I Tried Mixing Fish and Curd… and Here’s What I Learned

I’ll be honest — the first time someone told me not to eat fish and curd together, I laughed. Growing up, I saw people eat all sorts of combinations without a second thought. But when I tried it myself, I noticed something unusual: my stomach felt heavy, and I broke out with a small rash the next day. That’s when I started digging deeper into Ayurveda and its take on food pairings.

According to Ayurvedic texts, some foods simply don’t belong together. Fish is considered “heating” and curd is “cooling.” When combined, they can confuse the digestive fire (Agni), leading to imbalance or toxin build-up (ama). I came across an interesting explanation here: https://ask-ayurveda.com/articles/1356-can-we-eat-fish-and-curd-together-ayurvedic-perspective-and-safety-tips — it really opened my eyes to how food energetics matter beyond just taste.

What makes this even more fascinating is how the conversation is happening online today. On X, for example, someone shared their own digestive struggles after mixing the two (link: https://x.com/1857364984759541760/status/1955985368827797930). Instagram users are talking about it too, framing it as the clash between hot and cold energies (link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNVlBwhKtDv/). Pinterest is full of visuals — I found a chart there that clearly maps out which food combinations to avoid (link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/895934919626641546).

Even on Facebook, people are debating whether it’s just a myth or a real concern. Some swear they’ve had no issues, while others mention rashes or gut problems after combining fish and curd (link: https://www.facebook.com/885804900366149/posts/1081577577455546). Meanwhile, Threads has folks sharing tips like using ginger or pepper to ease digestion if you’ve accidentally paired the two (link: https://www.threads.com/@askayurveda_24/post/DNVlB8kq4ut). And on LinkedIn, health professionals are making a more serious point: food compatibility is part of preventive healthcare, not just tradition (link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ask-ayurveda_according-to-ayurveda-fish-and-curd-have-activity-7361751150385139712-GvHP?).

So what’s my takeaway? Personally, I’ve decided it’s not worth the risk. I love fish, and I love curd — but I’ll enjoy them separately. Ask Ayurveda sums it up well: prevention is always better than cure. If a simple food choice can help avoid long-term discomfort, why not take it seriously?