Sure, eating fruits and vegetables is important for overall good health, but did you know that eating them in certain food combinations may actually maximize your ability to fight disease? Registered Dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade shares three easy and delicious food combos for your health.
1. Apple and Dark Chocolate
If you’re looking for a healthy snack, reach for an apple and dip it in some dark chocolate. Appe with dark chocolate is a perfect food combinations. It’ll not only satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will protect your heart!
Apples contain a high level of QUERCETIN, an anti-inflammatory substance that has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease.
Dark chocolate also contains CATECHINS, which can help decrease the risk of hardening of the arteries. When eaten together, these two substances can help reduce the stickiness of blood platelets.
Tip:
Use dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.
2. Fish with Garlic
Eating fish is a great way to boost your intake of heart-protecting Omega 3 Fatty Acids. But, while these fats can help lower triglyceride levels, high dosages can increase your level of LDL, or bad cholesterol.
The solution? Eat garlic! A study out of Canada found the combination of garlic with fish oil reduced both triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol.
3. Beef & Tart Cherries
Ever thought to try this combo? Give it a go! While diets rich in red meat can increase your risk of cancer, research shows tart cherries may help counteract the effect. Carcinogenic compounds such as H-C-A-S form within meat when it’s cooked under high temperatures, but researchers at Michigan State University found that when adding tart cherries to ground beef, HCAS production was reduced by as much as 78 percent when cooking.
Tip:
Mix one cup of tart cherries with one pound of ground beef before grilling or frying.
Remember, simple changes to your diet can have a major impact on improving your health and longevity.
