We often read how certain styles of cooking, or, indeed, going raw, can help us maximize the nutrients we get from our food. Plus, some studies have shown that frozen fruits and vegetables can degrade less than fresh equivalents left in warehouses, on delivery trucks and then on store shelves. While these views have merit, they’re not the only way to increase the availability of certain food properties. Here are a few hacks that will help you squeeze every last drop of nutrition from some of your favorite fruits, vegetables and beverages.
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Salsa and Guac
Sometimes you likely look at a restaurant menu, see that guacamole is a few bucks extra, and decide to just stick with the chips and salsa and save a bit of cash. But science suggests you’d be better off splashing those few extra dollars. In one study, participants who added the green stuff to their salsa were found to have absorbed 4.4 times the lycopene – which has been shown to promote prostate and bone health and help repair damaged DNA – as those who just went with straight salsa. Adding the avocado derivative also more than doubled the absorption of beta carotene – which promotes healthy vision and skin.
Salad and Dressing
We’re not going to suggest that you buy a dressing that’s chock full of artificial ingredients and junk filler, as many are. But adding either olive oil or an all-natural, minimally processed dressing to your lunchtime salad is a solid way to get more from your leafy greens. Ohio State University researchers found that low fat dressing improved the availability of carotenoids – which help prevent heart disease and repair free radical damage. But the biggest boost came from adding a full fat dressing. One more reason to forget about the low fat fad.
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Strawberries and Dark Chocolate
If your body is to maintain good circulation, it needs sufficient iron. You can get this from lots of foods, including chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and cooked spinach – but let’s be honest, who ever got excited about eating chickpeas? A tastier option that’s still rich in iron is our old buddy dark chocolate. In addition to grabbing a bar that has at least 70 percent cocoa solids (more good-for-you flavonoids), consider melting it over some strawberries. Other than tasting great, this flavorful combo will help your body absorb more of the iron, as the strawberries’ vitamin C increases its uptake.
Green Tea and Lemon Juice
Yes, yes, we’re extolling the virtues of green tea again. But while you’re probably tired of hearing about its cancer-fighting, metabolism boosting, immunity improving superpowers, did you know there’s a simple hack to make it even more potent? Purdue University food scientists discovered that adding lemon juice improves the availability of catechins, the disease-fighting flavonoids in tea. If you need a change from lemon, grapefruit and lime juice also have similar effects. Another study in Japan found that people who eat citrus fruit and drink tea daily reduced their cancer risk. So drink up!
Curry and Black Pepper
You might think that your delicious chicken tikka masala already has quite enough flavor and spice without adding black pepper. Hearing you on the flavor part, but in terms of nutrients, reach for the black stuff. Adding black pepper to curry has been found to increase the bioavailability of curcumin, the inflammation-reducing, circulation-improving pigment in turmeric, by a whopping 2,000 percent.
