Ayurvedic Food Compatibility Checker

Ayurvedic food compatibility is based on how different foods interact with your unique constitution (dosha) and digestive fire (Agni). When foods are properly combined according to your dosha type, they support strong Agni, promote healthy digestion, and help build Ojas—your body's vital essence and immunity.

The system considers factors like taste (Rasa), digestive qualities, seasonal appropriateness, and how foods affect your individual Vata, Pitta, and Kapha energies. Learn more about these foundational concepts in our Understanding the Three Doshas guide.

Agni is your digestive fire—the metabolic energy responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste. Strong Agni transforms food into healthy tissues and energy, while weak Agni leads to the formation of Ama (digestive toxins).

Food compatibility matters because certain combinations either support or diminish your Agni. For example, cold foods with hot foods, or heavy proteins with simple carbohydrates, can confuse and weaken digestive fire. Our food combining guide explains these principles in detail.

Incompatible food combinations can weaken Agni and lead to the formation of Ama—undigested food toxins that accumulate in the body. This may manifest as bloating, gas, fatigue after eating, brain fog, or digestive discomfort.

Common incompatible combinations include dairy with sour fruits, fish with dairy, or honey heated above room temperature. However, compatibility also depends on your individual dosha constitution, current imbalances, and digestive strength. This is why personalized guidance through tools like our dosha assessment provides more accurate recommendations.

The six tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent—each have specific effects on your doshas and digestive system. Including all six tastes in proper proportion creates balanced, satisfying meals that support your constitution.

For optimal compatibility, meals should emphasize tastes that balance your primary dosha while minimizing those that aggravate it. For instance, Pitta types benefit from emphasizing sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes while moderating sour, salty, and pungent foods. Our complete guide to Ayurvedic eating explores how to apply these principles daily.

Start by taking our dosha quiz to understand your constitution, then use this checker to analyze meals you commonly eat. Pay attention to patterns—which combinations make you feel energized versus sluggish, and how different foods affect your digestion throughout the day.

Use the insights to gradually adjust your food choices and timing. For example, if you learn that dairy and citrus don't work well for your constitution, try having them at different times or find suitable alternatives. The goal is sustainable changes that enhance your natural vitality and digestive health.

Ojas is the finest product of digestion and the foundation of immunity, vitality, and mental clarity. When food is properly digested through strong Agni and compatible combinations, it creates this vital essence that supports long-term health and resilience.

Foods that build Ojas include fresh, organic, whole foods eaten in proper combinations according to your constitution. Rasayana (rejuvenative) foods like ghee, dates, almonds, and milk (when suitable for your dosha) particularly support Ojas when consumed mindfully. Poor food combining, overeating, or eating processed foods depletes this vital essence over time.

Seasonal changes naturally influence which doshas become predominant, affecting what foods are most compatible for optimal health. Spring increases Kapha, summer elevates Pitta, and fall/winter tend to aggravate Vata.

Eating seasonally appropriate foods helps maintain balance throughout the year. For example, cooling foods like cucumbers and coconut work well in summer, while warming spices and cooked foods support digestion in winter. Our seasonal eating guide provides specific recommendations for each time of year.