Why Ayurveda says “No” to heat Honey and Curd?

The world is changing fast with new trends emerging in everyday, whether it is fashion, or food. The new trends keep coming and have become easier to share and reach large audience with social media and we tend to see a lot of post on saving time for doing something. Recently I have been reading a lot of post on easy cooking methods on various social media channels and in most of the videos was concerned about some methods shown which can be actually very harmful to our health, if ignored. Yes, I would like to highlight one of those cooking method, which involves heating honey or curd or sometimes both. Not only on social media but in most of the restaurants and even in homes people add honey, curd, or both in cooking and heat them.



Lets discuss why is it not good to heat honey and curd?

See what our ancestral science says about it and why it is unhealthy?

Ayurveda had described important concepts like incompatible food (http://www.ayurbeej.in/2016/02/virudhanna-incompatible-food.html) before 5000 years ago, where it's been said that some foods when combined with others or when any process (heating, boiling, frying etc.) is done with particular food item can create harmful impact on body and overall health if consumed. These foods if eaten independently are very healthy but wrong combination can create ill effects. This phenomenon is applicable to honey and curd too. Ayurveda explains why honey and curd should not be heated.

Honey is best when eaten in natural form-
When used in raw or natural form, honey reduces excess kapha dosha (http://www.ayurbeej.in/2016/02/kapha-dosha-tridosha-sidhhanta_10.html) also helps to reduce asthma, common cold, cough when given with medicines. It has incredible antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, which can be used in various therapeutic aspects of healing.

When we heat honey –
According to ayurveda when we heat honey by adding to hot drinks or baking, it becomes heavy to digest as the molecules become hard to break down,adhering to mucous membranes and clogs body channels producing toxins or more specifically “Ama” (http://www.ayurbeej.in/2016/03/ama-root-cause-of-all-illnesses.html),which is the root cause of most diseases. It also destroys enzymes.
There are specific instructions given by ayurveda scripture about using honey-
1) Honey should not be mixed with hot foods.
2) Honey should not be heated.
3) Honey should not be consumed when you are exposed to hot environment (e.g. tropical area).
4) Honey should never be mixed with hot spicy food, beverages (whisky, rum, and brandy), ghee and mustard.

Curd in natural form-
Curd improves digestion, improves taste, appetizer, and aphrodisiac, balances vata dosha (http://www.ayurbeej.in/2015/12/vata-dosha-leader-of-tridosha.html), imparts oiliness, improves strength and immunity etc.

When we heat Curd – 
The procedure of ama (http://www.ayurbeej.in/2016/03/ama-root-cause-of-all-illnesses.html) production happens just like it happens with honey. Also the gut friendly bacteria present in curd gets killed when we heat it and the absence of these bacteria affects the health of intestine.

Above we stated the main reasons why our ancient science has forbidden us to heat these two food articles. They understood that heating these two food items directly affects the digestive system of the body and then it makes body ill.

Unfortunately there are many people who say they are spreading the knowledge of ayurveda are also sharing such stuff (easy cooking method videos which includes heating of honey and curd) under the name of Ayurveda from which everyone should be aware of.

Stay healthy. Stay tuned.