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Health and Wellness Advice - Eating more fruits and vegetables
- Eat good protein
- 10 foods to add to your diet
- Five Health-Boosting Foods
- Legumes, Tofu and Soy-Based Foods
- Vegetarianism basics
- Discover Soy
- Smarter Food Indulgences
- Adding Superfoods to your Diet
- Cook up 5 healthy trends with your kids. See how easy it is!
- Healthy Bowls That Will Bowl You Over!
- Eat well every day
- High Performance Diet
- Time Saving Health Tips
- Pair Foods for Health Benefits
- Creative Healthy Meal Ideas
- Affordable Healthy Eating
- Say hello to indulgence and goodbye to guilt!
- Meals on the go: 8 delicious open-faced sandwiches
- Where to get your protein
- 5 vegetables cooked differently
TopPair Foods for Health Benefits
Pairing certain foods together not only tastes great, but it offers super-powered health benefits too.
Pair tomatoes with olive oil
Tomatoes are a great source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many protective benefits including:
- Protecting against heart disease
- Protecting against certain types of cancer, including prostate, breast, lung and bladder cancer
Interestingly, while raw tomatoes contain lycopene, it’s not in a form that’s readily usable the body. What helps absorption? Heat and oil. Processing raw tomatoes using heat (while making tomato sauce, for example) actually changes the lycopene in the raw product into a form that is easier for the body to use. And adding oil, such as olive oil, also helps. So, not only does tomato sauce taste great when it’s made with extra virgin olive oil, it’s also a better way for the body to get lycopene, rather than only eating raw tomatoes.
In the typical North American diet, 85 percent of lycopene comes from tomato products such as tomato juice, tomato sauce or tomato paste. Other foods that contain lycopene include watermelon, pink grapefruit, apricots, and pink guavas. But lycopene is not found in all red-coloured vegetables and fruits - red peppers, for example, are not a source of lycopene.
Pair spinach with strawberries
There are two types of iron-rich foods in the diet:
- Heme-iron: this refers to the iron found in foods that come from animal sources, such as meat. This type of iron is well-absorbed by the body.
- Non-heme iron: this refers to the iron in plant foods, such as leafy greens, legumes and cereal grains. This type of iron is not as well absorbed by the body.
In order for the body to be able to absorb non-heme iron, it’s important to pair plant-based iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C.
Some classic pairings include:
- Spinach salad with strawberries
- Cereal with berries
- Pasta with tomato sauce
- Kale and red pepper stir fry
- Oatmeal and blueberries
- Greens and lemon juice
- Chickpeas and tomatoes
About 15 to 35 percent of heme iron is absorbed into your system, compared to only 2 to 20 percent of non-heme iron, so having it with vitamin C can help a lot. But the key is to eat the iron and vitamin-C rich foods at the same time – not several hours apart! It’s a great benefit that many of these foods taste so great when they are paired together. Nice work, Mother Nature!
Pairing rice and beans
Vegetarians have long known about this classic pairing. Neither rice nor beans is a complete protein (with all nine essential amino acids), but when paired together, they form a complete protein. Beans contain the amino acids that are missing from rice, and vice versa.
Try one of these main dishes:
- Chana masala on basmati rice
- Jerk kidney beans on short grain brown rice
- Aduki beans with teriyaki jasmine rice
- Black-eyed peas on long grain brown rice
Enjoy a cheese omelette
The vitamin D found in egg yolks makes the calcium in dairy more available to your body — important not only for bones, but for heart health as well. Next time you make scrambled eggs or feel like an omelette, add some shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese. Try this Vegetable cheese omelette.
Marinate steak in rosemary
Marinate your steak with rosemary before cooking. Make a simple marinade with olive oil, vinegar, garlic and herbs, including rosemary. Why rosemary in particular? The herb is rich in antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid that help neutralize carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that form when steak is grilled at high temperatures. Try this French-style roast with rosemary.
Pair carrots with chicken
Chicken contains zinc, which is what your body needs to efficiently turn the beta-carotene in carrots into vitamin A, a nutrient you need for healthy skin, strong eyes and a robust immune system. So whether you like a traditional chicken pot pie, a vegetable and chicken stir-fry or chicken soup, make sure to pair carrots with chicken!
Have broccoli with fish
Fish contains the mineral selenium. Broccoli is rich in a disease-fighting compound known as sulforaphane. Studies indicate that these two things – selenium and sulforaphane – should be eaten together. As partners, they are 10 times more effective at slowing cancer cell growth than when eaten individually. Serve tuna with a side of broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cabbage, all of which contain sulforaphane.
Healthy Bites
Pair garlic and onions – they are a winning combination for heart health.
Sprinkle nuts on broccoli. The vitamins C in broccoli and vitamin E in nuts work well together.
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