Food Incompatabilities and Fruit Smoothies; Energy Science Nutrition
The rage is fruit smoothies these days but from an energy science view it's not a good combination Fruit with any other food and that includes milk should be kept separate But there's so much more about incomapatability that the energy science of Ayurveda has to say
The concept of food incompatability is not a well known concept in matter science nutrition circles but from an energy science view there is a large volume of information since ingestion of incompatable combinations lead to disease
Matter science has a few things to say about incompatable foods Some say that it takes three foods to bring about incompatability Other western nutritional experts believe there is a possilble molecular transmission and that disease is related in some way to the incompatability but draws on the fact that the incompatability rests on the individual
The Energy Science Perspective
According to energy science of 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(digestive toxic load or stagnant energy) 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 Basic Concepts
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
Digestive Aids
There is a beautiful passage in the Sanskrit literature describing all types of foods and their actions. Among the digestive aids referred to there are:
Water, which imparts a liquid quality and helps in digestion and absorption of food.
Salt also aids digestion, and helps to retain water.
Alkalies help digestion and regulate gastric fire (HCL).
Ghee stimulates agni and improves digestion.
Milk invigorates.
Meat gives energy. Also in this literature are descriptions on influence of foods on the tri-dosha:
Pitta is increased by foods which are sour and pungent.
Kapha is aggravated by milk products.
Vata is over-stimulated by beans, dry fruits, astringent and bitter substances. The daily diet should contain:
40 - 50% well-cooked basmati rice, barley, corn or wheat depending upon one's constitution.
15 - 30% well cooked legumes.
2 - 5% vegetable soups.
1/2 teaspoon pickles
Incompatable 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
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
My profound gratittude to Dr Vasant Lad for helping to prepare this list
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
