Pairing Foods With Milk: Find Out What To Eat And Skip
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India is the world's largest milk producer, and milk is a staple food of the Indian diet and is consumed by millions of people across the country. Cow’s milk is packed with a powerful nutritional punch that offers calcium for strong bones, protein for growth, and other essential vitamins. Milk is known for its versatility due to its incorporation in preparing many dishes like sweets, milkshakes, sauces and curry, rice kheer (pudding), and lassi (yoghurt drink).

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But what about milk and its pairings? While some pairings might create culinary magic and be beneficial for your health, if chosen wrong, they can lead to indigestion, tummy troubles, mess with nutrient absorption, or even trigger allergies. This article is a guide for you that provides the food items that do or do not complement milk.

4 Foods That Complement Milk

Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds like almonds and walnuts are a great source of healthy fats, protein, and micronutrients. Pairing them with milk can help boost the overall nutrient profile of the meal, and the healthy fats in the milk can help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in milk.

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Spices

Spices like cardamom and turmeric are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Mixing them with milk can reduce inflammation, enhance immune function, and promote better sleep.

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Cereals

Cereals, especially whole grains, are rich in essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Preparing oatmeal with cow's milk as an excellent breakfast option provides a balanced combination of carbohydrates for energy and protein for building and repairing tissues.

Honey

Honey is a natural sweetener and a perfect alternative to refined sugar. Its antimicrobial properties can help prevent the growth of bacteria in the body. When consumed with milk, it can help alleviate coughs and sore throats.

4 Foods That Do Not Pair Well With Milk

Radish

Milk and radish, when consumed together, are incompatible, as per Ayurveda. Both have different energetic properties; radish has a heating and pungent nature, but milk has a cooling and nourishing nature. However, these opposing energies disrupt the digestive fire (Agni) and lead to indigestion, gas, or bloating.

Citrus Fruit

Citrus fruits are highly acidic in nature. When paired with milk, they can create a chemical reaction that can lead to an upset stomach. However, it is advised to consume both separately and after some time.

Banana

Smoothies and shakes made with milk and banana are often consumed by people as energy sources, mostly in their post-workouts and breakfast meals. However, according to Ayurveda, milk is not compatible with bananas. When both are consumed together, this can lead to indigestion and an upset stomach.

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Fish

According to Ayurveda, the combination of milk and fish must be strictly avoided, as milk, despite being an animal product, is a vegetarian food, whereas fish is a non-vegetarian food, and both have different diet patterns that can create opposing effects on the body. On the other hand, milk has a cooling tendency, and fish generate heat in the body. The combination of the two can create an imbalance that could lead to chemical changes in the body.

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