{"id":287142,"date":"2026-01-16T07:12:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T07:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/287142\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T07:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T07:12:08","slug":"nutritionist-shares-smart-food-pairings-and-cooking-methods-to-improve-nutrient-absorption-add-lime-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/287142\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutritionist shares smart food pairings and cooking methods to improve nutrient absorption: \u2018Add lime to\u2026\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to nutrition<\/a>, what you eat is only part of the story – how much of those nutrients your body actually absorbs and uses matters just as much. Certain foods work better when paired together, while others deliver more benefits depending on how they\u2019re cooked or prepared. These small, often overlooked choices can make a significant difference in how nourishing <\/a>your meals truly are.<\/p>\n

\"TryTry out these smart food pairings, timing tips and preparation methods that enhance nutrient absorption. (Unsplash)<\/p>\n

Also Read |<\/strong> Struggling with PCOS? Nutritionist shares 3 herbal teas to ease symptoms, improve hormonal balance and calm inflammation<\/a><\/p>\n

Mohita Mascarenhas, a nutritionist and weight loss<\/a> coach specialising in fat loss, PCOS, skin and hair health, is highlighting that poor food pairing, mistimed meals and incorrect preparation methods can cause you to lose as much as 30 to 50 percent of the nutrients from the foods you eat.<\/p>\n

In an Instagram video post shared on January 13, the nutritionist explains, \u201cYou can eat all the \u2018right\u2019 foods and still absorb very little of it. Nutrition isn\u2019t just what you eat – it\u2019s how your body uses it. Small tweaks in pairing, timing, and preparation can show very different results.\u201d<\/p>\n

She outlines these tweaks as follows:<\/p>\n

1. Always steam carrots and beets<\/p>\n

Mohita recommends steaming carrots and beetroots because cooking increases the bioavailability of beta-carotene and antioxidants<\/a>. She also suggests pairing these veggies with some form of fat – like ghee or butter – to increase absorption of fat soluble vitamins.<\/p>\n

2. Avoid tea and coffee around meals<\/p>\n

Consuming tea or coffee along with meals can block the absorption of certain minerals. Mohita explains, \u201cTea and coffee contain polyphenols that block iron and zinc. Yes, even green tea.\u201d She recommends maintaining at least a 60 minute gap before and after meals.<\/p>\n

3. Add lime to iron-rich meals<\/p>\n

The nutritionist explains that pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C can significantly boost iron absorption – by nearly three times – making the nutrients far more effective for the body. This especially works better with plant-based iron sources like spinach, lentils, beans and beetroots.<\/p>\n

4. Add fat to your veggies<\/p>\n

Certain fat-soluble vitamins found in vegetables require the presence of dietary fats to be absorbed effectively, making the addition of healthy fats key to maximising their nutritional benefits. Mohita recommends, \u201cFat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) need fat to be absorbed. Add: Ghee, olive oil, nuts and seeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Soak or ferment grains or legumes<\/p>\n

Soaking lentils and dals, or using them in fermented batters, can offer added health benefits by improving nutrient absorption. As Mohita explains, \u201cPhytates block minerals like iron, zinc and calcium.\u201d She recommends soaking dals and beans, using fermented batter or sprouting when possible.<\/p>\n

6. Don’t eat oxalate-rich foods raw<\/p>\n

The nutritionist warns against eating oxalate-rich foods raw because they can block effective mineral absorption. She explains, \u201cOxalates bind minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium. High-oxalate foods like spinach, beetroot and greens are best when cooked.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Sun-soak your mushrooms<\/p>\n

According to the nutritionist, soaking mushrooms for 30 to 60 minutes in direct sunlight can turn them into a rich source of vitamin D. Mohita explains, \u201cMushrooms are one of the few plant sources of vitamin D – if exposed to sunlight. 30 to 60 minutes of direct sunlight is great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When it comes to nutrition, what you eat is only part of the story – how much of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":287143,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[277],"tags":[143840,143837,18,92888,135,19,17,143838,50026,508,143839],"class_list":{"0":"post-287142","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-beta-carotene","9":"tag-bioavailability","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-fat-soluble-vitamins","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-iron-absorption","16":"tag-nutrient-absorption","17":"tag-nutrition","18":"tag-oxalate-rich-foods"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115903538371332364","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287142\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/287143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}