In the "week of love" we have decided to go beyond borders and bring this feeling to our nutrition section. And it is that they say that there is no more sincere love than the love of food, so take note of these foods that combined nourish more than "divorced". You'll be surprised!
Spinach + olive oil: more vitamin A
Spinach is a food rich in beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A in the small intestine. The oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids. If you combine them, for example by dressing a spinach salad with oil, the acids in the oil make your intestine better absorb the vitamin A from the spinach.
It is important because … Vitamin A strengthens your immune system, protecting you from infections, skin diseases, cancer or "bad" cholesterol.
Avocado + tomato: prevent cancer
If you like guacamole, you are in luck because this way you eat these foods even more together. If it was already known that the lycopene in tomatoes helped reduce the risk of cancer, it is now known that together with the lutein in avocado this effect is enhanced.
The ideal couple. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington (USA), lutein slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by 25%, while lycopene does it by 20%. When combined, it is reduced by 32%.
Green tea + lemon: less risk of cancer
Various studies have shown the anticancer properties of green tea. These are due to its antioxidant components, such as polyphenols and catechins. Furthermore, it has been proven that among these catechins, one of the most effective is epigallocatechin or ECG.
A winning combination. Adding a few drops of lemon juice to a cup of green tea helps the body absorb no less than five times more of the catechins that the body would assimilate if the juice of this citrus fruit were not added. Epigallocatechin works by fighting free radicals and protecting the DNA of our cells. In addition, it helps to inhibit cell proliferation when a tumor occurs.
Red peppers + beans: antianemia combination
Beans are very rich in iron, but … it is a type of iron, called non-heme, that is not well absorbed. And on top of that they also contain phytates, substances that make the absorption of this iron even more difficult.
Red is in fashion. But all these difficulties disappear when we combine beans and raw red peppers. And it is that thanks to the vitamin C of the pepper, the non-heme iron of the beans is transformed into heme iron, which the body does assimilate.
Rosemary + meat: healthier dish
Do you know that something as innocent as having a barbecue can harm your health? The reason is the very high temperatures that the meat surface reaches, which can leave charred pieces in which very toxic compounds are formed, heterocyclic amines. They are shown to increase the risk of cancer.
You will have a tastier meat. One way to prevent it, according to a study published in The Journal of Food Science , is to slather the surface of meat with rosemary. Its content of antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid, carnosol and carnosic acid can prevent amines from being formed. If you also add garlic, onion and lemon juice, you will enhance the protective action of rosemary.
Dark chocolate + apple: friends of your heart
A study from the University of Louisiana (USA) has seen that chocolate generates anti-inflammatory components that pass into the blood and exert a protective role for the heart.
Love at first sight. The party is animated if, in addition, the dark chocolate is accompanied by apple. Taking this fruit reduces the levels of two inflammation markers, also linked to cardiovascular diseases.
Sardines + cheese in your salads: stronger bones
The calcium in cheese is important for our bones and, for our body to absorb it, we need vitamin D. The best source of this vitamin is the sun, but we can also get it from foods such as oily fish. Additionally, vitamin D is oil soluble, which means that you need to eat fat to assimilate it.
Take them in a can. For this reason, sardines in oil are ideal, since 50 g contain 250 IU of this vitamin, which corresponds to 70% of the recommended daily amount. If this union does not convince you, you can change the sardines for tuna, although this has less vitamin D. Exactly only 50% of the recommended daily amount per 50 g. Discover our sardine salad recipe.
Milk + honey: to sleep better
This grandmother's remedy has proven to be really effective for falling asleep. This is because milk is rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that our body cannot produce and that it obtains through food. Tryptophan is transformed into serotonin and this into melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.
The sweetener matters. Some studies show that sweetening it with honey increases the calming effect. If you have trouble falling asleep, do not miss our 30 tricks to sleep like a baby.
