Coffee after the meal or with the meal: which is really healthier?

The meaning of “what we eat” no longer seems like only an issue of choosing the healthy food, but also of how we eat it. Nutrition experts warn that common eating habits can reduce the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals, even if our menu is based on healthy and balanced food.

Effect of eating methods on iron absorption

One of the popular opinions is that a balanced menu can provide the body with all its needs, but it turns out that the way of eating plays a significant role. For example, drinking coffee or tea during breakfast, one of the most common habits, can lower the absorption of iron in the body. The caffeine in this drink contains substances that reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron, especially for people who adhere to a vegetarian diet.

Combinations that can help – and also those that should be avoided

There are also nutritional combinations that can improve the absorption of important nutrients. For example, combining spinach or lentils with lemon can enhance the absorption of iron in food. The vitamin C in the lemon helps the body absorb the iron found in those vegetables and legumes. But, of course, not all combinations are beneficial. One of the combinations they should avoid is a combination of green vegetables such as salads or spinach together with foods rich in calcium, such as cheeses. These vegetables contain oxalic acids, which interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body.

How can the absorption of vitamins be improved?

There are simple ways to improve the absorption of important vitamins. For example, adding healthy oils, such as olive or avocado oil, to salads and vegetables can help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K.