The incompatible food combinations as per Ayurveda

According to Ayurveda, every food item has a unique energy, flavor, and impact on the body. so we must exercise caution when taking different foods at the same time, as some dietary pairings can upset the gut and cause a number of health problems. In Ayurveda, we call these incompatible pairings as ‘Viruddha Ahara’ which refers to incompatible food combinations.

“The literal meaning of the word viruddha is the opposite. Viruddha Ahara refers to food pairings that may have undesirable effects when consumed at the wrong time (eating curd at night), with opposite properties (e.g., eating fish and milk), with opposite activities on the tissues (e.g., eating fruit and milk), processed in an undesirable way (e.g., honey when heated), and so forth.

Healthy eating alone is insufficient; we also need to incorporate mindful eating.

• Milk and Fish

Fish and milk shouldn’t be consumed together as the two foods are incompatible. Milk has cold properties whereas fish has heating properties. Combining the two have a spoiling impact on the blood and interferes with the body’s channels (called srotas).

• Milk and Salt

Another combination that should be avoided due to the hostile nature of the two is milk and salt. Yes, we all love alfredo pasta and mayonnaise but beware, it is indeed unfit for indigestion.

• Milk and Fruits

Bananas should not be eaten with milk, curds, or buttermilk because the combination can hamper digestion and produce toxins in the body. Eating this combination can also lead to cold, cough, and allergies.

• Eating curd at night

Curds (yoghurt, cheese, cottage cheese) are ideal to eat in lunch/brunch, but should not be consumed at night.

• Heated Honey

When honey is heated, the enzymes that aid digestion are destroyed, resulting in the production of ama (toxins) in the body.

• Equal quantities of Ghee and Honey

Don’t mix equal quantities of ghee and honey as they have opposite reactions in the body — honey has a heating, and drying properties whereas ghee has a cooling, moisturizing quality. “When eating ghee and honey together, we shall mix these in a larger quantity of one or the other”.

• Smoothies

Blending fruits into smoothies is trendy these days, and they look fantastic on Instagram. But we shall know that The majority of these smoothies and shakes have a dairy foundation, such as milk or yogurt and this can be disastrous for your health.

Fruits such as bananas, strawberries, pineapple, limes, and oranges generate heat during digestion. On the other side, milk has a cooling effect. These fruits become sour when broken down in the stomach. When milk and these fruits are ingested together, their diametrically opposed properties can quench the digestive fire.

As a result, your gut flora may become unbalanced and ama or toxins are produced in the stomach. Colds, coughing, phlegm, and allergies are frequently caused by combining milk and fruit.