How often do you blame rice for making you sleepy after lunch, or point fingers at coffee for ruining your sleep? But the problem is not always the food itself. It is often about when you ate it, what you paired it with, and the state your body was in at that moment. Simply put, your stress levels, sleep quality and metabolism can influence how you feel, because our bodies work in context – not just calories. Nutritionist Lovneet Batra elaborated on this in a new Instagram video, where she explains why certain foods affect the body differently and how to reverse those effects. “Most people blame a single food for discomfort. ‘Rice makes me sleepy', ‘nuts feel heavy', ‘banana upsets my stomach', ‘ghee makes me gain weight'. But in reality, it's not the food itself. It's the timing, the combination, and your metabolic context at that moment,” she writes in her caption.
According to the nutritionist, “your body responds to chemistry: how fast glucose enters the bloodstream, how much insulin rises, how quickly food empties from the stomach, and how nutrients compete or support each other during digestion. When pairings are off, you feel sleepy, bloated, acidic, or sluggish. When pairings are right, the same foods make you feel light, energetic, and satisfied.”
Four Foods That Throw Your Body Off Balance And What To Pair Them With
Lovneet Batra explains that rice can spike insulin because when tryptophan enters the brain, serotonin rises, and you feel drowsy. She suggests pairing rice with dal, paneer, vegetables, or protein → glucose releases slowly → energy stays stable.
She adds that nuts are not “heavy”, but eating them after a full meal slows gastric emptying. Instead, she recommends having them as a mid-meal or on an empty stomach, when you can digest them better, absorb healthy fats and stay full longer.
Ghee also does not cause weight gain on its own, but combining it with refined carbs or sugar can, she notes. “Have it with millets, vegetables, dals, or rotis” for “improved satiety, hormone balance, and gut lining support,” she reveals.
Finally, Lovneet Batra states that “banana isn't bad for digestion, but having it solo on an empty stomach can spike acidity and blood sugar.” She advises pairing the fruit with nuts, sabja seeds, or some protein for smoother digestion and balanced energy.
So, take note of these suggestions and make mindful food choices for better digestion, stable energy, and improved overall well-being. It is not about restriction – your digestion, mood and satiety depend far more on pairing and timing than you think.
