4 Elevated Food Pairings

Oh-so-popular food pairings like peanut butter & jelly, spaghetti & meatballs, and burgers & fries have been praised for being the pinnacle of food combos. Although these pairings may taste good and offer a pleasing mouthfeel, they aren’t optimal when it comes to nutrient absorption.

These famous food combos are paired together based on their flavor and texture profiles rather than their nutritional profiles.

It’s time to elevate your food pairings!

In fact, when certain foods and spices are eaten together, they can actually increase nutrient bioavailability and absorption in our bodies.

Here are 4 elevated food pairings you can add to your diet to help ensure that you get the most nutrition out of the foods you consume!

Food Pairing #1: Fat + Fat-Soluble Vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, & K)

Fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are best absorbed in the our body when paired with a fat source. Ideally, you want to choose healthy, unsaturated fat sources like olive or avocado oil, avocado, nuts, or seeds. 

Pair one of these healthy fats with the following food sources to maximize absorption: 

• Vitamin A: Sweet potato, carrots, cantaloupe, peppers, mangos, & apricots
• Vitamin D: Wild-caught fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, mushrooms, & egg yolks
• Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, nuts, avocados, olive oil, kiwi, & spinach 
• Vitamin K: Kale, spinach, turnip greens, Swiss chard & Brussels sprouts. 

Here is my favorite Tuscan White Bean Skillet Recipe that combines the dynamic duo kale + extra virgin olive oil. In this recipe, the kale is the source of vitamins A & K, while the extra virgin olive oil is the healthy, unsaturated fat source.

Fun Fact: 1 cup of kale contains more vitamin C than one medium orange!

Food Pairing #2: Turmeric (Curcumin) + Black Pepper (Piperine)

Turmeric is a spice well known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-carcinogenic properties, but we don't get all of the amazing benefits turmeric has to offer when it is eaten by itself.

The bioactive component found in turmeric is called curcumin. Unfortunately, curcumin is not well absorbed by the body on its own, but not to worry, there is a solution! 

When we pair turmeric and black pepper, which contains a bioactive component called piperine, together we can increase the absorption of turmeric by up to 2000%.

Be make sure to pair these two powerful spices together to boost their health benefits!

Here is my go-to Turmeric + Black Pepper Roasted Cauliflower Recipe. I absolutely love eating this recipe as a warm or cold side dish or as a mid-day snack. 

RD Tip: Aim for a ratio of ? tsp. black pepper to 1 tsp. turmeric for optimal absorption.

Food Pairing #3: Lentils + Rice 

Essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine) cannot be made by the body. This means that they must come from the foods we eat.

Most plant-based proteins don't contain all nine essential amino acids. For example, the two essential amino acids missing in lentils are methionine and cystine. 

However, if you pair lentils with a food that has these two missing components, you can create a complete protein meal.

Methionine and cystine are amino acids found in high quantities in grains, making legumes and grains highly complementary foods. Thus, the best method is to mix and match your plant-based sources, often with whole grains, so that you're getting the full spectrum of amino acids your body needs to function.

Here is my grandmother-approved Mujuddrra Recipe (Middle Eastern Lentils + Rice). Typically this recipe takes about an hour or more to make, but I have created a recipe that takes only 20-minutes and doesn’t compromise on flavor! 

Food Pairing #4 : Vitamin C + Non-heme Iron

To best absorb non-heme iron, aka plant-based iron like legumes, lentils, and beans, and peas, you need to give it a little boost by pairing it with a source of vitamin C found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, and grapefruit.

Vitamin C enhances iron absorption by capturing non-heme iron and storing it in a form that is more easily absorbed by your body.

Here is a delicious Heart Healthy Mediterranean Chickpea Recipe! In this recipe the lemon is the source of vitamin C and the chickpeas are the source of non-heme iron.

RD Tip: Be sure to eat this combo together in a single meal rather than separate meals during the day.

Jasmine El Nabli MS, RDN

Creating healthy eating and lifestyle habits without the right tools, skills, and knowledge is often seen as a daunting task, but that’s where I come in. I am here to show you that becoming the happiest and healthiest version of yourself can be done! 

Through the combination of a whole-body approach and scientific research, I empower and educate individuals on how to implement small changes into their daily life that in turn lead to sustainable and lifelong healthy habits.

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