Ayurveda recommends vegetarian foods which gives more nourishment to the body than the non-vegetarian foods. Simple food makes the body strong and discords diseases. Overeating may cause obesity and may invite diseases.
Following is a list of some food products that is not recommended for a healthy life.
Refined Wheat Flour and its derivatives
All the nutrients and the fiber contents are removed by polishing and thus only the starch content is left behind. This causes constipation and accumulation of toxins without providing any significant nutritional benefits to the body.
Refined Rice and its derivatives
Absence of vital nutrients, hence causes constipation and has no significant nutritional benefits.
Refined white sugar
A lot of chemicals are added during the refining process of the sugar (bleaching, polishing), thus eliminating the natural fibers, minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Refined sugar is a highly corrosive and non healthy choice making it a ‘sweet poison’. Common problems associated with the consumption of this substance are hyper activity in children, Diabetes Mellitus, Leucorrhoea in women, body aches amongst a myriad of many other health problems.
Fried food
Any oil heated to high temperatures becomes toxic (trans fats are released) and loses all its nutritional properties.
Coffee, Tea, Guarana, Mate, Tobacco and other stimulants
Drinking these stimulants increases the blood pressure, blood sugar levels and stimulates the kidney functions. The intake of these products relieves a person temporarily of fatique and depression. Repeated consumption of these stimulants can lead to diseases associated to the heart (Hypertension, arterial blocks), nervous problems, insomnia.
Chilies of all kinds
They cause irritation of the gastro intestinal tract and corrode the mucous membrane, thus making one vulnerable to a number of diseases like peptic ulcers, chronic acidity, hemorrhoids, digestive tract cancer.
Soy and Soy derivatives
Its trypsin inhibitor effect is known to cause diabetes (type 1 and 2).The high presence of Isoflavones (Phyto oestrogen) causes hormonal imbalance, reduced sperm count in males and irregular menstrual cycles in females amongst many other health related disorders.
Cheese and Cheese derivatives
Cheese acidifies the blood, causing the depletion of calcium from the bones. Consumption of this product could cause damage to the bones and kidneys.
Tomato
This is a fruit that absorbs a large quantity of lead from the atmosphere, rich in uric acid and oxalic acid. Excessive consumption could lead to renal and gall stones.
Following is a list of some food products that is suggested for a healthy life:
1.Unpolished whole rice
2.Whole wheat and wheat flour
3.Pure honey, raw sugar, molasses, raw sugar syrup
4.Pure butter or ghee
5.Whole unrefined cereals (oats, barley, corn, wheat, Indian millet etc)
6.Pulses (beans, dhal, chick pea, lentils etc)
7.Fresh tropical fruits
8.Farm fresh tropical vegetables
9.All fresh spices except red chilies or green chilies
10.Coconut water, butter milk and sugar cane juice
11.Lots of herbs to make infusions and teas
12.Fresh spring water
13.Dry fruits and nuts ( dates, raisins, figs, apricots, cashews, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds)
After years of research and combining different ingredients, we have come out with a unique system of holistic vegetarian cooking that will guarantee the well being and health of an individual.
Lots of fresh fruits, yogurt, whole porridges (cereals), whole wheat breads, dry fruits and nuts are suggested for a typical healthy breakfast.
A healthy lunch must have lots of pulses, cooked vegetables, soups, creams, whole rice, whole wheat breads, always bearing in mind to use a combination of dishes made from, pulses, fruits, seeds, stems, flowers, leaves and roots to guarantee a balanced diet.
Healthy Ayurvedic Food Combination:
Ayurvedic food combination tips let you know the food items that are compatible or incompatible in combinations. You can't take food items of conflicting nature. The food items you take at a meal should be easily digested in a go.
Drinking ice-cooled water during and immediately after taking a meal can hamper the digestive process. Digestive enzymes become inactive. This conditions leads to incomplete digestion of food and absorption of right nutrients in wrong combinations by the body. This leads to accumulation of bodily wastes called ama in lining tissues of blood vessels, heart, respiratory system and digestive tract.
Replace cold water with light warm water. Sip warm water at moderate levels while taking meals. Don't drink too much of water during meals. It can dilute digestive juice and cause poor digestion. Take plenty of moderately warm water one hour before meals. You can take plenty of water one hour after meals.
Carbohydrate rich food is not combined with acidic food items. For example if you take bread and lemon juice together, it will cause the digestive system erratically digest both the items. Don't eat grain, cereal or pulses item with acidic items like citrus fruits, grapes, pineapple etc.
Protein rich food items go well with low-carb food items like rice and vegetable. Vegetables also go well with all types of starchy, carbohydrate rich food items.
Fruits should ideally be taken as a separate meal, independent of other regular meals.
Milk and meat is bad combination. Never take milk and meat in a single meal. Separate intake of milk and meat by at least four hours. Milk and meat is good for body in several ways. When taken together, it becomes toxic. Many modern food styles fly on the face of this Ayurvedic food combination rule.
Milk is also to be taken warm. Cold milk can cause indigestion. Taking milk too hot also is not desirable.
Ending the meals with sweet dessert is not allowed in Ayurveda. One needs to end a full-belly meal with some hot and light item like buttermilk. Buttermilk is curd diluted with water and added with a pinch of salt, chilly powder, some curry leaves and a bit of ginger. Many times ginger and curry leaves are avoided from the combination, only due to difficulty in availability.
Other factor to keep in mind with Ayurvedic food combination includes the endurance of the digestive system. A strong digestive fire (pitta) almost over-rides some of the effects associated with unscientific food combination. Not all are blessed with such a strong digestive fire.
And the most important food rule by Ayurveda
Don't burden your digestive system by eating too full. Over-eating is already a strict no-no, Ayurveda suggests you take half-stomach solid food, fill a quarter with water and leave the rest free. This is best for proper digestion.
Food Combination Chart Provides Healthy & Clean Eating Suggestions:
The most common food combination that creates indigestion and gas is combination of high rich protein and carbohydrates. For the reasons described earlier, combining meat with potatoes, bread, sweets, and fruits should be avoided particularly. So what do we eat protein foods with? Animal protein foods are best digested when combined with fresh or cooked vegetables and highly acidic fruits. However, the plant protein foods like nuts, beans, and legumes may not be combined with high acidic fruits such as oranges, lemons, and pineapples. Look at the food combination chart below for more details.
Over 80% of the digestive disorders are caused by NOT choosing the right food combination. You will know when you have eaten a wrong combination. Your body will express the signs of discomfort, gurgling sounds, and gas. So a sign of clean eating is when you eat compatible foods that enable a clean efficient digestion without producing discomfort & flatulence after the meal.
Food Categories
Animal Protein: Meat, Cheese, Eggs, Poultry, Fish
Plant Protein: Nuts, Seeds, Soya beans, Legumes
Vegetables: All vegetables like leafy greens, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Fats: All Oils, Butter, Margarine
Starches: Potatoes, Breads, All Grains
Sweet Fruits: All sweet fruits like Bananas, Cantaloupes, Watermelon, etc.
High Acid Fruits: All fruits like Oranges, Lemons, Pineapples, etc.
Sweet Fruits: All sweet fruits like Bananas, Cantaloupes, Watermelon, etc.
Low Acid Fruits: All remaining fruits like apples, apricots, pears, peaches, etc.
Food Combination Chart
| Food Categories | Animal Protein | Plant Protein | Vege-tables | Fats | Starches | Sweet Fruits | High Acid Fruits | Low acid Fruits |
| Animal Protein | Good | Poor | Good | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good | Fair |
| Plant Protein | Poor | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Vegetables | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Fats | Poor | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Starches | Poor | Good | Good | Fair | Good | Fair | Poor | Fair |
| SweetFruits | Poor | Fair | Poor | Fair | Fair | Good | Poor | Good |
| HighAcidFruits | Good | Good | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good | Good |
| LowAcidFruits | Fair | Fair | Poor | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
Note: The food combination chart has been put together to promote optimum and easier digestion. Also you should never combine any fruits with milk and if you must combine only sweet fruits with yogurt. Make the most out of your money and efforts you put on preparing meals while promoting health and wellness.
