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Writer's pictureRose Millson

What Are Synergistic Food Combinations?

Updated: Sep 15, 2023

What food combining is, what are examples of synergistic food combinations, and how they can support your health


synergistic food combinations

Food combining is pairing certain foods and nutrients to influence our health. Synergistic food combining describes how nutrients interact to enhance their bioavailability and create a desirable effect. There are many ways to incorporate these food combinations into your life to get more benefits from your food.

  • Bioavailability is the proportion of nutrients that enter one's circulation after consumption. The more bioavailable something is, the higher proportion of the nutrient enters circulation, making it more able to have an effect.

  • Phytochemicals are chemical compounds in plants that have beneficial effects for the body. Many are also antioxidants.


Synergistic Food Combinations:

Green Tea (or matcha) and Lemon Juice


Green tea contains catechin, a phytochemical and antioxidant that increases brain and heart health. When combined, lemon juice increases the bioavailability of the catechin in green tea by up to 5 times [1].

  • Add a squeeze of lemon to your green tea!


Broccoli and Tomatoes:


Tomatoes contain lycopene, a phytochemical great for heart health and protective against cancer. It was found that when broccoli and tomatoes were consumed together, it decreased the weight of tumors in men with prostate cancer 52% more than when consumed separately [2].

  • When roasting veggies, roast broccoli and tomatoes together

  • Add broccoli as your vegetable when having pasta or pizza with tomato sauce


Olive Oil and Tomatoes:


Olive oil increases the absorption of the lycopene in tomatoes [3].

  • Make sure to use olive oil in your tomato sauce!

  • Use olive oil when roasting tomatoes

  • Enjoy some Caprese salad with olive oil


Vitamin C and Plant-Based Iron


Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron from plant-based foods [4]. This synergistic food combination is especially helpful for vegetarians or vegans.

Sources of vitamin C: citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, kiwi and grapefruit), bell peppers, tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower).

Plant-based sources of iron: lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, tempeh, cashews, quinoa, spinach, swiss chard, potatoes and chia, hemp and pumpkin seeds.

  • Sauté your spinach with lemon

  • Try a spinach salad with lemon or orange vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds

  • Make a tofu scramble or lentil soup with bell peppers


Turmeric and...


Turmeric contains the phytochemical curcumin.

Turmeric and black pepper: When turmeric and black pepper are combined, the phytochemical, piperine, in black pepper increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000% [5].

Turmeric and olive oil: The piperine in olive oil also increases the bioavailability of curcumin [3].

  • Combine turmeric and black pepper/olive oil in curries and salad dressings

  • Make a rub for your meat with turmeric and black pepper

"Research suggests that curcumin can help in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and subsequent performance in active people." -Hewlings

Fat and Foods With Vitamins A, D, E or K


Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins and therefore need to be consumed with fat to be properly absorbed in the body. Foods that contain both fat and fat-soluble vitamins are salmon, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, nuts and more.

Vitamin A: liver, sweet potato, spinach, carrots, black-eyed peas, red bell peppers, cantaloupe and broccoli

Vitamin D: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, sardines, egg yolk, beef liver and mushrooms

Vitamin E: sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, spinach, collard greens, red bell pepper and asparagus

Vitamin K: kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, Brussels sprouts and broccoli

Sources of fat: avocado, eggs, fatty fish, nuts, chia seeds, full-fat Greek yogurt, butter, oils (coconut, extra virgin olive oil) and full-fat dairy

  • Try a kale or spinach salad with avocado or nuts

  • Top your sweet potato with Greek yogurt

  • Roast your vegetables in olive oil


Vitamin D and Calcium


Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium in the body. Vitamin D and calcium are both beneficial for bone health, making this combination great for strengthening bones and decreasing the risk of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, sardines, egg yolk, beef liver

Plant-based vitamin D (mushrooms): When mushrooms are exposed to UV light they are able to make vitamin D [7]. When buying mushrooms, look for ones that have been exposed to UV light. You can also look on the label for vitamin D content.

Sources of calcium: dairy products and plant-based sources (lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, bok choy, almonds, amaranth and dark leafy greens)

  • Try salmon and bok choy

  • Scramble your eggs with some full-fat cheese

  • Sauté your mushrooms and dark leafy greens

  • Have a spinach salad topped with mushrooms


Grilled Meat and Rosemary


When meat is exposed to direct high heat from cooking on the grill, heterocyclic amines (HCA) can be created. HCA can increase the risk of cancer [8]. Adding rosemary, however, significantly decreases the formation of the HCA produced [9].

  • Add some rosemary to your marinade



While it isn't necessary to combine these foods, you will get more benefits from your food when you do. Play around and see what you enjoy!



 



1

Purdue University. (2007). Citrus juice, vitamin C give staying power to green tea

antioxidants. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071113163016.htm


2

Canene-Adams, K., Lindshield, B.L., Wang, S., Jeffery, E.H., Clinton, S.K., & Erdman, J.W.

(2007). Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance antitumor activity in dunning r3327-h prostate adenocarcinomas. Cancer Res 67(2), 836–843. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17213256


3

Passano, T. Food Synergy, Salisbury University.


4

Heffernan, A., Evans, C., Holmes, M., & Moore, J.B. (2017). The regulation of dietary iron


5

Manayi, A., Nabavi, S.M., Setzer, W.N., & Jafari, S. (2018). Piperine as a potential anti

cancer agent: A review on preclinical studies. Curr Med Chem 25(37), 4918–4928. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28545378


6

Hewlings, S.J.; Kalman, D.S. (2018). Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health.


7

Simon, R. R., Borzelleca, J. F., DeLuca, H. F., & Weaver, C. M. (2013). Safety assessment of

the post-harvest treatment of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) using ultraviolet light. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 56, 278–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.02.009

8

National Cancer Institute. (2017). Chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures and cancer risk. National Cancer


9

Puangsombat, K., & Smith, J.S. (2010). Inhibition of heterocyclic amine formation in beef

patties by ethanolic extracts of rosemary. J Food Sci 75(2): T40–T47. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20492265

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