Normally when people focus on eating healthy, they just think about how much food they should be eating. You might be surprised to know that when you eat food makes a difference too. Eating certain items at the same time can cause all sorts of issues. These seven food combinations create harmful interactions within your stomach.
Salad With Fat-Free Dressings
Fat-free salad dressings might be low in calories, but they keep you from getting the full benefits of veggies. A study from Purdue University found that fat-based dressings helped test subjects to absorb carotenoids. These beneficial compounds help to lower cancer and heart disease risks. However, the body needs fat to digest and absorb them properly. Try using an olive oil dressing instead for maximum carotenoid absorption.
Creamers and Tea
Both black and green tea is packed with antioxidants that protect the body from inflammation. Unfortunately, adding any cow milk, soy milk, cream, or artificial creamers to tea stops this process. The fat in dairy and other creamers binds to the antioxidants in tea. This makes it difficult or impossible for the body to absorb these beneficial compounds. To get more benefits from tea, you should try drinking it with lemon instead.
Lentils With Red Wine
The problem with red wine is that it contains tannins that halt iron absorption. Many vegetarians rely on lentils for enough iron. However, if you drink red wine, the tannins stop your body from getting enough iron. This can lead to a lot of issues with anemia because you will not be getting enough iron. One study found tannins could stop the absorption of up to 88 percent of the iron a person consumes. If you want a drink with your lentils, stick to white wine because it has fewer tannins.
Beer With Burgers
This is one of many food combinations with alcohol that causes issues. The main problem is that burgers are so fatty, and the liver is responsible for breaking down fats. However, the liver sees alcohol as a toxin, so it will be occupied with digesting the beer first. While this happens, all the fat from the burger is stored as fat cells that cause chubbiness. Burgers and beer are a very common bad combination, but any fatty food is bad when eaten with alcohol.
RELATED ARTICLE: Why You Should Never Add Creamers To Your Coffee Ever Again!
White Bread and Jam
Toast and jam might seem like a tasty treat, but white bread is made of nothing but simple carbohydrates. These starches cause blood glucose levels to rise sharply. Since jam is nothing but sugar, it further increases the effect. Blood sugar spikes are problematic because they burn all your energy at once and then leave you feeling tired. It is best to eat jam with a whole grain bread that slows down digestion and blood sugar. If you want white bread, eat it with sugar-free peanut butter. The fats and proteins in peanut butter help to stabilize blood sugar.
READ ALSO: Stabilize Your Blood Glucose and Cholesterol by Drinking THIS
Alcohol With Caffeine
Caffeine is an energizing drink while alcohol is a relaxing drink. When you have these at the same time, they prevent the brain from noticing the effects of both substances. This can make you get drunker than you realize. It is also problematic because you can drink too much caffeine, causing heart palpitations. This combination is so bad that government regulations have stopped the production of drinks that combined alcohol and caffeine.
Nuts and Red Meat
Nuts are a great protein source, but they also contain phytic acid. This compound breaks down iron before it can be absorbed in the body. When you eat iron-rich beef right after having some nuts, you may not get any iron. Since iron is needed to transport oxygen through the body, a lack of iron causes many problems. It is also problematic because eating a lot of protein at once causes digestive issues.
To avoid any complications, it is always wise to eat these food combinations at separate meals. If you just put a little space between each problematic food, it will not be an issue. Doing this will allow you to enjoy the items without hurting your health.
