A doctor has revealed which foods you should eat together to boost the absorption of vitamins and minerals and provide you with the best health benefits.
Leading Harley Street dietician and King’s College research associate, Dr Megan Rossi, of Queensland, said “magic” happens when you combine specific combinations of foods, including turmeric and black pepper, lentils and tomatoes, and salmon and spring vegetables.
“Certain food combinations create more than the sum of their parts, with one increasing the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the other when eaten together,” Dr. Rossi on Instagram.
“These are my favorite duos.”
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A doctor has revealed which foods you should eat together to boost vitamin and mineral absorption and provide you with the best health benefits (Dr. Megan Rossi pictured)
1. Turmeric and black pepper
The first foods to combine to get the best health benefits are turmeric and black pepper.
The reason why, Dr. Rossi explained, comes down to the active ingredient in turmeric, which is curcumin.
“In clinical studies, curcumin has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect,” said Dr. Rossi.
“Eating turmeric stirred into a dhal, spread over soup, or drunk with ginger in a tea is great, but adding black pepper to your dish or drink can increase your body’s ability to absorb curcumin by 1,000 percent.” ‘
If you don’t like to eat these two ground spices, you can also consider a supplement that contains both turmeric and black pepper.
Dr. Rossi (pictured) recommends mixing turmeric and black pepper together to boost the body’s absorption of curcumin by 1,000 percent
2. Lentils and tomatoes
The second food combination you should make more often, Dr. Rossi said, is a combination of lentils and tomatoes.
“You can get a decent dose of iron from lentils, grains and nuts, which is essential for your energy levels,” said Dr. Rossi.
“But it’s even better absorbed when eaten with vitamin C-rich foods, such as tomatoes or bell peppers.”
The doctor recommends combining lentils and tomatoes in a salad alongside your dinner to reap the health benefits.
The second food combination you should make more often, said Dr. Rossi (pictured), is a combination of lentils and tomatoes
3. Salmon and spring vegetables
Finally, Dr. Rossi explained that salmon and spring vegetables are a great food combination that you need more often.
“A vitamin D boost is a must all year round, as the hormone produced in your body when sunlight hits your skin is important for a healthy skeleton,” said Dr. Rossi.
“But did you know that if you get enough vitamin D, calcium absorption increases by 50 percent?”
She recommends pairing the vitamin D-rich salmon with spring vegetables, which are a source of calcium.
Previously, Dr Megan Rossi (pictured) shared the top three myths about gut health that people believe are true, including that sugar is bad for their gut
Previously, Dr. Megan Rossi shared the top three myths about gut health that people believe are true.
Dr. Rossi said one of the biggest myths is that people often think they have to follow a restrictive diet to be healthy.
“So many people think they have to eat a certain way, but taking care of your gut health is all about inclusiveness, moderation and plant-based diversity,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
Dr. Rossi recommends eating 30 different types of plant foods each week because they contain “different fibers and chemicals that feed the different bacteria in your gut.”
“From whole grains to vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds and nuts, research has shown that those who reach 30 have a more diverse array of gut microbes than others,” said Dr. Rossi.
“This is a hallmark of good gut health and is also associated with better long-term health.”
The second myth the expert is eager to bust is that cutting carbs will help your stomach.
“Carbohydrates have been unfairly stigmatized when it comes to our health, but they are not to be feared,” said Dr. Rossi.
“Cutting carbs means you’re also cutting key types of fiber, and this can negatively impact your gut bacteria, as fiber is their food of choice and nourishes our gut microbes.”
The third thing the “Gut Health Doctor” said she often hears is that sucrose (or sugar) is bad for your gut.
“Actually, sugar is absorbed higher up in your gut, so it doesn’t reach your lower gut where most of the microbes reside,” she said.
‘So you certainly shouldn’t cut fruit because of the sucrose content.’
Dr. Rossi is the author of the book Eat Yourself Healthy: An Easy-to-Digest Guide to Health and Happiness from the Inside Out.
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