HEALTHY FOOD COMBINATIONS

BROWN RICE & PEAS 

As we get older we lose lean muscle, which is a natural metabolism booster that helps us burn calories. A good way to maintain that beneficial muscle is to lift light weights and make sure that between 25 and 30 percent of your calories comes from protein. Red meat and poultry are great options, but they can contain a high amount of saturated fat. Plant foods like rice are loaded with protein. But when eaten alone, many of them lack a few of the essential amino acids needed for a complete protein. Rice, for example, is low in the amino acid lysine. But peas, on the other hand, are lysine-rich. Pairing rice and peas gives your body a healthy protein boost.

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ONIONS & CHICKPEAS

According to a 2010 study in  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, sulfur compounds in onions, garlic, and leeks can help you absorb more iron and zinc from grains and legumes, including chickpeas.Iron is involved in oxygen transport in the body, so an iron deficiency can cause fatigue and brain fog. Premenopausal women need to be diligent about getting iron intheir diet due to blood loss through menstruation.

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APPLES & RASPBERRIES

The anti­oxidant ellagic acid (found in raspberries, pomegranates, walnuts, and cranberries) enhanced the ability of quercetin (an antioxidant found in apples, grapes, onions, and buckwheat) to kill off cancerous cells. Food scientists have discovered thousands of such bioactive phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains.

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TURMERIC & BLACK PEPPER

The combo erases inflammation and could ward off Alzheimer's disease and cancer while combating high cholesterol and improving liver function. Turmeric is one spice that everyone needs to use. Just be sure to combine it with black pepper, which helps your body absorb a thousand times more curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. 

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APPLE & CHOCOLATE 

Apples are known to be high in an anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, especially in their skins. By itself, quercetin has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and prostate and lung cancers. Chocolate, grapes, red wine, and tea, on the other hand, contain the flavonoid catechin, an antioxidant that reduces the risks for atherosclerosis and cancer. Together, catechins and quercetin loosen clumpy blood platelets, improving cardiovascular health and providing anticoagulant activity. Quercetin is also found in buckwheat, onions, and raspberries. 

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EGG & CHEESE

Naturally occurring vitamin D in egg yolks optimizes your body's absorption of the cheese's bone- and heart-protecting calcium. Sufficient calcium levels also promote neurotransmitter health and stabilize hormones, which reduces PMS symptoms and weight gain.

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WATER & UNSWEETENED CRANBERRY JUICE

Unsweetened cranberry juice prevents the buildup of streptococcus mutans, the cavity causing bacteria. The juice prevents them from sticking to the tooth's surface. The unsweetened juice also interferes with plaque formation. Mixing it with water helps dilute the juice's tartness.

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BURGER & KETCHUP

Tomato provides us lycopene, an antioxidant that gaurds against various forms of cancer by blocking  cell damaging - free radicals. Eating processed tomatoes is the best as cooking releases lycopene inside the plant cells, making it easier to digest and absorb.

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GREEN TEA & LEMON 

Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, but a study from Purdue University found that adding citrus juice led to a fourfold increase in disease-fighting catechins. Lemon juice in particular preserved the most catechins, while orange, lime, and grapefruit juices were less potent but effective.


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OATMEAL & ORANGE JUICE 

A study from the Antioxidants Research Lab at the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that drinking vitamin C-rich orange juice while eating a bowl of real oatmeal cleans your arteries and prevents heart attacks with two times as much efficacy than if you were to ingest either breakfast staple alone. The organic compounds in both foods, called phenols, these stabilize your LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or so-called "bad" cholesterol) when consumed together.

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