If you are like most people, you may have heard that drinking milk after eating fish is not a good idea. Do you love seafood but hate the thought of giving up your favorite glass of milk?
Being a Desi, you know your parents have always told you to skip milk after fish. People usually think that if you drink milk after eating fish, you might get “Phulbehri” on your body. It is a disease known as Vitiligo in English, which causes white patches on parts of your skin.
But is this really true, or is it just an old wives’ tale? It turns out there’s more to this question than meets the eye. Does drinking milk after eating fish cause that toxicity in your body?.
It is a myth or superstition in our culture for a long time. It’s time to debunk this myth and know about drinking milk after fish combination. Grab a glass of milk and let’s talk about the facts so you can decide for yourself if you should drink milk after eating fish or not.
Vitiligo is a long-term skin disorder that causes pale white spots on the skin. Lack of melanin, the skin pigment, is what causes it.
Vitiligo can happen anywhere on the skin, but it usually shows up on the hands, face, neck, and skin wrinkles.
People with lighter skin are more likely to get sunburn, so it’s important to wear sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and be extra careful when you’re outside.
Cosmetology experts at Doctors Hospital suggest lack of melanin, a skin pigment, causes vitiligo. Melanin, which gives your skin its color, is produced by skin cells called melanocytes.
Your skin or hair may start to develop white patches as a result. The actual cause of the melanocytes’ disappearance from the skin’s afflicted regions is still unknown.
Now we’ll talk about the myth that vitiligo is caused by drinking milk after fish. We have found proof that this is not true. Keep on reading.
Fish and milk make up two major food groups that are packed with important nutrients However, many people avoid consuming these two foods together due to the common belief that drinking milk shortly after eating fish can cause health issues. But is there any truth to this claim or is it an unfounded myth? Let’s examine the origins, reasoning, and facts behind this debate
The Origins of the Fish and Milk Myth
The idea that drinking milk after eating fish can be unhealthy or dangerous is a concept that has been circulating for generations. Many people recall their parents or grandparents chastising them for mixing milk and fish at mealtimes.
This myth is especially prevalent in certain cultures and regions, including
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South Asian and Southeast Asian countries like India, Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia
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Some East African and Middle Eastern countries
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Parts of the southern United States
The exact origin of this belief is unclear. Some sources trace it back centuries as part of ancient Ayurvedic practices or traditional Chinese medicine. However, the taboo around fish and milk emerged more recently in many regions during the early 20th century.
The thought was that the combination could cause skin discolorations, like vitiligo. Another belief suggests the different properties of milk and fish make them difficult to digest together.
The Reasoning and Logic Behind the Myth
There are a few theoretical reasons why drinking milk after eating fish became regarded as unhealthy:
Different Digestion Times
Some claim milk and fish digest at different speeds, so the combination creates digestive issues. However, there’s no evidence to support this.
Cold vs Hot Energies
In Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, foods are categorized as having cold or hot energies. Milk is considered cold, while fish is hot, so they disrupt balance when consumed together. But modern science discredits this energy classification.
Skin Discoloration Fears
A prevalent belief has been that drinking milk after fish consumption can lead to skin issues like vitiligo or leukoderma. Historical observations of people with these conditions who also ate fish and milk together reinforced this myth.
Religious Teachings
Some religious dietary guidelines prohibit combining certain food types, like milk and meat/fish. This may have contributed to the taboo around fish and milk.
Cultural Wisdom
Ancient traditions often develop food customs aimed at health and safety. Such ancestral advice is passed down generations, though the original context may be lost. This could be the case with fish and milk.
Does Science Support Avoiding Milk After Eating Fish?
Despite the grave warnings against drinking milk soon after eating fish, there is very little scientific evidence to suggest this combination causes any harm:
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No proven reaction: No studies have found that any chemical reaction occurs when milk and fish are ingested together.
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No digestive issues: Nutrition science confirms that both milk and fish are easily digested and require no special timing or food combining.
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No toxicity: Consuming milk and fish together does not produce toxins or toxic byproducts in the body.
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No proven skin disorder links: Dermatological research reveals no links between drinking milk after eating fish and conditions like vitiligo or leukoderma. These have separate causes.
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No nutritional disadvantage: Nutritionally, milk and fish complement each other with proteins, vitamins, and minerals. There are no disadvantages to consuming them together.
When is it Safe to Drink Milk After Eating Fish?
Given the lack of evidence for health risks, there does not appear to be any set amount of time you must wait before having milk after eating fish. Some key points:
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For most people, it’s perfectly safe to consume milk and fish together or to have milk immediately after eating fish with no waiting period at all.
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Individuals with digestive issues like lactose intolerance may want to separate milk and fish by a couple hours. However, this has nothing to do with food combining risks.
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Those with milk or fish allergies should avoid those foods entirely, regardless of timing with other foods.
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As long as you tolerate lactose and fish normally, the order or timing in which you drink milk and eat fish meals does not matter from a health perspective.
Ayurvedic Perspective on Fish and Milk
Despite modern science discrediting food combining risks, Ayurveda continues to advise against drinking milk soon after eating fish. Here’s a closer look at the Ayurvedic viewpoint:
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Ayurveda classifies foods into hot and cold energetics. Fish has hot virya (potency), while milk is cold. Mixing them disrupts balance.
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Milk also has heavy qualities while fish is light. This difference can make them hard to digest together.
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Ayurveda believes improper food combining leads to ama (toxins) that cause skin issues like leukoderma.
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Recommendations encourage waiting at least 2-3 hours between consuming fish and milk. Some say to wait until the next meal.
However, Ayurvedic teachings offer general guidance. As with any traditional advice, individuals should adjust for what works best for their bodies. Strict rules may not suit everyone.
Cultural and Religious Perspectives
The prohibition on combining fish and milk also stems from cultural and religious perspectives. Here are some examples:
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In Jainism, eating fish and milk products together violates food combining rules for optimal digestion.
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Orthodox Jewish dietary laws dictate waiting 1-6 hours between meat and dairy. This stems from verses in the Torah.
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In Islam, while no specific fish and milk prohibition exists, some still avoid the combination believing it contradicts principles from the Quran or Hadith.
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Indian vegetarian traditions view fish as meat and milk as vegetable-based so they should not be mixed in the same meal.
Again, individuals can decide how closely to follow cultural or religious food traditions. Personal health takes priority over rigid doctrines.
Tips for Enjoying Fish, Milk and Dairy Together
If you want to include fish and milk products in your diet without worry, here are some tips:
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Temporarily avoid combining them if you have a sensitive stomach or are transitioning from a diet prohibiting it.
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Introduce fish and milk together gradually – try small amounts first or have milk a few hours after fish until you know your tolerance.
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Opt for low-fat or non-dairy milk if you experience bloating or heaviness from the combination.
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Prepare fish and dairy/milk separately instead of in meals requiring them to be mixed together, like fish cooked in creamy sauces.
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Get sufficient water and vegetables in meals with fish and dairy to aid digestion.
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Listen to your body over rigid food rules. Avoid foods that clearly disagree with you.
While the practice of avoiding milk after eating fish persists in various cultures, scientific evidence does not support this precaution. Each person can decide based on their body and beliefs. For most people, drinking milk soon after fish is perfectly safe and does not present a health hazard as was once feared. Just use common sense and pay attention to how your body feels.
What Does Islam Say About Drinking Milk after Fish?
Islam recognizes that anything that has not been specifically prohibited may be consumed. For the same reason that it’s okay to eat and drink or to eat and drink different kinds of food
Allah declares (interpretation of the meaning):
“Ask Muhammad Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (may Allah honor his name), “Is there anything in what has been revealed to me that a person who wants to eat is not allowed to eat? Not unless it is Maytatah (a dead animal) or blood that has been poured out (by slaughtering or something similar), not even the flesh of pigs, because that is definitely impure, or not permissible animal meat that has been killed as a sacrifice for someone other than Allah (or for idols, etc.). , or on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering. } [6:145]. ”.
You can consume fish and milk, as there has been no mention in the narrative of their prohibition. The phrase “Don’t eat fish and drink milk” is frequently used in language books. It is just a linguistic example and has nothing to do with an Islamic prohibition.
What Does Ayurveda Tell You About Milk After Fish?
Ayurveda is an ancient healing text with its roots in the Indian subcontinent. You may find answers to every ailment in this text.
According to ancient Ayurveda scriptures and traditions, mixing fish and dairy is harmful to one’s health.
Why is this? Milk is a vegetarian food because it comes from the grass that animals eat. On the other hand, fish is non-vegetarian. Mixing the two can raise the body’s bad energies.
It will cause an imbalance in the body’s energy flow, which can impact your health.
A rise in this energy can also change the chemicals in the blood, which can cause leukoderma. Leukoderma is a localized region of white-pigmented skin due to complete melanin loss.
Ayurveda also claims that milk cools the body while fish heats it. Having milk after fish might cause an imbalance in the body.
That’s why they say to avoid drinking milk after eating fish.