Mandarin oranges don’t just taste good in spinach salad. The vitamin C from the citrus also boost the amount of iron absorbed from the spinach. According to author and dietitian Wendy Bazilian, PhD, there are other beneficial food pairings to keep in mind. For instance, tomatoes and broccoli have more powerful cancer-fighting qualities when eaten at the same time than when consumed alone. And adding vinegar to sushi rice has been shown to decrease the blood sugar spike from the rice by as much as 35%. Finally, eating foods that contain carotenoids, such as tomatoes, along with a healthful fat, such as olive oil, makes it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients.
Source: Chicago Tribune, Jan 5, 2009