Boost Your Nutrition With Food Synergy.

When it comes to healthy eating, certain foods are better in combination. That’s because some nutrients and compounds work better together to help our bodies absorb or use them effectively. It’s like nutritional teamwork!

Here are some delicious pairings to put that principle into practice:

Beans + Tomatoes
Beans are a great source of plant-based iron, while vitamin C-rich tomatoes can help improve the absorption of that iron. Think chili, bean salads, or a colorful grain bowl.

Bell Peppers + Iron-Rich Foods
Red and yellow peppers are loaded with vitamin C, making them a great partner for plant-based iron sources such as lentils, beans, tofu, and spinach.

Berries + Dark Chocolate
Both berries and dark chocolate are rich in polyphenols. Pairing raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries with a little dark chocolate creates a sweet snack with a variety of plant compounds.

Broccoli + Mustard
Broccoli contains compounds that can form sulforaphane, but cooking can reduce the enzyme involved in that process. Adding a little mustard, which contains myrosinase, can help support sulforaphane formation.

Carrots + Olive Oil
Carrots are rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene, which are fat-soluble compounds. Adding a little healthy fat, such as olive oil, can improve accessibility of these beneficial compounds.

Leafy Greens + Healthy Fat
Dark leafy greens contain carotenoids such as lutein and beta-carotene. Pairing them with avocado, nuts, seeds, or olive oil supports absorption of these fat-soluble compounds.

Spinach + Lemon
Spinach provides plant-based, or non-heme, iron. The vitamin C in lemon can enhance absorption of this type of iron. A squeeze of fresh lemon over a spinach salad is an easy nutritional upgrade.

Tomatoes + Avocado
The healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado can help your body absorb more of the fat-soluble antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes. Try them together in a salad, salsa, or sandwich.

Turmeric + Black Pepper
Curcumin is one of turmeric’s best-known compounds, but the body doesn’t absorb it particularly well on its own. Piperine, a compound in black pepper, can significantly increase curcumin’s bioavailability. Try the combination in roasted vegetables, soups, or golden milk.

Upgrading your nutrition doesn’t have to involve a complete overhaul of your diet. Sometimes it can simply mean being mindful about combinations that complement one another. A colorful plate filled with whole foods literally can be more than the sum of its parts.