Super Food Power Combos You Must Know

Few people know that by eating certain foods together good health benefits can be added to the body than when they’re eaten separately. Listed below are some of these healthy food combinations.

Mustard and Broccoli

Mustard has an enzyme called myrosinase which helps better absorb Sulforaphane in the body. Sulforaphane is a compound that has anti-diabetic and anti-cancer properties and is found in high amounts in broccoli which is also a good source for antioxidants, and vitamin C.  When mustard and broccoli and combined in a meal, it helps the body combat bacterial infections in the colon, urinary tract, digestive system, and excretory system much better.

Onions and Whole Grains

Onions possess sulfur compounds (the ones that make you cry when you chop them) that facilitate the absorption of zinc and iron in the body. These minerals are found in varying amounts in whole grains, such as wheat, barley, brown rice, and maize. Iron is a major component of red blood cells for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to organs and muscles. Onions have vitamin C and antioxidants that also facilitate the absorption of iron derived from whole grains.

Besides being rich in iron, whole grains also have high amounts of vitamin E which become beneficial for the skin, when combined with Vitamin C.  Whole grains may also complement other combinations of vitamin C-rich vegetables like pumpkin, peas, cabbage, and carrots.

Veggies and Beans

Iron and proteins can be found in high levels in beans. When combined with vitamin-rich C veggies such as potatoes, sprouts, and spinach, it helps accelerate weight loss.  Foods rich in vitamin C do not directly help in weight loss but since their nutrients are water soluble, they are deemed to be very low in calories. Combining veggies and beans in meals means you won’t need to burn extra calories.

Moreover, the iron in beans is absorbed better with help from vitamin C derived in vegetables.

Olive Oil and Tomato

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants that play a big role in the development of “good cholesterol” (HDL) in the body. Tomatoes have high amounts of Vitamin C as well as lycopene, which is an antioxidant. Lycopene reduces the risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and cataracts as well as the effects of aging. Olive oil helps lycopene to be absorbed better by the body and is very good for the heart. Both lycopene and olive oil help dissolve gallstones and purify the blood. They also boost detoxification and liver function of protein synthesis. Lycopene is known the lower the effects of high blood pressure.

Salmon and Turmeric

Salmon is rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. Turmeric, on the other hand, possesses anti-inflammatory and healing attributes. When the two are eaten together, the effects of Omega 3 fatty acids present in salmon gets a boost which helps prevent the nervous system against the aging process. It also elevates the level of HDL in the body which shields the arteries from the “bad cholesterol” thereby improving the health of the heart.

A salmon and turmeric meal is also known to slow the development of tumor by preventing cancer cells from multiplying.