What the texts say
The pair sits in Sushruta's list of foods he calls unwholesome by combination, in the chapter on what is wholesome and what is not. Charaka's list of fruits not to take with milk includes moca, a name that may mean banana.[1][2]
The modern view
We have not found a study of banana and milk eaten together. One small study in people with insomnia gave either a banana or 200 mL of whole milk at bedtime, in separate groups of about seven people, alongside a control group. Sleep scores improved from where they started in both groups, but the abstract reports no comparison with the control group. It is an adjacent study and says nothing about the pair.[3]
From the classical texts
Questions people ask
Is a banana milkshake the same thing?
A shake puts banana and milk together, which is the combination Sushruta names.[1]
Is it all right if I leave a gap between banana and milk?
Sushruta's rule is about banana taken with milk. For a gap between the two, ask a vaidya.[1]
Related
Banana and curd (kela aur dahi)
The Ashtanga Hridaya and Sushruta both list banana with curd among the incompatible foods, along with banana and buttermilk.
FoodMilk and sour fruits
Charaka's own example of a bad food combination is sour food with milk. Sushruta and Vagbhata make the same rule.
FoodMilk and mango
Charaka and Sushruta both list mango (amra) among foods not to take with milk. Charaka's list of fruits opens with it.
FoodFruit after meals
Sushruta puts fruit such as pomegranate at the start of a meal, and praises amla at the start, middle or end.
Sources
- Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana 20.13 (Hitahitiya Adhyaya), NIIMH e-Sushruta edition.
- Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 26.84 (Atreyabhadrakapyiya Adhyaya).
- Keser MG, Yuksel A, Ekmekci AH, Vatansev H. Bedtime banana and milk intake on sleep and biochemical parameters. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2024;33:481-489. PMID 39209357.
Updated 4 November 2026