Food synergy is the concept that certain food combinations are beneficial to your health
and have the power to cover deficiencies while improving overall health. These
combinations have greater potential health benefits than eating them alone. Add
these smart food combinations to your diet to make these nutritious foods even
better for you.
Eggs and spinach
Research states that the since Vitamin E
is fat soluble vitamin, it requires fats to be absorbed well. The fatty yolk
from the whole eggs is responsible for absorption of Vitamin E from the salad.
Thus, adding whole eggs to a salad such as baby spinach, romaine lettuce,
carrot, tomato, boosts Vitamin E absorption by 4-5-fold than eating the salad
alone without the egg.
The researchers also found that the
addition of eggs in salads enhanced the absorption of beta-carotene, lutein and
lycopene etc. that are best absorbed when eaten along with a fat source.
Green tea and lemon
Green tea is packed with EGCG
(Epigallocatechin gallate), a flavonoid antioxidant that protects the body
against cancer and cardiovascular disease. According to research, the
anti-oxidant present in green tea will increase 5-6-fold more and be available
for your body to absorb if you add citrus rich foods such as lemon.
Another benefit of adding lemon juice in tea helps neutralize
the iron-binding effect of compounds in tea called tannins.
Lettuce and walnuts
Lettuce are one of the richest sources of Vitamin K-bone
building vitamin. Vitamin K being a fat-soluble vitamin requires fat to be
absorbed well.
Adding chopped walnuts to Lettuce salad or sprinkling them over
the salad can aid in absorbing the Vitamin K, 7-8 times better that eating it
alone.
Other good Vitamin K and fat combinations are Leafy green
vegetables such as spinach, collard green, broccoli, brussel sprouts etc – can
also be sautéed in olive or desi ghee or Sprouts sprinkled with walnuts.
Brown rice and bell peppers
Besides delivering a decent amount of fibre and protein, brown
rice is also a good source of iron. But the iron from plant foods (called
non-heme iron) isn’t as easily absorbed as the iron in meat (heme iron).
Adding a food that’s high in vitamin C, like red bell pepper (95
mg per one-half cup), to a brown rice and making it into a form of a stir fry
can enhance non-heme iron absorption by four-fold. This applies to any other
Vitamin C and non-heme iron sources combination such as quinoa salad with bell
peppers, dried beans with sautéed with bell peppers or quinoa strawberry salad
etc.
Blueberries and strawberries
Both types of berries contain polyphenols, potent antioxidants
that protect against various diseases and protects cell from oxidation and
damage. Most researchers found that, compared to eating any single fruit, eating
fruits with good anti-oxidants are better.
However,
it’s just not berries, you can also do a salad such as broccoli and tomato
salad or soup, mixed fruit salad, add a variety of chopped fruit to oatmeal, or
a fruit slush and reap maximum antioxidant benefits.
