Incompatibility in Food

Ayurveda, an ancient holistic science of healing, offers a logical and scientific

approach for determining correct diet based upon an individual's constitution. Vata,
Pitta and Kapha; the tri-dosha, are the elements which comprise individual
constitution. This approach is quite different from the "traditional" view of a balanced
diet; viz., eating daily from the basic food groups; meat, dairy, fruit, grains and
vegetables. According to Ayurvedic literature, such a scheme is insufficient to lead us
to the path of good health.
In the Ayurvedic literature there are five types of nutritional disorders:
1.
2.

Quantitative dietary deficiency. This includes under-nutrition due to insufficient

food, and even starvation.
Qualitative dietary deficiency. This includes wrong food combination which results
in malnutrition, toxic condition and lack of essential nutrients.

3.

Qualitative and quantitative over-nutrition. This includes emotional overeating

which can result in obesity and/or high cholesterol which can lead to
hypertension, heart attacks or paralysis.

4.

Toxins in food. Certain foods and food combinations lead to toxemia and to certain
digestive disorder.

5.

Foods not suitable to one's constitution may affect natural resistance and cause
disease.

These five factors are closely connected to the strength of agni (the gastric fire).
There are four types of agni:
VISHAMA AGNI : Due to vata dosha the gastric fire becomes vitiated, causing
irregular appetite, indigestion and gases. Emotionally this can result in anxiety,
insecurity, fear, and neurological or mental problems.
TIKSHNA AGNI : Pitta dosha is responsible for this type of agni disorder. It may cause
hyper-metabolism, hyperacidity, heartburn and hypoglycemia leading to inflammatory
diseases.
MANDA AGNI : This is due to an excess kapha condition, leading to slow metabolism,
overweight, allergies and congestive diseases.
SAMA AGNI : This type of agni is the result of balanced tri-dosha. A person having
this type of agni can eat almost any type of food without difficulty. Digestion,
absorption and elimination are all normal.
The nutritionist should give consideration to these types of agni when making
suggestions concerning diet.
According to Ayurveda, every food has its own taste (rasa), a heating or cooling
energy (virya) and post-digestive effect (vipak). When two or three different food
substances of different taste, energy and post-digestive effect are combined together
agni can become overloaded inhibiting the enzyme system and resulting in production
of toxins in the system. While it is true that an individual's agni largely determines
how well or poorly food is digested, food combinations are also of great importance.
When foods, (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) having different attributes, tastes,

heating or cooling properties, and post-digestive effects are eaten together, agni will
be slowed down. The foods can then remain in the stomach for seven to eight hours.
These same foods, if eaten separately might well stimulate agni, be digested more
quickly and even help to burn ama.
Thus, according to Ayurveda, one should eat according to one's constitution and take
fruits, starches, proteins and fats separately at different times of the day. Combining
foods improperly can produce indigestion, fermentation, putrefaction and gas
formation. This condition, if prolonged, can lead to toxemia and disease complex. For
example, eating bananas with milk can diminish agni, change the intestinal flora
producing toxins and may cause sinus congestion, cold, cough and allergies.
Some Incompatibilities

Avoid taking milk or yogurt with sour or citrus fruits.

Avoid eating fruits together with potatoes or other starchy foods. Fructose (and
other sugars) is digested quickly, whereas starch takes quite some time. In this
case the sugar would not be properly digested.

Avoid eating melons and grains together. Melons digest quickly whereas grains
take more time. This combination will upset the stomach. Melons should be eaten
alone or left alone.

Honey should never be cooked. Honey digests slowly when cooked and the
molecules become a non-homogenized glue which adheres to mucous membranes
and clogs subtle channels, producing toxins. Uncooked honey is nectar. Cooked
honey is poison.

Do not eat meat protein and milk protein together. Meat is heating and milk is
cooling so they counteract one another, disturb agni and produce ama.

Milk and melons should not be eaten together. Both are cooling, but milk is laxative
and melon is diuretic, and milk requires more time for digestion. Moreover the
action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes the milk to curdle. For this reason
Ayurveda advises against taking milk with sour fruits, yogurt, sour cream, cheese,
and fish.

Ayurveda insists that iced water should not be drunk during or after a meal as it slows
agni and digestion. Small sips of warm water taken during the meal serves to aid
digestion. While eating one should properly masticate the food in order to soften it
and ensure that it is thoroughly mixed with saliva. If desired, one can finish a meal by
drinking a cup of lassi (or takram). This can be made by blending four teaspoons of
yogurt with two pinches of ginger and cumin powder in one cup of water.
When eating, only one third of the capacity of the stomach should be filled with food,
one third with liquid and one third should be left empty. This will aid in proper
digestion and also promotes mental clarity.
INCOMPATIBLE FOOD COMBINATIONS
Milk Is Incompatible With:

Bananas
Fish

Meat
Melons
Curd
Sour Fruits
Kitchari
Bread containing yeast
Cherries

Melons Are Incompatible With:

Grains
Starch
Fried foods
Cheese

Starches Are Incompatible With:

Eggs
Chai
Milk
Bananas
Dates
Persimmons

Honey Is Incompatible With:

Ghee (in equal proportions)

Heating or cooking with.

Radishes Are Incompatible With:

Milk
Bananas
Raisins

Nightshades, (Potato, Tomato, Eggplant, Chilies) Are Incompatible With:

Yogurt
Milk
Melon
Cucumber

Yogurt Is Incompatible With:

Milk
Sour Fruits
Melons
Hot drinks
Meat
Fish
Mangos

Starch
Cheese

Eggs Are Incompatible With:

Milk
Meat
Yogurt
Melons
Cheese
Fish
Bananas

Mangos Are Incompatible With:

Yogurt
Cheese
Cucumbers

Corn Is Incompatible With:

Dates
Raisins
Bananas

Lemon Is Incompatible With:

Yogurt
Milk
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
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