Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

actually?

Browsing
health

Is Nougat Actually Vegan?

Whether nougat is also available vegan is an important question for many beginners in this field – after all, the sweet mass is essential for various dessert recipes. We’ll tell you what you, as a vegan, have to look out for when buying.

Is nougat vegan?

Nougat is a popular ingredient in the world of desserts and cakes: the creamy mass is often used, for example, as a fine filling for pralines and the like. Nut nougat creams are also real classics among sweet spreads.

In itself, it is not a problem to make vegan nougat. The essential basic ingredients are hazelnuts and cocoa. In addition, the dark nut mass usually consists of sugar, fat (usually cocoa butter or palm fat) and vanilla flavoring. In addition to dark hazelnut nougat, there are many other types of nougat made from almonds, pistachios and other types of nuts, for example.

It is not uncommon for manufacturers to add animal ingredients to nougat and especially nougat creams, such as milk powder or butterfat. If you want to buy vegan nougat, you should therefore pay attention to vegan-certified goods or read the list of ingredients carefully beforehand.

Nougat: Vegan recipe ideas

You can also easily make nougat yourself at home. Here we show you a recipe for vegan nougat with coconut fat: Make nougat yourself: Recipe and tips.

You can find instructions for vegan nougat pralines in this article: Vegan pralines: 3 delicious recipes to make yourself.

In addition, nougat is suitable as an ingredient for:

Nougat thalers and cookies
cakes and muffins
Pie fillings and cupcake frostings
Fillings for croissants
Ice Cream and Parfaits

What about organic, fair trade and palm oil?

Even if nougat is vegan, it is not automatically a sustainable product. In order to really fall back on socially and ecologically responsible products, you should also pay attention to organic and fair trade seals when buying.

Organic seals guarantee, among other things, that no pesticides that are harmful to the environment or health were used in the cultivation of the ingredients. The Fairtrade logo assures you that everyone involved in the production chain has worked under fair working conditions and for a fair wage. This is particularly important with cocoa. You can find out more about this here: Fairtrade cocoa: you need to know that.

After all, some nougat fillings contain palm fat. Palm oil production is significantly involved in the clearing of rainforests and thus in the extinction of species and the progression of the climate crisis. In order not to support these abuses, you can use palm oil-free products. Alternatively, there are certifications for sustainably produced palm oil.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Is Baking Soda Actually Vegan?

Have you ever wondered if baking soda is vegan? This is a tricky question to answer as it depends on the baking soda: some are vegan, some are not.

If you want to bake vegan, you have to use vegan baking powder. Baking powder is not inherently vegan. Depending on what kind of baking powder it is, it may contain animal ingredients.

Baking powder usually consists of one or more of these ingredients:

sodium bicarbonate (E 500ii),
potassium hydrogen carbonate (E 501ii),
potassium carbonate (“potash”),
disodium dihydrogen diphosphate (E 450a),
cream of tartar (E 336),
monocalcium orthophosphate (E 341a),
Strength.

When baking soda is vegan

Of the above ingredients, baking powder contains either phosphate (disodium dihydrogen diphospha) or cream of tartar as an acidifier. In a separate article, we already explained why cream of tartar is better. However, you have to keep in mind: While conventional baking powder is always vegan, there are sometimes animal ingredients in cream of tartar.

Why isn’t baking powder always vegan? The cream of tartar in baking soda is wine based. In some cases, this is clarified with gelatin or other animal substances. Although the gelatine is removed again, traces can always remain. For this reason, you have to make sure that Weinstein baking powder is explicitly marked with the addition “vegan”. Then the wine has been clarified with vegan substances.

Overview: Vegan Baking Powder

The conventional baking powder with phosphate is vegan, but not recommended. We recommend cream of tartar, which the companies also say is vegan in most cases. Here is an overview of major brand vegan cream of tartar:

dm organic baking powder with pure cream of tartar
RUF organic cream of tartar baking powder
REWE organic pure tartar baking powder (certified with vegan flower)
Alnatura organic pure tartar baking powder (certified with vegan flower)
Biovegan Master Baking Powder
Natura Organic Cream of Tartar Baking Powder
Organic Central Baking Soda Tartar
Tip: If you still have old baking powder with phosphate at home, you can use it to clean the baking tray or other household items, such as the ceramic hob.

Keep Reading
By
Technology

Packaged in a Protective Atmosphere: What Does That Actually Mean?

Packed in a protective atmosphere – you can read that on many products in the self-service counter in the supermarket. In this article, you will find out whether this is good or bad.

What does “packaged in a protective atmosphere” mean?

Most groceries in the supermarket come in packaging. But packaged is not always packaged. For example, you can differentiate between “packaged under air” and “packaged in a protective atmosphere”.

Fish and meat from the self-service counter are most often packaged in a modified atmosphere. Bread, pre-baked rolls, pasta from the refrigerated section, packaged cheese, sausage, nuts or ready-cut fruit are now also packaged in this way.

If food is packed under air, this can lead to unfavorable changes. Some examples of this are:

faster corruption processes
proliferation of bacteria
oxidative changes, i.e. changes in color or taste.
In order to avoid such changes, many foods are packaged in a protective atmosphere. This works in such a way that the ambient air is first extracted and then replaced with a specifically modified gas mixture. The gas mixture is adapted to the individual product. It can consist of oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) or other noble gases. The process is officially called “Modified Atmosphere Packaging”. The protective atmosphere then extends the shelf life of the food and you can recognize this from the note on the package (“Packaged in a protective atmosphere”).

Pork and beef are also often packaged using an advanced process. It’s called “High O2–MAP”. The special thing about this is that the oxygen content is higher than in normal air and higher than in normal packaging in a protective atmosphere.

Advantages and disadvantages of products packed in modified atmosphere

Disadvantages of food packed under modified atmosphere:

Food packed in a modified atmosphere is always packed in plastic.
You do not have the option to adjust the amount of the product to your consumption. This is relevant, for example, when you buy meat. If you buy groceries fresh at the counter, you can buy exactly as much as you need and thus avoid food waste.
In addition, products that have already been packaged are less fresh – even if they are packaged in a modified atmosphere.

Advantages of food packed in a modified atmosphere:

The packaged products are of higher quality. This is because changes in the products are reduced by the packaging.
The light red color of beef and pork is preserved.
The food has a longer shelf life.
Additional preservatives are not necessary.
Products that are packaged in a protective atmosphere must be stored with particular care. If the packaging is damaged, it is no longer effective.
Foodstuffs packaged in a modified atmosphere are also marked with a use-by date. In contrast to fresh products, it is clear to the consumer how long it can be enjoyed. The use-by date indicates the period in which bacteria and fungi do not noticeably multiply. Since the protective atmosphere slows down bacterial growth, the use-by date can also be found on the packaging.

Are there any health concerns?

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, food packaged in a protective atmosphere is not harmful to health.

The products in a protective atmosphere are regularly checked for their gas composition. This means that the composition of the air in the packaging is checked. In an investigation by the State Office for Consumer Protection in Saxony-Anhalt, for example, the ambient air was completely replaced in 90 percent of the products.

One final tip: if you’re buying groceries that are packaged in a modified atmosphere, check the packaging for damage. She just looks undamaged.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Flat White: What is it Actually?

“A flat white, please” – This coffee order can now be heard in many hip cafés and coffee shops. But what is a flat white and how does it differ from a cappuccino? Here you will find everything you need to know about the popular type of coffee from Australia, including preparation tips and recommendations.

Flat White: difference to cappuccino

In many ways, the flat white is similar to a cappuccino. The ingredients and cup size for flat white coffee are the same as for cappuccino, but the type of preparation differs between the two coffee drinks. As a rule, the cappuccino consists of a simple espresso and hot milk – a liquid part and a part of solid milk froth, which often protrudes slightly over the rim of the cup. The flat white, on the other hand, is often prepared with a ristretto – i.e. a stronger espresso variant. However, many still prefer their “flat whites” with a double espresso instead of a ristretto. Compared to a cappuccino, you get significantly more coffee with a flat white. The preparation differs from barista to barista.

Another difference between the two types of coffee is the milk froth. While this is relatively firm in a cappuccino, it is much more liquid and fine-pored in flat white coffee. In addition, the milk froth layer is significantly thinner than in a classic cappuccino. This makes the milk foam ideal for latte art, small works of art that the baristas conjure up in the milk foam.

Incidentally, the flat white coffee also got its name from the fine-pored milk froth: Since this is much more liquid than that of a cappuccino, it closes with the cup and cannot protrude over the rim of the cup.

Where does the Flat White come from?

At the end of World War II, the coffee culture of the Italians and the tea culture of the English merged as many of them emigrated to Australia in hopes of a new chapter in life. New coffee drinks quickly emerged, such as today’s flat white coffee. The term flat white first appeared in Australia in the 1980s and quickly spread around the world. Flat white coffee had its breakthrough in 2010 when it made it onto the menu of the famous coffee chain Starbucks.

Flat White – Recipe

For a flat white coffee you need:

  • two espressos
  • about 100 ml fine-pored milk froth
  • milk can
  • espresso machine
  • milk frother

Flat White

First, brew two espressos with your fully automatic coffee machine. Then froth the milk until it is about 60-65 °C warm and pour it into the coffee. Swirl the jug carefully so that the milk and froth do not separate. The foam should be about 5 mm thick. A spoon for stirring is not necessary. However, there are many different Flat White recipes. In some, milk froth is completely undesirable.

Whether espresso or ristretto: the Flat White recipes vary according to personal taste. So it’s entirely up to you which variant you prefer!

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Water: How Much Do I Actually Use?

Water is precious, so we should use it carefully. Here are some tips for your own water management.

Kitchen, bathroom and garden: Where is the most water used?

For many, the daily shower is part of the fixed ritual at the start of the day. Accordingly, it is not surprising that 36 percent of water consumption is used for body care. The second largest item is toilet flushing with a full 27 percent. This means that almost two thirds of the water in households is used in the bathroom. That makes this room the number one water guzzler in the home. The proportion for eating, drinking and washing dishes is comparatively low at ten percent. The rest is needed for cleaning purposes and in small businesses.

You can count on these average water costs

The cost of drinking water is based on the amount consumed and a fixed fee. Added to this is the fee for the waste water, which makes up a significant part of the water price. The costs for one cubic meter of cold water are therefore around 2 euros, including the waste water fee 4.40 euros.

Tips for saving water in everyday life

Saving water is worthwhile financially and to protect our environment. Here are some tips on where and how you can reduce your water consumption:

In the bathroom: take a shower instead of a bath, turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, buy a water-saving shower head, press the stop button in the “little shop” on the toilet.

In the kitchen: always fully load the dishwasher and run it on the eco program, wash the salad in a bowl instead of under running water.

In the garden: collect water for watering in a rain barrel, water the garden (or balcony plants) in the evening to avoid evaporation.

By the way: Even if saving water is generally a good idea, it shouldn’t be overdone either. Because sometimes it can also lead to problems if not enough water flows through the pipes.

Keep Reading
By
health

Grapefruits Endanger The Effectiveness of The Contraceptive Pill: That is Actually Behind The Claim

Not only are grapefruits delicious, they are also one of the healthiest fruits around. However, it is well known that grapefruit and medication do not make a good mix. The bitter fruit repeatedly triggers interactions, including the birth control pill.

Grapefruit: The vitamin-rich bitter fruit

Like oranges, tangerines and clementines, the grapefruit belongs to the rue family. The bitter fruit comes in two varieties: one white, with light yellow flesh, and one red, with pink to red flesh. Like all citrus fruits, grapefruits have a high vitamin C content and are very healthy. Three grapefruits a day already cover the daily vitamin C requirement. The delicious bitter fruit also has many other nutrients. That is why it is also considered the queen of citrus fruits.

In addition to the valuable vitamin C, it also provides folic acid, the vitamin A precursor beta carotene and some B vitamins in smaller quantities. The fruit also contains minerals, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphate.

Studies show that the juice from the bitter fruit can help lower blood sugar levels and is therefore used to prevent diabetes. Since the grapefruit is very low in calories and the bitter substances in the fruit stimulate digestion and fat burning, people like to use it as a natural slimming aid. However, the fruit is not entirely harmless. It triggers interactions in connection with certain medications. Especially women who take birth control pills have to be careful.

Interaction: This is how grapefruit affects the birth control pill

Studies have long confirmed that grapefruit has a negative impact on the effectiveness of some medications. As early as 1996, scientists were looking at the interaction between the consumption of grapefruit and the pill. The reason grapefruit has this effect on medications, and the pill in particular, is because of the ingredient naringenin.

The bitter substance naringin is responsible for the typical taste of grapefruit. When broken down in the stomach, it turns into naringenin, which has an inhibitory effect on degrading enzymes. The effect of the medication that is taken is thus increased. In addition to the contraceptive pill, heart, cancer and asthma drugs as well as sexual enhancers and antidepressants are affected. As little as 200 milliliters of juice can trigger these reactions.

In combination with the contraceptive pill, the interaction leads to an increase in the level of estradiol in the blood. This leads to a greater risk of side effects, such as breast tenderness. According to experts, the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and thrombosis also increases. The fabric in pomelos also has the same effect. These fruits should therefore only be eaten in small amounts or avoided altogether.

Grapefruit and Co: What other foods affect the pill?

Attention interaction: But grapefruit is not the only food that can trigger such interactions. In addition to the bitter citrus fruit, you should also pay attention to possible interactions when taking the medicinal plant St. John’s wort. The remedy is taken in the form of dry extracts, teas or oils. The plant is said to work wonders for premenstrual syndrome, gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia and panic attacks. It is even used as a prescription drug for depression.

However, St. John’s wort influences enzymes in the liver and intestines. This means that foreign substances are broken down more quickly. So does the active ingredient in the pill. The interaction is relatively low, but there is a risk of an unwanted pregnancy.

In principle, all foods that lead to diarrhea can also limit the effectiveness of the pill. Because with diarrhea, part of the active ingredient is lost. So if you are prone to diarrhea, you should remember to use additional contraception. Food such as dried fruit, apple and orange juice, prunes, dairy products, particularly fatty foods and too much coffee are particularly conducive to diarrhea.

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

The Small Pocket in The Jeans – What is it Actually For?

Everyone knows them: the small pocket that is attached to the right front of jeans. But what is this mini bag actually for?

Pants for gold diggers and cowboys

If you want to know what the little pocket on the jeans is all about, you have to look far back into textile history: in 1873 the fabric dealer Levi Strauss designed the jeans as robust workwear for gold diggers in San Francisco. The practical trousers were soon also worn by cowboys, farmers, lumberjacks and soldiers. While the first ones were sewn from brown canvas, later new cotton fabrics from France were used – so-called “denim”. The new cotton fabric was dyed with indigo blue. Levi Strauss’ partner, the tailor Jacob Davis, reinforced the corners of the trousers with rivets. So they became even more stable and looked about the way you know them today.

Because the jeans were primarily intended to be practical at work, they had large pockets for tools. On top of one of these pockets, however, was a smaller one. The men could keep their pocket watches in it, which at that time were usually carried on a chain.

Strauss called the small bag “watch pocket”. Coins were later also stowed in it – which gave it the name “coin pocket”.

Today it fits in the small jeans pocket

Jeans today usually have five pockets. The fifth, which is placed on the front right, is a little smaller than it used to be. A pocket watch no longer fits in. But hardly anyone wears them anymore. So is the mini pocket on the jeans just a decoration these days? What else could you store in it – apart from coins? A shopping cart chip, a ticket, a lighter, a single key, a lipstick, paperclips, a handkerchief, a tampon, a condom, a candy, your USB stick… Just remember, everything before the next wash to fumble out again.

In short, the fifth jean pocket is similar to the information you just read here: Not too useful. But an entertaining side thing.

Speaking of which: Levi Strauss originally came from Buttenheim in the Upper Franconian district of Bamberg. Seen in this way, jeans are somehow also a Franconian invention, right?

Keep Reading
By
Food

Can Mineral Water Actually go Bad?

Do you know that? An open bottle of mineral water suddenly tastes stale after a while. This inevitably raises the question of whether mineral water can go bad?

Mineral water from PET bottles lose their taste more quickly

It’s not that easy. The best-before date is prescribed by law and is not an official expiry date. According to the German mineral water information center, “mineral water can still be enjoyed without hesitation even after the deadline has expired.”

Water in plastic bottles has a shorter expiry date than water in glass bottles. There is a specific reason for this: water from plastic bottles loses its taste faster because oxygen can penetrate the PET bottle better than glass.

It is also rumored that hormone-like chemicals could escape into the water if the PET bottle were to heat up. A study by the University of Frankfurt am Main examined this suspicion. The biologists Jörg Oehlmann and Martin Wagner reported that twelve of the 20 types of mineral water tested contained a hormone similar to female estrogen.

Why does my mineral water taste stale?

The biologists also report that the estrogenic load in PET bottles is twice as high as in glass bottles. One reason for this could be the plasticizers contained in the plastic. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, there are indications that this could gradually detach itself from the plastic and migrate into the water. It has not yet been confirmed whether this can also lead to health problems, but it is at least suspected.

Nevertheless, opened bottles should be consumed within a few days. Because microorganisms such as bacteria can get into the open bottle – and multiply there quickly. This happens quickly, especially in the summer when it is bright and very warm, according to the researchers at the Mercy Medical Center. Therefore, it is also recommended to store opened bottles in cool places.

Keep Reading
By
health

A Glass of Wine a Day: Actually Healthy? That’s What Experts Say

A glass of red wine a day is good for the heart – right? Scientists have studied the effects of daily alcohol consumption on heart disease and found: This myth can be dangerous for some people.

Be careful with heart disease: it is better to do without the daily glass of wine

Dora Csengeri from the University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg explains the results as follows: “People with moderate alcohol consumption had a 16 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared to abstinent people. Around 6000 of the study participants suffered during this time atrial fibrillation for the first time.” The cardiologist Csengeri confirms the connection between already low alcohol consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

It has long been known that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the heart. The difference to previous research with this study is that even small amounts of alcohol can trigger heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation, reports heart specialist Andreas Götte of the German Heart Foundation. The scientist and doctor Csengeri therefore emphasizes: “With regard to atrial fibrillation, regular consumption of even small amounts must be discouraged”.

Csengeri adds the following in connection with the misconception that regular consumption of small amounts of alcohol, such as a glass of wine, does not harm or even protect the heart: “20 grams of alcohol per day have a certain protective effect”. However, the researcher explicitly points out that this positive effect only relates to cardiac insufficiency and heart attacks – in no way to atrial fibrillation.

Conclusion: Is it safe to drink a glass of wine?

The heart expert Andreas Götte emphasizes that the right balance is relevant when consuming alcohol. According to the German Heart Foundation, his recommendation is as follows:

People who are completely abstaining from alcohol should not start because of possible health benefits.
People with atrial fibrillation should reduce their alcohol consumption significantly or even completely avoid alcohol.
People who only occasionally drink a glass of alcohol should not be afraid of atrial fibrillation and, at best, can benefit from the positive effects on the risk of heart attack and heart failure.
People who consume alcohol regularly should be aware of the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Keep Reading
By
health

Losing Weight With Chips and Coke? Yes, it Actually Works – This is The Secret Trick to Achieving Your Desired Weight

Lose weight without much effort? – That’s fine. Because the key to every success in losing weight is not in meager diets: A fitness expert explains why it can theoretically also work with chips and cola to let those annoying pounds tumble.

In theory, you can also lose weight with chips and cola

The calorie requirement is the index of energy that the body needs to function. However, this is not the same for every person, but individual. Nutrients are divided into three so-called “macronutrients” or “macros”. These are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
one gram of carbohydrates is over four calories
a gram of protein is over four calories
a gram of fat over nine calories
Fitness trainer Yannick Reinlein is certain that you can fill your calorie balance with unhealthy foods. For example, you can very well lose or maintain your weight with a diet that consists only of chips. However, Reinlein emphasizes that from his point of view this is not recommended. “You can definitely lose weight with the motto calories equal calories, but whether that’s healthy is a completely different question,” he says.

According to Reinlein, there are two main reasons why you shouldn’t do this: satiety and the feeling of hunger. “50 grams of carbohydrates from potatoes or gummy bears make no difference in terms of the calorie balance, but potatoes have a significantly higher satiety effect. So you don’t have to go hungry,” says Reinlein.

After all, unhealthy foods don’t have this name from just anywhere. Logically, it’s ultimately about the calorie balance that keeps the body functioning, but similar to an internal combustion engine, it’s always important to have the right fuel for the engine in question. “It’s exactly the same as cream and salmon. Both have fat, but the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in salmon is much higher than that in cream, making it a much healthier source of fat,” explains the fitness expert.

You can lose weight by eating unhealthy foods

Especially with a diet that focuses on losing weight, it is important to change your diet and use healthy foods. True to the motto “you are what you eat”, nutrition is the lynchpin for physical well-being.

“A healthy body loses weight better than a sick one. Digestion is negatively affected by an unhealthy diet, and it can also promote the formation of inflammation in the body. Only when the body is healthy can it fully perform the function of burning fat,” says Reinlein.

Nevertheless, everyday movement should not be underestimated. Every step and every extra effort ensures that the calorie turnover increases. Consequently, if you burn a lot, you also need a higher calorie intake. Conversely, this means that you increase your calorie turnover through an increased amount of exercise and the combustion is boosted. If you then also save on calorie intake here, you will quickly lose weight. A good example of this is Bernd Stelter. According to him, he has only changed small habits, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or simply walking more every day. With success: Stelter has become a whole 25 kilos lighter!

Additional movement increases combustion

Ultimately, it is even true: Calories equal calories. But even if the body functions equally well on a diet of chips and cola as on a diet of vegetables and meat, you can’t compare it. This confirms that you can lose weight through an unhealthy diet, but that there is no guarantee that you will be healthier afterwards than before. If you also want to go one step further and lose weight as quickly as possible, you will still not be able to do with additional exercise. Nevertheless, the old rule applies here too: Patience makes perfect.

Keep Reading
By