WHY VIRUDH AAHAR / INCOMPITABLE FOOD/CONTRDICTORY FOOD IS BAD

As per Ayurveda, every food item possesses distinct energy, taste, and effect on the body. Thus, one needs to be aware while eating some food items together.
The literal meaning of the word Viruddha is the opposite. So, food combinations that may have — opposite properties (fish and milk); opposite activities on the tissues (fruit and milk); may exert some unwanted effect on the body when processed in a particular form (honey when heated); may exert undesirable effects, when combined in a certain proportion (equal amount of pure honey & ghee); may have unwanted effect if consumed at the wrong time (eating curd at night) are known as Viruddha Ahara,”

If the contradictory food is consumed repeatedly, it puts a load on digestive fire and metabolic fire, which is producing Ama(metabolic toxins). This Ama naturally can lead to any disease in the body including Autoimmune diseases. viruddha Ahara is the origin of most of ailments. Regular consumption of incompatible food can lead to inflammation at a molecular level.

Ama which is accrued at the level of the intestine may lead to gastroenteritis; a part of Ama penetrates intestinal mucosa, circulates all over the body, and performs the role of Antigen, consequently vitiating the humor to cause different disorders. Ama can also be compared to unstable reactive free radicals, which are the main cause of many diseases and degenerative changes in the body, and  Ayurveda provides a complete and systemic understanding of the effect of food on our physical and mental functioning.

 INCOMPATIBLE FOOD COMBINATIONS AS PER AYURVEDA TEXTS

1. Milk is contradictory with Bananas, Fish, Meat, Melons, Curd, Sour Fruits, and Bread containing yeast
2. Melons are contradictory with Grains, Starch, Fried foods, Cheese
3. Starches are contradictory with Eggs, Milk, Bananas, and Dates
4. Honey is contradictory with Ghee (in equal proportions)  and Heating or cooking
5. Radish is contradictory with Milk, Bananas, and Raisins
6. Lemon is contradictory with Yogurt, Milk, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes
7. Eggs are contradictory with Milk, Meat, Yogurt, Melons, Cheese, Fish, and Bananas
8. Mangos are contradictory with Yogurt, Cheese, Cucumbers
9. Corn is contradictory with Dates, Raisins, and Bananas
10. (Potato, Tomato, and Chilies) is contradictory with Yogurt, Milk, and Melon.

TYPES OF INCOMPATIBLE FOOD

        1 . PLACE: type of food that is beneficial in the cold regions may not prove to be the same in the hot regions. This is because of different geographical habitats.

2. TIME: In winter, dry and cold food; in summer, hot and pungent food should be avoided. Because the weather changes require the food of opposite quality.
3. DIGESTIVE POWER (AGNI): Every individual has their own specific digestive power which converts food to body tissues. Due to this specificity, certain individuals can eat large amounts of heavy food, but when Agni is low, eating heavy, too oily food is contradictory.
4. PROPORTION OF FOOD SUBSTANCES: Certain food combinations in certain proportions are not good for the body. Honey and ghee in equal quantity is contradictory.
5. STATE OF HEALTH: Giving vata aggravating substances like dry, cold food to the person who is occupied in heavy manual work and excessive exercise is again contradictory.
6. ORDER: Taking food before attending nature’s call.
7. CONTRAINDICATION: eating cold food after intake of ghee.
8. COOKING: the source of heat used for cooking e.g. gas, electricity, microwave, etc. is very important to understand its effect on the body. It may add or subtract the total effects on the tissues and doshas. Similarly, methods like roasting, frying, baking, etc. have different effects. Microwave destroys prana from the food. Eating uncooked or overcooked food is contradictory.
9. COMBINATION: mixing sour substances with milk.
10. PALATABILITY: eating food, which is unpalatable, will not produce proper effects. It may create disgust or nausea for the individual.
11. RICHNESS IN QUALITY: eating food, which has no taste (food without salt).
12. PROCESSING: due to a particular procedure, edible substances can become poisonous, e.g. roasting peacock meat, which is attached to the wood of the castor plant.
13. POTENCY: mixing cold and hot potency substances. Eating ice cream with hot chocolate fudge. Drinking cold fruit juices and hot tea or coffee.

 FOOD COMBINATIONS MUST BE AVOIDED.

• Fish (Specially Chilmil fish) should not take along with milk because both substances are Madhura (sweet) in taste and sweet after digestion. This combination is Abhishyandi (which produces more moisture in the tissue and causes obstruction of various channels). The second reason is that both have opposite (incompatible) in potency. Fish is hot in potency and milk is of cold potency. These opposite potencies cause great vitiations of three doshas i.e.Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas.
• Dadhi (Curd) should not be consumed at the night. Because curd is acidic in nature. It aggravates Pitta and Kapha doshas which later on produce a lot of heat in the stomach. A curd is heavy, slow to digest and produces constipation. It can be best digested at lunchtime when the digestive abilities are the strongest.
• Warm honey should not be consumed by the person suffering from heat exhaustion or sunstroke. Because after heated honey becomes poison and this can cause death.
• Avoid consuming cold water immediately during or after a meal hot tea or coffee. Because it diminishes the Agni and causes various digestive problems.
• Avoid eating bananas with milk. Because it can diminish Agni, and change the intestinal flora producing excess toxins in the body. The combination may also cause cold, cough, and even produce allergies.
• After consuming green leafy vegetables, drinking milk should be avoided.
• After eating Muli (radish), Lasuna (garlic), and Tulsi (basil) one should not be consumed milk because of the risk of skin disorders.
• All Sour substances are incompatible with milk.
• 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.
• Milk and melons should not be consumed at the same time. Because both are Sheet (cold) in nature, Milk takes a longer time to digest. Moreover, the action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes the milk to curdle.

Food taken properly helps in the proper growth of the body on the contrary if taken improperly leads to various diseases.

Diseases mentioned in Ayurved texts as a result of Viruddha Ahara

• Klaibya (Impotency)
• Blindness
• Visarpa (Erysipelas)
• Jalodara (Ascites)
• Unmada (Insanity)
• Bhagandara (Fistula in ano)
• Murcha (Coma/fainting)
• Aadhmana (Abdominal distention)
• Galgraha (Obstruction in the throat)
• Pandu roga (Anemia)
• Ama (Endogenous toxin)
• Kilasa (Leucoderma)
• Kushtha (Various skin disorders)
• Grahani (Sprue)
• Shotha (Swelling or edema)
• Amlapitta (Acidity)
• Pinas (Allergic Rhinitis)
• Santana Dosha (Infertility problem)
• Mrutyu (Death)

Conclusion: Acc Acharya Charaka’s healthy body and the disease in the body both come from food. Ahara(food) is not only meant for the maintenance of health but is also very important in the curative aspect while treating various diseases. The need of the day is to increase awareness and consciousness among all, so wrong combinations of food can be avoided.

DR.SONIKA NADDA(BAMS,PGDD,MD PANCHAKARMA)