• Fifty per cent of all our health issues can drop in one shot, only if we adhere to the right food combinations. After briefly discussing the dietary aspects in Ayurveda on a scientific basis, know 9 food combinations that are best avoided and why. 

Food, we know, is the most basic need of any living organism. Everything else is secondary to that. No wonder, the food that humans consume has been the subject of a huge amount of curiosity, interest, study, research and analysis. Any number of books, journals, treatises are dedicated to this most important aspect of human existence. I say ‘human existence’ because all other living organisms on this planet earth will look at food mostly when their hunger pangs give them a tug. Rest of the time they just bask in their playful existence. 

But we poor humans are always slogging it out to partake of the culinary delights that our mind conjures up all the time. No wonder the breed that ‘lives to eat’ far outnumbers those that ‘eat to live’.  The multi-trillion global industry of restaurants, fast food chains, and the food delivery apps says it all. Throwing our mental cravings aside, we often blame it all on the innocent ‘paapi pét’ (sinful stomach) as if it is responsible for leaving us into the quagmire of materialistic existence. Have we ever thought how pandering to the indulgences of a mere 4-inch tongue can be such a self-consuming passion?

Considering all of the above, I type out these lines in much trepidation. Surely, those who live by the adage, ‘the way to a man’s heart goes through his stomach’ might go after me with a dagger! Forgive me dear readers, I do not aim to snatch away anyone’s gourmet delights but merely write for the delight of a sincere health seeker.

Ayurvedic tradition

Though a staunch follower of the Natural Health & Hygiene or the Orthopathic tradition, I would like to give some references from Ayurveda to set a context to the present subject.

But before that, I must say that though we consider food the most important aspect of our existence, as individuals, we rarely give a second thought to what impact the food we are about to ingest may have on us. Only if we were a little mindful about what we eat, how we eat, why we eat, when to eat and where to eat, our health issues would vanish in a matter of days. Fifty per cent of them would just drop in one shot if only we were mindful of our choice of food combinations!

Just as we find a detailed account of every other aspect of human life in Ayurveda, thus is the dietary aspect described. Since the topic of discussion here is food combinations, we shall only look at the compatibility part of our dietary intake. The Ayurvedic lore describes incompatible food combinations as   Viruddha Ahara, since combining those foods is said to disrupt the digestive fire (Agni) and lead to accumulation of toxins (Ama).

Ayurvedic texts describe in great detail the subtle aspects of physiological processes in the body, where the digestive process is the most significant. It is described that just as everything in this world is composed of the Panch Mahabhutas or the Five Great Elements, so are all the ahara (food) articles. Similarly, all ahara is also bestowed with either of the three gunas (qualities)-sattvic, rajasic and tamasic.

During the process of digestion and metabolism, the respective bhutagnis  digest their own ingredients after they are stimulated by antaragni. Therefore, the metabolic processing of food, and the requisite therapeutic effects drawn therefrom, is the consequence of a very fine and complex procedure that gives us well-formed body constituents. Each food article either has Dosha aggravating, or pacifying, or balancing action on human body. Therefore, to keep the homoeostasis of Doshas (health), a very specific diet is prescribed.

Homeostasis is a well-balanced and harmonious metabolic process, which is crucial for overall health. It is a self-regulatory process of the body where it keeps everything stable and balanced internally, despite fluctuations in the external environment. It’s like your thermostat. Incompatible foods or Viruddha Ahara or the wrong combination of foods can damage this thermostat and create imbalances.

The Art of Dietetics

Thus, proper dietary planning and the right kind of food combinations not only prevent disease but also restore health by repairing the thermostat or rectifying earlier negative lifestyle deviations. Our mind cannot decide which food ingredients (and in what combinations) are easy to digest; nor do the food ingredients decide that. Efficient digestion is the prerogative of the digestive system. But the responsibility of keeping the digestive system in good health is entirely ours.

Disruption of digestive process, and the consequent accumulation of toxins in the body, is the single most important cause of all diseases. Incompatible food combinations lead to digestive issues and other health problems. The cause of almost all communicable as well as non-communicable diseases can be traced back to wrong food combinations (besides, of course, to the wrong timings and the wrong choice of foods itself). We challenge our digestive system by combining the wrong foods.

A look at some of the more common incompatible food combinations:

1. Water with food

There is a tendency amongst a large population to keep a glass of water alongside their food plate when they sit down to eat. Water should never be combined with any kind of food—fruit, vegetables, cereals, grains, whatsoever. 

It should either be taken half-an-hour before, or a couple of hours after the meal. However, taking just a couple of sips for a specific reason would do no harm. Though best is to avoid.

2. Fruits with Meals

Fruit is considered the king of all foods from nutrition point of view. It also gets digested faster than most other foods. 

Combining fruit with slower-digesting foods like proteins, fats, and starches can lead to fermentation and gas formation in the stomach. This way we get deprived of all the goodness of fruits.

3. Fruits with Milk

Fruit is a stand-alone nutrition-packed food. Combining fruit with milk or any other milk products would delay digestion of both. Mixing milk with citric fruit, especially, can lead to its curdling, delayed digestion and acidity issues.

If we have pure desi cow milk available, it may be combined with sweet fruits like ripe mango, chikoo or dates.

4. Salt with Fruits and Salads

Salt pulls out some of the vital nutrients from fruits through osmosis, leading to osmotic dehydration. We are thus not only deprived of essential minerals and vitamins, but also unnecessarily add more salt to our bloodstream.

Enjoy fruits and salads with all its wholesomeness, and keep your health intact.

5. Honey with Hot Liquids

Heating honey destroys some of its beneficial properties by causing a loss of enzymes and nutrients. This diminishes its overall nutritional value and health benefits.

Overheating honey can generate hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which is believed to be a potentially harmful compound.

6. Curd or Paneer (cottage cheese) with Sour or Bitter Food

Combining curd or paneer (cottage cheese) with sour or bitter foods can also lead to digestive problems. They should not be combined with bitter gourd (karela), neem leaves/juice, fenugreek (methi) in excess and very sour ingredients like lemon, sour fruit, kukam, tamarind and vinegar.

Very sour or old curd by itself is also not good for our system.

7. Milk Products with Other Foods

Milk is a complete food by itself. Ideally it should be taken alone. Especially, it should never be combined with sour fruits, citrus, melons, salty/pickled foods, meat, fish, eggs, curd, buttermilk, vinegar and fermented foods.

It is not advisable to combine milk with parathas, bread-butter, poori-sabzi, vegetables, or onions, garlic and ginger either.

8. Cereals with Pulses

Though I am aware that across India, dal-chawal (rice and pulses) and dal-roti (rice and wheat) is a staple diet for a majority of Indians, I suggest we avoid taking the cereals and pulses combination on a regular basis. Pulses are best taken sprouted, and cereals go well with vegetables.

Since indigestion is the main culprit for all our troubles and weight issues, we should keep it in check by being sensitive to what to eat and what not to eat, when to eat and in what combinations to eat. There are some foods that are more satiating or beneficial when combined together. We shall talk about such positive combinations in a later article.

9. Seven Grains in Multigrain Flour

The use of seven-grain (saat-dhanya) multi-flour is quite common in India. It can be a good marketing idea for a product, but is surely not a good idea as regular food. Generally, wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, millets and soyabean are combined together in multigrain flour. Some mixes replace soybean with chickpea (chana) or lentils (masoor, moong).

Consumption of this kind of mix will surely lead to digestion issues, and should be strictly avoided by those having a weak digestion.

To conclude, I would say that mono-diet and simplicity in our food habits is the only way to prevent any kind of health issue. By mono-diet I mean, do not combine different type of food ingredients at one time due to their differential digestion time. So, what happens to 5-course or 15-course meal spreads? Well … ask those who are perpetually fighting acidity issues, and a list of chronic diseases!!

Anuradha Vashisht is a Natural Health educationist who is promoting preventive health care through her HEALTH NECTAR initiative for more than two decades. She guides individuals to recover and enhance their health levels naturally, through natural health care concepts and dietary changes. She trained under Acharya Seshadri Swaminathan, foremost and the most committed disciple of Acharya Lakshmana Sarma, known as Father of Nature Cure in India.

Anuradha can be contacted at reach.healthnectar@gmail.com

References

1. Banamali D (2014): Concept of Dietetics and its Importance in Ayurveda. J Homeop Ayurv Med 3: 149.

2. Dhanya S., Ramesh N V and Abhayakumar Mishra: Traditional methods of food habits and dietary preparations in Ayurveda. S. et al. Journal of Ethnic Foods (2019) 6:14.

Also read

1. Does Food Combining Work

2. Food Combinations to avoid as per Ayurveda – good read. 

3. Common Myths about Food Combining that you should know

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