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Food marriages that promise less sickness, more health

Ellie Krieger

Tomatoes drizzled in olive oil benefit every organ in the body.
Tomatoes drizzled in olive oil benefit every organ in the body.Edwina Pickles

Bacon and eggs, spaghetti and meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy - these are the Fred-and-Gingers of the food world, duos that are so iconic you can hardly think of one without the other. Each is excellent on its own, but when they are together real magic happens.

Although many culinary couples become classics simply because of their complementary taste and textures, some foods also enhance each other nutritionally so that when eaten together they are substantially healthier than they would be if eaten separately. Like Fred and Ginger, these food pairings have unbeatable chemistry.

Tomatoes and olive oil

Put and egg on it: Sardine, egg and dukkah salad.
Put and egg on it: Sardine, egg and dukkah salad.Edwina Pickles
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The only thing that tastes better than a ripe tomato is one that has been drizzled with good extra-virgin olive oil. And it's hard to imagine making tomato sauce or gazpacho without adding the oil. It turns out this winning combination does a whole lot more than taste good. The oil makes it possible for your body to absorb the tomato's potent fat-soluble antioxidants, such as lycopene, which benefits every organ in the body, especially the skin and heart. Any oil is better than none, but olive oil, studies show, increases the antioxidant absorption from tomatoes more than most other oils do, plus it has an unbeatable flavour that makes the tomato sing, so it's a perfect partner.

Jill Dupleix's heirloom tomato salad with tzatziki

Salad and eggs

There are plenty of pay-offs to boosting the amount of fruit in your diet.
There are plenty of pay-offs to boosting the amount of fruit in your diet.Wolter Peeters

"Put an egg on it" is a meme nowadays, with the idea that you can add an egg to just about any dish - toasts, salads, hashes, vegetable stews - and make it a meal. New research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that beyond adding affordable sustenance, eating a whole, cooked egg with a raw vegetable salad also helps you absorb the carotenoids (a class of antioxidants) from the vegetables. Researchers think it has something to do with the fat and other compounds in the yolk, so you need to use the whole egg rather than just the whites. Scrambled, poached, boiled or fried, pair one with your next salad or vegetable-based meal.

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Jill Dupleix's sardine, egg and dukkah salad

Yoghurt and fruit

By now you know that yoghurt is rich in probiotics, the good bacteria that help keep your digestive system and, in turn, your whole body healthy. Once you get the probiotics into your system, you need to feed them so they stay and thrive. Their food of choice is fibre, and fruit is one of the best sources of it. You don't have to eat probiotics and fibre at the same time to get the synergistic effect, but since yoghurt and fruit taste so good together and make for such a satisfying meal or snack, why wouldn't you?

Arabella Forge's chia seed pudding with berries, yoghurt and nuts

Grilled meat and spice rubs

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Nothing is quite as alluring as the aroma and taste of meat cooked on the grill. But when meat is cooked over high heat some of its fat forms a compound called malondialdehyde, which has been linked with chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It turns out that pairing meat with herbs and spices can significantly reduce concentrations of this damaging compound because the antioxidants in the spices neutralise it. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported a 71 per cent reduction when burgers were cooked with an antioxidant-rich spice blend including oregano, rosemary, black pepper, paprika and garlic. Try rubbing lean steaks with dried herbs and spices or blending some into your burgers before firing them up for an unbeatable combo of great taste and better health.

Frank Camorra's barbecued beef brisket

Fish and curry powder

According to a study in the journal BMC Cancer, two compounds in food that are thought to be potent cancer inhibitors, DHA (the healthy fat in fish) and curcumin (an active compound in yellow curry) work much more effectively together than they do separately. This study used concentrated amounts in supplement form, but getting them through food probably also has a protective effect. Besides, they bring a lot to the table flavour-wise. Taking advantage of this dynamic duo is as simple as sprinkling some yellow curry powder on your fillet before cooking, or adding curry to your tuna salad.

Frank Camorra's snapper curry with tomato and tamarind

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Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and author.

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