Mixing Your Foods - The Do’s and Don’ts

Have you ever wondered if the mixing of your foods is healthy? Certain foods become healthier when they are mixed with other foods, but the opposite can also happen when pairing certain foods. I found it to be interesting so why not share it with my readers.

First the Do’s:

Do mix spinach and oranges. Spinach is loaded with iron but it is not absorbed well by the body, but when added with Vitamin C it makes it very potent. The Vitamin C converts the iron in the spinach into a form the body accepts. This concepts works well with other foods that are sources of iron such as broccoli and tofu. One medium sized orange will provide the needed Vitamin C.

Do mix grilled steak with brussels sprouts. The compounds found in vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower help rid the body of carcinogens that may form on meats during high heat cooking. It is still best to cook your meats and fish at low temperatures until done and be sure not to char the meat during the cooking process.

Do mix tomatoes with avocados. Tomatoes are contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, so it is considered a super food. The fat in the avocado helps the body absorb the lycopene of the tomatoes when combined. For an added touch, drizzle extra virgin olive oil over your spinach, zucchini and green leafy vegetables to release the lutein, an antioxidant that may help protect against age related macular degeneration.

Now for the Don’ts:

Don’t mix alcohol and diet soda. Although you are trying to cut the calories with the diet soda, you will unfortunately get drunk faster. Studies show that it takes less time for diet cocktails to leave the stomach and reach the small intestines, where most alcohol is then absorbed into the bloodstream, where the same amount of a non-diet cocktail takes longer.

Don’t mix alcohol and energy drinks. The mixing of energy drinks with alcohol can cause heart palpitations and difficulty breathing. In severe cases it can contribute to a heart attack or a stroke. The reason this combination is dangerous because you are putting your body through enormous stress. Overloading the body with stimulants such as caffeine (found in energy drinks) and alcohol (a depressant and diuretic), will create stress on the central nervous system and your heart.

Don’t mix coffee and breakfast cereal. As strange as that sounds, most cereals sold in the US are fortified with iron. The antioxidants found in coffee can hamper the body’s ability to absorb the needed iron. Black tea and some herbal teas which contain these antioxidants called polyphenols may also reduce iron absorption. The best advice is to drink you coffee at least one hour before consuming your cereal.

Follow these simple rules and get the most out of your food choices.

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy