Wonderful combinations that only prove how incredible nature and the plant kingdom is!
TURMERIC AND BLACK PEPPER
Turmeric, or turmeric, is a ginger-like root, widely consumed ground and known for being part of curry, a famous Indian seasoning. In addition to adding color, flavor and smell to food, turmeric has incredible antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties and much more. Much of these potent properties are due to the compound curcumin, which unfortunately is poorly absorbed by our body, but wonderfully piperine, a compound in black pepper, increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000%. So always combine the two! Furthermore, consuming turmeric together with a source of fat allows it to be absorbed directly through the lymphatic system, without having to pass through the liver, increasing its absorption!
AVOCADO AND TOMATO
Lycopene, a phytochemical with antioxidant properties and beneficial against chronic diseases, is abundant in tomatoes and watermelon and is fat-soluble, therefore, consuming tomatoes together with sources of fat, especially unsaturated fats such as avocado, increases its absorption by 3x. Cooked tomatoes provide 4x more lycopene than raw tomatoes.
VITAMIN-C AND IRON
Intake of vitamin C increases the absorption of non-heme iron, present in plant sources. Ingesting 75mg of vitamin C (1 orange or half a guava) increases iron absorption by 3x to 4x!
ZINC, GARLIC AND ONION
Consuming onions and garlic together with foods rich in zinc increases their absorption by up to 50%.
CEREALS AND LEGUMES
All foods of plant origin have protein and all essential amino acids, at different levels. Whole grains are limited in lysine and relatively rich in methionine, while legumes are limited in methionine and relatively high in lysine, therefore, they complement each other beautifully and should be consumed daily, but not necessarily in the same meal but within a 24-hour period. Some of these, such as soy (and derivatives) and quinoa, have high levels of all essential amino acids. Always consume these two food groups, for the entire nutrient package!
