Nutrients – both macro and micronutrients – are essential to our health and well-being. But did you know that combining some foods can help you absorb nutrients better?
This strategy, known as “food pairing,” ensures that your body absorbs as many nutrients as possible from the food you eat, which has a positive effect on your gut health.
“Combining foods can create a healthy balance of gut bacteria and improve digestion,” pharmacist Abbas Kanani tells Yahoo UK. “Combining the right foods helps ensure your gut and body receive the right amount of nutrients to function optimally.”
“Eating new combinations and regularly varying your diet with different fruits and vegetables, fermented foods and grains promotes a diverse and balanced gut microbiota, which is important for gut health.”
Best food combinations for a healthy intestinal flora
Iron and vitamin C
One of the most common food combinations is iron, such as spinach, nuts and red meat, and vitamin C, such as citrus fruits. One study found that taking 100 mg of vitamin C with a meal can increase iron absorption by 67%.
Calcium and vitamin D
“Vitamin D-rich foods like salmon or sardines combined with calcium-rich foods like leafy greens and broccoli promote calcium absorption,” says Kanani. “Vitamin D also helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.”
Lycopene and fats
Fat is one of our macronutrient groups, along with carbohydrates and proteins, that make up the majority of our diet. Lycopenes are found in red-pigmented fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, watermelons and pink grapefruit. Avocado and tomatoes are an example of the combination of fat and lycopenes.
“Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes and is better absorbed when eaten with healthy fats,” explains Kanani. “Cooking tomatoes can also increase the bioavailability of lycopene.”
How to integrate food pairings into your diet
According to Kanani, incorporating suitable foods is a viable way to increase the nutritional content of your diet, for example by using fruit toppings on yogurts or preparing smoothies and salads with suitable foods.
For example, you can combine Greek yogurt with pink grapefruit for a blend of fat and lycopene, or eat peppers, tomatoes and broccoli as vitamin C options alongside iron-rich foods like red meat, nuts and beans.
Vitamin D is found in fatty fish such as salmon, as well as mushrooms and eggs, and can therefore be combined with calcium from green leafy vegetables such as carrots or dairy products.
“A mix of proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates in each meal will ensure you’re eating a balanced diet,” adds Kanani. “Preparing meals and snacks for the week will ensure you have healthy, well-balanced options on hand when life gets busy.”
What you should know about antinutrients
So, now you know how to increase the absorption of nutrients into your body, but did you know that some foods can also actively reduce that absorption? These are called antinutrients.
These are plant substances such as tannins, phytates and lectins, which are found in seeds, grains and legumes and can be difficult for our bodies to digest.
However, the health benefits of these foods often outweigh the disadvantages, so you should keep them in your diet.
