57. Foods to Avoid
Deios 4:9
Some foods are harmful and should be avoided. These include: large fish, cheese, and meat that are aged and salted; truffles and mushrooms; wine from the vat; cooked leftovers that are starting to smell; any food that has developed a bad odor or a bitter taste. These things are like poison to a person.
Other foods are a little harmful but not as harmful as those listed above. A person should eat these things sparingly and only every few days. One should not eat them regularly as his main course or as a regular side dish with his meals. These include large fish, cheese, milk that remains more than twenty-four hours after the animal was milked, the meat of large oxen and goats, beans, lentils, chickpeas, barley bread, matzah, cabbage, leeks, onions, garlic, mustard and radishes. These should be eaten sparingly, and only in the winter; they should not be eaten at all in the summer. Beans and lentils should be avoided in the summer and the winter. Squash may be eaten in the summer.
Deios 4:10
Other foods are less harmful still. These include water birds, young pigeons, dates, bread that has been roasted in or kneaded with oil, flour that was sifted so thoroughly that no bran remains, fish brine and fish oil. These should not to be eaten in large amounts. A wise person will overcome his urges and not follow his appetite. He will avoid all of the above-mentioned foods unless they are necessary for medical reasons. The ability to refrain is considered a sign of strength.
Editor’s note: The Rambam lived in the 12th century and his medical advice incorporates the best knowledge of his day. Consult your rabbi with any questions involving practical application of these halachos.