Practical Nutrition/Special Topics/Food Combinations
Appearance
Combo | Benefits | Examples |
---|---|---|
Vitamin D + Calcium | Vitamin D helps absorb, carry, and deposit calcium into our bones. Combining vitamin D rich foods with calcium-rich foods will boost absorption of calcium. | Vitamin D fortified milk or yogurt, salmon/tuna + broccoli/kale, eggs + cheese |
Vitamin D + Healthy Fats | Since Vitamin D is fat-soluble—meaning it needs fat to be absorbed—pairing Vitamin D-rich foods with high-quality fat can increase your absorption of vitamin D. | Almonds, eggs, avocado, salmon |
Non-heme iron + vitamin C | Vitamin C boosts absorption of non-heme (plant) iron. Heme iron comes from animal sources, while non-heme comes from plants. | Iron-fortified cereal + orange juice, |
Vitamin B12 + acidic food | In response to hunger, humans produce hydrogen chloride which can assist in B12 and protein absortion. Adding acidic foods can boost acid content in the stomach resulting in even better absortion. | Vitamin D fortified yogurt or milk + berries |
Probiotics + prebiotics |
More examples
[edit | edit source]- Salmon (vitamin D and healthy fats) with kale (calcium) and lemon dressing (vitamin C)
- Scrambled eggs (vitamin D) with cheese (calcium) and spinach (iron)
- Smoothie with yogurt (calcium), banana, almond butter (healthy fats), and fortified plant-based milk (vitamin D)
- Salad with tuna (vitamin D and healthy fats), lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese (calcium)
- Toast with avocado (healthy fats), egg (vitamin D), and a sprinkle of chia seeds (healthy fats)