Harmful food combinations you need to avoid at all costs

Sometimes we pair up foods such that even the healthy ones turn against us. We are told to have a lot of fruits, drink a lot of water and drink milk everyday. But what we are not told is that pairing them up with certain foods can undo all their good. For foods that are already in the list of our adversaries become worse when we hook them up with their buddies. So, where are we going wrong?

“One should have a balanced diet and it is important to have a combination of all the essential nutrients required by our body,” says Dr Manish Tiwari (DM, Gastroenterology). But pairing them right is equally important. Here we bring the most common food combinations that may be doing more harm than good to your body.
(Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)

Sounds tempting but definitely not healthy! Foods loaded with cheese are not good for your health. But still, if you are a cheese lover then avoid soft drinks along with it. Carbonated drinks contain high amount of fructose which is sometimes difficult to absorb and leads to abdominal discomfort. It also promotes obesity due to high sugar content. Similarly cheese is rich in fat and increases obesity. So try to curtail both these items from your diet.
​(Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)

This combination is considered as one of the heaviest for the stomach. “If your digestive system is in good health, only then can you have bananas with milk," says Dr Tiwari. Banana turns sour in the stomach and causes milk to curdle, resulting in heaviness. Some people can not digest milk because of lack of digestive enzyme lactase which leads to different abdominal problems. Taking fruits half an hour after meal promotes maximum absorption of essential nutrients present in the fruits.
​(Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)

The ideal way to consume fruits is one hour before the meal as they work as an appetiser. If fruits are consumed immediately after a meal, all the nutrients don't get absorbed properly. Try to give at least a gap of thirty minutes between meal and a fruit snack. According to Dr Manish Tiwari, “A person should definitely have one seasonal fruit each day and if you feel hungry at night then instead of junk or unhealthy food, eat fruits.”
​(Image Courtesy: Thinkstock)

Dr Manish Tiwari recommends avoiding water in between or immediately after a meal as it causes discomfort and may interfere with your digestion. Keep a gap of at least 30 minutes between your meal and water intake. This will help in proper absorption of required nutrients by the body.
​(Image Courtesy: Thinkstock)

Tea contains tannins, which hampers absorption of nutrients from the meal. Immediately after a meal, tannic acid that caffeinated beverages contain can bind food iron and protein and prevent absorption of these important nutrients.
​(Image Courtesy: Thinkstock)