What the texts say
These two words are one entry in Charaka's list of incompatible foods. They sit in a run of honey rules: honey and ghee in equal quantity, honey and rainwater in equal quantity, honey with pushkara seed, and hot water after honey. The seed named is puṣkarabīja, pushkara seed. Makhana (fox nut) is not the word used, so whether the rule reaches makhana is a question for a vaidya.[1]
The modern view
We found no study of honey eaten with lotus seed.
From the classical texts
Related
Heated honey (garam shahad)
Charaka says hot honey, and honey for someone suffering from heat, lead to death. Sushruta also warns against honey with hot things.
FoodHoney and ghee in equal parts
Charaka and Sushruta both say honey and ghee taken in equal amounts are incompatible. Charaka files it under incompatibility by quantity.
FoodKakamachi and honey
Charaka says kakamachi (makoy) with honey leads to death, in the same line as long pepper cooked in the fat used for frying fish.
FoodMeat and honey
Charaka says not to eat the meat of domestic, marsh or water animals with honey, and warns of deafness, blindness, tremors or death.
Sources
Updated 4 November 2026