Is it true that milk and fish are toxic together?

The myth of Milk and Fish is one of the most pervasive ones, or what I refer to as the myths that never fade.

This is in line with the adage that combining the two foods—milk and fish—can cause skin discolouration or the emergence of white patches, also known as vitiligo or leukoderma. This is a traditional theory that has been handed down through the ages.

Even so, the elderly residents of the house often believe this myth. Our grandparents and parents frequently caution us against consuming these two foods at the same time lest we suffer the consequences, which include lifelong skin discolouration that will also be passed down to succeeding generations. Even worse, a lot of ignorant coaches, dieticians, and vloggers continue to spread this myth in modern times.

Let's dispel this myth right now. When combined, milk and fish have no negative effects on the body. It is merely a myth. In fact, milk products are used in the preparation of many amazing traditional fish dishes. In South Indian, Continental, and Mediterranean cuisine, where fish, prawns, crabs, and other seafood form the basis of their traditional eating habits, cream, cheese, curd, milk, coconut milk, etc. are frequently used.

To support this myth, there is no scientific evidence. It's a personal matter if you have a dairy allergy or if you can't eat fish of any kind or other seafood. The issue is with you personally, not with the food. Even allergic reactions won't cause vitiligo or leukoderma to appear.

This myth may have two possible sources. First, according to the Talmud, a collection of Jewish customs and laws, combining two different animal products, such as fish and meat, may result in some dermatological issues. The Rabbis forbade eating such mixtures because mixing the two was forbidden. However, the Talmud makes no explicit mention of this myth. It has always been meat&fish, never fish & milk.


This myth's second possible source is Ayurveda, which believes that milk and fish are not a good combination because they may be difficult to digest. But somehow, all of these urban legends have been combined to form the "milk and fish cause skin discolouration" myth.

Milk and fish are both high in protein, which may make them difficult to digest. But this holds true for any combination of two significant sources of protein, such as fish and meat, chicken and milk, beef and eggs, etc.