Want to absorb more nutrients? Dietitians share top healthy food pairings

Want to absorb more nutrients? Dietitians say smart food pairings can improve how well the body uses key vitamins and minerals, especially from fruits and vegetables. They note that nutrient absorption, or bioavailability, depends on factors such as gut health, age, and cooking methods, and while people cannot control everything, they can boost uptake of nutrients like vitamin D, iron, and zinc through strategic combinations. The article explains that taking vitamin D alongside fatty foods can help absorption because it is fat-soluble, and that vitamin D and vitamin K2 support effective calcium use. Dietitians also point to pairings such as vitamin C with iron-rich plant foods, olive oil and nuts with fat-soluble vitamins, black pepper/garlic/ginger for zinc and iron, and vitamin D with calcium-containing foods.