DYNAMIC DUOS

Researchers are continually finding that certain foods deliver an even bigger health boost when consumed together. Make the most of these nutritious foods by teaming them up

PASTA & VINEGAR

Help prevent type-2 diabetes

MAKE YOUR PASTA salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which reduces the spike in blood sugar that occurs after consuming starchy foods high in carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, and bread. A steadier rise in blood sugar reduces hunger by keeping you feeling satiated, as well as helping to minimise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Blood-sugar spikes are best avoided, so that your body isn’t secreting too much insulin in an attempt to manage them. Research in 2015 by the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Germany discovered that acetic acid activates the receptors that inhibit insulin secretion.

BEETROOT & EGGS

Maintain brain power

HOW ABOUT A lunch plate that includes pickled beetroot and sliced hard-boiled eggs? Choline is abundant in egg yolks (as well as in beef liver, chicken liver and veal liver); betaine is found in beetroot, spinach, and some grain products. A 2010 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found pairing these two nutrients was associated with lower blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid produced in the body. Elevated levels of homocysteine have been linked with declining cognitive function.

This power combination may also protect against cancer, according to a review study by Nanjing Medical University in China in 2016, published in Scientific Reports.

FISH & WINE

Absorb more omega-3

ITALIAN RESEARCHERS found that adults who consumed a glass of wine a day had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish such as trout, salmon, herring, and sardines (the same results were not found for beer or spirits).