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An increase in blood pressure with occasional coffee consumption is already known. But what about regular coffee drinkers?

How many cups of coffee per day are allowed?

Coffee is known to have many different effects on the body. Consuming coffee regularly in moderation can also have a positive impact on your health. But what about blood pressure? It is known that coffee can significantly increase blood pressure. However, this state of affairs does not last long. But if you regularly have a cup of coffee, you have to reckon with other consequences in terms of blood pressure.

Effects of coffee on blood pressure

If you drink a cup of coffee or black or green tea, you will get an increase in blood pressure for a short period of time – about 20 to 30 minutes. This high blood pressure is triggered by the caffeine or theobromine contained in the beverages in large quantities. The increased blood pressure caused by the consumption of caffeinated coffee increases individually, but on average it is around 10 to 20 mmHg. However, since the blood pressure drops back to its standard value quite quickly, this increase is not of concern. But those who consume coffee more than just occasionally have other effects on blood pressure. In a study, researchers from Switzerland found out that high coffee consumption permanently lowers blood pressure. Higher coffee consumption thus has the opposite effect on blood pressure than coffee consumption over longer periods of time. This effect can be compared to jogging. Because here, too, blood pressure rises sharply during running. With regular exercise, it has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system in the long term. Constant coffee consumption can also reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. A team led by Murielle Bochud from the University Hospital in Lausanne wrote in a specialist journal that a cup of coffee a day can lower blood pressure by up to nine millimeters of mercury.
In the analysis, more than 16,000 people were compared with the amount of coffee consumed in terms of their blood pressure and genetic make-up. The researchers found that certain genes largely determine how much caffeinated beverages each individual consumes. These are variations of the gene CYP1A2. Because the gene is relevant for caffeine breakdown in the liver. Depending on how efficient the variation in the gene you’ve inherited is, you’ll consume more or less caffeine accordingly. At the same time, the person who consumes more coffee also tends to have lower blood pressure, on average. The limit is about four to five cups of coffee or tea a day. It is best to spread these out over two or three times. However, anyone who suffers from cardiac arrhythmias should observe whether the consumption of caffeinated beverages may intensify these disorders.

Permanently low blood pressure due to coffee consumption

Thus, in addition to its many other positive properties, coffee also has an effect on blood pressure in different areas of the body. For those who only drink coffee occasionally, coffee only increases blood pressure for a short time. But if you want to permanently achieve a positive change in blood pressure through coffee consumption, you should have a cup of coffee at least once a day. Heart patients should not only observe the connection between coffee and blood pressure, but also pay attention to cardiac arrhythmias.

Food

Agar Agar: What You Need to Know About the Vegetable Gelling Agent

Agar Agar is not only a real alternative to conventional gelling agents for vegans and vegetarians. We explain how to use the purely plant-based gelling agent and how it is made.

Agar Agar gelling agent – what is it?

Agar Agar are carbohydrates found in the cell walls of blue and red algae. Agar Agar is made from dried seaweed. The powder is made from them. Agar agar has been at home in Japanese cuisine since the 17th century. For example as a thickening agent in soups or as a gelling agent in sweets and ice cream.

Unlike gelatin, which contains bones, cartilage and connective tissue from cattle and pigs, it is purely vegetable. You can buy agar agar either in a jar or in small paper packets, similar to baking powder. Most drugstores, health food stores and health food stores have the vegetable gelling agent in their range.

Agar Agar: The Japanese gelatin

Agar agar is mainly produced in East Asia, i.e. in Japan, China and Korea. But it is also made in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The name “agar agar” comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, but is also the proper name there for the food mixed with the algae gelatine.

The problem with the East Asian origin: Before the vegetable gelling agent ends up in our kitchen, it has already traveled a long way. Importing creates additional CO2 emissions. Therefore, you should use agar agar with care.

Also, the algae that make up agar agar are mostly grown in aquaculture. The growing demand for algae consumes a lot of water. Pests can also spread more easily in these algae farms, since the nets with the algae are very close together. Many organic manufacturers therefore pay attention to high water and algae quality. Their aquacultures are mostly located away from towns and villages, so that the drinking water is not contaminated. When buying agar agar, you should therefore pay attention to the corresponding organic seal.

How to use agar agar

You can easily use agar agar for sweet and savory dishes – just like conventional gelatine.

You only have to be careful with the amount and read the package information very carefully. Because agar agar cannot be dosed one-to-one like gelatine.
Agar agar only dissolves in boiling liquids and only solidifies when it cools.
The gelling power of the plant product is six to ten times stronger than that of conventional gelling agents.
However, agar agar reacts differently to each liquid. Acid and fat in particular can weaken the binding capacity. Fruits such as plums and apricots, on the other hand, increase the gelling power.
Tip: If you prefer to be on the safe side, you should do a gelling test.

Place a plate in the freezer for a few minutes.
After you have boiled the liquid with agar agar according to the instructions on the package, put a few spoonfuls of the mixture on the chilled plate.
If it’s still too runny after two to three minutes, you’ll need to add a little more agar-agar powder. If the mass is too firm, more liquid is needed.

How healthy is agar agar?

Since agar agar is a product made from seaweed, it has a high protein content. Other ingredients are:

B vitamins
beta-carotene
vitamin k
Agar agar consists mainly of slow-digesting carbohydrates and protein. You should be careful not to consume too much agar agar. In large quantities, the vegetable gelling agent can have a laxative effect.

Cooking Tips

The Fine Difference: About the Coffee Varieties Arabica and Robusta

Altogether, over 100 types of coffee are known, but only two of them are really relevant for the coffee drinker: Arabica and Robusta. But what is the difference between these two types?

Arabica or Robusta? Arabica is often sold to us as “the better coffee”. But is there something to it?

Until the discovery of Robusta at the end of the 19th century, Arabica was the only decisive plant in commercial coffee cultivation, but it has its pitfalls. The Arabica plant is very susceptible to diseases such as coffee rust, which affects the leaves and ultimately causes the entire plant to die. In addition, it is only suitable for certain climatic conditions. The Arabica plant only grows at certain altitudes, which ideally have temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees. In addition, too much wind, humidity and heat cause problems for the Arabica. The Robusta, on the other hand, lives up to its name: It is insensitive to diseases such as coffee rust and tolerates more heat and moisture.

The outside of the bean (appearance)

At first glance, it seems difficult to tell Arabica and Robusta beans apart, as the two beans look very similar. Here are a few features to guide you. The Arabica bean has an elongated, oval shape and is larger than the Robusta bean. Where this has a small, rounded shape. Another distinguishing feature, which is more popular than found common enough to be identified as a feature, is the indentation in the middle. In the case of the Arabica bean, this is S-shaped, whereas in the case of the Robusta bean, it is often wider and straight.

Most important: taste

The Arabica beans often taste fruity, aromatic and less bitter. Remain sweet in the taste range. To put it bluntly, the beans of the Robusta coffees have something “mouldy”. They taste earthy or nutty, and have notes of wood or leather in their taste. In general, they are also stronger and have more bitter substances. This is why Robusta beans are more dominant in terms of taste in a bean mixture than their bean partner Arabica.

Acid & caffeine: Key ingredients

Raw Robusta beans have nearly double the caffeine and chlorogenic acid content compared to the raw Arabica bean variety. When the roasting begins, however, many things change in the bean types. While the percentage of caffeine hardly decreases, the proportion of chlorogenic acid decreases over time and depending on the roasting process. However, the acid does not disappear completely. It is partially converted into aromatic substances, from where the bean gets its certain intensity. Overall, this results in the Arabica bean having a light, mild and floral flavor and a defined acidity. The Robusta bean, on the other hand, has a much more distinctive, earthy and nutty taste. To explain: Chlorogenic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and is also found in nettles, valerian and St. John’s wort. It is debatable whether it is predominantly positive or negative for the human organism.

About the plant: Cultivation and harvest of the bean varieties

The Arabica plant reaches a height of approx. 2 to 5 meters in cultivated cultivation and needs a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees and an annual rainfall of between 1200 and 2200mm for good growth. This bean can be optimally grown at an altitude of 600 m and up to approx. 2300 m. It usually takes 7 years from cultivation to the first harvest. Well-known growing areas of the Arabica bean are South America, Africa, Australia and Indonesia. The Robusta plant grows to a height of up to 7 meters in the cultivated area. Ideal climatic conditions are: 2200 – 3000mm of precipitation, 18 to 36 degrees temperature, and a cultivation height of up to approx. 600 metres. Central growing areas are Vietnam, India, Africa and Indonesia. The great advantage of the Robusta bean becomes apparent during the harvest: Since the ripe cherries simply get stuck on the branches, they are much easier to harvest than the falling (and then quickly rotting) Arabica beans.

The beans in world trade

Robusta is significantly more economical than the Arabica bean due to the cultivation height and the easier harvest. This also explains the difference in price: Robusta coffee costs only a fraction of Arabica coffee. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this) only 25% of the coffee grown worldwide is Robusta. The Robusta bean is used in many mass roasts and in various instant coffees. Although there are high-quality Robusta bean varieties that are grown in India, Ecuador and Brazil, these tend to go under due to a lack of market presence.

Roasting – what makes the bean tasty

The time to maturity increases the higher the corresponding coffee bean is grown. When roasting, the degree of browning can be adjusted individually – the longer the bean is roasted, the stronger the bean tastes. It is roasted at a temperature between 180 and 220 degrees. In the process, amino acids and sugars are reassembled, resulting in the formation of an estimated 1,000 aromas or chemical compounds. The longer a bean is roasted, the less acid and the more bitter substances it contains.

Food

Yellow Beets: Everything about Taste, Cultivation and Use

Less well known than its red counterpart, the yellow beet is gaining in popularity. Here you can find out how red and yellow beets differ, what is important when planting yellow beets and how to use them in the kitchen.

In addition to the beetroot, you will increasingly find yellow or white beets at the weekly market or in the vegetable displays of some supermarkets. Beetroot is often less conspicuous because of its less intense color – but it is a healthy, tasty and regional winter vegetable that you can use in many ways in the kitchen. We will explain what makes them different from beetroot, how you can plant and harvest them yourself and which dishes they are suitable for.

Yellow beetroot and beetroot: That’s the difference

Both the beetroot and the yellow beet originally came from the wild beet (Beta vulgaris). Today’s beet is a cultivated form of this plant. Other types of vegetables that go back to the wild beet are, for example, the sugar beet or Swiss chard.

From a botanical point of view, the yellow beet is just a variant of the beetroot – it is not a separate variety. The dye betaxanthin is responsible for their yellow colour, while the strong red of beetroot comes from the dye betanin.

Apart from the colour, yellow and beetroot differ only slightly. Their nutrient content is similar: Both types provide various B vitamins in particular, as well as iron and folic acid. Both betaxanthin and betanine belong to the betalain family, which have antioxidant effects.

Basically, the yellow beetroot is a little milder and sweeter in taste than the red variety. For people who are bothered by the slightly earthy taste of beetroot, the yellow version can therefore be a more pleasant alternative.

Planting yellow beets: you should pay attention to this

If you want to plant yellow beetroot in your own garden, you should choose a sunny and deep location: The beets develop so-called taproots that reach far into the ground. In addition, humus-rich soil is recommended for good growth. Apart from that, the yellow beet is relatively undemanding. Only very heavy soils (clay soils) can cause problems.

It is best to buy the seed for the yellow beet in organic quality – you can get tips and information on the advantages of organic seed in our overview. Between May and July you can sow the yellow beet seeds directly into the bed.

How to plant yellow beets:

Make seeding rows 4 inches apart and place the seeds 8 to 10 inches apart in the bed.
After sowing, cover them with soil about an inch or two deep.
After about two to three weeks, the seeds should start to germinate. If you then find that the plants are too close together, you may need to separate them – for the beets to grow well, they need enough space. In this case, loosen the soil around a plant with a toothpick, carefully remove it, and replant it in a suitable spot.
You should also water the plants regularly during growth: always keep the soil slightly moist, but avoid waterlogging. Apart from watering, the yellow beet does not need any additional care.
By the way: The yellow beet is well suited for mixed cultures. It’s best to choose plants that grow low so they don’t take away the sunlight from the yellow beets. You can plant kohlrabi, radishes or chives in the same bed, for example. Be careful not to plant yellow beets in a spot where you have previously grown goosefoot or foxtail plants. These include, for example, spinach, chard or sugar beets. With such a crop rotation, the yellow beets are susceptible to diseases and the soil loses nutrients, because these plants have very similar requirements.

Harvesting and storing yellow beets

You can harvest the yellow beets from September right into the winter months. It usually takes about three months between sowing and harvesting. You should get the yellow beetroot out of the ground before the onset of frost at the latest – they can cope with temperatures down to zero degrees Celsius, but they don’t tolerate sub-zero temperatures.

How to harvest yellow beets:

To harvest, use a small shovel or special digging fork to loosen the soil around the beets.
Then you can easily pull them out.
When there is plenty of excess soil on the beets, roughly pat them off. If you intend to store your harvest, you should leave a little soil on it – this increases its shelf life. While you can gently twist off the root of the beetroot about an inch below the beet, you should not remove the leaves.
A sand-filled box in the basement or a storage pit (earth heap) in the garden is best suited for storing yellow beets. With cool temperatures of around zero to one degree Celsius, the beets last all winter. If you don’t have a basement or a storage pit, you can also preserve the yellow beets by boiling them down. You can do this in the same way as with beetroot.

Cooking Tips

Top 10 Most Interesting Facts About Coffee

Coffee is lifestyle and enjoyment. For anyone who wants to learn a little more about their favorite drink, we’ve rounded up 10 fun facts about coffee.

Did you know?

When it comes to facts about coffee, pretty much everyone has something to contribute, because hardly any other drink has so many stories, myths and – facts – about it. We have picked out the 10 most exciting facts and don’t want to withhold them from you any longer:

1. Coffee was “discovered” by goats

You heard me right: according to legend, coffee was actually “discovered” by goats. In fact, it was a goatherd named Kaldi in 9th-century Ethiopia. He watches his goats and sees how the goats perk up after eating cherries from a coffee tree. So what could be more obvious for Kaldi than to taste the red cherries himself? Admittedly, the story was first written down in the 16th century, but it’s nice and somehow sounds believable.

2. Black Ivory Coffee – the most exclusive coffee in the world

For a long time, the famous Kopi Luwak, also known as cat coffee, was considered the most expensive and exclusive coffee in the world. The Kopi Luwak gets its special taste from the “manufacturing process”: It is created by giving the Indonesian civets coffee cherries to eat. These are digested by her and excreted again. The indigestible coffee beans are now selected from the legacies of the civets. The very complex manufacturing process makes the cat coffee extremely expensive.

3. Mild, light roast coffee beans contain more caffeine than dark beans

Contrary to popular belief, light, mild coffee roasts typically contain more caffeine than dark, hearty roasts. Why it is like that? The longer the coffee is roasted, the more caffeine is released from the bean under the heat. Basically, it’s like cooking with wine. The longer you let it simmer, the less alcohol you will later have in your food.

4. Espresso is not a bean

There is no special espresso bean. Espresso is just the name for a certain type of preparation. Dark roasted coffee beans are used and ground very finely. Hot water is then pressed through the ground coffee at high pressure. If you do it right, you get a concentrated coffee with a dense, brown crema. Due to the long roasting, espresso contains less caffeine than e.g. B. normal filter coffee.

5. Coffee is a cherry

That’s right – red cherries grow on coffee trees or bushes. The actual coffee bean is the seed inside the cherry. If the coffee bean wasn’t so desirable and flavorful, you might be able to buy the whole fruit of the coffee cherry in a fruit store, as it’s a delicious tart-sweet cherry that tastes a bit like honey, peach, and watermelon.

6. Coffee was forbidden

In the course of history, coffee has been temporarily banned several times in different cultures. The governor of Mecca closed all the coffee houses in 1511 because he saw them as places of moral decay. Only after a thirty-year dispute between the scholars was the ban lifted by the Sultan of Cairo. In 1675, the English King Charles II tried to ban coffee and coffee houses. He encounters great resistance from the population and triggers a rebellion, so that he ultimately cannot implement his plan. The Prussian King Frederick the Great finally banned the import of coffee in 1677. He feared that the rapidly growing coffee consumption at the time could displace traditional domestic products such as malt or barley. State propaganda tried to stigmatize coffee as a despicable fad and a superfluous luxury.

7. George Washington invented instant coffee

You read that right, but not the first American president, but his Anglo-Belgian namesake, George Constant Louis Washington, who invented instant coffee.
Washington, who emigrated to New York in 1897, was not the actual inventor, but he was the first to develop a process around 1908 to produce instant coffee on an industrial scale. He was commercially very successful. During World War I, the US Army bought the “G. Washington Coffee Refining Company” from their total production volume of instant coffee. This ensured that the soldiers at the front in Europe did not have to do without their “Cup of George”.
The Japanese-born scientist Satori Kato from Chicago is considered to be the inventor of the first instant coffee. However, he never succeeded in further developing his process, patented in 1901, into a commercially successful product.

8. There are over fifty different types of coffee

Normally we consumers only know two types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta, because only these are normally used for coffee production and together they represent practically 100% of the world market. In fact, over fifty different types of coffee are known. So, if you ever get the very rare opportunity to taste a coffee that isn’t made from the usual varieties, please do so!

9. Over 500 billion cups

Around half a trillion cups of coffee are drunk worldwide every year. With a world population of almost seven billion, that’s an unbelievable 71 cups for every citizen of the world – including small children!

Incidentally, the Finns are at the forefront when it comes to coffee consumption: Every Finn drinks 1305 cups a year of the 3.6 cups a day! In contrast, German coffee consumption is still moderate at just under two cups a day. However, coffee is also the most popular drink in Germany, ahead of beer and mineral water!

10. Second most traded commodity in the world

After oil, coffee is the most important commodity in the world. The coffee beans are grown in 80 countries around the world on a total area of around 11 million hectares. Around 25 million people work in the cultivation, processing or distribution of coffee. Around 55 million sacks of green coffee, each weighing 60 kilograms, are produced every year.

Food

Coffee Day: That’s What It’s All About

Attention coffee lovers: On October 1st, the annual Coffee Day will be celebrated again. Read our article where he comes from and why we celebrate him.

What is coffee day?

According to the German Coffee Association, the undisputed favorite drink of the Germans is not beer or mineral water, but coffee. On average, every German drinks around 166 liters a year. The association has therefore been dedicating a day of honor to the caffeinated drink since 2006, initially on September 29, and since 2016 (through the merger with “International Coffee Day) on October 1.

Why is Coffee Day celebrated?

Celebrating not just the popularity of coffee, but the diversity of coffee beans and the millions of people—farmers, roasters, baristas, and more—who work hard to make and serve the beverage we love.

Coffee lovers therefore organize all sorts of events and campaigns in honor of the coffee bean. For example, there are guided tours in roasting plants to give an insight into the production process, or new coffee trends and preparation methods are presented.
There are also events where coffee is used in other forms, such as in wellness applications.

World coffee day: International Coffee Day

The fascination for the day of coffee is not only in Germany but worldwide – since 2016 the German holiday has been combined with the “International Coffee Day” on October 1st. Its inventor is unknown, but a similar event is said to have taken place for the first time in Japan in 1983 or in China in 1997. International Coffee Day was officially proclaimed for the first time in 2015 via the International Coffee Organization (ICO) as part of Expo 2015 in Italy.

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks worldwide

Outside of Europe, millions of cups of coffee are drunk every day, especially in Asia and Oceania, North and South America and Africa. Incidentally, the original coffee plant comes from Ethiopia, where many coffee beans are still produced today and exported to us in Europe. Other major export countries are Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico. Coffee Day is therefore a reason for people from all over the world to celebrate. But not just to celebrate the drink itself. Also because it means that attention can be drawn, for example, to the working conditions of the coffee farmers.

health

Healthy Inca Grain? 9 Things You Need to Know About Quinoa

Suddenly everyone is eating quinoa, organic stores sell it, veggie burgers are based on it. Utopia took a closer look at the hype grain and discovered a lot of positive things about Andean millet – but also a downside.

In the Andes region of South America, quinoa has been considered a nutrient- and energy-rich staple food for about 6000 years. The Spanish conquerors regarded the “Inca wheat” as cheap poor people’s food, and in some cases they banned it. Unlike corn, the plant was therefore practically unknown in Europe until a few decades ago.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that quinoa was rediscovered as a food here: the nutrient-rich grains were particularly popular in health food stores and alternative cuisine. In 2013, the plant was even voted “Plant of the Year”, and today it is considered a gluten-free superfood. But the hype surrounding quinoa also causes problems.

Quinoa: what is it anyway?

Quinoa is an ancient annual crop and, like amaranth, belongs to the foxtail family. You can eat the young sprouts and leaves of quinoa, but you mainly use the seeds by simply cooking them like rice (see 8. Recipes).

White quinoa is the most common, and usually a little cheaper. It is the lowest in fat and has a nutty taste. The cooking time is 10 to 15 minutes.
Black quinoa doesn’t really taste any different, but it is a bit harder, and takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook.
Red quinoa takes a little longer to cook than black quinoa. Because it keeps its shape and looks pretty, it’s a popular choice for salads.
Puffed quinoa is, so to speak, the popcorn of the Incas and, like quinoa flakes, is mainly used as an ingredient in muesli.
Quinoa blends with two or three colors are also common. Because the Inca grain, unlike rye or wheat, is not a sweet grass, the seeds are gluten-free. The plant is therefore also referred to as a “pseudo grain”, since in practice there is hardly any difference to grain.

The quinoa plant is undemanding: it is sown on loose soil that is as weed-free as possible; Fertilizing and watering is practically not necessary and can even reduce the yield. However, cultivation is now leading to social and economic problems in the growing countries – see point 9: Sustainability.

Nutrition facts: is quinoa healthy?

The Incas revered quinoa as a miracle plant – and rightly so: its nutritional values make the pseudo-cereal extremely healthy. Quinoa is an excellent source of essential amino acids such as lysine, tryptophan or cystine and provides polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, quinoa has a high content of minerals – including magnesium (approx. 300 mg), iron (approx. 8 mg), potassium (approx. 800 mg) and calcium (approx. 120 mg), but also manganese.

This made quinoa interesting as a healthy source of protein for vegans, but also caused a certain amount of hype for conventional healthy diets. However, just because you eat quinoa doesn’t make you “healthier”. And with a balanced diet with regional fruit, vegetables and grains, you can do without the Inca food in this country, the procurement of which is associated with sustainability problems.

Quinoa and carbohydrates: is the trend suitable for the low-carb diet?

Eating quinoa as a grain substitute as part of a low-carb diet does not make sense. The pseudo-grain is very high in energy (depending on the variety, around 400 kilocalories per 100 grams). It also supplies this energy via the fats it contains (mainly unsaturated), but mainly from carbohydrates.

After all, these are rather complex carbohydrates that have to be broken down before they can be used by the body. In contrast to normal cereals, quinoa keeps you full for longer and avoids food cravings. But if you want to avoid carbohydrates, you should look for alternatives.

Ingredients: Is quinoa unhealthy?

As with all foods, there are components in quinoa that are not particularly digestible. To protect against pests, the shell of the seeds contains the bitter saponins, which can damage the intestinal mucosa and blood cells. In the unpeeled state, the seeds are therefore not suitable for consumption. Even when peeled, the grains should always be rinsed well or boiled to remove the remaining saponins as much as possible.

Particular caution is required for people with diseases of the intestine or for small children up to about two years of age: In both cases, the intestinal mucosa is not robust enough, the saponins can get into the blood and attack the red blood cells in particular. Seeds available in Germany are already hulled. You should wash them again though.

No gluten – ideal grain substitute

Since the plant is not a sweet grass, quinoa does not contain any gluten. This makes the seeds an interesting alternative as a side dish, especially for people with celiac disease or a milder form of gluten intolerance.

When baking, however, the “gold of the Incas” is not an alternative: the gluten protein ensures that dough for bread or cakes becomes fluffy and airy during baking. Since quinoa lacks gluten, baking with quinoa flour alone is difficult; however, you can substitute some of the regular flour with it to lower the gluten content of the pastry. There are also gluten-free pasta varieties with the pseudo-grain quinoa.

But here, too, the following applies: Eating the gluten-free pseudo-grain “as a preventive measure” without a specific need, in the hope that it is somehow healthier, is rather nonsensical in view of the sustainability problems. Gluten-free cereal substitutes only make sense if you have actually received a medical diagnosis for celiac disease, i.e. real gluten intolerance. Gluten-free pasta often contains more cornmeal and rice flour than quinoa.

Is quinoa suitable for a diet?

Quinoa is healthy, contains many nutrients and is gluten-free. However, the pseudo-grain also contains a lot of energy, which at first glance makes it unsuitable for a diet. At second glance, it is noticeable that the ratio of energy to nutritional value is significantly higher here than with conventional grain.

In this respect, the Inca wheat can be easily integrated into a balanced nutrition plan, since more nutrients can be absorbed with a smaller amount and the total calorie intake can be reduced. Instead of going on a diet, it makes more sense to fundamentally change your diet – and that can also be done with regional products.

Buying quinoa: what is important?

Because quinoa is part of the superfood hype, you can now buy it in many places – unfortunately only rarely as a fair trade product. Even discounters have the seeds in their program again and again. The prices for the pseudo-grain vary between around five and twelve euros per kilogram for peeled, natural quinoa seeds. Puffed grains or flakes are slightly more expensive because they have been further processed.

The easiest way to obtain the products is through health food stores, natural food and organic shops, but also supermarkets, drugstores with a food department and organic supermarkets.

When buying quinoa, in addition to processing, it is particularly important to look for organic seals or symbols and the Fairtrade seal on the packaging. This is the only way for farmers in the Andes in Peru and Bolivia to benefit from their work with the cultivation of the grain substitute.

Quinoa recipes and tips

Although the pseudocereal can be enjoyed in many ways, the most popular variant is still as a side dish, cooked like rice.

Put the quinoa grains in a saucepan with twice the amount of cold water and bring to the boil.
Then the grains should simmer for about 10 minutes on a low flame and then swell for another 10 minutes with the stove off.
Refined with a little salt and butter or olive oil before serving, the nutty taste of quinoa comes into its own.

Alternatively, quinoa can be enjoyed fresh and summery as a tasty quinoa salad with avocado, mango and onions, perfect for a bit of the exotic in cloudy German summers. For lovers of fiery, South American delicacies, there is a chili con quinoa, where the meat is replaced with the seeds. The versatile grains set virtually no limits to the imagination when preparing them.

Sustainability: Downsides of the quinoa boom

When it comes to sustainability, there is a lot to be said against Inca wheat. Because quinoa is only rarely cultivated in Europe and Germany, the pseudo-grain grows almost exclusively in its region of origin in the Andes.

About 95 percent of the total world production is grown in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The transport routes from the fields in South America to Europe are extremely long (similar to rice), which means that, given the current level of transport, there is a high level of climate pollution from fossil fuels.

Cooking Tips

Baobab Products: What You Should Know About the Baobab Tree

Baobab products are considered very healthy and are said to have healing effects. But is the hype about the baobab tree justified? And how sustainable are baobab products? We give you an overview.

Baobab products are considered to be particularly beneficial to health and are now also known in Europe. The products of the baobab trees in Africa have long been used in a wide variety of ways and numerous myths have grown up around the mighty deciduous trees. In Africa, the tree is also known as the tree of life and has religious significance in many regions.

Where do baobabs grow?

Baobab trees are native to the (sub)tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and Australia. The best-known representative is the African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata), which grows in tropical Africa – more precisely in the dry savannah south of the Sahara and in the south-east of the continent.

Baobabs stand out because of their striking appearance. Characteristic is their thick trunk, which is often several meters wide and can store large amounts of water. Baobabs can live up to 2,000 years and are important water reservoirs for humans and animals. There are eight different species of the baobab tree worldwide, with almost exclusively the products of the African baobab being sold commercially.

Traditional use of the baobab tree

The local population uses almost all parts of the African baobab tree – fruit, leaves, wood and bark serve a variety of purposes. For example, the baobab tree plays an important role in traditional nutrition and provides valuable building material.

The baobab fruit:

The large egg-shaped fruits of the baobab are part of the basic diet in many parts of Africa. They are surrounded by a hard shell and house dry, spongy flesh. The flesh contains up to 150 brownish seeds, one to two centimeters in size, from which baobab oil can be extracted. The large fruits hang from the branches on long stalks and fall down when ripe. The dried pulp is consumed unprocessed or processed into juices, desserts, sauces or porridge. Mixed with milk or water, it is also popular as a drink. It contains a lot of vitamin C and therefore tastes slightly sour. The taste is often described as sweet and sour with a hint of citrus. In Sudan, fermented baobab fruits form the basis for a traditional drink called “Tabaldi”.

Leaves and seeds:

The leaves are also edible and are eaten raw or dried in Africa. Dried and ground to a fine powder, they are used as a spice for soups and sauces. In Nigeria, the traditional “Kuka soup” is prepared from the baobab leaves. The already mentioned baobab oil, which is consumed as cooking oil in Africa, can be extracted from the high-fat seeds. In Europe, the oil is mainly used in natural cosmetics.

Roots, wood and bark:

In addition to the fruits and leaves, the wood, bark and roots of the tree can also be used. In times of food shortage, the roots are eaten cooked. In East Africa, the roots are also used as a source of red dye. Cords, ropes, nets, boxes, mats, baskets, clothing or even strings for musical instruments can be made from the fibers of wood and bark. The bark is also used as a roofing material. A simple glue can be made from the pollen mixed with a little water. The light wood is also suitable for the construction of canoes and wooden panels. The ash from bark and fruit is useful in soap making thanks to its high potash content. Hollow tree trunks of dead baobabs are traditionally used as toilets, small stables or graves.

Baobab products and their health effects

The baobab fruit is said to have numerous healing effects. In Africa, the pulp is considered an effective remedy for fever, dysentery, smallpox, measles and diarrhea. The seeds or the oil obtained from them are traditionally used for heart diseases, toothache, liver infections and malaria. The leaves are said to help alleviate gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea. In Tanzania, the baobab is therefore also known as the “apothecary tree” – however, these effects have not been scientifically proven.

On the other hand, it is generally accepted that baobab fruits are extremely healthy. As an article published in 2021 on the ingredients of the baobab fruit explains, it is rich in valuable minerals and vitamins. For example, it contains a lot of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C and is rich in fiber, which can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels.

But: Similar ingredients can also be found in other types of fruit and vegetables. Citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, rose hips, peppers or broccoli also contain a lot of vitamin C. There are also plenty of local foods with lots of fiber. Here you will find an overview of regional alternatives to superfoods.

Commercial use: Baobab products in Europe

The baobab tree is not used commercially in Africa. Sweet treats and baskets for foreign tourists are sometimes offered for sale.

After the healthy ingredients of the baobab fruit became known to us, baobab products are now also available in Europe. The dried fruits in particular are available online in the form of baobab powder (dried and ground pulp). You can stir the powder into muesli, yoghurt, juice, milk or water, for example. Baobab oil can also be found in Germany – mainly in natural cosmetics, for example as a basis for shampoo. The whole fruit, on the other hand, is not very common here.

How sustainable are baobab products?

Baobab stocks are endangered

Six of the eight baobab species are on the Red List of Threatened Species (however, the most common and commercially most important species “Andansonia digitata” is not yet listed). In certain parts of Africa, large elephant populations are partly responsible for the extinction of baobab species. The reason for this is the popular moist wood that the elephants break out with their tusks.

Since baobab trees only produce fruit after around 20 years, they are rarely cultivated on a large scale. Baobab products therefore mostly come from wild stocks. The growing demand for baobab products basically contributes to the preservation of baobab trees, because the trees now also have great financial value. On the other hand, baobabs have always been prized and rarely felled because they do not provide valuable wood and cutting down is very tedious. The trees often remain standing in the middle of agricultural land. However, the increasing agricultural use of land definitely poses a threat to the stocks. Wild animals, which are rarely found on intensively used land, are needed to disperse the seeds.

Should I buy baobab products?

Although international trade tends to strengthen the preservation of the baobab tree population, baobab products should still be viewed critically from an ecological point of view. The reason for this is the long transport routes, which are associated with high greenhouse gas emissions.

It is important that you always pay attention to fair trade when buying baobab products. This is the only way to ensure that the local population benefits from the sale of the products.

Our conclusion: Baobab products are actually not needed in our supermarket. You can also find the healthy ingredients in other regional products. Fair cooperation can have a positive effect on the African economy and for some local people trading in baobab products may represent an opportunity. From an ecological point of view, however, you should better avoid the new food and cosmetics trend.

Buying baobab products: you should pay attention to this

If you still don’t want to do without baobab products, you should definitely pay attention to organic and fair trade certification. So far, baobab products have mainly been available online, but with a bit of luck you will also find them in well-stocked organic markets or health food stores. Here are some companies that offer fair trade, organic baobab products:

Baobab Social Business gGmbH: The non-profit GmbH sells baobab products with fair trade and organic certification. The range includes baobab oil, baobab powder, baobab confectionery and soap based on baobab oil.
Berlin Organics: The company offers baobab powder in organic quality and has the “Certified B Corporation” label, which stands for sustainable and responsible management. The products are available online and in selected supermarkets.
The Essence of Africa (africrops! GmbH): The company sells a wide variety of organic products from African cultivation. The products are not Fairtrade certified. However, the company itself states on its website that it trades the products fairly and works on an equal footing with African producers. Baobab oil, powder and pellets are available online.

Cooking Tips

Puy Lentils: Facts about Nutrients and Uses

Puy lentils come from cultivation areas in France and are characterized by their green color and nutty taste. Here you can find out more about the nutritional values, use and sustainability of this special type of lentil.

Puy lenses are named after the French town of Le-Puy-en-Velay, which is in Auvergne. They grow in mountainous locations on volcanic soil. The Puy lentils name is protected and can only be given to lentils grown in specific communes around the city. In other regions of France they are simply called “green lentils”.

This simple name already indicates an optical specialty: With their green-black speckled pattern, Puy lentils are very eye-catching and can be easily distinguished from other varieties. When cooking, however, the color fades significantly.

Like other types of lentils, Puy lentils are nutritious and provide many minerals. You can use them in different dishes. We will introduce you to the lentil variety and also take a look at its sustainability.

Puy lentils and their nutritional values

100 grams of Puy lentils have about 286 calories. Like other legumes, they are very high in protein and contain a lot of fiber, but also a lot of carbohydrates. The respective information may vary from product to product. On average, the following nutritional values apply to 100 grams of uncooked Puy lentils:

Egg white: 25.7 g
Carbohydrates: 45.7 g
Fat: 1.43g
Fiber: 11.4 g
In addition, Puy lentils provide valuable minerals, especially iron (8.1 mg) and phosphorus (354 mg). 100 grams of the lentils can already cover a large part of the daily requirement of both minerals for adults.

Puy lenses: properties and uses

Puy lentils are characterized by a very intense nutty taste. They also retain a firm consistency after cooking and do not fall apart.

How to prepare Puy lentils:

You don’t need to soak Puy lentils before cooking them – just wash them thoroughly.
Then bring two to three times the amount of water to a boil in a saucepan, add the lentils and then turn the heat down to low.
Let the Puy lentils simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Due to its firm consistency, the green lentil variety is particularly suitable for lentil salads. But you can also use them in lentil soups or simply serve them as an accompaniment to various dishes. Spices that go well with Puy lentils include thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. As with other types of lentils, add salt or vinegar just before the end of cooking.

Are Puy lenses sustainable?

A special feature of the cultivation of Puy lentils is that (according to industry information) they traditionally do without fertilizers and even without irrigation. This not only makes them cheaper to grow, but also more resource-efficient.

Because Puy lentils can officially only be grown in Auvergne, they are basically imported goods. This means that they may cover longer transport routes than lenses from Germany and cause more CO2 emissions. Since Germany and France border each other, French lentils still have a significantly better ecological balance than those from more distant countries. Lentils often come from India, Turkey or the USA, for example.

However, as an alternative to “real” Puy lentils, you can also use green lentils from other sources. Occasionally, the variety is even grown in Germany, for example in Baden-Württemberg. Green lentils often lack the special speckle pattern of Puy lentils – but they have comparable properties in terms of taste and consistency.

You can also get other types of lentils from regional farmers: The main German growing areas for lentils are in the Swabian Alb and in Lower Bavaria. For lentil salad, you can use mountain lentils instead of green lentils, for example. They won’t be quite as al dente, but will still retain a stable texture if you don’t overcook them. For lentil soup, on the other hand, lentils are ideal, as they disintegrate more during preparation.

Cooking Tips

Hay Milk and Pasture Milk – What is It All About?

You can see happily grazing cows on every second milk carton, but in reality they are rarely found like this. Do hay milk and pasture milk keep what they promise – or is there just a marketing trick behind such milk terms that you shouldn’t fall for?

Satisfied cows can move freely in the pasture, they eat green, juicy grass, hay and herbs – at least this is the image most dairy products convey. Because consumers want it that way: According to a study by the University of Göttingen, more than half of all consumers when buying milk pay particular attention to pasture grazing and GMO-free feeding of the cows.

So it’s no wonder that hay milk and pasture milk are becoming more and more popular and often end up in the shopping trolley. But what is actually behind the terms?

Hay milk versus pasture milk

Both terms pursue the basic goal of enabling dairy cows to live a more species-appropriate life.

The term hay milk refers to the diet of the dairy cows – they should get as much green fodder as possible and must not be fed with silage (fodder that is preserved by fermentation). The designation has been protected throughout the EU since March 2018. With “Demeter HeuMilch Bauern” there is also a first independent label. Currently (01/2021) there are around 200 certified producers that produce hay milk.
The term pasture milk, on the other hand, refers to the attitude. The cows should spend as much time as possible on the pasture. The term is not legally protected, but with “Pro Weideland” there is a label that is backed by well-known associations and that wants to strengthen grazing. Here the dairy cows stand in the pasture for at least 120 days for six hours.

Pasture milk and hay milk: just marketing tricks?

Hay milk and pasture milk should not only be good for the well-being of the animals, but also for our health.

Hay milk contains a significantly higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) than milk from cows fed conventionally, i.e. with silage and concentrated feed.

So far so good. However, a current milk test by Öko-Test (02/2021) showed that it is then primarily “organic”, which ensures better milk quality with hay and pasture milk.

What does hay milk actually mean?

For a long time it was not precisely defined what the term hay milk meant – at least in Germany. The situation has since improved: Since March 2016, “Heumilch g.t.S.” has stood for a “guaranteed traditional speciality” in accordance with EU Regulation No. 1151/2012: When feeding with fresh grass, legumes, herbs (in summer) and hay ( in winter) other feed (cereals, corn…) may only be added in smaller proportions.

It is forbidden to feed the following with hay milk:

silage and wet hay
By-products from breweries, cider plants and distilleries
Feed of animal origin (exception: milk and whey for young cattle)
feed labeled as genetically modified
But all this is not “organic” yet. And the certification of pasture milk does not necessarily have anything to do with animal welfare either. But what is fact:

Hay milk is better for the climate

According to the consumer magazine Öko-Test, hay milk is better for the climate. The concentrated feed that high-yielding cows normally eat often consists of soybean meal. “Rainforest has to make way for soya from overseas, and transport also has a negative impact on the climate.” So the calculation is quite simple: Cows that eat fresh grass and hay ensure a better climate balance for their milk.

This is now also confirmed by a new study by the Center for Global Change and Sustainability at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, which examined the hay economy for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The central results: Hay farming protects the climate, protects the soil and promotes biodiversity.

Hay farming as a sustainable opportunity

“The preservation of grassland through the management of hay milk farmers is of great importance for climate policy, since these soils store enormous amounts of carbon and represent valuable CO2 sinks,” emphasizes Univ. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. dr Werner Zollitsch, Head of the Center for Global Change and Sustainability at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. Due to the high humus content, meadows and pastures store around a third more carbon per hectare in the upper layers of the soil than arable land. In deeper soil layers, grassland stores a similar amount of carbon, namely 196 t C/ha, as the average forest soil with 191 t C/ha. Arable land is 149 t C/ha.

Organic hay milk is the best choice

Anyone who chooses organic hay milk scores twice: hay milk itself is (at least a little) better for the climate, organic hay milk is free of pesticides.

Even better: since the end of January 2018, the producer association Demeter Milchbauern Süd has been offering a kind of seal for organic hay milk with the “Demeter HeuMilch Bauern” label. It does not feed any silage and was the first German organization ever to receive a hay milk certificate. The “Demeter HeuMilch Bauern” logo signals to consumers that they are buying milk from dedicated, independent organic farmers who keep their animals “by nature and according to the biodynamic guidelines” (from Demeter) and only feed them hay and grass.

Meadow milk is not the same as mead milk

There is still no EU regulation for pasture milk. The term is neither defined nor protected under food law.

For consumers, this means: In the supermarket you will find pasture milk that has been produced according to very different criteria. The only thing that helps here is a critical look at the packaging:

How to recognize real pasture milk

Some manufacturers indicate on the packaging how many days and how long the cows are actually out on the pasture. But here, too, it is unclear how the cows are kept in winter, explains the consumer advice center.

The Nuremberg Higher Regional Court (OLG) ruled in 2017 that the term “pasture milk” is not misleading if the cows are out on the pasture for at least 120 days a year for at least six hours.

The label Pro Weideland – German Weidecharta promises that the “120/6” rule will be observed. The cows have 2000 m² of permanent grassland per cow at their disposal, of which at least 1000 m² are pasture. The sign also ensures freedom of movement for the cows all year round and prohibits genetically engineered feed. BUND and NABU, among others, are involved. The consumer center classifies the criteria of the label as “transparent, understandable and comprehensible”.

A current study by the Federal Environment Agency shows: Organically produced milk from cows that stand on the pasture is more environmentally friendly than milk from conventional farms with pure stable husbandry. For further details:

The basic idea behind pasture milk and hay milk is not bad, even if unfortunately higher animal welfare standards are not automatically associated with it. For both hay milk and pasture milk, we recommend that you also pay attention to at least the EU organic seal. Feeding is regulated differently here because organic animal husbandry is subject to its own laws. The renunciation of genetic engineering in the feed is also mandatory for organic milk, unlike for conventional milk. A seal from the cultivation associations Bioland, Naturland or Demeter is even better.