While it’s easy to theorize that synergistic combination products may have health benefits, proving those benefits is another matter entirely. A 2019 systemic review in the Journal of Ethnic Foods found that various synergistic foods can be combined to boost the immune system, prevent infections, increase the bioavailability of various nutrients, reduce chronic disease, and improve mental and reproductive health.
One such synergistic combination the authors identified is the combination of yogurt and bananas, which provides synergistic benefits by combining the prebiotic inulin in the bananas with the probiotic bacteria present in yogurt to improve immunity and regulate digestion. The study authors also note that combining inulin and probiotics results in an increase in calcium serum levels. Meanwhile, the authors found that combining zeaxanthin and lutein in eggs with carotenoids in carrots, tomatoes and leafy greens resulted in an up to 9-fold increase in carotenoid absorption.
While this study focused on whole-food nutrients, its findings can be extrapolated to supplements due to the identification of the bioactives present in the whole foods responsible for the claimed health benefits.
