According to Ayurveda strong digestion is the key to optimal health.
Combining certain incompatible foods in the same meal can weaken digestion, cause fermentation in the digestive tract and can in turn result in bloating, gas and accumulation of toxins or Ama.
To understand the ayurvedic food combining, it's important to understand that in Ayurveda every food has its own taste, heating or cooling effect and the post digestive effect. As per Ayurveda careful food combining can dramatically improve the quality of digestion and have a positive impact on the overall health. It is usually best to follow the idea of food combining slowly and gently allowing plenty of time to make the necessary adaptation. Simply develop an awareness of the improper food combinations that you eat somewhat regularly.. Just become aware of your needs and your habits, then slowly you can develop an approach to food combining that works for you.
Let's see some of the food combinations as per Ayurveda.
Melons are best to be eaten alone and it should be avoided with everything like eggs ,fried food, grains and starches. Melons should be eaten alone it should never be combined with any other food.
Greens
A nightshade is a common name for a member of the plant family Solanaceae which includes potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes, egg plants, Cayenne peppers, paprika ,tobacco etc. These nightshades contain a complex array of compounds that lead to chemical reactions in the body.
# Pork , buffalo meat, swan meat ,goose ,crab ,fish ,tortoise should not be taken along with black gram ,honey ,milk and germinated grains.
# Radish is incompatible with fish.
# White beans is incompatible with fruit ,milk ,cheese ,yogurt.
# Beans do not combine well with fruit ,milk ,cheese, yogurt ,eggs, meat, and fish.
Beans Combinations
We all love beans and cheese burritos..
But beans and cheese both tend to be heavy and are very difficult to digest.
To digest them together a very strong Agni or the digestive fire is needed.
They also have different post digestive effects on the body.
Beans usually taste astringent and sweet and has a pungent post
digestive effect.
Cheese is mostly Sour in taste and tends to have a sour post digestive effect.
Due to different post digestive effects the body particularly the
colon can be affected.
Beans and cheese when they are eaten together tend to overwhelm and confuse the digestive fire.
Their combined heaviness makes digestion a difficult process which can result in poor digestion and accumulation of ama.
Ama is the toxic by product of incomplete digestion of food which is the main cause of most of the diseases as per ayurveda.
Hence beans should be completely avoided with fruits, milk ,cheese, yogurt ,eggs, meat and fish .
This is a wrong combination as per Ayurvedic principles.
Yogurt
Yogurt is compatible with most of the grains and vegetables.
However it should be avoided along with fruits, beans ,milk ,cheese, eggs ,meat, fish, night shades and hot drinks.
Avoid yogurt with this food.
Curd should not be used with chicken . Its a common cooking style to marinate chicken using curd and the cooking it.
Do not drink hot water after eating curd, honey or alcohol.
Honey
Do not heat honey.
Honey should not be added to boiling water or boiling tea.
Cool down the water or tea till it gets lukewarm and then add honey to it.
In other words don't cook honey.
Honey and ghee should not be mixed in equal quantities.
Eggs
Eggs are compatible with grains and non-starchy vegetables. You can have eggs with grains and non-starchy vegetables.
Avoid eating eggs with milk, cheese, yogurt, melons, kitchari, potatoes, meat, fish and beans. These are the food items which are incompatible with eggs.
Lemons
Lemon is okay to be used in small quantities as a garnish or
flavoring. however it should be avoided along with cucumbers,
tomatoes, milk and yogurt..
Melons
Greens can be taken with beans, vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, nuts
,seeds, cheese and yogurt.
Avoid eating grains with fruits. It is a wrong combination to eat
grains and fruits together .
This leads to the slow digestion of the food.
As fruits are easily digestible they should be taken separately.
Vegetables can be taken with grains, beans ,cheese, yogurt, meat ,fish, nut seeds and eggs.
Avoid eating vegetables with fruit and milk.
Nightshades and cheese
Actually as per ayurveda all night shades are difficult to digest
and have a capacity to disturb the doshas.
When we mix the night shades with cheese which is heavy ,oily and also difficult to digest, it weakens our digestive fire.
So nightshades should never be consumed along with cheese.
It is a wrong food combination in ayurveda.
Proper food combining helps us get the most nutrition out of our food and should be practiced whenever possible.
Occasional poorly combined food shouldn't cause too many problems.
Quantity and quality of food plays a large part in the digestibility.
Small amounts of wrong food combinations is okay, however it should be avoided in large quantities.