Can combination of ghee and honey be consumed?

Question

I've heard that as per Ayurveda the combination of ghee and honey is considered as opposite food (Viruddha Ahara). However, in the preparation of banana rasayana both honey and ghee are put together. Banana Rasayana being a traditional item how can it be wrong?

Banana Rasayana

Answer 1

While preparing one of the Amlaki Rasayanas, mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, Ghee and honey are both used. So, it is not prohibited to consume the combination.

By the following treatment [rasayana + the particular treatment described], the sages regained youthfulness and attained disease-free life of many hundreds of years, and endowed with the strength of physique, intellect and senses practised penance with utmost devotion: Fruits of- amalaka, haritaki Or- amalaka, bibhitaka Or- haritaki, bibhitaka Or- amalaka, haritaki, bibhitaka + bark of- palasa tree mud One of the above sets of fruits should be wrapped in the palasa bark. Then paste this with mud. Then cook on charcoal, till well cooked. 447 Remove the seeds. 40Kg. of the remaining material [powder/pulp] [minus the bark and mud- discard these] should be collected. Pound in a mortar with a pestle. + curd ghee honey sesamum paste tila oil sugar This should be taken on empty stomach by above method [listed in previous rasayanas [[the {kutipaka/hut}]]]. After the course of treatment, one should be brought back to it’s [his] normal state by intake of gruel etc. He should also be massaged and annointed with ghee and barley powder. “This is the limit of the use of the rasayana.” Keeping in view the power of digestion, he should be given diet consisting of sastika rice added with ghee along with soup or milk for the period double of the same for treatment. Thereafter he may move and eat according to pleasure

The above is being quoted from p 446 of the book Charaka Samhita, Volume 1, Edited by Gabriel Van Loon

And, there are other Rasayanas (promotive measures) too where Ghee and honey are used together (quoted from p 422).

The following enema is best aphrodisiac and rasayana and alleviates dysuria, P and V: 160gm. [each]- honey, ghee + “equal quantity of”- hot water + 20gm.- satapuspa [Peucedanum Graviolens Linn] + 5gm.- rock salt -Si12#17.11

Also, as mentioned in one comment under the question, Panchamrita, which is widely used and consumed in Hinduism as auspicious, has both Ghee and honey in it.

Dadhi Dugdham Ghritainchava Sarkara Samyuktam Madhu |
PanchAmritamidam Proktam Vidhayam Sarva Karmesu ||

Curd, Cow's milk, Ghee, Sugar(sarkarA) and honey all mixed together is what constitutes the PanchAmrita. And it is prescribed to be used in all rituals (vidhayam sarvakarmesu).

Madhuparka, a sweet edible, both offered to deities as well as consumed by us is also prepared with both Ghee and honey.

Quoting from Varaha Purana:

PREPARATION OF ‘MADHUPARK’

While describing the method of preparing Madhupark, Lord Varaha told Prithvi–“Madhupark” manifested from the right half of my body at the time when the process of creation began. This is the reason why it is so pure. Anybody who makes offering of Madhupark in the course of my worship,attains to my abode. For the preparation of Madhupark honey, curd and ghee are mixed in equal proportion. While preparing it sacred mantras in my praise should be constantly chanted. Giving some Madhupark to a dying man liberates his soul.”