Right food, wrong combination? Ayurvedic diet and healthy eating

Do you consider yourself to have a good diet based on healthy eating habits but still suffer from indigestion, excess gas, bloating, wind, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, low energy or other such symptoms? Ayurveda might have an explanation as to why this is happening through its unique approach to diet & nutrition.

Ayurvedic diet & nutrition

The ayurvedic approach to diet and nutrition takes a different one to that which we are currently accustomed to in the West. Where advice in the Western system is given with a blanket, one-size-fits-all approach, the ayurvedic teachings about correct diet is based upon one’s dosha: vata, pitta and kapha.

Ayurveda emphasizes that agni (digestive fire) is key to maintaining a healthy and balanced life. Each dosha has a characteristic agni as the table below:

Dosha	Agni/Digestion
Vata	Irregular, variable. Tends to snack and graze throughout the day.
Pitta	Regular, strong appetite. Can get hangry
Kapha	Regular, slow. Loves to eat.

It doesn’t matter what kind dosha you are or what type of agni you have, it's just you and how you are made up. What really matters is that you know the right foods to eat in the right combinations to maintain a happy and healthy life.

We all understand the idea that we need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. In the ayurvedic system it seeks to understand the effect that a particular food or substance has on the body throughout the digestive process. It has a very unique classification system.

Classifying foods

In this system, every food or substance can be classified according to the following:

Rasa (taste)	Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, astringent
Guna (attribute)	10 different pairs of attributes
Virya (potency)	Heating or cooling
Vipaka (post digestive effect)	Sweet, sour or pungent

An individual’s agni largely determines how well food is digested, but food combinations are also very important. When two or more foods having different taste, potency and post-digestive effect are combined, the body’s natural systems can become confused. Agni can become dampened or overloaded, resulting in food being either under or over digested and therefore producing toxins. Ayurveda describes improperly digested food as toxins.

Poor combining can produce all sorts of effects including indigestion, inflammation and gas formation. Let’s take one example of bananas and milk. Both foods have a sweet taste and a cooling potency effect but their post-digestive effects are different – bananas are sour and milk is sweet. But why is this an issue? The body has to now process a sour substance and milk at the same time. If you add a squeeze of lemon (sour) to a glass of milk and give it a stir, you will very quickly find yourself with a curdled mess. The same thing happens in the body.

Yet, unlike being able to easily throw this glass of curdled milk down the drain, the body might not be able to process and eliminate effectively. Havoc might start to wreak itself upon the gastrointestinal tract with the digestive fire becoming disrupted. Consequently, a build up of toxins might occur, resulting in a change in dynamics in gut bacteria. This particular combination of foods (milk and banana) may cause symptoms such as congestion, cough and cold.

Incompatible foods

The table below shows foods that are described as incompatible in ayurveda. The post-digestive effects are not given for the sake of brevity, but retain some awareness that these foods have different effects on the body when consumed together.

Don't eat	With
Beans	fruit, cheese, eggs, fish, milk, meat, yoghurt
Eggs	fruit, beans, cheese, fish, milk, meat, yoghurt
Fruit	Generally avoid mixing with any other food and should be eaten alone. An exception is dates and milk as they have the same rasa, virya and vipaka.)
Grains	fruit
Honey	With equal ghee by weight, boiled or cooked honey.
Hot Drinks	mangoes, cheese, fish, meat, starch, yoghurt
Lemon	cucumbers, milk, tomatoes, yoghurt
Melons	EVERYTHING!
Milk	Bananas, cherries, melons, sour fruits; yeasted bread, fish, meat, yoghurt
Nightshades, e.g., potato, tomato	melon, cucumber, dairy products
Radishes	bananas, raisins, milk
Yoghurt	fruit, cheese, eggs, fish, hot drinks, meat, milk, nightshades

Keep it simple

Now, this all might seem rather complicated and overwhelming for some, but be aware that this is steeped in logic. A logic that can help to prevent the build up of toxins and ensure that we remain healthy.

Rather than trying to memorise all of the above and worrying about it further, here are some simple things that you can do to ensure that you are supporting the gut as much as possible and are eating in the right way:

·       Eat fruits alone – fruits are quick and simple to digest, so when eaten with other kinds of foods the amount of time taken to digest differs. This time differential can be taxing for the digestive system, and when eaten with foods that take longer to process, may cause gas, fermentation and bloating

·       Avoid mixing raw and cooked foods together – ayurveda is a proponent of eating foods that are warm and cooked. By cooking foods, we are making it much easier for proper digestion to occur. When mixing raw and cooked foods together, the body becomes confused as half the meal is cooked and half the meal isn’t and may lead to symptoms such as bloating, gas, wind and constipation.

·       Use herbs and spices – jazzing up your food with a few spices such as cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, not only adds flavour to your dishes but is also great for helping to support healthy gut bacteria.

·       Grains and vegetables – Grains are recommended with everything but fruit. Starting with a grain of your choice with a variety of boiled or slow cooked vegetables can make a nutritious meal and is easy on the body.

These are just a few tips. Ayurveda is all about the individual as we all have a unique make-up. If we have no imbalance and combine the above foods together, then the body might have become accustomed to certain food combinations through many years of use, though it’s not recommended to continue this eating behaviour.

It also goes without saying that eating an incorrect combination occasionally may not upset the digestion too much, especially if one has a good gut fire. With life in general, it’s all about balance and moderation. If you are suffering from an imbalance, it’s possible that there is an incorrect food combination somewhere along the lines. It all depends on the strength of your digestion and additionally particular herbs can help to stimulate the body in expelling toxins that might have built up over the years. It's always beneficial to seek advice from a practitioner who can help guide you in correct dietary habits.

Embracing the wisdom of ayurveda and correct food combinations can help to not only find physical balance but also mental clarity too and refine our awareness about ourselves. You can start to easily do this by sitting briefly for a few minutes after eating and just notice how you feel. If you feel great, then great! If you feel a bit gassy, irritated or heavy, have a think about what you have eaten and see if you can (without self judgement) make a connection between the two.

This article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any condition. Please seek advice from an appropriate healthcare practitioner.

References: Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing by Vasant & Usha Lad