Food combinations can play an important role in maintaining your gut health, promoting good digestion and overall health. While it is good to experiment in the kitchen, it is best to avoid combing certain ingredients as their combination can play havoc with your stomach. Pairing two healthy foods may not always result in a healthy combination. In some cases, combining two incompatible foods may lead to a host of gastro-intestinal problems. One such example is that of milk and yogurt. Smoothie and lassi lovers may want to hear this out.
According to Ayurveda, there are certain foods combinations disturb the normal functioning of the gastric fire and upset the balance of the doshas. In Ayurveda, there are three fundamental doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and good health is considered to be a perfect state of balance of between these three doshas. Wrong food combinations may cause indigestion, flatulence and gas formation.
In his book, ‘The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies', Dr. Vasant Lad notes that yogurt shouldn't be paired with milk. In addition to this, he also lists down a couple of everyday foods, that you may have been combining all your life with yogurt but shouldn't be! These include sour fruits, melons, fish, mango, starches, cheese and bananas. But of all the incompatible food combinations, what strikes us the most is the yogurt and milk pairing as we have been using them together for the longest time to make smoothies and lassis that are some of the most wholesome and nutritious beverages to consume.
Ayurveda expert Dr. Ashutosh Gautam explains, “Yogurt is sour, heavy and increases secretions from glands present inside the body. These characteristics of yogurt make it quite opposite to the characteristic properties of milk which is why in Ayurveda it is not recommended to pair these two together.” He adds, “Any fermented product should not be consumed with milk as it would block the channels or srootas of the body and result in infections, tummy problems and ill-health.”
If you have indulging in fruit smoothies and other drinks that use a combination of the too, keep a track on how you feel later. If you've been experiencing cramps, bloating or other stomach problems it could be because of this combination and in that case, it is best to avoid it.