Food Synergy

I'm all about traditional diets. None of this low fat, low sugar, fat free, sugar free junk. Real food, people! It amazes me how powerful foods can be, and especially food combinations. Epidemiologist David R. Jacobs, Ph.D. of the University of Minnesota has called this "food synergy." Humans live longer on healthy, traditional diets over diets laden with chemicals. The proof? The human race is still kickin' in 2011. Foods are made to work together with each other. Here are some great combinations of food pairings, demonstrating how powerful foods can actually be!

Tomatoes & Avocadoes

How come tomatoes and avocadoes taste so good together? It's no coincidence, my friends. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which has been proven to reduce cancer risk and cardiovascular disease. Avocadoes are high in fat. Fats make carotenoids more available for your body to absorb. Try adding chopped tomatoes to your guacamole, and you will really benefit from all of those nutrients!

This works with salad too. Fats bring out the nutrients in vegetables, so don't choose the low-fat dressings. A recent Ohio State University study showed that salads eaten with full-fat dressings help with the absorption of another carotenoid called lutein, which is found in green leafy vegetables and has been shown to benefit vision. If you prefer a naked salad, sprinkle walnuts, pistachios, or grated cheese over your greens.

Oatmeal & Orange Juice

Oatmeal and orange juice, the breakfast of many Americans. Vitamin C, found in orange juice, helps clean your arteries and prevent heart attacks. How is this, you ask? The organic compounds in both foods, called phenols, stabilize your LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or so-called "bad" cholesterol) when consumed together.

Apples & Chocolate/Grapes

Apples are known to be high in an anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, especially in their skins. By itself, quercetin has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and prostate and lung cancers.

Chocolate, grapes, red wine, and tea, on the other hand, contain the flavonoid catechin, an antioxidant that reduces the risks for atherosclerosis and cancer. Together, according to a study done by Barry Halliwell, Ph.D., a leading food science professor at the National University of Singapore, catechins and quercetin loosen clumpy blood platelets, improving cardiovascular health and providing anticoagulant activity. Quercetin is also found in buckwheat, onions, and raspberries.

My favorite way to combine these two? Adding sliced apples to a fresh pitcher of sangria.

Lemon & Kale

Lemon and kale is like peanut butter and jelly to me. I think this combination is nothing to mess with. Vitamin C, found in lemon juice, makes plant-based iron more absorbable. Kale is chock full of nonheme iron, iron found in plants. I love to make a lemon dressing for my kale salads. Add some tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and sesame seeds to a bunch of kale, and presto-- a healthy, nutrient-rich, and DELICIOUS salad!

Garlic & Fish

Most seafood lovers don't realize there's a synergy of nutrients inside a piece of fish: Minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, iodine, and selenium work as cofactors to make the best use of the natural anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-reducing fish oils EPA and DHA.

What's more, cooking your fish with garlic lowers your total cholesterol better than eating those fillets or cloves alone. Who knew!

Almonds & Yogurt

We already know that good fats help increase lycopene absorption. But did you know that many essential vitamins are activated and absorbed best when eaten with fat?

Vitamins that are considered fat-soluble include A, D, and E. Carrots, broccoli, and peas are all loaded with vitamin A and should be paired with a healthy fat such as the kind found in olive oil. Vitamin D—rich products include fish, milk, yogurt, and orange juice.

So toss some almonds into your yogurt. This is a good way to incorporate the two!