Food Synergy - Mix It Up to Boost Nutrition

I've given up a lot of things in my diet to live a healthier lifestyle, but one thing I just haven't been able to ban is my favorite full-fat poppy seed dressing. (And if you try and make me, be ready for a fight.)

Turns out, I have an excuse to enjoy it on my salad a couple of times a week. Experts say that when combined with fat, antioxidants from leafy greens are better absorbed. That's just one example of how when certain foods are combined, nutrition gets a boost.

Researchers are discovering that sometimes, two great tastes don't just taste great together, they're better for your body that way too. It's called food synergy, or the "one plus one equals three" effect. And it might just be why we've developed a taste over time for certain food combinations.

For instance, vinegar gives sushi rice extra flavor, sure, but did you know that it also reduces the rice's glycemic index by 35 percent? It could be that we've developed a taste for certain food combinations not just because they taste good, but because they're good for us. That healthy fat in my salad dressing brings out the good stuff in my salad -- lycopene in the tomatoes, capsanthin in the red peppers and the lutein in my green leafies.

Nutritionists say the easiest way to use food synergy in your diet is to make sure your plate has at least three colors and some healthy fat, like olive oil, nuts or avocado, for example. Hungry? Here are some synergistic suggestions:

• Pour yourself some o.j. to drink with your oatmeal. Together, they bring down your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Sweeten your salad with some juicy orange slices. You'll get more iron from your greens.
• Having salmon for dinner? Serve it with a side of edamame and boost your vitamin D.
• Grilling steak creates carcinogens, so season it with antioxidant-rich rosemary to balance it out.
• Cantaloupe is a sweet and healthy treat. Pair it with eggs to slow the rise in your blood sugar.
• Toss some almonds into a cup of yogurt to enhance your vitamin A, D and E intake.

Want to learn more about food synergy? Here are 10 top foods to get you started.