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A balanced meal is not just about leveraging varied nutrients of different food groups, but also consuming them in a combination that maximises absorption and benefits.
Foods that complement each other and boost overall benefits of a meal should be prioritised over food pairings that solely focus on taste or can even harm the body. Ancient medicinal practice of Ayurveda also recommends food combos that increase palatability, digestion and absorption. In Ayurveda, grains can be eaten with vegetables, legumes, or yoghurt while the nutritional advantage of milk can be boosted by soaked raisins, date, ghee, turmeric, saffron, cardamom, and ginger. Leafy greens and salads are advised along with meats while raw fruits are best eaten independently or with other fruits of the same kind. ( 9 foods you shouldn’t combine with milk as per Ayurveda)
Modern foods combinations often go against the principle of Ayurveda. Combining salty foods with tea, or beans with eggs, milk and sour fruits can lead to health troubles.
For overall health and wellness, food combinations that go well together and enhance each other’s benefits must be preferred.
Nutritionist Apurvaa Agarwal in her recent Instagram post shares food combinations that must be eaten together to boost overall health.
1. Tomato and avocado
Make sure to combine these two ingredients if making sandwich, pizza, salad to boost not only the taste of your meal but also the nutrients. “The monosaturated fat in avocados makes the cancer-fighting lycopene in tomatoes four times more powerful,” says Apurvaa.
2. Apple and dark chocolate
Apple and dark chocolate make an irresistible combination that you can use to create many recipes. Melt dark chocolate and coconut oil together to prepare a mix and dip apple slices into it and bake them. “An anti-inflammatory crucial to heart health found in apples and powerful antioxidants found in dark chocolate fights blood clots, improves circulation and reduces your chances of heart disease,” says the nutritionist.
3. Green tea and lemon
You can multiply benefits of your cup of green tea by adding a dash of lemon to it. This is a food combination that is convenient as well as promises more effective absorption of nutrients. “Adding lemon to a cup of green tea allows the body to absorb catechins from the green tea more effectively which are responsible for most health benefits of green tea.”
4. Chickpeas and beetroot
Enjoy a refreshing salad of chickpeas and beetroot or add them to your soup, for multiplying nutritional benefits. This amazing combo helps body to absorb more nutrients. “Chickpeas are rich in Vitamin B6, a vitamin that helps the body absorb magnesium-rich foods like beets,” says Apurva.
