Eat This...With That

In today's world everyone is struggling to get three things done at once. Multi-tasking may be a synch when running errands, but when it comes to eating, you may not be getting the most nutrition for your bite.

Certain flavors complement others, making for a more delicious dish. The same goes for nutritional value; some foods pair well because they pump up the vitamins when munched together. Nutritionist Natalia Rusin encourages her clients to get all their vitamins from foods, "as nature intended," meaning that the foods we eat are completely capable of giving our bodies all the star power they need, they just need an added boost from some friendly fruits and veggies. To get the most out of your meals, follow these tricks, tips, and techniques for a more nutrient rich diet:

Tough to the Finish:
Popeye had the right idea! Spinach is a major super food; jam packed with vitamin C, spinach is essential for a healthy body. Perfect raw in salads or sauteed for a side dish, spinach is versatile and delicious. However, shoveling in the spinach by the forkful may not be enough to soak up all the nutritional goodness. Foods that are high in vitamin C pair well with foods containing high amounts of vitamin E, because they are synergistic, meaning that vitamin E helps the body to absorb vitamin C. Strawberries, oranges, and cantaloupes are all excellent sources of vitamin E, but they too may be lacking without a side dish of vitamin C.

To get the most from your fruits and veggies, mix together fresh spinach in a salad with strawberry chunks and sunflower seeds (another great source of vitamin E) for a meal that will be sure to fill you with all the nutrition and tastiness you need.

Pump It Up:
For big muscles and healthy blood, eat foods with heart healthy doses of iron. While there are plenty of vegetarian sources of iron, such as tofu and broccoli, they are not as well absorbed by the body as meatier sources. If the thought of a big slab of pork doesn't get your taste buds perky, stick with the veggies and just an extra ingredient that is rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the body to convert the iron to a more usable form, so add some strawberries to your cereal, a handful of lentils to your salad, and some red peppers to your tofu stir-fry, and get ready to really pump some iron.

Healthy Fats:
Yes, we know, it sounds like an oxymoron, but there are actually plenty of healthy fats that help your body to function properly. Healthy fats help the body to soak up carotenoids, which are phytochemicals associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease, certain types of cancers, and certain eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, and cataract. Carotenoids are found in fruits and veggies, but all their eye healthy nutrients may not be absorbed as well without the accompaniment of heart healthy fats. Add olive oil, a healthy fat, when cooking carrots to get the most lutein and beta-carotene for protecting your eyes. Avocados and olives, other healthy fats, are perfect additions for salads, as they will add both flavor and vitamin rich power to absorb all the carotenoids from the veggies.

Vitamin B...Good to Your Body:
Both folic acid and vitamin B12 are essential to the body's production of healthy blood. They also happen to be synergistic, as folic acid protects B12, which plays a key role in healthy brain function. Since we could all use super healthy brains, pump up the B12 in your life by eating more clams, which are the best source of B12, venison, and low-fat yogurt. Folic acid is pretty easy to come by, as it is present in everything from lentils to cauliflower to whole grains. Pair the two together with baked calms complete with roasted garlic and some cheese, or a bean dip with whole grain pitas for spreading. Your taste buds and body will thank you.

Tid-bits:
Adding lemon to tea helps increase absorption of the antioxidants found in tea.

Make your breakfast sandwich an egg and cheese to increase calcium absorption, which is crucial for strong bones, especially in women.

Antioxidants help to protect Omega 3 fatty acids, therefore citrus served with a high omega 3 fish, such as trout, would help the body absorb better.

Just like ice cream and hot fudge, these pairing go oh so well together, so make these tweaks to your diet and feel your body get healthier.

— Written by Alexis Popov

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