Do you add 'this' to stir-fried anchovies? The worst combination nutritionally 😨

Stir-fried anchovies are a common side dish on the dining table. Usually, when making stir-fried anchovies, nuts such as peanuts or almonds are added. However, if you consider nutritional intake, it is better not to add nuts to stir-fried anchovies.

Anchovies and nuts do not have as good a nutritional compatibility as you might think. Anchovies are high in calcium, but phytic acid found abundantly in walnuts and almonds interferes with calcium absorption. Peanuts are the same. The saponin components in peanuts hinder calcium absorption. When saponins and calcium are consumed together, they form insoluble complexes in the intestines, which are not absorbed by the body and are excreted directly.

It is good to include ingredients such as chili peppers and green peppers in stir-fried anchovies. Anchovies are high in calcium, but they also contain phosphorus, which can hinder calcium absorption, potentially reducing the calcium uptake rate. Eating chili peppers together helps because the iron in chili aids calcium absorption. Conversely, the fats in anchovies can enhance the absorption of beta-carotene, a fat-soluble vitamin found in chili peppers. It is also fine to stir-fry with green peppers. Green peppers are rich in calcium and B vitamins, similar to anchovies, and help supplement vitamin C, which is lacking in anchovies. Green peppers contain vitamin P, which prevents the oxidation of vitamin C, and are also rich in vitamin D, which promotes calcium absorption. Burdock root is also a good accompaniment to anchovies because it is rich in inulin, which helps facilitate calcium absorption in the intestines.

Meanwhile, although anchovies and nuts are often eaten together, there are surprisingly some foods that do not pair well. Specifically, meatballs and tomato pasta. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, not only meatballs but any type of meat, when paired with tomatoes, prevents lycopene from exerting its full effect. This is because the iron in the meat interferes with lycopene absorption. In fact, a research team from Ohio State University in the United States conducted a study where participants ate tomato shakes, and only some of them were given iron supplements. As a result, the group that took iron supplements along with the tomato shake had lower lycopene levels in their bodies compared to the group that only consumed the tomato shake.

To increase the absorption rate of lycopene, it is good to heat tomatoes and cook them with oil. Heating lycopene changes its molecular structure to a form that is more easily absorbed by the body. Additionally, since lycopene is fat-soluble, cooking it with oils such as cooking oil enhances its absorption rate in the body. Removing the meatballs from the meatball tomato pasta is also sufficient.

<Source: Health Chosun>