Our bodies have been crafted to function in the most amazing ways. The sheer science involved behind every activity of ours is fascinating. But our bodies need a push sometimes owing to our demanding lifestyles. What better way to help our bodies cope than through food? The impossible marriage of taste and nutrition isn’t impossible after all. Read on to learn how they come together to nurture your body and help you enjoy a balanced meal that relishes as well as replenishes.
Steak and Broccoli
Iron is essential to our system in order to keep our energy levels up, therefore requiring that iron absorption be increased in our bodies. It is not as problematic as it may sound, for nature has provided us with naturally occurring iron absorption enhancers such as Vitamin C.
Now, lamb is the commonly known and one of the richest sources of iron and the moment one says lamb, steak is what comes to mind. So, to make your steak more nutritious, try pairing your lamb steaks with steamed or seared Vitamin C-rich broccoli that is bound to boost your energy and prevent the formation of insoluble iron compounds in our systems.
Kale and Salmon
Calcium is a key component of every bodily function involving muscles, the heart and nerves. Our bones are primarily made of calcium and therefore insufficient amounts of calcium leads to our bodies resorting to the calcium in our bones, thus weakening our structure. Calcium absorption is enabled by Vitamin D. There are two ways you can add more Vitamin D to your body: you could opt for supplements or just add another element to your meal.
As already aware, meat is wholesome and offers you a solution to most health requirements. Salmon is packed with calcium among other nutrients (see The Big O) and full of flavour. Add some kale to your grilled salmon and you’ll have a combination that effectively increases your calcium levels.
Red Meats and Rosemary
Free radicals cause havoc in our bodies and hence their formation needs to be prevented. This has been a puzzle medical research has been trying to crack for years. Ancient medicine has proof that carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid found in rosemary help prevent the formation of free radicals.
Red meats contain fat, and fat when cooked tends to get oxidised to form free radicals. Fret not, you can still enjoy your red meat, just try and add some rosemary to it and you can stay free of any radical trouble.
Garlic and Fish
Inflammation in our body is its response to any threat it detects. The catch here is that prolonged inflammation, especially internally can lead to terminal diseases. So, anti-inflammatory agents are required to regulate inflammation in our system.
Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon contain fish oils that help reduce cholesterol levels. Team this up with the Indian kitchen’s favourite, garlic and you have a pair that will fight inflammation for you, and keep your cholesterol in check while tasting absolutely divine.
Spinach and chicken
Chicken is your quintessential nutrient rich meat option any given day. But drive that healthy meal to a whole new level with a generous helping of spinach: you get your protein fix from chicken and the added vitamins from spinach namely vitamin A and C to give you a meal that tastes like it was made to be paired and works wonders for your body’s overall health. No doubt Popeye knew what he was talking about!
Try these out and comment below and tell us about your experience and also about more healthy meat pairings that you have come to adopt and love.
Happy eating and stay healthy!