Ask any nutrition expert and they’ll tell you: No one food can save you from heart disease or stop cancer from invading your cells. It’s the combination of plant-based foods working together to bolster their individual effects — from working to prevent plaque from adhering to blood vessels to stopping free radicals from damaging cells. Dr. Rui Hai Liu, a food science professor at Cornell University, estimates that more than 8,000 phytochemicals in plant foods work in synergy to safeguard our health. Here is what six combinations do.
1. Apples and cranberries
Cranberries are a medical marvel. Studies have shown they can help fight fat, manage cholesterol, battle cancer, and aid in the prevention of urinary tract infections. Apples, with their high fiber and plentiful phytochemicals, help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and may boost the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, according to research by Liu, who began studying the health benefits of apples in 2000.
In his work, Liu found that of 11 fruits he studied, cranberries had the strongest phytochemical activity. But, he says on the American Institute for Cancer Research website, “The antioxidant activity of cranberry and apple together is much higher than the separate measurements for these fruits.” For a delicious, healthy dessert that combines the two, make Apple-Cranberry Crisp.
2. Apricots and almonds
Snacking on dried apricots and raw almonds is a tasty way to stop “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and building up on artery walls, which occurs when LDL reacts to free radicals, according to ivillage.com. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry said the phytochemicals in almonds reduce LDL oxidation when they are combined with vitamins E and C, which are plentiful in apricots, says ivillage.com. Tossing a handful each of almonds and apricots into a snack bag is a great way to eat well on the go.
3. Salsa and avocado
Salsa and avocado is a winning heart-healthy, anti-cancer combination. The fruits and vegetables used to create salsas are full of antioxidants; phytochemicals like lycopene in tomatoes, a powerful weapon against prostate cancer; and the mineral potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Avocado boosts the absorption of lycopene through its healthy fats, which break down the cancer-fighting nutrients in the salsa.
Be sure to make your own salsa with fresh ingredients and bypass commercial salsas, which have between 90 and 270 milligrams of sodium in two tablespoons, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. (The recommended daily sodium intake for healthy people older than 50 is 1,500 mg.) Your freshly made salsa won’t need much added salt for flavor. For a variety of salsa recipes, check out EatingWell.com.
4. Broccoli and chicken
Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a chemical shown to help prevent cancer. A deficiency in selenium has been linked to many kinds of cancer, and chicken is a good source of the trace mineral. Research at the Institute of Food Research in Britain found that sulforaphane and selenium together are terrific weapons against cancer; their cancer-fighting properties are up to 13 times more powerful than either alone. Getting sulforaphane and selenium in food instead of supplements is ideal since high doses of both can be toxic.
5. Garlic and onions
Garlic and onions have organosulfur compounds, plant chemicals that work to keep arteries pliable and plaque free. Also, studies have shown they help fight cancer. Registered dietitian Elaine Magee suggests “covering your bases” by eating both vegetables at the same time and increasing your odds of benefiting from the compounds, according to ivillage.com. Use them together when whipping up pasta sauce, sautéing vegetables, and starting soups. Added bonus: Your kitchen will smell delicious while you’re cooking.
6. Tomatoes and broccoli
The combination works so well because tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals that can damage DNA, while the compounds in broccoli help flush carcinogens from the body, health experts say.
“Separately, tomatoes and broccoli appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential,” John W. Erdman Jr., Ph.D., professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana, says on the American Institute for Cancer Research website. “Together, they maximize the cancer-fighting effect.”
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