3 Nutrient Pairings That Can Help Maximize Your Meals
Work these food pairings into your diet to help your body get what it needs.
Healthy foods benefit us when we eat them on their own, but some foods make an even bigger impact when eaten with certain other foods. Maximize your nutritional gains by indulging in these good-for-you pairings.
AVOCADOS AND CARROTS.
Vitamin A, found in orange vegetables and dark leafy greens, is important for keeping your eyes healthy. Carrots are a good source of provitamin A carotenoids, which get converted to vitamin A when you eat them. One study found that eating carrots with avocado increased the efficiency of that conversion. The effect would be the same if you used an equivalent amount of pure avocado oil, according to the study, because of the lipids present in both forms of avocado. Try them together in these veggie spring rolls.
COOKED EGGS AND RAW VEGETABLES.
Adding a whole cooked egg to raw vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, and carrots (a salad is great) boosts the body's ability to absorb carotenoids, which are thought to lower the risk of disease. According to one study where 16 healthy young men ate the same salad three times, with no egg, with 1.5 eggs, and with 3 eggs, eating eggs with the salad was "an effective way to enhance the absorption of carotenoids from the salad that are not found in eggs." Next time you order a salad, ask for an egg prepared your favorite way on top.
CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI.
Your favorite Chinese-American dish is a great takeout option. Chicken provides a good source of iron, which your body needs to do basically everything, as it helps your cells transport oxygen throughout your body. And your body is able to absorb more iron if you also consume vitamin C at the same time.
Luckily, if you’re not a fan of orange chicken, broccoli is full of it. Want to cook at home? Try this chicken and broccoli casserole.
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