Here’s What Ayurveda Says About Incompatible Food Or Virrudh Ahar

Did you know that consuming a combination of incompatible food or virrudh ahar can be unhealthy for your body even if each of the individual foods you choose is healthy? Our expert Bhavani Swaminathan, nutritionist, member of the Indian Dietetic Association, a Certified Diabetes Educator and founder of Aakanksha Desire For Wellness tells you everything about virrudh ahar and foods that you must avoid consuming together. 

Bhavani Swaminathan

Food combinations play a very important role in digestion. An individual’s digestive fire (agni) tells how well or poorly the food is digested. Two healthy foods together can also turn unhealthy. Viruddh means opposite and ahar means food. In Ayurveda, it is said that improper food combinations produce weak acids leading to various disorders. Incompatible food combinations can lead to flatulence, indigestion and fermentation. Prolonged intake of such combinations can lead to toxemia and diseases. Incompatible food combinations disturb the metabolism. If taken once in a while then it is considered okay but consuming incompatible food on a regular basis acts as slow poison.

Let us understand some of the common concepts of incompatible food or virrudh ahar as described by Ayurveda so that you can make some informed choices of the food that you consume on a daily basis.

Eat local

Desh Viruddh: This refers to eating food that is local and traditional. Today most of us are more fascinated with junk food, Chinese and other cuisines which are not local. The ingredients used in these foods are not suitable for our region. These foods when taken regularly leads to different health problems.

Kaal Viruddh: It means that the food has to be eaten as per the season. In Ayurveda, ritucharya is given a lot of importance. Ritucharya suggests that only those foods should be taken which are seasonal. Anything which is not in season is not good for our health.

Go for seasonal food

Agni Viruddh: An individual is dominated by either vata, pitta or kapha prakriti. Vata prakriti people are known to have vishamgni which means they are sometimes hungry and sometimes not. Whereas pitta-dominated people are known to have teekshaagni, meaning their digestive fire is very high, they feel hungry often and their food gets digested too. Kapha -dominated people have mandagni which means they don’t feel much hungry and are sluggish. If a pitta-dominated person does not eat food when he is hungry or a kapha-dominated person eats too much food even when it is not required, then it is called agni viruddh.

Say no to processed food

Sanskar Viruddh: Eating too much processed food or heating honey is termed as sanskar viruddh. Only fresh food has to be consumed to maintain our health. Composition of honey changes when it is heated and loses its nutritive value. Hence honey should not be heated.

Avastha Viruddh: A sedentary worker should not have too much food which he won’t be able to digest and a heavy worker should not eat too little food as his body demands more food to replenish the cells.

Avoid hot and cold food together

Veerya Viruddh: Eating cold and hot food together falls under the category of veerya viruddh. Eating fish and milk is veerya viruddh as fish is hot and milk is cold.

Kram Viruddh: Ayurveda explains dincharya saying that each activity has to be performed in a day at particular timings. If a person does not go for his bowel movement and does not feel hungry but still keeps eating, such a situation is termed as kram viruddha.

Hriday Viruddh: When a person is not in a mood to eat food due to sorrow or anger or any other reason then he should not eat forcefully. Forceful eating in such cases is termed as hriday viruddh.

Sampad Viruddh: Foods that are not cooked properly, food not cooked in a good mood, standing and eating, talking and eating falls under this category.

Sanyog Viruddh: This refers to wrong food combinations that are harmful to health.

Avoid fruit custard

LIST OF FOOD COMBINATIONS TO BE AVOIDED

• Sour food and milk
• Fruit custard (combination of milk & fruits)
• Milkshake (milk and banana combined together is very heavy)
• Milk and salt
• Kheer and Kadhi
• Onion and milk
• Milk should not be combined with any food as milk itself is a wholesome food
• Liquids and solids should never be taken together
• Tea and milk
• Avoid cold drink and cold water after food
• Curd should not be consumed at night

Being aware of the virrudh ahar or incompatible food combinations and avoiding them can help in enhanced digestion and good health.