the good vaidya
हिंदीBook a consult

Food card

Milk and wood apple (kaitha)

Charaka lists kapittha, wood apple, among the fruits not to take with milk. No study we found has tested the rule.

Send on WhatsApp

What the texts say

तथाऽऽम्राम्रातकमातुलुङ्गनिकुचकरमर्दमोचदन्तशठबदरकोशाम्रभव्यजाम्बवकपित्थतिन्तिडीक- पारावताक्षोडपनसनालिकेरदाडिमामलकान्येवम्प्रकाराणि चान्यानि द्रव्याणि सर्वं चाम्लं द्रवमद्रवं च पयसा सह विरुद्धम्
tathā''mrāmrātakamātuluṅganikucakaramardamocadantaśaṭhabadarakośāmrabhavyajāmbavakapitthatintiḍīka- pārāvatākṣoḍapanasanālikeradāḍimāmalakānyevamprakārāṇi cānyāni dravyāṇi sarvaṃ cāmlaṃ dravamadravaṃ ca payasā saha viruddham
Likewise amra, amrataka, matulunga, nikucha, karamarda, moca, dantashatha, badara, koshamra, bhavya, jambava, kapittha (wood apple), tintidika, paravata, akshoda, panasa, narikela, dadima and amalaka, other things of this kind, and everything sour, liquid or solid, are incompatible with milk.[1]

Charaka gives no reason for this list. Kapittha sits among fruits that end with 'everything sour', and the text does not say whether ripe or unripe fruit is meant. Kapittha is not bel, which the texts call bilva; this verse does not name bel.[1]

The modern view

We have not found a modern study that tests wood apple eaten with milk. The rule comes from the classical text alone.

Classical text only

Related

Food

Milk and sour fruits

Charaka's own example of a bad food combination is sour food with milk. No study we found has tested the rule.

Food

Milk and ber (jujube)

Charaka lists ber among the fruits not to take with milk. The one study we found was in rats and did not look at harm.

Food

Milk and jamun

Charaka and Sushruta both list jamun among foods not to take with milk. No study we found has tested the rule.

Sources

  1. Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 26.84 (Atreyabhadrakapyiya Adhyaya).

Awaiting review by The Good Vaidya Medical Board. Prepared from the sources below and checked against each one.

Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026

Suggest a correctionChangelogHow we write these pagesNot a diagnosis or prescription. In an emergency, call 112.