vegetables
- oil/fat
Further Gracie Diet Resources:
This was just a quick overview of the Gracie Diet. For more information:
The Gracie Diet is explained in full detail in the book Gracie Jiu-jitsu by Grand Master Helio Gracie.
