There is a wide variety of foods, and because they have different effects, combining them can result in different chemical reactions. Some combinations are a perfect match, while others can be harmful. So, which food combinations are unhealthy for the human body?
Alcohol and Coffee are Incompatible
Fancy Coffee
Some people like to have a few cups of coffee after drinking alcohol. In fact, drinking alcohol and coffee together goes against scientific principles. This is because alcohol can poison all cells in the human body. A person will experience poisoning after consuming 75-80 ml of alcohol, and consumption of 250-500 ml can be fatal. The main component of coffee is caffeine. Moderate consumption has stimulating, refreshing, and stomach-toning effects, but excessive intake can also lead to poisoning. When alcohol and coffee are consumed together, it's like adding fuel to the fire. It aggravates damage to the brain, stimulates blood vessel dilation, accelerates blood circulation, and significantly increases the burden on the cardiovascular system. The harm caused is many times greater than drinking alcohol alone and can even be life-threatening. Alcohol and coffee should not be consumed together. Even if you want to drink coffee after alcohol, you should wait for 2-3 hours.
Crustacean Foods and Foods Containing Vitamin C are Incompatible
Crustacean foods, especially small shrimp and prawns, contain high concentrations of pentavalent arsenic compounds. These compounds are non-toxic, but when taken in large doses with Vitamin C, the pentavalent arsenic can be converted into highly toxic arsenic trioxide (white arsenic). Arsenic trioxide poisoning can be fatal. Therefore, Vitamin C should not be consumed when eating crustacean foods.
Cucumber and Citrus Fruits are Incompatible
Citrus fruits also contain Vitamin C, with about 25 mg per 100 grams. When making Western salads, cucumbers are sometimes added for a beautiful, vibrant green and gold color. However, the Vitamin C in the citrus is largely destroyed by the decomposing enzymes in the cucumber.
Chicken and Mustard are Incompatible
Chicken and Potatoes Stew
Consuming these two foods together can harm one's vitality. This is because mustard is considered a "hot" food, while chicken is a "warming" tonic. The combination is thought to increase internal heat, which is not beneficial to health.
Eggplant and Crab are Incompatible
Crab meat is salty and cold in nature, while eggplant is sweet, cold, and slippery. The medicinal properties of both foods are considered "cold," so eating them together can damage the stomach and intestines, often leading to diarrhea. People with a weak digestive system (especially those with "cold" spleen and stomach) should especially avoid this combination.
Don't Drink Beer When Eating Seafood
Steamed Scallops with Garlic and Vermicelli
Seafood is a high-protein, low-fat food that contains two components: purines and nucleotides. Beer, on the other hand, contains Vitamin B1, which acts as a catalyst for the metabolic breakdown of purines and nucleotides. Eating seafood while drinking beer causes purines, nucleotides, and Vitamin B1 to mix and react chemically. This leads to an increase in uric acid levels in the blood, disrupting the body's natural balance. When uric acid cannot be excreted in time, it precipitates as sodium salt, easily forming stones or triggering gout. In severe cases, it can lead to a body covered in red, painful, itchy bumps, making it difficult to walk.
Milk and Chocolate Should Not Be Mixed
Both milk and chocolate are high-calorie, nutritious foods, but mixing them is not beneficial. Milk is rich in calcium, which, when it meets the oxalic acid in chocolate, easily forms insoluble calcium oxalate. Long-term consumption of milk and chocolate together can cause dry, dull hair and may lead to issues like diarrhea and urinary stones. In infants and young children, it can result in slow growth and development, calcium-deficiency rickets, and a decline in intelligence. Therefore, milk and chocolate should be consumed separately.
Sweet Potato Should Not Be Eaten with Persimmon
According to Mr. Gao, an expert from the Chinese Nutrition Association, sweet potatoes and persimmons should not be consumed within a short period of each other. If large quantities are eaten, there should be an interval of at least five hours. If eaten together, the sugar in the sweet potato will ferment in the stomach, increasing the secretion of gastric acid. This reacts with the tannins and pectin in the persimmon, causing a precipitate to form and create hard lumps. A large amount can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding or a stomach ulcer. If you feel any discomfort in your stomach, you must go to the hospital for an endoscopy to check for bleeding or ulcers.
Carrot Should Not Be Eaten with Alcohol
Shredded Carrot Salad
Because the rich carotene in carrots enters the body along with alcohol, it can produce toxins in the liver and cause liver disease. Therefore, people should change the traditional practice of eating carrots as a "drinking snack." Carrots should not be served with alcohol, and carotene supplements should not be taken while drinking. Especially, you should not drink alcohol immediately after drinking carrot juice to avoid harming your health.
Radish and Wood Ear Mushroom Should Not Be Hot Pot Together
When having hot pot with radish, do not add wood ear mushrooms. Eating them together can cause dermatitis.
Shred carrot salad
Chicken stewed with potatoes
Steamed scallops with garlic and vermicelli
Plum coffee