The root cause of most diseases and conditions today stems from a weak digestive fire and a build-up of toxins throughout the body. Among the major causes of these toxins, improper food combining is at the top of the list.
By utilizing the guidelines to proper food combination, one can begin to reduce the presence of ama (toxins) in the body while balancing there agni (digestive fire). Over a prolonged period of time, poor food combining can not only lead to gas formation, indigestion, fermentation, disturbed metabolism, and emotional imbalance, but eventually this practice will begin to create cellular confusion causing disorder and disease.
Click here for a printable pdf copy of this chart.
Improper Food Combinations Chart
Click here for a printable pdf copy of this chart.
Since these principles may be quite new and contradicting to the eating practices you have grown up with, you must recondition the mind at a slow pace without trying to change the entire lifestyle at once. This may work for a short amount of time, but in the end tends to lead to frustration and resentment. Therefore, Ayurveda recommends making these changes at a slow but steady pace, by observing one or two changes at a time. Once these goals have been accomplished, only then moving onto the next goal.
It may be helpful to keep a chart on the fridge to take note of the guidelines while cooking. Feel free to make a list of your own personal goals you may be working on presently. Above all do not become too rigid and stressed out when you are not able to follow each guideline perfectly, as stress of any kind can cause worse effects than any improper food combination!
I hope you find this helpful in discovering a healthy diet for your individual needs. Always keep in mind that what works for one person does not always work for another! Listen to your body and you will find the hidden answers…
urs article r vry knowledgeable .i luv to read them.
Thank you Anuradha! I am glad to hear you are finding the articles helpful. I love to write them, so I am happy you like read them:) Namaste, Danielle
nice artcle
I like to make smoothies that combine fruit, veggies and other ingredients. Is this a bad idea because fruit should always be eaten by itself?
Hi Sarah,
This is a great and common question in our smoothie obsessed society! According to Ayurveda, smoothies should be kept very simple in regards to the ingredients. It is true that fruit is meant to be eaten alone and therefore even veggies (such as kale, etc) should be kept separate. This is the plain hard truth and should be a strict rule for anyone with digestive issues.
I also was an avid green smoothie drinker (with many other various ingredients) as well and found this news to be heartbreaking when I first discovered this food rule many years ago. After hearing the news though, I also realized the obvious gas and bloating I felt after eating these seemingly “superfood” packed, healthy drinks. I decided tone down the ingredient list and simplify since then and undoubtably have noticed positive benefits in my digestion as a result. However, in my own experience, I have found some ingredients to be less harsh than others and still will add them in on occasion. These include hemp, soaked chia seeds, soaked and peeled almonds or walnuts, mainly for added nutrients, fiber and substance. Once in a while I will also “cheat” and add in a leaf or two of kale, although I try my best to keep it a small amount as I will notice gas and cramping otherwise. The ingredients I would most avoid is anything dairy (including yogurt), protein powders, melons and too many veggies. Vata types should be most strict, where as those with a bit stronger of digestion MAY (not always) have a bit more leeway to play. You can also try to remove the veggies and instead replace the base with a vegetable juice such as cucumber, celery and kale. Finally adding in some warming digestion aids such as turmeric, ginger and/or cinnamon may also help ease any digestive disturbances. I hope this helps your question!
Namaste,
Danielle
I notice nuts and seeds are not listed. Do they go with everything?
Hi Bob,
That is a great observation! Nuts and seeds do go with just about everything, that is except fruit (since fruit should always be eaten on its own). This includes dried fruit and nut mixes, peanut butter and jelly and nut butter on apple slices (sorry!). Otherwise they can be munched on without worry. Thank you for your question!
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi Danielle,
Eating fruits on their own is a challenge! I like to eat dried dates after dinner as my dessert. So…that’s still a no-no? What healthy sweet can I eat after a meal that is healthy?
Thanks,
Lise
Hi Lise,
Thank you for questions! Dates, as well as raisins, are excitingly an exception to the no fruit with other food rule. Although I am not sure the exact logic behind this exception, this is what I was taught in my schooling. I also am quite sensitive to eating fruit after food and I have not had any ill effects when I have eaten dates as a dessert or in my oatmeal.
Some other healthy dessert options that I enjoy are plain yogurt sweetened with maple syrup or honey and vanilla extract, the Ojas-increasing energy balls, the saffron laddus, or a similar treat. If I simply need a quick sweet fix, I may even mix a spoonful of raw tahini with a small spoonful of honey. It is actually really delicious! I hope this helps to answer your questions!
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi,,
Which healthy sweets can you eat after dinner?
Hi Lise,
After dinner it is really important to keep sweets limited, as your Kapha increases in the evening and your digestion and metabolism slows down. Sweets are considered heavy, bulk-promoting and congestive, so they are best to eat after lunch when the digestion is at its strongest point.
If you are getting sweet cravings after dinner however, a simple, light sweet can be beneficial such as one to two dates, a small spoonful of nut butter with honey, or herbal tea with honey. My favorite sweet for nighttime is a cup of golden milk with honey, and for myself, this really does the trick! Thank you for your question! Be well:)
Namaste,
Danielle
PS.. If dairy milk is too heavy in the nighttime, almond milk is a great alternative. Here is a homemade almond milk – golden milk recipe.
How are fruits incompatible with almost every food yet they’re listed as to be combined with foods?
Never mind I read it wrong
I thought it said those foods are compatible lol
Hi Alicia,
No problem, it is easy to misread! Please let me know if you have any more questions and I will be happy to help:)
Namaste,
Danielle
Hello, thanks for such a comprehensive guide.
It will be a big change for me but definitely will give it a go.
I usually have home made granola (oats and seeds and nuts) mixed with yoghurt and fruit. How can I eat my yummy granola from now on to take account of my new food approach, please, ie minus yoghurt and fruit?
Hi Fiona,
Thank you for writing in with your question! This information can be a lot, but if you incorporate a few recommendations at a time instead of trying to do them all straightaway, you can hopefully make some long-lasting positive changes in your diet.
As for your granola blend, I would recommend to eat the granola with the yogurt, but avoid adding any fruit. If your granola has fruit in the mix, you may need to find one without it.
The fruit can still be eaten, but either first thing in the morning at least 60 minutes before any other foods, or between meals (on its own). This is not an easy one to follow, but in my experience, it may be the most important food combo to avoid out of them all!
Be well:)
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi
Wanted to know that is it ok to combine bananas with whey protein?
Hi Shraddha,
Thank you for your question. I would avoid combining bananas with whey protein since this comes from milk/yogurt which is one of the most detrimental combinations of all!
Please let me know if you have any further questions and I will be glad to help!
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi,
I’m on a pitta/kapha balancing food plan. I’m not to have oats (dry). What can I substitute to continue to make my protein balls?
Thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your question! From my studies, I have been taught that dry oats are suitable for both a Pitta-Kapha-reducing diet. It is the cooked oats that have to be avoided, as they can be too heavy and slimy for Kapha. In this sense, the oats should not need a replacement. Ground buckwheat, quinoa, flax seed, almonds, hemp seeds, or pumpkin seeds can be a good (and tasty!) replacement however.
Be well:)
Namaste,
Danielle
Hello…for the beans/legumes..are tomatoes considered a fruit or a veggie? because I heard that you cannot combine cucumber with tomato. would coconut milk be considered a milk that cannot be combined with beans or when you say milk does it only refer to cows milk? Would appreciate your response. Thanks
Hi Ma,
Thank you for your questions! It can get a bit confusing sometimes to try and decipher what is meant with each food combining rule.
In regards to tomatoes, they are considered a veggie, although due to their acidic nature, they still should not be combined with certain foods including cucumbers, dairy, and melon.
As for legumes and milk, this is referring to dairy milk, rather than coconut milk which is still compatible.
I hope this helps to clarify things. Please let me know if you have any further questions!
Namaste,
Danielle
perfect…thanks
I had no idea cucumbers were nightshades. I love them straight from the garden every summer. How will this affect my hypothyroidism? How few can I eat and be ok?
Hi JB,
Thank you for writing in! I think there was a bit of confusion, however. Cucumbers are not nightshades, but instead are incompatible with nightshades. For example, a common food combination is cucumber and tomatoes in salads. This is considered an incompatible food combination and may create symptoms of indigestion.
So in short, you can continue your cucumber intake, but I would suggest to avoid eating them with any nightshades.
Be well:)
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi Danielle,
So just to be clear, would a serve of pulses (ie lentils, dahl, split peas), rice and a serve of protein such as fish or chicken be incompatible as a meal?
Thank you
Hi Dany,
Thank you for your great question! You are correct, legumes (pulses) do not combine well with meat, dairy (including milk, cheese, and yogurt, but excluding ghee), eggs, and fish. So although legumes and rice are a great combination, meat does not combine well with legumes as a starchy protein, nor with rice as a starch, and therefore this combination becomes incompatible.
If this makes you sad to learn, you are not alone! You can read this article here on some ways to eat improper food combinations with more ease.
Be well:)
Namaste,
Danielle
Hi Danielle,
I’ve been advised by a Ayurveda practitioner to eat a little sweets before meals than after meals. What is your take on this?
Hi Duane,
This is correct, although it should be a healthy sweet rather than a piece of cake, candy bar, or heavy pastry. Sweet is the first stage of digestion and therefore a small amount of a healthy sweet is a good way to start the digestive juices flowing. Remember, even foods such as warm milk, basmati rice, and wheat are considered sweet, so keep it healthy, moderate, and suitable for your digestion!
Many blessings,
Danielle
Hi Danielle, I’m from south India. I see people commonly finishing their lunch with rice + homemade yoghurt + banana/mango. I guess this is bad from the food chart above. I can’t convince my wife that it is not good and my kids love eating with mango :). Question – Is it OK if they try and don’t have any inconvenience with it?
Hi Sateesh,
Thank you for your question! Generally speaking, even if an improper food combination seems to be suitable for you, it is best to avoid it since your body may have just become accustom to it. Since fruit with dairy is one of the biggest improper food combinations on the spectrum, I would steer clear from this post-meal habit even more. Maybe you can replace the fruit with honey to add some sweetness? It would not be the same, but much better for the digestion.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions!
Many blessings,
Danielle
Hi, one of comments you mentioned that dates and raisins are exception to the food rule. Is that mean these can be eaten with fruits and before lunch and dinner?
Thanks
Hi Geetika,
Thank you for your question!
Yes, generally speaking, dates and raisins can be eaten before meals as well as with fruit. However, if you find your body is sensitive to either of these combinations, then it should be avoided at these times. If your digestion is strong, then it should not give you any issues, but those with more sensitivities may find it disturbing. I suggest trying it, listening (to your body) closely, and seeing how it goes! And feel free to report back:)
Let me know if any questions come up..
Be well!
Namaste,
Danielle
Hello,
Thank you for this article and diligently answering questions. I’ve seen some opinions that low sugar fruits (blueberries and strawberries) can safely be combined with yogurt? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Hi KC,
Thank you for this question. I have not heard this exception before and in my experience, I find the combination to still be problematic. One of the main issues with combining fruit and dairy comes not from the sugar but from the acidity in the fruit. The high acid mixed with dairy can cause the dairy to curdle and ferment (and not in a good way) in our gut which then leads to gas, bloating, indigestion, etc.
When it comes to food combining the “avoid fruit with other foods” rule is by far the one that I am most strict with. When I was pregnant many years ago, I had a craving for a fruit smoothie in which I added blueberries, strawberries, and goji berries along with some plain kefir. I took it with me to my office and within an hour the smoothie was completely curdled and inedible. This was the first time that I had steered away from this rule since learning about food combining and it was a huge reminder of why it is so important.
I wish I had a more favorable answer but I hope this helps answer your question nonetheless.
Let me know if anything else comes up!
Many blessings,
Danielle