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Rules When Driving: These 7 Rules Do Not Apply at All

The rules of driving are complex, but not all “rules” really apply. Seven folk myths are debunked below.

Which 7 “rules” do not apply at all?

1. Riding with flip-flops is prohibited
Driving with flip flops is not prohibited. Bussgeldkatalog.org writes that the legislature does not stipulate which shoes must be worn to drive a car. There is no penalty for a traffic stop.

2. You are not allowed to put on make-up while driving
Many will certainly have refreshed some powder at the wheel or put on their lipstick. You don’t have to feel guilty about this either, because a quick touch-up of make-up is fine when driving, as long as there is no danger to other road users.

3. Overtaking on the right is prohibited
The myth that overtaking is not allowed on the right persists, but it is not true. In heavy traffic on the autobahn, you can overtake on the right. Overtaking on the right-hand side is also permitted in built-up areas if there are several lanes for each direction and the lanes are not marked differently.

4. Winter tires must be fitted from October to Easter
Many people believe it is a duty to drive with winter tires from top to bottom. But this regulation only applies to certain situations, not to the season itself. On a dry and sunny day in December you can also drive with summer tires. It is still questionable whether this makes sense – in the event of an accident, this can lead to considerable problems for you.

5. Whoever rears up is to blame
This myth is not true either, because those driving ahead can also be fully or at least partly to blame. This applies in particular if the rear-end collision was provoked by the vehicle ahead, for example by unnecessarily sharp braking.

6. Flashing your headlights on the highway is illegal
The headlight flasher may be used on the Autobahn if someone is driving too slowly in the left lane. If this does not happen continuously, it can be used to signal that you want to overtake.

7. The police must be called after an accident
In the case of minor accidents, it is often not necessary to call the police. It is important to send an accident report to the insurance company, including photos of the accident site and damage. Then you have to clear the street.

dealing with the rules

All seven points are myths that are not true. However, you should always drive with foresight and restraint, which is why the statements should be qualified. In the event of an accident, partial guilt can be proven if wearing flip-flops led to the accident. The same applies to overtaking on the right-hand side: it is possible, but only if the speed is similar on both lanes.

Even if not all rules are legally written, you should still not take it to extremes, because many of them make sense.

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health

Cancer Diet as a Precaution: This is What The Right Anti-Cancer Diet is All About

Cancer diets are designed to protect against disease. In fact, these usually have a rather damaging effect on the body. Nevertheless, the right diet can reduce the risk of cancer. We explain what really matters.

What really matters when it comes to cancer diets

The fact that cancer feeds on sugar is an important finding, but it cannot simply be extrapolated to humans. Just because a cell in a laboratory petri dish responds a certain way doesn’t mean it will do the same in the human body.

So the statement “no sugar – no cancer” is wrong. Instead, it is true that diet has an influence on the development and progression of cancer. Contrary to what the avoidable experts and forums claim, however, it is not about omitting a specific nutrient. When eating, the risk of cancer lies elsewhere.

The most important principle when creating a menu to reduce the risk of cancer is that no matter what you eat, too much of it is never good. As the Apotheken-Umschau reports, obesity is one of the most dangerous factors when it comes to cancer and could even catch up with smoking cases in the next few years.

Belly fat as a risk factor for cancer

At least 13 types of cancer have now been identified where too many pounds increase the risk. These include some of the most common, such as colon, breast and prostate cancer. As more and more cancers are linked to obesity, obesity may have an overriding impact on tumors, unlike, for example, smoking, which only causes lung cancer.

According to the Apotheken-Umschau, for example, a woman with a body mass index of 30 would double her risk of gynecological tumors. Being overweight is not the direct cause of cancer, but only promotes its development and growth.

As reported by the German Cancer Research Center, among others, inflammatory processes and the increased release of hormones within the fatty tissue are primarily responsible for this. Such hormones in women are estrogen, for example. In addition, the fatty tissue is kept in a kind of permanent inflammatory state by the body due to an increased release of messenger substances.

Are there carcinogenic foods?

Eating a balanced diet is also important in preventing cancer. But are there foods that should be avoided completely? Scientists have actually identified a few foods that are likely to slightly increase the risk of cancer.

First and foremost is alcohol, which has been shown to increase the risk of certain types of tumours. Consumption of grilled, roasted and fried foods also increases the risk. These processes produce substances such as acrylamide and nitrosamines, which are classified as carcinogenic.

Moldy food is also strongly discouraged. Processed and red meat are also classified as harmful by the World Health Organization (WHO). This increases the likelihood of developing colon cancer. If you consume these products in moderation and not every day, the influence is rather small.

Eating right: is there a miracle cure for cancer?

If there are so many known carcinogens, are there foods that fight cancer? Although studies with promising results keep appearing, these could unfortunately never be repeated with equally good results. The idea that certain foods can work wonders for cancer patients or for prevention is hardly widespread among doctors today.

Since the body basically needs all nutrients, it is neither advisable nor necessary to completely avoid a group to prevent cancer, as suggested by new trend diets. The number 1 menu for reducing the risk of cancer is therefore mainly based on balance and wholeness. A low-meat diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grain products is the best way. You should also make sure that your protein is not only obtained from animal sources.

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Food

Shock For All Cola Fans: This Really Happens in Your Body After Just One Glass

For many, cola is a cult drink that is not only drunk as a cool refreshment, but also as a mixed drink at parties. But what effect does cola actually have on you? This is what happens after just one glass in your body.

Shocking news for all cola fans: this really happens in your body after just one glass

After all, cola is one of the most popular soft drinks, especially among children and young people. It’s no wonder, because the manufacturers’ advertising strategies seem to be working. On average, everyone drinks over 33 liters of cola a year (as of 2020). If you add the light versions, it is even more than 45 liters. Around 1.5 billion bottles are sold every day.

But what exactly is in the drink? What is it made of? The exact composition is closely guarded by the manufacturers.

But the main components are well known. These are water, carbon dioxide, flavors, colors, phosphoric acid, caffeine and sugar. And there is more than enough of the latter. A 0.2 liter glass of the dark fizz contains over 21 grams of it. And that’s more than 90% of the WHO recommended daily dose. And the light or zero version? There are artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, and a relatively large amount of phosphoric acid. Incidentally, the caffeine content is between 10 and 25 milligrams per 100 milliliters, depending on the manufacturer.

How unhealthy is cola really?

A nice ice cold cola. The taste on the tongue, the tingling of the carbonic acid. Who thinks at that moment what is happening in the body now? But maybe you should think about it a bit.

Let’s say you drink a 0.33 liter can. You’re immediately ingesting the equivalent of seven teaspoons of sugar. That’s already more than the World Health Organization recommends, which recommends six teaspoons. After 20 minutes, the blood sugar level reaches its peak. This causes insulin to be released, which prompts the liver to convert the sugar into fat. After 40 minutes, the caffeine intake is complete and the liver releases even more sugar. Blood pressure rises, the pupils dilate. In the brain, the adenosine receptors are blocked, which prevents sleepiness. After 45 minutes, the messenger substance dopamine is increasingly released. This ensures that we feel happiness and well-being. After an hour, the phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in the lower digestive tract, which boosts metabolism. This effect is amplified by the high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which drives the excretion of calcium in the urine.

After more than 60 minutes, caffeine’s diuretic properties kick in – you need to pee. And with it, calcium, magnesium and zinc, which, among other things, were intended for the bones, are excreted. Other electrolytes and of course water also leave the body. Now comes the sugar crash. You become nervous, irritable, sluggish, or all of them together. After a few hours, the caffeine crash follows. All the liquid you took in with the cola is gone. And with that, important nutrients that the body needs have literally ended up in the toilet.

Cola as a thirst quencher? These alternatives exist

If you now consider the effects that cola has on the body, what happens if you consume a lot of it over a longer period of time? Due to the yo-yo effect when it comes to sugar, the body demands more and more of it. You want to feel good, savor the happiness that dopamine brings about. And this is where the danger lurks. Too much sugar consumption can lead to obesity, diabetes and the associated damage.

The amount of 3 milligrams per day and kilogram of body weight should not be exceeded in children and adolescents. Together with the sugar consumed in large quantities, cola is therefore more than just questionable for young people.

Conclusion: Cola is not suitable as a thirst quencher. Along with fruit juices, cola is one of the luxury drinks and should therefore be enjoyed in moderation. Alternatives are spritzers or water, which you can enjoy with fruits or other ingredients as “infused water”. Homemade unsweetened iced tea can also be considered as an alternative. This turns thirst quenching into indulgence with no regrets.

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Superfood Oatmeal: This is How They Become a Real Fat Burner – All Day Long

Oatmeal is a true superfood, keeps you full for a long time and can help you lose weight. With this variant you can also boost fat burning.

Oatmeal is considered a superfood – why?

Oatmeal (Avena sativa) is tasty and versatile. As a low-gluten grain, they are also very trendy. They enhance your muesli, add the right bite to patties, can be baked into bread and rolls or provide sweet moments as delicious oatmeal biscuits. Despite their high calorie content, around 350 kilocalories per 100 grams, they can help you lose weight. In addition to the good taste, the crushed cereal grains also contain a lot of healthy nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals.

These healthy ingredients are found in oats
Complex carbohydrates keep you full longer because our body needs more time to digest long-chain carbohydrates. As a result, stomach emptying is much slower and you feel full longer. In addition, the blood sugar level rises only slowly and less insulin is required.
Dietary fibers are largely indigestible food components that swell up in the stomach and bind water. Oatmeal contains about 10 grams of dietary fiber in the form of pectin and cellulose for every 100 grams. These serve as food for the beneficial intestinal bacteria. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends that adults consume at least 30 grams of fiber per day.
Beta-glucan is a soluble dietary fiber that forms a kind of protective film on the stomach and intestinal mucosa. Studies show that beta-glucan has a positive effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The oat diet has also proven to be very effective for controlling blood sugar levels. The health-promoting properties of beta-glucans from oats and barley have been sufficiently proven in studies. Corresponding health claims (health-related information) have been approved by the European Commission and included in the positive list of permitted health-related information.
Minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc, manganese and selenium provide the body with an extra portion of important micronutrients.
Vitamins, of which the high content of B vitamins stands out, support important body processes.

This is how oats become a fat burner

To boost your fat digestion, you should include oat bran in your diet, which consists only of parts of the whole oat grain. Oat bran consists of the oat seedling and the outer layers of the endosperm. It is more like a coarse, coarsely ground flour and has a slightly nutty taste. The benefits of oat bran are:
Oat bran contains 15 grams of fiber per 100 grams, which is 50% more fiber than the pressed whole grain oatmeal.
Oat bran also has fewer calories (240 to 330 kilocalories per 100 grams) than oatmeal.
Oat bran contains less fat than oatmeal.
Oat bran contains more beta-glucan than oatmeal.
Although oat bran doesn’t contain all of the oat grain, it has most of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber of an oat grain, but fewer carbohydrates.
Oat bran is not very tasty on its own. But you can refine your muesli wonderfully with it. To increase the protein content here, it is best to combine oat bran with yoghurt, chia seeds or nuts. This automatically reduces the proportion of carbohydrates and you support fat burning. You can achieve an additional fat burner effect by adding spices such as ginger or cinnamon. If you also mix your oat bran muesli with water instead of milk, you save even more calories. But oat bran is also very valuable as a flour substitute when baking bread or biscuits and stirred into sauces.

Tips on buying and eating oatmeal and oat bran

Prefer organic quality: In addition to the health benefits, oat bran is also a very cheap food. Even in organic quality, oat bran remains affordable and long delivery routes are eliminated due to regional cultivation. The consumer magazine Öko-Test repeatedly finds impurities in oatmeal. In addition to glyphosate, these also include mold toxins, mineral oil and nickel. Among the oat flakes rated “very good” all of the first five places were organic products.
Increase fluid intake: Oat bran swells in the stomach, so it also increases stool volume and stimulates bowel movements. That’s why it’s very important that you drink enough fluids, otherwise constipation or, in the worst case, an intestinal blockage can occur.
Increase the amount slowly: You should also slowly get your body used to the higher fiber content, otherwise digestive problems such as flatulence can occur.
Be careful with digestive problems and allergies: If you suffer from swallowing problems or constrictions in the digestive tract, you should avoid oat bran.
If you are allergic to oats, eating oat bran is also not recommended.
If you suffer from celiac disease (gluten intolerance), you can use non-contaminated, gluten-free oats, which must be marked with the crossed-out ear of corn symbol.

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Lifestyle

Hair Care for All Hair Types and Hair Problems

An overview of natural hair care with home remedies for all different hair types and for the most common hair problems. Tips and tricks for gently caring for your hair. No matter what hair problem there is, there is a solution for each one. Whether this is short-term or long-term depends on the nature of the application. But also pay attention to the right care of the hair in advance, so you don’t have to use the tips in the first place.

Haircare for different hair types

Proper hair care for different hair types is a very individual subject. In other words, you can only treat your hair with a special hair care product if you really know what your hair is like. It is therefore highly recommended that you get to know your own hair type and hair structure well when you visit the hairdresser.

A pharmacy may also be able to help. For example, shampoos with chamomile or moisturizers such as panthenol help with dry hair and horsetail or saw palmetto extracts with oily hair, as they prevent sebum formation. Overall, the healthy and virtual scalp is always to be seen as the basis for beautiful hair. The appearance of the hair is again dependent on the right hair care. And that in turn depends on the hair type.

Home remedies for limp hair

If you don’t have much time and want to spice up your limp and tired hair, you can use a curling iron. This allows you to bring a little more volume into the hairline. Even a little break for stressed hair works wonders. Just tie a scarf around your head and let your hair breathe. If you have a little time, you should wash your hair with a cleansing shampoo, this frees the hair from deposits.

Never use normal conditioners for fine hair, rather a mask and leave it on for a short time. Also, keep your hands off too many care and styling products, these only weigh down the hair unnecessarily. If you want a long-term solution, use a mask on fine hair before washing. Just no products that contain silicone, this is an additional burden on the hair. For a little more volume at the hairline, you can try it with a few highlights. The color gives a little more structure and volume.

What to do with greasy hair?

Current trends in hair accessories only benefit women with greasy hair, as a simple headband can easily hide a greasy hairline. Another tip for a quick fix is ​​talcum powder, also known as dry shampoo, which absorbs excess oil. However, do not apply too much and rub it in properly or it may appear like dandruff. When washing your hair, always use mild shampoos, because the harsher ones can usually stimulate the sebaceous glands, which then leads to even greasy hair.

It is best to wash your hair with lukewarm water and then rinse it with a little cold water. If you suffer from extremely greasy hair, you should use the shampoo on dry hair, after about 2.3 minutes you can rinse it out again. Then just carry on as usual. If you have greasy hair, don’t wash it too often, this usually leads to even greasy hair. It is best to only wash your hair every two days, on the other days you hide the greasy tips a little. Greasy parting or hairline can also come from product build-up, so using a cleansing shampoo once a week will help prevent it.

Get rid of frizzy hair in no time

To get rid of frizzy hair quickly, you can use a curling iron. The use of special anti-frizz products for the ends of the hair also works wonders. Also simply tying your hair up can hide the frizzy ends. Moisture tends to make frizzy hair even worse, but basically, hair is lacking in water.

Anti-frizz conditioners lock in moisture in the hair while protecting against moisture from the outside. In order to be free from frizzy hair in the long term, it is best not to use shampoo every day, this prevents dehydration. Use conditioner every time you wash your hair. It is best to stay away from gel or other styling products that leave deposits.

Vinegar for shine in hair

If your hair lacks shine and vibrancy, you should get the vinegar out of the pantry. This is particularly helpful against dry hair if you use a few tablespoons as the last rinse water when washing your hair with shampoo. The acidity in vinegar makes your hair shiny and keeps it looking fresh and healthy.

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Lifestyle

Simple Face Masks Made from Healing Clay for All Skin Types

Healing Earth is a traditional beauty product that is still valued and used all over the world today. Targeted treatments with healing earth are particularly suitable for gentle care of the skin. In the case of skin problems, healing earth should not only be applied externally but also taken as a cure at the same time. 1-2 teaspoons of healing earth in warm water, drunk in small sips, detoxifies and regenerates the body in the long term, which ultimately also affects skin, hair, and nails. Face masks with healing earth and additional essences such as herbal teas or essential oils can be prepared quickly and inexpensively. Continuous use replaces a visit to a beauty salon in the long run.

Additives for effective face masks made from healing earth

On the one hand, there is the possibility to add about 5-10 drops of good quality essential oil to the healing earth paste, on the other hand, you can mix the healing earth mixture with lukewarm herbal tea (1 teaspoon per cup). In the following, the appropriate healing earth application is presented for four different skin types.

Observe the exposure time of the face mask

Most face masks need a certain exposure time to show their full effect. You should use this waiting time sensibly and devote yourself entirely to your relaxation. It is best to treat yourself to a warm bath while it is taking effect, in order to strengthen the effect of the mask with the warm vapors. For all beauty masks made of healing earth, the exposure time is 20 to 30 minutes.

Care for oily and impure skin

Caused by a malfunction of the sebaceous glands and should be treated with a clarifying healing clay mask 1-2 times a week. Consider essential oils: lemon, cedar, mint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, or lavender. Please do not use it as a mixture, but use it individually. If you opt for a healing earth herbal tea treatment, the following herbs are available: yarrow, pansies, daisies, chamomile, arnica, and sage.

Care for sensitive skin

tends to quickly irritate the skin and requires particularly careful care. The healing earth mask should not dry up completely and should only be applied every 10 days. The following come into question as essential oils: calendula, geranium, and chamomile. The following are suitable for the herbal tea treatment: chamomile, linden blossom, lemon balm, calendula, and St. John’s wort. Honey or quark can also be mixed into the healing earth mash.

Care for dry skin

is often innate and you should pay particular attention to the right care products. The healing earth mask has a balancing effect, but do not let it dry out completely and only use it once a week if possible. The following come into question as essential oils: geranium, lavender, chamomile, and rose, as herbal tea chamomile and calendula. In addition, the healing earth paste should be enriched with a teaspoon of jojoba oil.

Care for mature skin

The aging of the skin takes place in stages and can be drastically accelerated by certain factors, in particular smoking but also an unhealthy diet. A rich healing earth mask provides blood circulation, tightens and nourishes the facial skin, and should be used once a week. The following essential oils are suitable: arnica, rosemary, rose, cypress, and ylang-ylang. The mask can also be enriched with egg yolk, honey, quark, or jojoba oil. Lavender and rosemary are good herbal teas.

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Lifestyle

“Paleo Diet”: That’s What The Stone Age Diet is all About

The “Paleo diet” only includes foods that our Stone Age ancestors ate. You can find out here what advantages and disadvantages it has and whether there is also a meatless version.

Paleo diet: Eat like in the Stone Age

Eating like in the Stone Age – according to this resolution followers of the Paleo diet eat. This is not a diet in the traditional sense. After all, you can eat as much as you want and you don’t have to count calories. Rather, the Paleo diet is a nutritional philosophy.

The representatives of this Stone Age diet adhere to the presumed diet of our ancestors – the hunters and gatherers. That is, they feed exclusively on foods that already existed in the Paleolithic period, such as:
fruit and vegetables
meat
Fish
eggs
nuts
Taboo, on the other hand, are foods that we have only been producing and consuming in large quantities since the invention of agriculture:
Grain
sugar
potatoes
Dairy products
legumes
and processed foods

Paleo diet to prevent lifestyle diseases

The basic idea behind this nutritional concept is that humans have spent far more time on this planet as hunters and gatherers than as sedentary farmers. His body therefore had more time to adapt to the diet of the time than to the modern diet.
Civilization diseases like
diabetes
high blood pressure
overweight
have arisen in our “settled time”. From this, proponents of the Paleo diet conclude that the Stone Age diet is more natural and tolerable.

Is the Paleo Diet Healthy?

There are few clinical studies examining the long-term effects of a Paleo diet. Existing studies show that the diet can have a positive effect on the body:

In a study of 70 overweight women, half followed the Paleo diet while the other half followed the Nordic Health Recommendations. Fat mass was reduced to a similar extent in both groups, but the percentage of triglycerides fell more in the Paleo group. A high proportion of triglycerides in the blood can promote arteriosclerosis.
In a study of patients with type II diabetes, the paleo diet also reduced the subjects’ fat mass and also improved their insulin metabolism.
In another study, in which only 20 subjects took part, the paleo diet reduced cholesterol levels.
The Paleo diet appears to have health benefits. However, one review notes that weight loss on the Paleo diet (like other diets) is probably primarily due to reduced calorie intake. The studies also do not show whether the Paleo diet also has positive effects in healthy people. In addition, despite isolated successes, there is no scientific evidence that the diet can alleviate conditions such as autoimmune diseases or allergies.

Is there a vegetarian form of the Paleo diet?

There is also a meatless version of the Paleo diet. Paleo vegetarians call themselves the vegetarian Stone Age eaters. And basically, both diets have something in common – they attach great importance to fresh fruit and vegetables.

However, a paleo-vegetarian diet eliminates meat in addition to grains, dairy, potatoes and legumes. It is therefore important to look for alternative sources of vegetable protein and to pay particular attention to the regular consumption of nuts, healthy vegetable fats and seeds.

It is advisable to consult a doctor or nutritionist beforehand and to carry out regular blood tests.

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Vegetables With Lots of Protein: All Vegans Should Know These

As a source of protein, vegetables with a lot of protein should not be missing in any vegan diet, along with tofu, cereals and nuts. We show you the varieties that can easily cover your daily needs.

To cover their protein requirements, most vegans use nuts or grains such as oats or amaranth and seeds such as flaxseed or pumpkin seeds. Various legumes are also very popular. But there are also other vegetables with a lot of protein.

If you do a lot of sport, it is important to consume enough protein. This is the only way your muscles can regenerate well after extensive training. We show you a summary of the best vegetable protein sources and what else is healthy in them.

Beans and Peas: The ultimate high-protein veggies

The following legumes are vegetables with a lot of protein (unless otherwise stated, the information applies to fresh beans):

Soybeans: 36 g
Pinto beans: 21 g
Chickpeas (dried): 19 g
Edamame (unripe soybean): 12 g
Broad beans: 11 g
Peas (frozen): 6.6 g
Mung bean sprouts: 4-5 g
Snow peas 4 g

Cabbages and green vegetables with lots of protein

Green vegetables with lots of protein:

Kale: 4.5 g
Cress: 4.2 g
Brussels sprouts: 4 g
Broccoli: 3.6g
Artichoke: 3.3 g
Spinach: 2.9 g
Savoy cabbage: 2.8 g

Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms: 3.5 g
Mushrooms: 3.1 g
Shiitake mushroom: 2.2 g

More veggies with lots of protein

For a balanced diet with lots of plant proteins, it is also worth including the following vegetables with lots of protein in your diet:

Fresh corn: 3.4 g
Sweetcorn (canned): 3.2 g
Parsley root: 2.9 g
Potatoes: 2 g

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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.

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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.

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