Food combinations to avoid
Ayurveda sees food as a medicine. The right choice of food can help balance our constitution, the base of our personal health.
Every individual has a unique constitution, which is a unique combination of the Doshas Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This makes that we all have our own (dietary) needs.
When you are deciding on what you’re going to cook, it is important to check which foods do combine with each other and which don’t. There are a lot of foods that are healthy when they are taken separate from each other, but they can less beneficial when taken in combination, according to Ayurveda.
Ayurveda considers every type of food as a medicine that has some specific qualities.
Why is that? Ayurveda considers every type of food as a medicine that has some specific qualities. These are for example the taste of the food and the heating or cooling effect after digestion. When products with opposing qualities are taken together, this can disturb our digestion. Symptoms that we can experience can be for example pain in the stomach, nausea or reflux. Also, it can result in the build up of toxins in the digestive tract which can affect our overall health.
In the table below you will find an overview of food combinations best to avoid when preparing your meal.
Product |
Don’t combine with |
|
Milk |
Beans, all fresh fruits, sour foods, eggs, pickles, yeast-based bread, yogurt, meat, chicken, fish, Kicheri, radish, nightshades, green leafy vegetables, beer, mustard. Milk can be taken with dates (dried) and raisins. |
|
Beans |
Fruit, milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, meat, chicken, fish. |
|
Eggs |
Fruit, milk, yogurt, cheese, meat, chicken, beans, Kicheri. |
|
Fruit |
All other foods. Fruit is best to be eaten alone. |
|
Grains |
Fresh fruit, tapioca. |
|
Honey |
With the same quantity of Ghee (in grams). Black gram/black chickpeas, meat, fish. Note that honey should never be heated or cooked. If you add honey to your food or drink, wait until it has cooled to a temperature that you can eat or drink it and then add the honey. I recommend to use natural / organic honey. |
|
Warm drinks |
Cold food, mango, yogurt, cheese, meat, chicken, fish, starches. |
|
Lemon |
Cucumber, tomato, milk, yogurt. |
|
Melon |
All other foods. Especially egg, dairy products, baked foods, grains, and starches. |
|
Night-shades |
Melon, cucumber, dairy products. |
|
Radish |
Fruit, milk, fish, black gram/black chickpeas. |
|
Tapioca |
Fruit (especially banana, mango, raisins), beans, palm sugar. |
|
Yogurt |
Fruit, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, chicken, fish, nightshades, warm drinks. Yogurt should not be taken in the evening. |
|
Fish |
Milk, black pepper, beans, eggs, fruit, warm drinks, radish, yogurt, honey, sesame seed, black gram / black chickpeas, sugar. |
Do you have any questions? Please don’t hesitate to send me a message via info@sophiareuser.com or send me a DM on Instagram @sophiareuser.
References
Charak Samhita Sutra Sthan
Dr. Lad, V. (2012). Textbook of Ayurveda Volume 3. General Principles of Management and Treatment. 1st Edition. The Ayurvedic Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Vagbhat. Astanga Hridaya Sutra Sthan Chapter 7.