These days, you must have noticed that many people suffer from indigestion problems, gastrointestinal problems, etc. The increasing trend of these diseases is because we are inculcating wrong and poor food habits. We are having harmful food combinations that are affecting our health.
One thing which we all need to understand is that every food is digested in a different way by the stomach. Some foods are acidic, some are basic, some are way too watery, and some contain bacterias. So, different foods require different amounts of gastric juices and different amounts of time to digest the food properly.
But, if we combine foods such as Tea (which is hot and acidic) and Curd (which produces cooling energy and is acidic), we can put our stomach into trouble. Because such food combinations will produce too much acid and they will disturb the natural pH balance of the stomach.
So, basically, when we combine foods having different tastes, different energies, different post-digestion effects, Agni (i.e. gastric juices) can get disturbed and start producing toxins. Yet, if such food is eaten separately, it might get digested very easily and smoothly.
Consuming poor food combinations can lead to indigestion, fermentation, gas formation, bloating, etc. and in severe cases can lead to serious diseases.
Worst Food Combinations
Let’s dig deep and find out the worst food combinations which one should never have!
Melon & Water
Having anything with Melon is very dangerous. Melons should be consumed as a stand-alone meal.
It is because melons have 95-97% of water content. So, if you consume water after that, it will further dilute the digestive juices.
Not only water, but melons also should not be combined with any other food item.
Yogurt with Fruits
This is a very common food combination that people have. People consume this combination in the form of Fruit Raita, Fruit & Yogurt Salad, etc.
But, you need to be careful!
Fruits should not be consumed with Yogurt! It is because yogurt consists of many healthy bacterias. And those bacterias can act upon the acids and sugars present in fruits.
The combination can produce toxins, and can lead to cold and allergies.
Also, fruits should not be consumed with any other food. It shouldn’t be consumed after a full meal. Rather, one should have fruits before their meals.
Milk & Banana
What? Milk & Banana!
No way, you would say!
Exactly, I can feel you pals!
Milk & Banana is supposed to be the best & healthiest options by many. People consume them together to gain body mass.
But wait! You might be consuming the worst food combo.
Ayurveda advises not to have Milk & Banana together. As both when eaten together, diminishes Agni (or you can say gastric fire) in the stomach.
Also, Bananas are sour and Milk is sweet, which creates confusion for our digestive system. And that results in toxins, cold, and can even block sinuses.
The body also starts to feel heavy and your mind slows down!
But, there are people who love to drink Banana Shake! So, for them, I would suggest that you add a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon to ease the digestion process.
Cereal & Milk
Shocked! Isn’t it?
Cereal and Milk is the ideal breakfast option for many. But, it’s not a healthy option to have together.
Both portions of cereal and milk contain fast-digesting carbs that cause blood sugar levels to spike. It will make you feel tired as soon as the blood sugar levels start to decrease. And as such, you will have cravings for junk foods. So, you end up eating more unhealthy foods if you continue having this food combination.
Tomatoes & Pasta
Well, Red Sauce Pasta is incomplete without Tomatoes! Isn’t it?
But the combination of tomatoes and pasta is not good to have!
Pasta is very rich in starchy carbohydrate levels, and as such it’s difficult to digest it. While Tomatoes are acidic, which causes difficulty in the digestion of those carbs. It can also cause bloating and gas formation in your stomach.
Water with Food
This fact is very common and I guess you would be knowing this that one should not have water while having food. There should be at least an hour gap between consuming water and any type of food.
It’s important to take care that we don’t combine food and water because water dilutes the gastric juices and digestive enzymes present in our stomach. Dilution of gastric juices can lead to slow and poor digestion. It can affect your entire digestive system.
Point of Argue
Now, some people might say that I consume Milk and Bananas daily as my breakfast and I have no such issues. Well, in that case, I would say that your body might have adjusted with your food habits but having the wrong food combinations is never safe!
It might not affect you now because of your strong Agni (gastric juices) but slowly and gradually the quality of digestive juices present in your body may decline. And as such, you might face problems in your later ages.
It is always good to consume healthy food combinations along with a balanced diet.
Easy & Simple Tips for Better Digestion
People who always face digestive problems can follow these simple tips to aid their digestion:
- Cumin (Jeera) Water
Have Cumin Water before your meals and see the wonders. It boosts your metabolism, relieves you from constipation, & improves digestion. Keralites have termed this as a “Miracle Drink” and they have this Jeera Water instead of normal water daily, especially before their meals. Jeera has anti-bacterial properties in it that help in boosting your immunity.
- Lassi
Having one glass of Lassi after every meal helps in fast digestion. The healthy bacterias present in Lassi aids the digestion process. In Punjab, people consume a big glass of Lassi after their meals as a routine thing.
- Chew the Food Properly
Chewing the food properly is very essential and helpful for the digestion process. As digestion starts from the mouth itself, one should chew their food until it becomes like water. So that it becomes easy for your stomach to digest the food.
- Ghee
One should consume Ghee daily to stimulate Agni (gastric juice). Ghee breaks down the food into simpler compounds which makes the digestion process easy. - And Lots of Water
One should also drink at least 4L of water in a day. Because if you drink less water, chances are that you will suffer from constipation & poor digestion. You should also include more liquid diets to maintain the balance of water in the body. Also, try to have lukewarm water, whenever possible.
Conclusion
One should consume foods that go well with each other to maintain a healthy digestive system. Not only these 6 food combinations, but there can also be various such food combos which can be harmful to your body. But, one should clearly understand the basic principle of how the digestion works, which has been explained at the beginning of the article itself. So, eat clean and healthy to avoid any disturbances to your Agni!
