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Avocado Against Dry, Brittle and Damaged Hair

You certainly know the problem: your hair looks dull, brittle, or stressed. Reasons for this can be frequent coloring but also unfavorable weather conditions. Especially now, when the fresh season begins, cold, dry weather and heating air ensure that hair loses its shine and strength.

In such cases, it is not always possible to go to the hairdresser. In addition, care products are often overpriced and have a short-term effect. Completely different from a weekly avocado pack.

Shiny hair, all-natural

Common hair care products are often too expensive. In addition, they often contain silicone-like components, which we do not yet know what they will do to our hair in the long term. Just one large, ripe avocado and one tablespoon of honey a week will change the texture of your hair in the long run. The moisture level improves significantly and your hair looks shiny and healthy!

Avocado, good for hair and scalp

For this moisture pack, just mash up an avocado and add a tablespoon of honey. First, wet your hair with warm water. Make sure the water is not too hot. This is not good for the scalp. Now massage the avocado-honey mixture into your hair. Now leave the pack on for 30 minutes.

Moisture pack with great effect

The pack is best absorbed under a shower cap or wrapped in a towel. After about 30 minutes, the essential oils of the avocado fruit have penetrated. They now give your hair an unmistakable shine and help to rebuild brittle areas. Now all you have to do is rinse your hair and wash it off with little shampoo.

…and her hair shines with new freshness!

This moisture pack is a time and money saver. Apply only once a week and you will see that your hair radiates strength and freshness after a very short time. A little tip: If you can’t find a ripe avocado, just take an unripe one and wrap it in the newspaper for 1-2 days. Then she is ready for your hair treatment!

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Lifestyle

5 Face Masks for Clean Facial Skin Against Impure Skin

Many natural home remedies for blemished skin and homemade face masks for pimples. With the masks against pimples, you will quickly get beautiful, youthful, and pimple-free skin. These masks are also very suitable for young girls because they contain no chemical substances. Most importantly, allergic reactions cannot occur.

If your skin has just been cleansed, you should avoid wearing make-up, as the make-up could worsen the problem of acne. However, you should definitely consult a dermatologist if you suffer from severe acne problems.

Home remedies help with impure skin

Our instructions for a face mask to cleanse your impure skin. Skincare with masks can be used very well as a home remedy for impure skin, especially on the face. The reasons for impure skin are pimples and blackheads. Furthermore, stressed facial skin and greasy facial skin, psoriasis or herpes.

Preparations for the face masks

Face masks for skincare should always be applied for 20-30 minutes in the evening before going to bed. The reason is simple: the skin gets a restful sleep after the treatment. Before the face mask, you should clean the skin of the face and neck with hot compresses or hot water. and thus prepare the mask for about 10 minutes.

1) Cucumber mask with honey against pimples

The mask made of cucumber, clay, and honey helps against pimples even at a young age, quickly and cheaply. If you tend to have oily skin and don’t want to use chemicals, try a mask made from purely natural products. You can mix them fresh at any time and it’s also very cheap.

For this, you need half a cucumber, 2 tablespoons of acacia honey, and a tablespoon of green clay powder. Now peel the cucumber and best puree it, add the honey and the clay and mix everything very well until you get an even mass… Apply the mask evenly and leave it on for about 20 minutes, then wash it off with lukewarm water.

2) The egg yolk honey mask against pimples

An egg yolk and honey mask, which can also be applied regularly, is particularly helpful for unpleasant pimples. For the mask, all you have to do is mix a little egg yolk and honey, then the mass should work on the skin for an hour. Although the pimple does not disappear as quickly as it came, for example, with regular use, blemishes can be effectively prevented.

3) Tomatoes as an anti-pimple mask

Do you need urgent relief for pimples on your face? Try a fresh tomato mask that has an antibacterial effect on the skin. To do this, mix two tomatoes with a teaspoon of honey in a blender and apply the mask to impure, oily skin for 10 minutes. You can then rinse off the mask with lukewarm water and your skin will be noticeably cleaner.

4) Eliminate blemishes with healing earth

If you want to fight the blackheads and pimples on your face, you can do this best with the help of a mask made of healing clay. To do this, mix three tablespoons of healing earth with chamomile tea until a spreadable paste is formed. Leave the cream on for about 15 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water to remove any blemishes.

Small pimples and blackheads can sometimes form on even the clearest skin and are often annoying and difficult to combat. However, if you cannot get rid of your impurities with creams and care products, you should try a weekly steam bath. A steam bath with chamomile blossoms, in particular, cleans the pores and quickly gives them a clear, pimple-free complexion.

5) Cottage cheese and parsley pack for inflamed skin

A face mask as a home remedy for inflamed skin or pimples always helps when your facial skin is blotchy or reddened or even slight inflammation can be seen. Then you should treat your skin to a nourishing and soothing face mask made from quark and parsley (quark and parsley pack). To do this, mix three tablespoons of cream quark (or whole milk or natural yogurt) with half a cup of finely chopped parsley and apply the mask to your face. After about 20-30 minutes you can remove the mask and experience a pleasant feeling of freshness.

Applying the face masks

The face mask is then applied with a flat, soft, and wide brush. You should rest as relaxed as possible for the entire duration of the face mask (exposure time). After the exposure time, you can carefully wash off your face mask with lukewarm water and then care for your facial skin with mild and nourishing skin oil.

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Eating Sweet Potatoes Raw: What Speaks For and What Speaks Against it

You can eat sweet potatoes raw, but not regular potatoes. But what about the unhealthy oxalic acid in sweet potatoes? Here’s how healthy raw sweet potatoes really are.

Eat sweet potatoes raw: That’s why they’re the better potatoes

It sounds paradoxical: while you should never eat potatoes raw, that’s no problem with sweet potatoes. But the reason is obvious: sweet potatoes are not potatoes at all. Instead, sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family and not to the nightshade family like the potato. So sweet potatoes are much more of a root. Compared to potatoes, sweet potatoes also contain no solanine. This is the toxic substance, which is why you should not eat potatoes raw.

Sweet potatoes contain many healthy ingredients. While some are broken down during cooking and baking, when consumed raw you can benefit from:
Carotenoids and anthocyanins (antioxidants)
Potassium (helps against stress, among other things)
Minerals such as calcium, zinc and iron
Vitamin A (good for the eyes)
Vitamin C (strengthens the immune system)
Vitamin E (protects against free radicals)
lots of carbohydrates with a high fiber content, which keeps you full for longer.
Basically, you can eat sweet potatoes raw and benefit from the many good ingredients. However, it contains oxalic acid, which can be harmful to humans.

Oxalic Acid in Sweet Potatoes – What Does It Mean?

Sweet potatoes contain quite a lot of oxalic acid. This damages the kidneys, but can be broken down by boiling or long soaking. At the same time, oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of magnesium, calcium and iron. For this reason, you should be careful not to consume excessive amounts of foods high in oxalic acid. So you can eat sweet potatoes raw, but in moderation and not by the kilo.

The combination is also important: For example, calcium promotes oxalic acid absorption. So when you combine calcium-rich foods like broccoli with sweet potatoes, the oxalic acid will be balanced. You can also combine kale, soy strips or sesame seeds.

According to the Bavarian consumer advice center, it is not a problem to eat sweet potatoes raw from time to time: “Unlike table potatoes, sweet potatoes can also be served raw as finger food or in a salad,” says nutrition expert Silke Noll from the consumer advice center.

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Natural Home Remedies Against Viruses

A sore throat can quickly develop into a severe cold. Above all, the body needs rest and relaxation so that it can activate its self-healing powers. These counteract the common cold. After a successful recovery, it is also possible to fulfill everyday duties again without any problems. But what if time is of the essence and there is no improvement after just a few days?

The way to the doctor is then an option. The doctor will prescribe medicines that will speed up the healing process. A very effective remedy for bacterial infections is antibiotics. However, these also have some side effects, so the doctor decides whether their use makes sense. In many cases, however, it is not bacteria that are responsible for the infection, but viruses. Antibiotics do not help against these. The body has to fight the virus itself. The doctor may prescribe supportive medication. You can also try natural home remedies.

Supporting drugs from the pharmacy

The medications that you can get at the pharmacy, such as nasal sprays and lozenges, provide relief but do not work directly against the virus. Vitamin and mineral preparations are intended to strengthen the immune system but do not work directly against viruses.

Herbal products from the pharmacy

One herbal product that is commonly used is purple coneflower extract. In some clinical studies, the plant has been found to have an antiviral effect by stimulating the immune system. However, the effect remains controversial, in other clinical studies, the effect could not be proven.

Another herbal remedy that is commonly used is an extract of pelargonium root. This has an expectorant and antibacterial effect. This supports the body. It also has a positive effect on the immune system, which inhibits viral replication. However, the effectiveness of the Perlagonium extract has not been scientifically proven.

Home remedies: prevention, exercise, and nutrition

The most effective way to fight a cold is prevention. Endurance sports and the intake of vitamin C and zinc can strengthen the immune system in the long term, which then reduces susceptibility to infections. When it comes to nutrition, make sure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. The essential oils of garlic, ginger, and onion have a strong antibacterial effect, which helps the immune system. Adequate, healthy sleep also helps the body regenerate and is essential for a healthy immune system.

Stress avoidance

The immune system is sensitive to stress. If possible, you should avoid this. Regular relaxation baths can also be beneficial for the immune system by promoting stress reduction and having an expectorant effect. Yoga or special relaxation exercises can also help to reduce stress again and again so that the body can regenerate completely. This in turn benefits your immune system and thus strengthens your resistance to harmful environmental influences of all kinds.

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Tips and Foods Against Vitamin B Deficiency

Tips and foods against vitamin B deficiency at a glance. Vitamin B is a vitamin group made up of eight vital substances. Each of the substances can be lacking and is to be compensated for in a targeted manner.

Home remedies and foods with vitamin B

Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid are particularly important for your health and well-being. The metabolism is disturbed in the event of a deficiency. Stress from long-term stress or caring for relatives is often the result.

The vitamin B deficiency in water-soluble B vitamins

Vitamin B is a vitamin group consisting of eight vital substances. These are the vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, nicotinic acid), B5 (pantothenic acid), and B6 ​​(pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid), B12 (cobalamin). Women in the first trimester of pregnancy and who want to have children should take 0.4 milligrams of folic acid a day. Vegans may need more vitamin B12. However, excessive doses of B6, folic acid, and nicotinic acid can cause nerve damage. Our tips compensate for a deficiency.

1) Folic acid (B9) in fortified salt

Too much salt is not healthy, so the right salt is important. Salt enriched with folic acids, such as the Bad Reichenhall iodized salt, contains 100 micrograms of folic acid. The German Society for Nutrition recommends 400 micrograms for young people and adults and 600 for pregnant women who can hardly manage with nutrition alone.

2) Folic acid in food

Green leafy vegetables contain a lot of folic acids. Because the vitamin is sensitive to light, air, and heat, eat it fresh or raw. Add legumes and whole grains to your diet. At the top are beef liver (590 micrograms/100 g), wheat germ (520), and chickpeas. Egg yolks are also rich (a 60g egg has 40 micrograms). Many multifruit and multivitamin juices contain folic acid. Frequent consumption and additional vitamin preparations could become too much. Preparations that contain other vitamins or minerals in addition to folic acid have no effect with an adequate diet.

3) Folic acid in the vitamin supplement

With the exception of “Radiopharm” (400 micrograms per tablet), the folic acid preparations tested by Stiftung Warentest were not recommended because they exceeded the recommended intake.

4) Food for vitamin B1 deficiency

Typical symptoms of vitamin B deficiency are also neurological disorders, cardiac muscle weakness, and general muscle atrophy. Memory can suffer in alcoholics. In addition to less alcohol, foods such as fish, grain products, legumes, and pork should be eaten more often.

5) Vitamin B2 for fat and protein breakdown

One to two milligrams of B2 a day protects red blood cells and the lens of the eye and creates healthy skin, mucous membranes, and intact nails. A shortage is rare in this country. Yeast, cereals, legumes and milk, cheese, and offal contain a lot of vitamin B2.

6) Vitamin B3 for more energy

The need for niacin is energy-dependent. It converts supplied fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy. A varied, fresh diet easily covers the need. With animal foods such as liver and fish, meat and whey products, as well as whole grain products, legumes and potatoes, mushrooms and bananas, and coffee, you are there.

7) Vitamin B5 for a weakened immune system

The body needs B5 or pantothenic acid for carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism and also for wound healing and a healthy immune system. The vitamin is found in almost all animal and plant foods. The innards such as liver and kidneys, as well as herring, yeast, egg yolks and legumes, cauliflower, and mushrooms, are particularly good.

8) Vitamin B6 for protein metabolism and formation of amino acids

The body needs one to two milligrams per day. The need is usually covered with a balanced diet, even in pregnant women or athletes. There is a lot of vitamin B6 in yeast, cereals, bananas, and vegetables as well as in offal, milk, and eggs.

9) Vitamin B7 Biotin for hair, skin, and nails

The best way to meet your vitamin B7 needs is with a fresh, balanced diet. Food rich in biotin is legumes, whole grain products, soy products, egg yolk, yeast, and nuts.

10) Vitamin B12 for new cells as well as functioning nerves

B12 is important for the synthesis of genetic material, cell renewal, and nerves. In addition, the folic acid needs the vitamin for activation. Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products. Only sea buckthorn is an exception when processing the fruit peel.

11) Vitamin B overdose

A vitamin B deficiency cannot occur with a healthy diet, but an overdose can cause damage. Most B vitamins are safe. Exceptions are vitamin B3, B5, B6, and folic acid.

High doses of vitamin B3 cause itching, nausea, heartburn, and bouts of redness and hot flashes. Excessive intake of vitamin B5 leads to gastrointestinal disorders. Prolonged vitamin B6 overdose is neurologically noticeable. A folic acid excess leads to insomnia, nervousness, and gastrointestinal problems. Too much folic acid impairs the effectiveness of anti-epileptic drugs.

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Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy: These Foods Help Against it

Many women are iron deficient during pregnancy. During this time, pregnant women have an increased need for iron. But you can prevent iron deficiency with various foods.

Iron is an important substance for the formation of red blood cells and is essential for the human body. A woman needs about 15 milligrams of iron per day – a balanced diet is normally sufficient for this.

The problem: During pregnancy, the need for iron temporarily doubles. After all, the expectant mother has to take care of the unborn baby in her womb. However, every third pregnant woman does not manage to get enough iron from food, so that many suffer from iron deficiency. However, you can recognize the deficiency by different symptoms and compensate with different foods.

Recognize iron deficiency in pregnancy

The symptoms of iron deficiency are often very non-specific. Acute iron deficiency usually occurs in the last trimester of pregnancy, which is why you should pay particular attention to the following signs from the 6th month:
Fatigue,
constant exhaustion,
Forgetfulness,
concentration problems,
hair loss,
pale skin,
brittle nails,
cracked corners of the mouth,
weakened immune system,
declining physical performance.
In the case of an extreme iron deficiency, the body hardly produces any red blood cells. This can lead to what is known as anemia. In this case a doctor must be consulted. Because red blood cells are important for the baby and the placenta to grow. A 2016 study found that iron deficiency in babies can impair brain development, among other things.

Foods for iron deficiency in pregnancy

To a certain extent, you can prevent and treat iron deficiency yourself during pregnancy. In return, you consume more iron-rich foods and drinks. We recommend that you get the food in organic quality and from the region. In this way you avoid unnecessary pesticides and superfluous transport routes.

The most iron-rich grain product is wheat bran. This contains about 15mg of iron.
Millet flakes are also impressive with around 9mg per 100g.
In addition to a lot of vitamins, pumpkin seeds also contain a lot of iron.
You can also add more dried lentils and white beans to your diet if you suspect iron deficiency.
Soybeans, chickpeas and tofu also contain a lot of the important trace element.
Although spices are only consumed in small amounts, the following spices, for example, contain a lot of iron: cardamom, parsley and cinnamon.
Egg yolk contains about 5.5mg of iron per 100g.
Red juices contain a large amount of iron: beetroot and black currant in particular, but also beets are suitable.
Tip: The body can absorb iron particularly well in combination with vitamin C. Therefore, make sure to supplement your iron-rich meal with fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C. Milk, on the other hand, inhibits iron absorption!

Important: If your iron deficiency gets worse or the symptoms persist for a long time, you should definitely consult a doctor. In order to avoid anemia, he may prescribe you iron-containing supplements.

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11 Tips Against Coronavirus Transmission and Infection

We show useful tips to protect you against coronavirus. With these simple rules of conduct, you can avoid virus transmission and stay healthy. How can you protect yourself from contracting the virus?

What are the coronavirus symptoms?

An infection with the coronavirus can be recognized by the fact that symptoms similar to the flu develop within the incubation period, i.e. the time between the ingestion of the pathogen and the onset of the disease.

In most cases, the virus manifests itself as a cough, runny nose, fatigue, and in most, but not all cases, fever. The virus has the effect that less oxygen can be absorbed through the lungs.

Older people, children, and people who have a weak immune system are particularly at risk of developing a dangerous course.

1) Thorough hand washing is the be-all and end-all

When you are out and about, be it for work or pleasure, wash your hands as often as possible. In particular, before you prepare food, for example, you should wash your hands thoroughly and with soap. Don’t forget to also care for your hands with soothing ointments afterward, so as not to risk damaging the skin.

2) Use disinfectants against viruses

Extensive hand disinfection can support thorough washing of the hands and prevent infection with the coronavirus.

3) Keep your distance from people

As you are used to when dealing with people who have the flu or a cold, it is also important to keep your distance from people who are showing symptoms of infection with the coronavirus. If you can’t avoid it, try to keep a minimum distance of about one and a half meters.

4) Use courageous protection against the coronavirus

A face mask protects you from the virus and at the same time all healthy people from infection. Therefore, to protect your fellow human beings in an emergency, it is advisable that you get a mouthguard to avoid further infection. But make sure to use respiratory protection masks of protection class FFP3.

5) Avoid physical contact

Of course, you’re used to shaking hands with other people to greet you. What is otherwise to be seen as a sign of courtesy now simply harbors unnecessary infection with pathogens of all kinds. Highly recommended not only in times of coronaviruses but also during the flu season.

6) Cough and sneeze properly

When coughing and sneezing, you should, as usual, be careful not to do so unprotected. This means the best thing to do is cough into the crook of your arm and sneeze into a disposable handkerchief. Of course, this handkerchief should then be disposed of immediately.

7) Do not take subways, trains, or buses

Avoid closed rooms with many other people. This is the ideal place to spread a virus. So for the time being, do without subways or buses. Rather ride a bike or walk.

8) Wash fruits and vegetables

All non-packaged foods such as fruits and vegetables absolutely need to be thoroughly toned down at home. You don’t know which pensioner coughed on the apples in the supermarket.

9) Stay healthy in other ways too

The coronavirus is particularly dangerous when your immune system is compromised. Therefore, you should be careful not to catch a normal cold. There are special tips to prevent colds and avoid illnesses.

10) No air travel to China

This extra tip for protection against the coronavirus sounds banal but has a great protective effect: Do not travel to China or the infected region of Wuhan. In general, avoid air travel, as this is where the infection is highest. Because viruses can spread wonderfully in a closed airplane.

11) Don’t spread panic about the coronavirus

Of course, you can also get infected if you follow all our tips and of course, we wish you the very best of health, but: if you discover symptoms of possible infection with the coronavirus, do not panic. Visit your family doctor and discuss your concerns with him.

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8 Tips Against Freezing and Cold in Winter

Tips against cold and freezing in winter for protection outside and inside. When it gets really cold, a cold or flu often follows. Housewives know many tips against cold and freezing in winter. Such home remedies warm and strengthen the immune system at the same time.

1) Drinks as a warming home remedy

Healthy tips against cold and freezing in winter include foods that help the body maintain or increase its temperature. Quick home remedies with a high effect are e.g. B. Warming drinks such as fresh ginger tea. And most of the ingredients for hot tea with honey are in the household.

Cocoa or coffee with a “shot” is also an option. When it comes to rum, eggnog, mulled wine, and punch, however, the following applies: You have to pay attention to the amount, as alcohol causes the body to lose temperature over the long term.

2) Strengthen the immune system with honey ginger tea

A tea made from fresh ginger and honey works better against the cold and freezing in winter than alcohol. The tried-and-tested home remedy is quick to prepare and strengthens your own defenses:

  • Put on hot tea water for one cup (approx. 300 ml).
  • Slice a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (about 3-5 pieces). Peeling is unnecessary.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of black tea to the ginger if desired.
  • Pour boiling tea water over it and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
  • Strain and sweeten with honey. Alternatively, use sugar or low-calorie stevia.
  • Adding lemon juice to the tea also strengthens, as housewives know. If you lose your temperature quickly, you should also try spices from private households.

3) Spices of warm food

You also have warming spices for the winter in your own household, such as ginger, chili, or pepper. They warm you from the inside and are suitable for both savory and sweet dishes. Try e.g. B. curries or spicy vegetable pans, also with marinated meat or poultry. The spiciness in the dishes heats up the metabolism so that the body releases heat.

Spiced desserts are popular tips for housewives against cold and freezing in winter. Try the following recipes with chocolate and chili:

Season a hot chocolate with chili powder as you like. DIY fans should try homemade dark chocolate with chili flakes. Chocolates and truffles with chili, ginger, or nutmeg offer new flavors.

With game dishes, a simple chocolate and chili sauce serves as an exotic change from the conventional roast sauce. Use dark chocolate if possible. The combinations of slightly tart chocolate and peppery chili are quick to make and taste fantastic. Positive side effects: They not only help against cold and freezing in winter. Due to the cocoa in the chocolate, the body releases more endorphins. It also lifts the spirits.

4) winter clothes

All housewives know that seasonal winter clothing is important. Without a hat and gloves, the body loses heat in these areas first. A hand-sized warming pad for your hands also helps to keep them from freezing when you are out and about. Another tip against rough, chapped winter hands is creamed with urea or panthenol.

5) Kidney Warmers

Kidney warming is actually used on motorcyclists. However, the effect is also possible for any clothing. Such a kidney warmer protects the entire abdomen from the cold. As a result, the whole body cools down less and the middle feels comfortably warm.

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Cooking Tips

Eating Avocado Seeds: What Speaks For and What Speaks Against it

Instead of eating the avocado pit, most people just throw it in the trash. The core contains extremely healthy ingredients. But what about the controversial bitter substance persin?

The avocado is considered a healthy superfood that is rich in unsaturated fatty acids as well as vitamins and minerals. Normally, however, we only talk about the pulp – the skin and core usually end up in the garbage.

In recent years, however, it has been found that the avocado seed contains healthy nutrients and antioxidants. So should you eat the avocado seed as well? Some swear by it, others advise against it.

Eating an avocado seed: It should be that healthy

The ingredients and health benefits of the avocado have been extensively studied – but only in relation to the pulp. The situation is different with the avocado core, where research is still in its infancy. However, previous nutrient analyzes sound promising: the avocado core contains many of the fruit’s healthy ingredients, even in a concentrated form.

The avocado seed provides the following nutrients:
vitamins,
minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron,
fiber,
Amino acids,
unsaturated fatty acids,
bitter substances,
phytochemicals such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, carotenoids.
These ingredients are all considered to be extremely beneficial to health. From a medical point of view, the unsaturated fatty acids, bitter substances and secondary plant substances are of particular interest. Because of these substances, the avocado seed is said to have many positive effects. Among other things, he should…

…protect cells from oxidation by free radicals,
…inhibit inflammation,
… prevent cardiovascular diseases,
… strengthen the immune system,
…prevent infections,
…stimulate the metabolism and
Prevent thyroid disorders.
Current research suggests that the avocado seed may lower cholesterol levels. It can also be used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

The antioxidant properties of the seed have already been scientifically confirmed. Beyond that, however, there is a lack of further investigations and studies on humans. So far, only research has been done on how avocado seed extract can affect the body – but not the consumption of the seed.

Potential Risks: Is the avocado seed toxic?

Because of the current research situation, the consumer advice center NRW warns against eating the avocado stone. Based on the current information, it is not certain to what extent it is healthy to consume the seed. In this context, reference is also made to the bitter substance persine, which is toxic to humans in large doses and is also found in the pulp of fruit and other types of fruit. Therefore, some voices strongly warn against eating the avocado seed. But even these claims have not yet been sufficiently substantiated.

The ingredients and possible health-promoting effects of the avocado seed sound promising. Since the popular fruit has a bad climate balance, it makes sense from an ecological point of view to use as many parts of the avocado as possible. However, due to the lack of human studies and long-term studies, we advise against eating the avocado stone in large quantities and only occasionally using it very sparingly in the kitchen.

In general, however, avocados are problematic from many perspectives: cultivation requires an enormous amount of water, which is scarce in most growing areas anyway. The mostly long transport routes worsen the ecological footprint even more. Blood also sticks to avocados from Mexico in particular, since the avocado trade there is controlled by the drug cartels. That’s why we strongly advise you to buy avocados only rarely – and if you do, then buy organic avocados from Europe, such as Spain or Italy.

Preparing the avocado seed: This is how you can eat it

The best way to use the avocado seed is to let it dry first. You have the following options for this:
Remove the brown skin from the avocado stone. This works best if you soak the core in water for a short time beforehand or let it dry for a day. Then let the washed core dry for 1-3 days.
Alternatively, you can also cut the fresh avocado seed into pieces or thin slices with a sharp knife and then let it dry. The fastest way to do this is in the sun or in a dehydrator. You can also lightly toast the pieces in a pan.
You can then prepare the dried pieces as follows:

If you have a powerful blender, you can mix parts of the avocado seed into smoothies. Since the core has a relatively tart, bitter taste, you should combine it with flavorful ingredients such as cabbage, rocket, spinach or berries.
You can use a kitchen grater to finely grate the avocado seed and add it to both sweet and savory dishes. For example, you can sprinkle the fine pieces over muesli or add them to the salad.
You can also prepare a tea from the avocado seed. Pour hot water over a teaspoon of the fine shredded pieces and let the tea steep for ten minutes before straining.
Attention: Also because of the slightly bitter taste, you should only add the core sparingly.

Tip: If you don’t want to eat the avocado seed, you can also germinate it and grow your own avocado plant.

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Eating Fennel Raw: What Speaks For and What Against

Fennel deserves a place on every plate. Eating it raw is especially healthy. We will tell you which valuable ingredients raw fennel contains.

We are most familiar with fennel as a tea against gastrointestinal complaints. In fact, fennel has always been considered a medicinal plant that can provide relief not only for flatulence and digestive problems. While it is a must in Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, fennel rarely finds a place on the menu in this country – unfortunately. Because fennel is aromatic and versatile.

Fennel contains the essential oils fenchone, anethole and myrcene, which are responsible for the light aniseed scent and taste. Anethold gives the fennel a sweet note, the fennel also makes the fennel taste a bit bitter.

You can prepare fennel in a number of ways: steam, roast, bake, grill, pickle or make into a soup. The easiest way to do this is to eat raw fennel. The crunchy vegetables also retain their valuable ingredients when processed raw. Heat can reduce the levels of certain vitamins, such as vitamin C.

However, fennel also contains substances that are not heat-sensitive, on the contrary: some substances, such as vitamin A, can be better absorbed by the body if they have been prepared with heat.

That’s why you should eat fennel raw

Fennel contains many important nutrients. The white-green tuber contains minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. Among other things, these substances ensure strong bones, a functioning oxygen transport system, and healthy hair and nails.

The essential oils are particularly effective substances. They have a positive effect on some gastrointestinal complaints. If you want to do something good for your stomach or your digestion with fennel, it is advisable to eat raw fennel. Because the essential oils evaporate quickly in the heat.

Fennel is also rich in vitamins. It contains vitamin C and B vitamins. These vitamins are heat sensitive. On the other hand, the vegetables also contain vitamin A, which can only be properly absorbed by the body after it has been heated.

Fennel therefore contains substances that can and cannot tolerate heat. Raw fennel is extremely healthy, but there’s no harm in cooking fennel from time to time. A cooking method that is very gentle is steam cooking. Only a few vitamins are lost in the process.

Here’s how you can eat raw fennel

Preparing the fennel for consumption is simple:
If necessary, you can remove the outer 1-2 very tough fennel leaves. With fresh fennel, however, this is usually not necessary.
Wash the fennel thoroughly and cut in half.
Remove the woody stalk and cut off the stalks. You can save these for soups.
The tender fennel green is also edible, you can chop it finely and use it as a topping for salads or sandwiches.
You can grate, grate or dice the fennel leaves into thin strips.

Raw fennel is suitable, for example…

As a vegetable snack: You can simply use thicker strips for dipping humus and the like.
In a salad: Finely chopped or chopped, fennel goes well with other raw vegetables, nuts and a light dressing.

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