How to make healthy foods even healthier

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you decide to cook healthy food, it is worth learning about the features of natural foods. When you combine food and food ingredients correctly, their health benefits multiply.

Some foods are healthy on their own, but when combined with other ingredients, they become powerful weapons in the fight for health. By including these combinations in your diet, you help the body get the right substances and absorb them faster. Here are five healthy food combinations and ways to combine them in your menu to make your meals tasty as well as healthy.

1. Tomatoes and avocados

What does the combination give? Reduces inflammation.

If you like Mexican food, try combining tomatoes and avocado in one dish. The fats found in avocados help the body absorb lycopene, a carotenoid pigment found in red, orange, and yellow vegetables.

A study by Ohio State University found that when avocados are added to salsa, the human body absorbs 4 times more lycopene than without these fruits.

What is lycopene useful for? An increased intake of this substance prevents the occurrence of cancer, reduces inflammation and the likelihood of developing age-related diseases such as cataracts.

How to cook

You can make salsa with tomatoes and avocado, or make a Caprese salad by swapping the mozzarella for an avocado. You can make it even healthier by adding olive oil.

2. Green tea and lemon juice

What does the combination give? Antioxidants are better absorbed.

Needless to say how delicious it is to drink green tea with lemon juice. In addition to the fresh and invigorating taste, this combination is very beneficial for the body.

According to a study from Purdue University, the combination of citrus juice and green tea increases the body's ability to absorb catechins, the antioxidants found in green tea.

These substances are well absorbed in the acidic environment of the stomach, and the addition of lemon juice helps the body absorb about 6 times more catechins. In addition, tea leaves contain oxalates, salts, and oxalic acid esters, which can interfere with the absorption of iron, and lemon juice helps reduce this effect.

How to cook

Everything is simple here: start your day not with coffee, but with a cup of freshly brewed green tea with lemon juice. And the more lemon you can add, the better. The main thing is that it is pleasant to drink it.

3. Pasta and vinegar

What does the combination give? The feeling of satiety lasts longer, help in the fight against excess weight.

Probably, this happened to each of us: you ate pasta and almost immediately feel hungry again. This is because pasta, potatoes, and white bread cause blood sugar spikes. When your blood sugar drops, you feel hungry.

A study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vinegar helps to moderate these glucose spikes and provide the body with energy for longer.

Researchers have found that eating vinegar helps people with type 2 diabetes improve insulin sensitivity in foods high in carbohydrates.

For healthy people, a small amount of vinegar (about 2 tablespoons) can help keep blood pressure and blood sugar levels normal and fight excess fat.

How to cook

Next time you make a cold pasta salad, add some vinegar to the sauce. To maintain the right blood sugar levels, it is best to add protein-rich foods to your salad, such as chicken slices or black beans.

4. Skim milk and banana

What does the combination give? Strengthens bones.

Dairy products are rich in calcium, while bananas contain inulin, organic fibers that help the body absorb calcium. In addition to bananas, inulin is found in foods such as asparagus, leeks, chicory, and Jerusalem artichoke.

When you combine foods with inulin and dairy products that are high in calcium, your body will get enough calcium to strengthen your bones.

How to cook

You can make a banana oat smoothie. For him you will need:

• 2 tablespoons of rolled oats;
• 2 bananas;
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon honey;
• a pinch of cinnamon;
• 4 ice cubes.

Beat all the ingredients in a blender, add ice, and the smoothie is ready. You can add flax seeds to the cocktail, they will become a source of vitamins D and E.

5. Fish and red wine

What does the combination give? Strengthens the cardiovascular system.

The Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology has conducted research to prove the theory of the benefits of this combination. Scientists have suggested that polyphenols - the most powerful natural antioxidants found in red wine - protect omega-3 fatty acids from breakdown.

By combining a small amount of red wine (one glass for women and two for men) with oily fish rich in omega-3 acids, you will strengthen your cardiovascular system.

In principle, both red wine and fatty fish are very beneficial for the body, but their consumption in large quantities may not only not improve health, but also harm it.

How to cook

Fatty fish can be steamed, baked in the oven, or grilled. About 100-150 g of your favorite fish with a glass of red wine is a great dinner, especially for those who love fish.

If you want to make your meal even healthier, you can add garlic. When paired with red wine, its immune-strengthening properties are enhanced.

These are just five food combinations that have been proven to be beneficial in research. If you have any useful combinations or recipes, please share in the comments.