5 Deliciously Essential Food Pairing Tips that Increase Nutrient Absorption
Just like some couples are simply meant to be together, some nutrients work better together than they do apart. Combining certain foods can increase their nutritional value, allowing your body to more easily absorb and utilize their nutrients. The following 5 food pairings optimize the nutritional takeaway from a given meal. Luckily, they make for delicious (and sometimes boozy) combinations!
5 Food Pairing Suggestions
1. Beans & Tomatoes
Unfortunately for the vegetarians and vegans out there, the body absorbs nearly 33 percent less iron from plant sources than it does from animal sources. To remedy this, consume iron-packed plant-based foods, such as beans, with tomatoes! The vitamin C in tomatoes can significantly increase the absorption of iron. Iron is responsible for the red color in blood and thus a necessary component in the production of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to muscles and the brain.
2. Fish & Wine
European researchers found that a moderate intake of wine boosts omega-3 fatty acids in the body. When paired with fish, wine helps the body to better absorb the omega-3 acids inherent in fish. Omega-3 acids play an essential role in cognitive performance and cardiovascular health.
3. Green Tea & Lemon Juice
Get the most from age-fighting antioxidants by squeezing a bit of fresh lemon into a cup of brewed green tea. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechins that offer a host of health benefits. By adding citrus juice from a lemon, lime, or grapefruit to green tea, green tea’s catechins remain in the system after digestion. This means, there are more of the potent antixodants left for your body to absorb.
4. Apples & Raspberries
Raspberries contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which maximizes the ability of the antioxidant found it apples, quercetin, to kill cancerous cells.
5. Yogurt & Bananas
Combining a carbohydrate (banana) and a protein (yogurt) together after a workout can help aid in muscle recovery. Combining the two macronutrients together creates insulin, which your muscles to absorb amino acids and glucose. These nutrients restore and strengthen muscles.
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Food Table, Beans and Tomatoes, Fish and Wine, Tea, Apples and Raspberries, Yogurt with Banana Images from Shutterstock
