Food combinations maximize healthful effects
From the editors of Fitness magazine
Experts now say good nutrition isn't just about one superstar ingredient; it's about group dynamics — the way certain food combinations work together for maximum health benefits. Hungry? Try these equations from Fitness today.
SALSA PLUS AVOCADO EQUALS LOWER CANCER RISK
While salsa alone is super healthy, this pairing helps you soak up four times more cancer-fighting lycopene and almost three times more immune-boosting beta-carotene, finds an Ohio State University study. You can thank the fat in avocado for the lift.
Equally good: Use cubed avocado and salsa as an omelet filling for breakfast.
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Iron-fortified cereal plus glass of orange juice equals more energy
Eating iron-fortified cereal can help enhance your energy, but consuming a half cup of orange juice along with it increases the amount of iron absorbed sixfold, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., an assistant clinical professor of nutrition at Boston University.
Equally good: Mix one-half cup fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon grated ginger and 2 minced garlic cloves; add iron-packed tofu and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill over medium heat.
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Teaspoon of peanut butter plus glass of milk equals stronger bones
"Drinking milk while snacking on a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat like peanut butter helps you absorb as much bone-building vitamin D as possible," says Susan Kraus, R.D., a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
Equally good: Mix 8 ounces skim milk, 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1 cup fresh fruit and one-half cup ice in a blender for a bone-strengthening smoothie.
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CANTALOUPE WEDGE PLUS YOGURT EQUALS IMMUNITY BOOST
The vitamin A in cantaloupe helps ward off viruses, but "enjoying it with foods that are high in zinc, like yogurt, ensures that your body can utilize almost 100 percent of the nutrient," says Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The Most Effective Natural Cures.
Equally good: Mix 8 ounces nonfat plain yogurt, one-fourth cup unsweetened applesauce, one-half teaspoon cinnamon and one-quarter cup honey. Dip cantaloupe pieces in it for a snack.
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Spinach, carrots, tomato, tablespoon olive oil plus marjoram equals healthy skin
Veggies need one tablespoon of full-fat dressing with olive oil in order for the body to absorb many of the antioxidants that are good for your immune system, skin and heart, says Bowden. To up the antioxidant capacity by 200 percent more, top with the herb marjoram.
Equally good: If you're not into fatty dressings, put pine nuts, walnuts, avocado or a bit of blue cheese in your salad instead. They all offer the same benefits.
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MUG OF GREEN TEA + LEMON EQUALS HEART HELP
Squeezing a lemon into green tea makes five times more catechin, a heart-healthy antioxidant, available for your body to use than if you sipped sans citrus, notes a Purdue University study. (Vitamin C slows the breakdown of catechins in the digestive system.)
Equally Good Add a 6-ounce can of lemon-juice concentrate to 12 ounces green tea, chill, and top with 12 ounces club soda, a lemon wedge and a few mint leaves.
