Ayurveda is that ancient science which was so deeply rooted in the understanding of the life of an individual. Ayurveda was a study about life and one's well-being. They urge people to eat and combine well. While we hear advice on eating healthy, there are also many harmful combinations that can be avoided. Incorrect food combination can cause a number of digestive problems, toxins (ama) in the body, as well as long-term health issues. We are going to unwind the dangerous food combinations of Ayurveda which one should avoid and understand the reason behind these rules in this blog post.
1. Milk and Sour Fruits
Milk is a wholesome and complete food in itself, but if consumed with sour fruits like oranges, lemons, or strawberries would cause digestive troubles.
Risky because: Milk, as mentioned in Ayurveda, is cooling and heavy. Sour fruits are acidic and light. These two, when consumed together, will curdle inside the stomach and, thereby, interfere with digestion; resulting in gas, bloated tummy, and indigestion.
Ayurvedic Advice: Always consume milk alone or with some compatible foods like sweet fruits like dates or raisin.
2. Honey and Ghee (in equal quantities)
Both are high value according to Ayurveda. However, they get combined in equal measure and are toxic.
Why It's Toxic: According to Ayurveda, honey is hot in nature and ghee is cold. Combining them in an equal proportion disrupts their balance and arrests the flow of srotas or energy channels, thus producing toxins.
Ayurvedic Tip: Use honey and ghee separately or ensure the ratio is not 1:1 when combined in dishes.
3. Fish and Dairy Products
Fish is protein-rich and often said to be healthy, but if consumed with dairy, especially milk, yogurt, or cheese, it is strictly prohibited in Ayurveda.
Why it's dangerous: Fish is warming, and dairy is cooling. The combination produces toxins, causes rashes on the skin, and causes digestive upset.
Ayurvedic Tip: Eat fish with vegetables or grains but never with any kind of dairy.
4. Eating Fruits as a Part of Your Meals
The most common practice in relation to the diet is eating fruits with meals, especially as salads or desserts. However, in an ideal world, fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach.
Why is that dangerous? Compared with other food groups, fruits digest faster. If taken together with grains, proteins, or fats, fermentation in the stomach can take place, which results in indigestion, bloating, and gas.
Ayurvedic Tip: Have fruits 30 minutes before a meal or 1-2 hours after. Avoid consuming them with heavy meals like grains or proteins.
5. Banana and Milk
This would be tempting in smoothies or shakes, but Ayurveda totally forbids this combination.
Why it's unhealthy: Both banana and milk are heavy but have opposite effects on the body. Bananas will cause a hindrance in the body due to the sour property, increasing ama toxins and causing sinus congestion, allergies, or other minor digestive problems with milk.
Ayurvedic Secret: If you love having banana shakes, replace milk with almond milk or have bananas.
6. Radishes and Milk
Radish is pungent and heating and milk cooling and heavy. The mixture can create extreme imbalances.
Why it's dangerous: It might kill digestive fire or agni, and there will be buildup of toxins within the body. It may create skin diseases or respiratory disorders in the long term.
Ayurvedic Recommendation: Don't take radishes with the food items that have any kind of milk included in them.
7. Cucumber and Tomatoes
Even though these are often used together in salads, Ayurveda says no to them.
Why it's bad: Cucumbers and tomatoes digest at different rates. Tomatoes are acidic while cucumbers are alkaline and watery. Together, it can disrupt your digestion and cause bloating or gas.
Ayurvedic Tip: Eat cucumbers and tomatoes separately or with other vegetables that go well with them.
8. Yogurt and Fruits
Yogurt, especially that mixed with fruits like berries, is one of the more popular breakfast options, but Ayurveda straight out forbids it.
Why dangerous: Yogurt is sour and heating in nature; fruits are sweet and cooling. Thus, it will create an acidic environment for the digestive system, and indigestion, toxins with imbalance in doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) will be the consequences.
Ayurvedic Tip: Have yogurt mixed with spice of cinnamon or honey and fruits separately for proper digestion.
9. Lentils with Milk
Lentils are a powerhouse of proteins and fibers, hence a healthy food. However, lentils do not go well with milk.
Why it's hazardous: Lentils are dry and light, whereas milk is heavy and oily. In the digestive system, it will confuse the system and lead to bloating, gas, and indigestion.
Ayurvedic Tip: Saute lentils with vegetables or spices like cumin and coriander, but not milk.
Conclusion
The guidelines of Ayurveda about combining food would help ensure improved digestion, more energy, and a general better state of well-being. The avoidance of these injurious food combinations will prevent the formation of ama or toxins, which in turn can prevent an upset of doshas in the body. Remember that Ayurveda believes that every individual is unique, so listen to your body and consult an Ayurvedic practitioner if necessary.
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Health & Wellness