5000+ years old Ayurveda says our overall health is determined by what we eat. Ayurveda is a science in -life that signifies health as a balance of dhatus (tissues), doshas, agni (eliminating toxins), and a pleased mind. Food is the prime ingredient to keep all these health indicators balanced.
How are dhatus, agni, and digestion connected?
The digestion process in Ayurveda comprises assimilation, absorption, and elimination. These all revolve around Agni which transforms food into energy, provides nourishment to the dhatus, and works as a support system for the body. If Agni gets diturbed, it starts imbalancing energies and leads to diseases.
There are seven dhatus (tissues) including Rakta (blood), Rasa (plasma), Meda (fat), Mamsa (muscle), Asthi (bone), Majja (bone-marrow) and Shukra (reproductive fluid).
The food we eat first converts into rasa and in the descending order shukra. Everything goes right but it turns wrong when incompatible food (viruddha anna) is consumed. Wrong diet interrupts our metabolism and subsequent tissues do not get ample nourishment.
Which food combinations are bad that we should avoid?
Bad food combinations or viruddha ahara (mismatch of Vipaka, Guna, Virya, Prabhava) may lead to disturbance of agni, poor digestion, ama accumulation, vitiation of dhatus, and channels obstruction. This does not allow you to gain adequate nourishment.
Avoid food combinations, including:
- Milk is not compatible with fruits, melons, sour fruits, and bananas. It should not be consumed with salty items such as samosa/paratha/khichadi. Don’t boil it with tea.
- Grains should not be consumed with Tapioca and Fruits.
- One should not consume fruits and milk with vegetables.
- Beans are the wrong combination with eggs, milk, fish, fruits, yogurt, and meat.
- Yogurt is to be avoided with cheese, hot drinks, sour fruits, milk, mangoes, nightshades, beans, eggs, fish.
- Fat and proteins are mismatched foods as they need different digestive juices.
- Cheese cannot be paired with eggs, fruits, hot drinks, milk, beans, yogurt.
- Proteins are not compatible with starches and their collective consumption may result in delayed digestion.
- Nightshades (tomato, potato, etc) are not compatible with fruits like cucumber, melon, and dairy products.
- Milk, yogurt, tomatoes, and cucumber are incompatible with lemons.
Ayurveda suggests a long list of wrong food combinations. The list can guide you towards bad choices of food. By abandoning these bad combinations, you can avoid fermentation, indigestion, and putrefaction. For more guidance, you can consult a registered Ayurvedic practitioner.
Eat right to live healthy!
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FAQs
Fruit and milk: Ayurveda suggests to avoid combining fruit and milk because it can lead to digestive issues. This combination may cause the fruit to ferment in the stomach, leading to bloating and discomfort for some individuals. Only mangoes are allowed with milk, that too, if they are sweet.
What is the best food combination in Ayurveda? ›
Examples of Good Food Combinations
Grains, sweet dried fruit (such as dates, soaked raisins), ghee and butter, nuts, spices like turmeric, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, saffron and vanilla. Light foods such as non-starchy vegetables, leafy greens, and salads.
What combination of food should not be eaten together? ›
Common rules of food combining
- Eat fruit only on an empty stomach, especially melons.
- Avoid combining starches and proteins.
- Avoid combining starches with acidic foods.
- Avoid combining different types of protein.
- Consume dairy products only on an empty stomach, especially milk.
Food types to avoid:
- Almost all sour fruits like tamarind, lemons, pineapple, strawberries, and bananas.
- Pungent vegetables like hot peppers, spinach, tomatoes, mustard greens, beet greens, and eggplant.
- Grains like millet, corn, rye, quinoa, and more.
- Legumes like soy, tur dal, miso, and urad dal.
Bananas are sweet, heavy, and cooling in nature, while curd is sour, heavy, and cold. According to Ayurvedic principles, combining foods with conflicting qualities can potentially disrupt digestion and create imbalances in the body. Therefore, the combination of banana and curd is generally not considered compatible.
What foods are hard to digest Ayurveda? ›
Heavy foods to avoid or reduce:
- Hard cheeses, eggs, fish, meat, and chicken. If meat is on your diet, try to have it during the daytime in well-cooked soups and stews.
- Peanut butter.
- Raw vegetables and sprouts.
- Bananas, cold milk, yogurt (lassi is okay)
- Cold foods and drinks.
- Leftovers.
Ayurveda also prescribes eating ghee with lemon, and not just for the delectable flavor combination. According to Ayurveda, ghee with lemon juice benefits your immune system, stomach, skin and hair. And this recipe for Nimbu Dal lets you enjoy those benefits in a tasty, comforting bowl of lentils.
Can we eat rice and roti together according to Ayurveda? ›
Because the carbohydrate content for both the grains is too high, having them together leads to absorption of starch in your body. If you do so, it can lead to indigestion as well as bloating.”
What is the largest meal according to Ayurveda? ›
Eat three meals a day and make lunch the largest meal
Like many other diets, the Ayurvedic diet recommends eating three meals a day. However, it recommends that people make lunch the largest meal of the day (and dinner the lightest).
What is the most unhealthy food combo? ›
Below are some of the top unhealthy food combinations to avoid:
- Banana and milk. Banana and milk - not a good combo. ...
- Burger and fries. It's common for people to have fries alongside burger. ...
- Beans and cheese. ...
- Pizza and soda. ...
- Food and water/juice. ...
- Yoghurt and fruits. ...
- Eggs and meat. ...
- Potato and meat.
Eat single fruits or with other fruits:Fruits must be eaten alone or with other fruits. If fruits are very sweet eat a handful of nuts after some time(approx ratio of 80% fruit, 20% nuts)As fruits digest quickly they are almost digested by the time nuts reach the stomach, and if they combine may rot and get ferment.
What to eat in the night as per Ayurveda? ›
Eat low-carb food
Ayurveda recommends having low-carb food at night that is easy to digest. Having a heavy meal at night will cause uneasiness and may disrupt your sleep. Low-carb food will make you feel light in the morning and you will be able to make the most of your day.
What foods cause inflammation Ayurveda? ›
Red meat, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco all increase inflammation. Avoid them and instead follow a pitta-pacifying diet of cooling, slightly dry, low-salt foods. Eat plenty of whole grains (especially barley and basmati rice), vegetables (especially bitter, leafy greens), and protein.
What is a good Ayurvedic breakfast? ›
Other suggestions for breakfast include dried figs and raisins, soaked the night before or simmered with a little water for 30 minutes. Or try one of the following healthy combinations: dates with a small dab of ghee replacing the pit; chapati flat bread with raw honey and warm milk; or oatmeal with raisins.
What is the bad combination of Ayurveda? ›
Grains should not be consumed with Tapioca and Fruits. One should not consume fruits and milk with vegetables. Beans are the wrong combination with eggs, milk, fish, fruits, yogurt, and meat. Yogurt is to be avoided with cheese, hot drinks, sour fruits, milk, mangoes, nightshades, beans, eggs, fish.
Which fruit combination should be avoided? ›
Avoid mixing acidic fruits with sweet fruits
Acidic and sub-acidic fruits such as grapefruits, strawberries, apples, pomegranates, and peaches, should never be combined with sweet fruits such as bananas and raisins. This is because it often leads to digestive problems, nausea, acidosis, and headaches.
Why not mix yogurt and fruit? ›
“Fruits, especially citrus fruits such as strawberries, grapes, oranges, amla, etc, should not be taken with milk or yoghurt. This is because this combination can lead to gastritis and a host of other gut health issues,” she said.
