Food Synergy
“Dietitians say pairing foods such as tomato and olive oil or turmeric and black pepper can increase their nutritional benefits. Registered dietitian Ginger Hultin recommends serving foods with vitamin C and calcium together to promote bone health and RD Toby Amidor combines fat-soluble vitamins with a healthy fat source to boost absorption.”- NBC NEWS (7/9)
While it is important to remain aware of consumption of individual nutrients, there is also something to be said of consuming them in combination with other foods that will maximize their nutritional value. Today’s society is all about getting hooked on one nutrient and going HAM over it by removing the nutrient from its natural food matrix and putting it in capsule form to take religiously…for a short duration until it is realized that this approach is not as effective as hoped. But this recurrent phenomenon is no mystery. It is widely known that isolating nutrients often reduces their effectiveness. So rather than taking turmeric pills, aim to cook with turmeric – preferably in combination with black pepper to enhance absorption of turmeric’s most notable active compound (curcumin). Other examples of food synergy include the following:
Tomatoes and olive oil. When eaten in combination with healthy fats, such as olive oil or avocado, absorption of the carotenoids in tomatoes is increased by 2 to 15 times!! A number of veggies pair nicely with tomatoes and olive oil, such as the asparagus pictured in this cover photo.
Vitamin C and calcium. If having a glass of milk at breakfast, pair this nutrient-dense beverage with a citrus fruit (containing vitamin C) to further promote bone health.
Iron and vitamin C vs. calcium. When it comes to iron, vitamin C enhances its absorption while calcium inhibits this process. This means the idea of iron-fortified cereal isn’t as great as it may seem, if milk is then poured over the cereal. An example of combining a vitamin C-rich food with one known for its iron content is pairing tomatoes (vitamin C) with spinach (iron). Add balsamic vinegar to this dynamic duo and it is certainly something to write home about!
To learn more about the interactions between various nutrient compounds, contact a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for their expertise on the topic!
