In the course of its work, the digestive system of a person secretes a lot of various enzymes that allow to digest food qualitatively. According to some nutritionists, the use of similar food structures greatly facilitates the work of the digestive tract. How to learn how to make a menu on the day, so that all the food eaten was solely for the benefit of the body?
The basic principles of competent combination of food
It is customary to distinguish several major groups of nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats. For the splitting of each of them, the digestive system must provide certain conditions. Therefore, the simultaneous use of food belonging to different groups can impede normal digestion, create a feeling of heaviness and contribute to the accumulation of excess weight.
For this reason, nutritionists have formulated the basic rules for the optimal combination of products.
Proteins and carbohydrates
Pretty bad digested together. It should be remembered that using protein foods along with simple carbohydrates, you can cause increased fermentation in the intestines and increased gas formation, because proteins slow down the absorption of monosaccharides into the blood. However, vegetables, which are also rich in carbohydrates, help the absorption of protein foods (reduce the glycemic index of the dish). In addition, fruits and vegetables are a valuable source of fiber, which facilitates the processes of digestion.
Proteins and Proteins
Proteins in the diet are divided into full and incomplete. Meat, dairy products, eggs and soybeans are full-fledged – they contain all the amino acids necessary for the body. And in the defective is present only part of these amino acids. These include legumes and various cereals. And although these foodstuffs alone can not fill the body’s lack of nutrients – their combination allows you to compensate for the possible deficiency of amino acids. Therefore, in traditional cuisines of many cultures it is customary to eat rice with lentils, wheat with chickpeas, or rice with corn.
Proteins and fats
Food of these groups should be combined with caution. After all, the presence of fat can delay the breakdown of protein foods for several hours (they begin to digest in different parts of the digestive tract). It should be noted, and the presence of various types of fats in the diet. For example, saturated fatty acids and trans fats are poorly absorbed by the body and can be deposited in fat reserves. Monounsaturated (contained in olive oil, poultry meat and nuts) – absorbed fairly quickly, normalize insulin production and prevent the formation of excess weight. And polyunsaturated fatty acids (sea fish, sunflower oil, etc.) contribute to the stimulation of lipolysis (the breakdown of fat deposits), so they are especially recommended to be included in proper nutrition.
Proper nutrition: products for a healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle cannot be imagined without a balanced diet. And so that the food not only pleased the taste, but also brought benefits, you need to learn how to properly combine and select components for each meal. Below are pairs of products that enhance each other’s beneficial properties.
Beef liver and sweet pepper
Both products are real sources of vitamins and minerals. However, the iron contained in the liver is hardly absorbed without the carotenoids and ascorbic acid, which pepper is rich in. Therefore, beef liver stew with this vegetable fits perfectly into proper nutrition.
Pork and Brussels Sprouts
The combination of juicy Brussels sprouts and lean pork will not only delight gourmets with the right, balanced taste, but will also bring significant benefits to the body. The fact is that pork is a valuable source of selenium, and substances contained in Brussels sprouts enhance the antioxidant effect of this mineral by more than 10 times.
Chicken Breast and Carrot
Baked chicken with carrots is not only tasty, but also useful. After all, the orange root vegetable is rich in vitamin A, and poultry meat is zinc, which helps to better assimilate carotenoids.
Eggs and broccoli
This combination of products can be safely included in the daily diet, not only because of its excellent taste, but also because of the positive impact on the human bone system. So, calcium contained in cabbage is absorbed much better with vitamin D, which is contained in egg yolk.
Sea fish and lemon
White or red sea fish and lemons – a win-win combination that can be safely incorporated into proper nutrition. Products not only perfectly complement the taste and aroma of each other, but also contribute to a better absorption of all the nutrients contained in them. For example, iron, necessary for high-quality blood saturation with oxygen.
Picture Credit: RitaE