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This article was written by Leah Zerbe and repurposed with permission from Rodale News.

In today’s world, there’s pretty much no limit to what food pairings you can concoct in your kitchen. Exotic, out-of-season, and processed fare is readily available at most supermarkets. And while it may make cooking more exciting, that availability could be doing a number on your health—such as reduce your nutrient absorption, crush your immune system, accelerate your aging, and lead to weight gain, says digestion guru Donna Gates, creator of the Body Ecology Diet. “You are not what you eat, you are what you digest,” says Gates, who notes that poor food combinations can wreak havoc on your gut.

But here’s the good news: The top food pairings could make you happier, too. “Combining whole, natural foods regularly, amplifying their health benefits via synergistic effects,” says Drew Ramsey, M.D., co-author of The Happiness Diet. “One key reason the happiness diet is so good for the brain is the amazing number of food synergies that exist between whole, unprocessed foods.”

Check out which food combos you should definitely eat together for a one-two nutritional punch!

Steak and Rosemary
The health benefit: Neutralizing of carcinogens created when meat is cooked above 325° F.
Why it works: Rosemary is rich in rosmarinic and carnosic acids that stop cancer-causing heterocyclic amines from forming on cooked meat. “People have a lot of concerns about eating grilled meat,” says Ramsey, who keeps potted rosemary in his kitchen. “This combination is one way that I like to use food synergy to increase the health of a dish.”
Try it! Snip a sprig of rosemary, remove the main stem, chop, and add to olive oil, salt, and lemon juice to create a healthy marinade. Choose grass-fed beef for healthier fat ratios and to avoid veterinary drug residues.

Beet Greens and Chickpeas
The health benefit: Natural mood boost from a much-needed mineral.
Why it works: Magnesium is essential for low anxiety and happiness, but 70 percent of Americans don’t get enough. Beet greens are loaded with the calming mineral, and the B6 in chickpeas maximizes magnesium absorption in the body.
Try it! Look for local, organic beet greens this spring at your farmer’s market, and soak and cook dried, organic chickpeas to avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals that can be found in canned foods.

Fish and Broccoli
The health benefit: A delicious way to stifle cancer growth.
Why it works: Many fish, salmon, and mackerel are rich in the thyroid-protecting, cancer-fighting mineral selenium. When paired with broccoli, a veggie rich in sulforaphane, the compounds are 13 times more effective in slowing cancer cell growth than when eaten solo.
Try it! Avoid farmed salmon and opt for wild-caught Alaskan salmon to avoid parasites and contamination.

Red Wine and Almonds
The health benefit: A natural combo that keeps your heart happy.
Why it works: The antioxidant resveratrol in red wine and almond’s naturally high levels of vitamin E work together to thin the blood and improve blood vessel health.
Try it! Look for organic wine since conventional versions have been found to harbor pesticide residues. (The same holds true for the almonds.)

Green Tea and Lemon
The health benefit: A delicious way to sip your way to natural cancer prevention while jump-starting weight loss.
Why it works: Vitamin C-rich lemons help to maximize your body’s ability to absorb catechins, the heroic disease-fighting antioxidant found in green tea.
Try it! If you drink a lot of tea, consider investing in organic loose-leaf tea and a stainless steel, reusable tea infuser to reduce packaging waste.

Click HERE to see five more healthy food pairings from Rodale News!

More from Rodale News:
The Seafood You Should (and Shouldn’t) Eat 
Avoid the Top Health Food Impostors 
67 Ways to Be Healthier in a Minute or Less