Do you think twice before consuming milk because you had chicken or fish for lunch or dinner? It's not just you: There are many who are doubtful about this combination, which is considered harmful. In fact, some even believe the combination can give you white spots or infections.
Recently, Max Healthcare chief clinical nutritionist Dr Ritika Samaddar told NDTV what she believes about the combination, and confirmed that there are no harmful effects of drinking milk with chicken or fish from the nutrition point of view.
She explained: "There is a very popular delicacy in Bengali called Doi Mach — a preparation in which fish is added in dahi [curd]. Bengalis have always been having that and there has been no such case of infections or white patches."
However, she also said that there is a possibility of adverse reaction if you are on Ayurvedic medicine and consume milk with fish or chicken.
"People on Ayurvedic medicine might experience a reaction when milk is consumed with fish or chicken. But from the nutritional point of view and from the point of view of contemporary medicine, there's nothing that is harmful about these two foods interacting with each other and causing harm to the body," she said.
Ayurvedic expert Dr BN Sinha had earlier told NDTV that the fish-and-milk combination is incompatible and can give rise to certain chemical changes in the blood. This can also lead to skin pigmentation or a condition also known as leucoderma, he had said.
Dermatologist Dr Deepali Bharadwaj had echoed this when she said: "Fish and milk must never be had together. It can cause terrible allergies."
On the other hand, Bengaluru-based nutritionist Dr Anju Sood said since there is no evidence to prove that the combination gives rise to vitiligo, there is absolutely no harm in eating them together.
Dr Ritika, too, did not confirm that the food combination can give you white spots. In fact, she said the condition happens mainly due to melanin deficiency.
Though there are many people who consider the combination harmful, science says otherwise. In fact, there is no explicit evidence still to prove any such harm.
Moreover, a Mediterranean meal — which is now considered one of the healthiest diets globally — includes fish, milk or yoghurt along with cereals, nuts, and healthy fats.
A lot of studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can be really beneficial in keeping diabetes, heart diseases and several other health problems at bay.
