Ayurveda Food Combining - Banyan Botanicals

Ayurvedic Food Combining
For many, the concept of food combining the idea that some foods digest well together
while others do not is entirely new, and somewhat foreign. But according to Ayurveda,
it is an essential part of understanding how to eat properly. Careful food combining can
dramatically improve the quality of digestion, support the body in receiving a deeper
level of nourishment, and positively impact our overall health.
However, most people in the modern world are accustomed to eating a number of foods
that do not usually digest well together (like fruit with nuts, or beans with cheese). So why
does it matter? The Ayurvedic perspective is that each food has a distinct combination of
tastes and energies and a corresponding affect on both the digestive system and on
the body as a whole. Combining foods with radically different energetics can overwhelm
the digestive fire and can cause indigestion, fermentation, gas, bloating, and the creation
of toxins.1 This is why proper food combining is so important. Of course, certain
combinations disturb the digestive tract more than others an important consideration if
this practice is entirely new to you. Regardless of your particular habits or symptoms,
paying attention to how you combine foods can provide a valuable opportunity for
insight, healing, and improved health.
A Balanced Approach to Food Combining

It is usually best to embrace the idea of food combining slowly and gently, allowing
plenty of time to make the necessary adaptations. Some of the recommended
adjustments are relatively simple; others can require a major recalibration in our habits, or
meet with resistance. Often, simply developing an awareness of improper food
combinations that you eat somewhat regularly is a great place to start. Notice which
foods you combine that may be difficult to digest together, and how often you indulge in
them. Become aware of how you feel afterwards. Do these choices affect your energy
level, your digestion, your elimination, the coating on your tongue? Are particular
combinations more noticeably influential than others? These are all important pieces of
information. They can confirm the importance of proper food combining and can help
each of us to identify the food combinations that are the most disruptive to our systems.
When you are feeling motivated and decide that you are ready to start adapting your diet
to accommodate more supportive food combinations, consider tackling just one change
at a time. Perhaps youll start by eating fruits alone, rather than in combination with other
foods. Over time, you can gradually progress toward the ideal. While it would certainly be
nice to avoid improper food combinations altogether, reducing their frequency can also
be incredibly beneficial. If you do find that some specific food combinations are more
problematic for you or your loved ones than others, focus your efforts on changing just
those in the beginning. The most important first step is to become aware of your needs
and your habits; from there, you can evolve an approach to food combining that works for
you.
Combinations to Reduce or Avoid

The following list highlights incompatible foods and offers suggestions for more
appropriate combinations. It is meant to be a helpful guide, not an exhaustive list. In fact,
you may be aware of other combinations that do not work for your body. Honor those
instincts. Because this resource is meant to help you determine optimal combinations at a
glance, there is some repetition. Combinations listed in all caps are particularly
challenging.
Incompatible Foods:
Supportive
Combinations:
Beans
Fruit, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat,

fish
Grains, vegetables, other

beans, nuts, seeds
Dairy
Depends on the type of dairy; see individual categories below.
Butter &
Ghee
Butter may not combine with other

foods as universally as ghee.
Grains, vegetables, beans,

nuts, seeds, meat, fish,
eggs, cooked fruit
Cheese
Fruit, beans, eggs, milk, yogurt, hot

drinks
Grains, vegetables
Milk
Any other food (especially BANANAS,

cherries, melons, sour fruits, yeasted
breads, eggs, yogurt, meat, fish,
kitchari, starches)
Milk is best enjoyed

alone Exceptions: rice
pudding, oatmeal, dates,
almonds
Yogurt
Fruit, beans, MILK, cheese, eggs, meat,
Vegetables, grains
fish, nightshades, hot drinks
Eggs
MILK, cheese, yogurt, fruit (especially

melons), beans, kitchari, potatoes,
meat, fish
Grains, non-starchy
vegetables
Fruits
Any other food (aside from other fruit)

*Exceptions: dates with milk, some
cooked combinations
Other fruits with similar

qualities (i.e. citrus
together, apples with
pears, a berry medley, etc.)
Lemons
Cucumbers, tomatoes, milk, yogurt

Note: lime can be substituted for use
with cucumbers and tomatoes.
Usually ok with other

foods, if used in small
amounts as a garnish or
flavoring.
Melons
EVERYTHING (especially dairy, eggs,

fried food, grains, starches) *More than
most fruit, melons should be eaten
alone or not at all.
Other melons (in a pinch)

But it's better to have each
type of melon on it's own.
Fruit
Beans, vegetables, other

grains, eggs, meat, fish,
nuts, seeds, cheese,
yogurt
Vegetables
Fruit, milk
Grains, beans, other

vegetables, cheese,
yogurt, meat, fish, nuts,
seeds, eggs
Nightshades
Fruit (especially melon), cucumber,

milk, cheese, yogurt
Note: nightshades include peppers,
eggplant, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Other vegetables, grains,

beans, meat, fish, nuts,
seeds
Grains
Yes, some of these are staple combinations in many households. Pizza and a number of
other beloved Italian dishes combine nightshades with cheese. And who among us hasnt
enjoyed beans with cheese at some time or another? Then theres the fruit and yogurt
taboo So much for about 80% of all available store-bought varieties of yogurt; next time
you indulge in a fruit-flavored yogurt, pay attention to how your digestion feels
afterwards.
In addition, there are some specific preparations that are challenging when combined
with particular foods.
Incompatible
Combinations:
Supportive Combinations:
Hot
Drinks
Mangoes,
cheese,
yogurt, meat,
fish, starches
Most other foods are ok, unless the hot drink contains
other foods (i.e. milk, fruit, almond milk, rice milk, etc.),
in which case, reference that particular type of food.
Leftovers
Freshly
cooked foods
Ideally, just other leftovers from the same meal

Preferably not more than 24 hours old.
Raw
Foods
Cooked foods
(especially in
large
quantities)
Other raw foods, ideally in small quantities.
All of these rules can feel overwhelming, even irritatingly complicated. But, the rationale
behind proper food combining really does make sense. Ultimately, combining
mismatched foods generatesama, a toxic substance that is often at the root of imbalance
and disease.2 But, for those of you who would like to understand a little more about HOW
and WHY these food combinations tax our bodies, here are a few specific examples:
Bananas and Milk

Though commonly eaten together, bananas and milk are challenging to digest together
because their qualities are so different. Bananas are heating while milk is cooling. That
alone is problematic. Further, bananas become sour as they break down. So now our
digestive fire has to process a sour substance and milk at the same time. Ever added a
squeeze of lemon to milk? Or maybe youve poured a little milk into a tangy, fruity tea
only to watch it curdle instantly? What happens to these mismatched foods in the
digestive tract is not much different. When bananas and milk are eaten together, their
opposing qualities tend to smother the digestive fire and can disrupt the balance of
intestinal flora, which results in the creation of toxins.2 This combination also frequently
causes congestion, colds, coughs, allergies, hives, and rashes.2 A similar situation arises
when we combine any sour fruit with milk.3
Eating Fruits Alone

The reason fruits are best enjoyed on their own is that fruit is usually somewhat acidic,
fairly simple to digest, and often digests quite quickly. When fruits are eaten with other
foods, there is usually a significant discrepancy between the amount of time required to
properly digest the fruit versus the more complex food. Inhibited by the more complex
food, the fruit tends to move through the digestive tract too slowly and can cause
fermentation, gas, and bloating. In addition, the combination typically introduces a

number of conflicting qualities into the digestive tract all at once, which has the potential
to overwhelm or stifle the digestive fire.
Nightshades and Cheese

This combination is simply too taxing for the digestive fire. A nightshade is a common
name for a member of the plant familySolanaceae, which includes potatoes, bell
peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cayenne peppers, paprika, tobacco, henbane, belladonna,
datura, and over 2,500 other plants.4 Nightshades contain alkaloids, primarily as a means
of defense against being damaged by insects.4 The alkaloids can be anywhere from
mildly to fatally toxic to humans. As a result, diverse cultures around the world have long
held an intriguing relationship with the nightshade family. Some have been used to make
poisons, some contain incredibly addictive compounds such as nicotine, some are mind
altering, and others create an incredible sensation of heat in the mouth.4 The bottom line
is that nightshades contain a complex array of compounds that, once ingested, lead to a
potentially dramatic cascade of chemical reactions in the body. Ayurvedically speaking,
all nightshades are believed to be somewhat difficult to digest and to have the capacity
to disturb the doshas. When we mix these inherently challenging nightshades with
cheese which is heavy, oily, and also difficult to digest we can quickly overtax the
digestive fire.
Beans and Cheese

Beans and cheese are similar in that they both tend to be heavy and are often difficult to
digest. In order to break down properly, they both require a good deal of digestive
strength. But, the similarities end there. Beans tend to taste mostly astringent and sweet,
can be either heating or cooling (depending on the type of bean), and usually have a
pungent post-digestive effect. Cheese, on the other hand, tastes predominantly sour, is
almost always heating, and usually has a sour post-digestive effect. The post-digestive
effect of different foods occurs once that food has moved into the colon; it affects the
urine, feces, sweat and tissues sometimes even at the cellular level. Two foods with
distinct post-digestive effects are typically quite different from one another. This is the
case with beans and cheese; when they are eaten together, they tend to overwhelm and
confuse the digestive fire. Meanwhile, their combined heaviness makes them even more
difficult to process, often resulting in poor digestion and the accumulation ofama.
Ease Into It
Remember, food combining is not about imposing black and white rules. It is one among
many powerful Ayurvedic tools for improving digestive health and overall wellness.
Embracing the wisdom of food combining slowlyhelps us to cultivate a refined
awareness around how our dietary choices affect us. This heightened sensitivity can be
an invaluable asset, regardless of how quickly we are able to replace improper food
combinations with more supportive ones. Be gentle with yourself, progressing at a pace
that works for you. You might find it helpful, on occasion, to take a moment to reflect on
how your digestion and your overall sense of wellness have changed over time. Proper
food combining tends to awaken the bodys innate intelligence, so for most, embracing
good food combining habits gets easier with time and practice.
Much of the information contained in this article came from Dr. Vasant and Usha Lads
cookbook:Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing. Our deepest gratitude to them both for
sharing an enlightened understanding of how to eat Ayurvedically.
References
1
Lad, Usha and Dr. Vasant Lad.Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing. 2nded. Albuquerque: The Ayurvedic Press, 2006.
Print. 45-48.
2
Lad, Vasant.The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1998. Print. 101.
Vagbhata.Ashtanga Hrdayam. Trans. Prof. K.R. Srikantha Murthy. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy. 2007.
Print. Ashtanga Hrdayam: Sutrasthana: VII: 31.5.
4
Nightshades.Wikipedia.Web. 6 Jan. 2014.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightshades

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightshades)

Ayurveda Food Combining - Banyan Botanicals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ayurveda Food Combining - Banyan Botanicals

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ayurveda Food Combining - Banyan Botanicals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some of the principles of Ayurvedic food combining?

What are some of the principles of Ayurvedic food combining?

What are some examples of foods that should be combined carefully according to Ayurveda?

What are some examples of foods that should be combined carefully according to Ayurveda?

Ayurvedic Food Combining

A Balanced Approach to Food Combining

Combinations to Reduce or Avoid

Fruit, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat,

Grains, vegetables, other

Depends on the type of dairy; see individual categories below.

Butter may not combine with other

Grains, vegetables, beans,

Fruit, beans, eggs, milk, yogurt, hot

Any other food (especially BANANAS,

Milk is best enjoyed

Fruit, beans, MILK, cheese, eggs, meat,

fish, nightshades, hot drinks

MILK, cheese, yogurt, fruit (especially

Any other food (aside from other fruit)

Other fruits with similar

Cucumbers, tomatoes, milk, yogurt

Usually ok with other

EVERYTHING (especially dairy, eggs,

Other melons (in a pinch)

Beans, vegetables, other

Grains, beans, other

Fruit (especially melon), cucumber,

Other vegetables, grains,

Ideally, just other leftovers from the same meal

Other raw foods, ideally in small quantities.

Bananas and Milk

Eating Fruits Alone

fermentation, gas, and bloating. In addition, the combination typically introduces a

Nightshades and Cheese

Beans and Cheese

Nightshades.Wikipedia.Web. 6 Jan. 2014.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightshades

You might also like