Food Synergy - When Foods Work Together

by Bruce Watson, Posted Jan 10th 2009 @ 10:00AM

I've sometimes wondered about some of the traditional food pairings that so often find their way on to my plate. For example, why do the Japanese add vinegar to sushi rice? For that matter, why does traditional salad dressing almost always pair an oil with an acid? And, while we're at it, what's with all those recipes, from all around the world, that combine three or four vegetables in a seemingly random mix?

Your answer to these questions might vary, depending on whether you're a historian, sociologist, chef, or scientist. One possible solution, according to many recent studies, is food synergy. Basically, this theory holds that certain combinations of foods make them more healthful, release more vitamins, or otherwise maximize their positive effect upon the body. For example, the vinegar in sushi rice can reduce the glycemic index by up to 35%, limiting the rice's effect upon blood sugar. Similarly, the oil in salad might make it possible for the body to absorb all the dish's antioxidants. Finally, vegetable combinations like succotash, ratatouille, and even good old peas and carrots may work in concert to help release all of the available nutrients.

One researcher notes that the best way to maximize one's nutrient consumption is by ensuring that every meal contains at least three different-colored vegetables and one "good" fat, like avocado, olive oil, or nuts. In other words, salad may just be the perfect meal!

Filed Under: Science, Health & Medical, Food News, Ingredients
Tags: avocado, food synergy, FoodSynergy, olive oil, OliveOil, salads, soup, succotash, sushi, sushi rice, SushiRice, walnuts

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-10-2009 @10:16AM LinC said... Another good example is corn plus beans. Eaten together they supply all the building blocks for a complete protein that our bodies can process. The Aztecs, Incans and other indigenous cultures of the Americas discovered this pairing, which is why they hyrbridized corn to get larger kernels so early in the development of agriculture.
Reply