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Beet Sugar, Cane Sugar and Raw Cane Sugar: These are the Differences

Which sugar is hidden behind beet sugar, cane sugar and raw cane sugar? We explain the differences between the types of sugar and give tips on what to look out for when buying.

Cane sugar, raw cane sugar and whole cane sugar

Cane sugar is obtained from sugar cane. Sugar cane is grown in tropical countries like Brazil, South Africa, Australia or Cuba. Three different types of sugar can be made from cane sugar. They differed in the degree to which they were refined.

Whole cane sugar: The first and healthiest level of cane sugar is whole cane sugar. The sugar cane juice obtained is only thickened, dried and then ground. This preserves the molasses with its valuable minerals and vitamins. It is also responsible for the caramel flavor and the brown color of whole cane sugar.

Raw cane sugar: This is the variant for which the sugar crystals are only refined once. As a result, a small part of the molasses is retained and is responsible for the slightly brownish colour.

Cane sugar: The white cane sugar has been subjected to the refining process until it no longer contains any molasses. It not only lacks the brownish colour, but also the healthy minerals and vitamins.

Beet sugar

Beet sugar: Beet sugar is almost identical to raw sugar. Both consist of sucrose and have the same chemical composition. Beet sugar is obtained from sugar beet – a regional product. Sugar beets are grown in Central Europe. You will not find raw beet sugar, which would contain a small amount of healthy minerals from the sugar beet juice, on the market because it has an unpleasant taste.

Cane sugar and beet sugar are refined

The processing of sugar cane and sugar beet is similar. First, beets or sugar cane are crushed and juiced at at least 70°C. This raw juice is then treated with lime, carbonic acid and filters to remove unwanted substances such as proteins or minerals.

By further, slow heating, the raw juice is thickened until sugar crystals form. This is the so-called raw sugar with the characteristic yellow-brown color. In order to turn it into beautiful, white granulated sugar, the sugar crystals are dissolved and crystallized again and again. This process takes up to eight hours and is called refining, which is why white sugar is also called refined sugar. It doesn’t matter which plant the sugar comes from. Cane sugar can also be refined and thereby form white crystals.

What to look out for when shopping for sugar

When shopping, you should first be aware that too much sugar is not healthy. It doesn’t matter whether it’s beet sugar, cane sugar or other types of sugar: 100 grams of sugar contain around 400 calories and no vitamins whatsoever. It is responsible for many diseases of affluence.

It is true that “unrefined sugar” contains more minerals. However, their total content is less than one percent. In order for you to have any health benefit from eating unrefined sugar, you would need to eat a few pounds of it. That would be anything but healthy. Because there is no refining, it can be considered more sustainable – and is therefore the better one.

Also, don’t fall for the misconception that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar. Oftentimes, brown sugar is just conventional white beet or cane sugar that has been colored brown.

Disadvantages of cane sugar are the long transport routes and land reclamation for the sugar cane cultivation areas. Beet sugar comes from sugar beets from the local region, but – like cane sugar – requires a lot of energy to process.

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Uncategorized

Patent blue to sulfuric acid: These 9 E numbers are harmless

E numbers do not have a particularly good reputation. In fact, some of the food additives can cause problems. But not all E numbers can be lumped together, because there are also food additives that are completely harmless.

We usually associate bad things with E numbers and additives. The food industry uses them to change product properties and, for example, to make food last longer, which makes storage and transport easier.

Another frequent purpose of additives: The product should be “improved” optically or in taste by flavor enhancers and colorings. But E numbers are not all the same: while you should avoid some E numbers because they are suspected of triggering allergies, for example, there are others that you should be able to eat without hesitation.

What does the E in E number mean?

E-number is actually just another name for food additives that are approved in the EU – the “E” in “E-number” stands for “Europe”. Interesting: Up until 1993, only 265 E numbers were permitted in Germany. Alignment with EU legislation has meant that over 300 different food additives can now be used.

There are many different additives that are supposed to fulfill very different functions in food:

Antioxidants: prevent fats from going rancid and ensure longer shelf life.
Emulsifiers: combine substances that normally do not mix together, such as oil and water.
Dyes: make food more colorful and bright.
Thickeners: ensure the desired consistency of pudding or ice cream, for example.
Flavor enhancers: spice up the taste.
Preservatives: inhibit microorganisms and ensure a longer shelf life.
Sugar substitutes: used as a sugar substitute.

E-Numbers: Health assessment based on the ADI value

Extensive tests are carried out before an E number is approved. The so-called ADI value is determined: It describes the amount of an additive that a person can eat every day throughout their life without endangering their health.

The ADI value (acceptable daily intake = tolerable daily intake) is given in milligrams per kilogram of body weight and is usually determined by feeding experiments on animals. Because these results cannot be directly transferred to humans, the value from animal experiments is usually divided by 100 – so that only about one percent of the amount that was harmless to animals is permitted for humans.

At first that sounds like a safe, although unfortunately not animal-free, procedure. Nevertheless, not every health risk for humans can be ruled out in this way: For example, there can be interactions with medication, some people are particularly sensitive due to allergies, and with a very unbalanced diet, the ADI value can be reached or even exceeded. With some E-numbers, such health hazards are more likely – you should therefore avoid them.

The “good” E numbers

But not all E numbers are problematic: the consumer advice centers have evaluated all food additives to determine whether they pose a potential risk to health. The consumer advocates came up with a total of 153 harmless E numbers. So far, there are no indications of any health hazards associated with these additives.

In some cases this is not very surprising: Additives such as vegetable charcoal (E 153), carbonic acid (E 290), vitamin C (ascorbic acid, E 300), locust bean gum (E 410) and beeswax (E 901) sound harmless – and they are. With other E-numbers, one might think at first glance that they are not good for us, but in reality they pose no risk.

That doesn’t mean we recommend cramming tons of these additives into your diet, though – generally speaking, the less processed a food is, the better.

9 additives without risk

From the 153 E numbers that are considered harmless, we have selected nine particularly interesting additives, which we would like to introduce to you in more detail below.

E 131 patent blue V
Patent Blue V is – as the name suggests – a blue dye. Because of its strong color, patent blue V is mainly used as a coloring for fruit gums, glazes and beverages (keyword Blue Curaçao). The E number can hardly be absorbed in the stomach and intestines, the additive is largely excreted undigested and is therefore considered harmless to health.

E 150 B Sulphite caustic caramel
Caustic Sulfite Caramel is a plant-based brown colorant made through the use of lye and sulfur compounds. Caustic sulphite caramel is used to color alcoholic beverages such as whiskey and beer and foods such as sausages, cola, jams, condiments or sweets. However, the dye may not be used in organic foods, at least not as long as it is only used for coloring.

E 297 Fumaric acid
The E number is an acidifier found in every living cell. It is used for dry products such as custard powder, instant tea powder and confectionery production. The ADI value of fumaric acid is 6 mg/kg body weight, and there are also maximum amounts for certain foods: a maximum of 4 grams of fumaric acid is permitted per kilogram of pudding powder, and a maximum of one gram for instant powder for teas and fruit drinks.

E 356 sodium adipate
Sodium adipate is an acidulant and flavor enhancer with a salty taste. The food additive is used in convenience products such as baked goods, jelly desserts, and powdered drinks. Its ADI value is 0 to 5 mg/kg body weight and a maximum of 10 grams per kilogram can be used depending on the product. So far there are no indications of possible health hazards from E 356.

E 503 ammonium bicarbonate
This food additive is counted among the raising agents, release agents and acidity regulators – you may know it as “stag horn salt” from baking gingerbread. The E number is used in particular for baking powder and can be found in chocolate, cocoa products and coffee substitute products. There is no ADI value and no maximum quantity restriction for E 503, but the quantity specification applies quantum satis (“as much as necessary”): This means that the E number in a food is only added as much as necessary and as little as possible may be.

E 513 sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is an acidulant used in the production of spices, cheese and sugar syrup. The E number is also approved for organic products, there are no health concerns. As with the E number E 503, the quantity quantum satis applies to sulfuric acid: as much as necessary, as little as possible. Theoretically, the concentrated acid could lead to the destruction of body tissue – but such acidity does not occur in food.

E 586 4-hexylresorcinol
4-Hexylresorcinol is a color stabilizer that prevents crustaceans from turning brown. The E-number is only approved for crustaceans: Shortly after catching crustaceans, black spots can form – regardless of whether they are fresh, chilled or frozen crustaceans. This discoloration is neither harmful to health nor does it affect the quality of the marine life, but many people judge the discoloration negatively. 4-Hexylresorcinol inhibits the enzyme responsible for discoloration. Although the E number is considered harmless to health, frequent consumption is not recommended.

E 907 Hydrogenated poly-1-decene
Hydrogenated poly-1-decene is a separating and coating agent for confectionery and dried fruit. The E number is also used in the baked goods industry, where the substance ensures that cakes and bread can be removed from the mold after baking. In this case, hydrogenated poly-1-decene is considered a processing aid and not an additive and therefore does not have to be declared on the list of ingredients of the food. The maximum amount of the substance is limited to 2 g/kg and its ADI is set to 6 mg/kg body weight.

E 1505 triethyl citrate
This food additive is a carrier that is only approved for egg white powder and flavorings. It ensures that the aromas are distributed in the food and that the egg white can be whipped again if some egg yolk has gotten into it during mechanical separation. Although the E number is considered harmless to health, there are concerns among people with mold allergies.

Harmless E numbers: conclusion

Although all the additives mentioned – and many more – are classified as harmless, none of the E numbers mentioned sound particularly appetizing. The problem also applies to E numbers that are harmless to health: They are used in particular for (highly) processed foods – foods that we should generally avoid if we want to do something good for our health.

That’s why the Utopia conclusion is: It’s always worth looking at the packaging. If you lose your appetite just reading the synopsis, you should look for alternatives. As a Utopia reader, I hope you know that there are more than enough of them!

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Food

Figs are Not (Always) Vegan

Even if they are fruit, figs are often not vegan. The reason for this lies in the fertilization method. We explain what makes most figs problematic and what alternatives there are.

At first glance, the question of whether figs are vegan does not seem to arise: After all, they are the fruit of the fig tree and therefore a food of plant origin. If you interpret the term strictly, however, most figs are actually not suitable for a vegan diet: numerous wasps are usually injured when the fruit is cultivated. This is not a side effect, in fact it is a necessary condition. You can read here why this is so.

That’s why figs are not vegan

Most commercially available figs come from the so-called real fig or table fig (Ficus carica). The common fig only has female flowers and can therefore not reproduce itself – it needs the male pollen of another fig species, the goat fig. Only certain wasp species, which are summarized under the umbrella term “fig wasps”, can pollinate them.

The female fig wasps enter the flowers of the fig tree – because fig flowers are very narrow, they injure themselves and die after laying their eggs. So-called plant galls form from the blossoms of the fig, in which the young fig wasps grow.

The males no longer leave the galls: they die after mating with the females. The females later get out into the open and fly to the blossoms of the goat fig, but also those of the real fig. In this way they transport the required pollen and ensure the fertilization of both types of figs. However, the females lose their lives in the process – the cycle continues.

After they die, the dead fig wasps are decomposed inside: they are completely dissolved by an enzyme called ficin. The fruits that are harvested later do not contain any residue from the wasps. Strictly speaking, however, figs are not vegan. So the death of the wasps is the basic requirement for them to be able to grow up at all. Whether you want to eat figs as a vegan or not is ultimately an individual decision.

Are there vegan figs?

In addition to the common fig and the goat fig, there are also fig varieties that do not depend on the fig wasp. They can fertilize themselves and are vegan figs in that sense. They are also known under the umbrella term “Parthenocarpic figs”. Such varieties are particularly common in regions where fig wasps do not occur. In Germany too, under the right climatic conditions, fig trees can be grown that bear fruit.

If you eat the sweet fruit often but want to use vegan figs, you have the option of planting a fig tree in your own garden. You can get general information about this in our guide: Planting, caring for and propagating fig trees: Here’s how.

For more details, it is best to seek advice from a specialist garden retailer. There you can find out whether the climate in your region is favorable enough to grow figs – and you can also find out which self-pollinating species are suitable. In Germany, for example, the “Brown Turkey”, “Negronne” or “Valle Negra” varieties are popular.

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health

How Healthy are Brazil Nuts?

Brazil nuts are considered healthy and are often part of nut mixes such as trail mix. But there is always uncertainty, because Brazil nuts are radioactive.

Ingredients of the Brazil nut: Healthy and radioactive

Brazil nuts have it all: With a fat content of 60 to 70 percent, they are particularly high in calories. However, because these are mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, nuts are actually very healthy in moderation. They also contain the minerals calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and thus promote the growth of bones and muscles. The zinc content of the Brazil nut is also not to be scoffed at.

The Brazil nut is particularly valued because of the high amount of selenium: The nut is the largest natural supplier of the trace element and just one nut covers the daily requirement. Selenium helps to strengthen the immune system and detoxifies the body. Selenium is only found in comparable amounts in fish, meat and eggs. In addition, the Brazil nut contains a lot of vegetable protein. It is therefore particularly suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet.

Brazil nuts are naturally radioactive. Their radium content is 1000 times higher than that of other foods. Nevertheless, it is harmless if you only eat Brazil nuts every now and then.

Brazil nuts: Toxic or not?

Despite its many healthy ingredients, the Brazil nut also has a reputation for being harmful to health. Elevated levels of the mold toxin aflatoxin, which can be carcinogenic even in small amounts, have been found in Brazil nuts from Brazil. As a result, restrictions on the import of Brazil nuts were imposed by the EU. Because many countries of origin cannot meet the high requirements contained therein, the trade in Brazil nuts has declined sharply.

Aflatoxins are found in many dry products, such as grains, legumes, nuts and tea leaves, and can form quickly if stored incorrectly. They are also heat-resistant, so they can withstand cooking and baking processes. It is best to keep peeled Brazil nuts cool and dry and consume them quickly. If they have a musty, rancid taste, stop eating them. You can store unpeeled Brazil nuts for about two to three months.

The Brazil nuts that are available from us in Germany are carefully checked. In a recent report by the Federal Office for Consumer Protection, low aflatoxin levels were found almost exclusively in Brazil nuts – the green light for Brazil nuts.

Brazil nuts: Healthy, but not sustainable

All Brazil nuts available from us are imported from the tropical regions of South America or the Ivory Coast, so they have long transport routes behind them. This is problematic because a lot of environmentally harmful CO2 is emitted with the import.

Brazil nut trees are not cultivated, so the nuts are collected from wild trees. There are no monocultures with the use of pesticides, but collecting the nuts prevents the tree from spreading naturally – and that in the already endangered rainforest. When shopping, you shouldn’t always just grab Brazil nuts, but also try out local nut varieties?

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Food

Are Eggs Healthy? Nutritional Values and Important Information

Whether or not eggs can be considered healthy seems to be a controversial topic in research as well. Learn more about the nutrients, cholesterol levels and sustainability of eggs here.

On the one hand, eggs have the reputation of being healthy: they are supposed to promote our health due to their nutrient density and above all their protein content and support growth in children. In the form of scrambled eggs, omelettes or simply as a breakfast egg, they are also a traditional food for many. However, due to their high cholesterol content, eggs are often discredited. In this article we explain what this criticism is all about and to what extent it is based on scientific knowledge.

Eggs – Healthy Nutrient Bombs?

Eggs are primarily considered a low-carbohydrate source of protein. A medium-sized egg provides you with about 5.5 grams of protein at 62 kilocalories. It also contains about 4.2 grams of fat. Of that, 1.4 grams are saturated fat.

In addition, eggs are rich in healthy minerals such as calcium, iron and selenium as well as vitamins A, D and E and some B vitamins (especially vitamin B12). This makes them an important source of B12, especially for vegetarians.

But eggs are not only considered healthy: their comparatively high cholesterol content is responsible for their reputation as a health threat. An egg yolk already contains 185 milligrams of cholesterol. According to the 2015 US dietary guidelines, this is already more than half the recommended daily dose. This recommendation no longer applies, but you should continue to eat as little cholesterol as possible.

Eggs – Unhealthy due to cholesterol?

Cholesterol belongs to the group of fats. As such, it is an essential part of our body. It is part of cell walls, involved in hormone production and helps the body to produce vitamin D and cortisone. We absorb a third of all cholesterol from food. Cholesterol is not bad per se. It is important that there is a balance between the two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL. There is only a need for action when this balance is upset.

The fact that eggs are generally unhealthy because their high cholesterol content promotes arteriosclerosis and thus cardiovascular diseases is now also considered outdated in research. No study can prove a clear connection between the consumption of eggs and an increased risk of heart disease.

According to Harvard Medical School, it’s probably more about how much total cholesterol you’re eating. Meat products in particular make up a large proportion of cholesterol sources.

According to the BBC, the connection between dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular disease must be questioned in general, as no study has been able to adequately prove it. Rather, there is evidence that the body simply produces less cholesterol itself when we consume more through food. In addition, trans fats in particular are responsible for an increased LDL cholesterol level and thus an imbalance. Trans fats are mostly found in products like margarine and fried and baked convenience foods.

How many eggs a day?

What do these studies and nutritional discussions mean specifically for our diet? First of all, as is so often the case: the dose makes the poison. Eggs are healthy if we eat them occasionally as part of a balanced diet. There is no uniform recommendation as to how many eggs are recommended per day or week. For example, according to Harvard Medical School, up to seven eggs a week are considered safe.

To protect yourself from arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, you can make sure you eat a diet rich in plants. Also, avoid processed foods and mostly cook yourself with fresh and wholesome ingredients.

You should only keep a closer eye on your egg consumption if you are already suffering from other health problems (e.g. high blood pressure) or if you have already been diagnosed with high cholesterol. In these cases, it is essential to seek medical advice for a possible change in diet.

Tips for sustainable eggs

While eggs are healthy, not all eggs are created equal. Conventional products from cage or barn systems usually come from huge fattening facilities. Laying hens are crammed together in the smallest of spaces and their basic needs are restricted. Diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi are also transmitted particularly easily in this way.

A key problem in egg production is chick shredding: Many farms kill male chicks after hatching by gassing or shredding as there is no economic return from them. This is also partly the case with organic farms.

However, there are now initiatives against chick shredding (e.g. Spitz & Bube or Bruderhahn). These initiatives are committed to rearing the male chicks. Products with their logo, you can be sure that they are eggs without chick shredding.

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Cooking Tips

Prepare Filter Coffee: There Are These Methods

It was already considered outdated and old-fashioned, but now it’s back! We’ll tell you why filter coffee is making a comeback and what different methods of preparation there are.

The filter coffee as a cult

Filter coffee has increasingly become a trend drink in recent years. It’s no longer just about the taste, but as with whiskey or chocolate, new questions arise here too: What are the working conditions like in the countries where the coffee is grown? Are the cultivation and harvest environmentally friendly? The bad reputation of filter coffee was pushed aside and the methods of preparation rediscovered. A single coffee bean has over 800 flavors. This is what makes filter coffee so exciting, because here it is important to get the right aromas out of the bean and to adjust the roasting profile of the bean. Because unlike latte macchiato or cappuccino, the drink is not covered by milk here, so that the special aromas can better come into their own.

The advantages of filter coffee

Even if filter coffee was perceived as outdated and bad coffee for a long time, the method of preparation has continuously evolved and thus helped the “new” filter coffee to achieve a renaissance. Forgotten is the outdated, stale stereotype of filter coffee. Now it tastes better than ever – and as a comparatively sustainable production method, it also embodies the spirit of the times:
Larger bottom opening in the filter holder: The coffee flows through more evenly and unwanted bitter substances and sediments stay outside. The taste of the coffee is not clouded. Some filters also have spiral ribs on their inner wall. The ribs are there so that the filter paper does not stick to the filter, the finished coffee can run off nicely and does not accumulate.
Tasteless filter paper: Fine-pored and tasteless filter paper gives the coffee an authentic, clear taste. If the coffee tastes too mild, you can use a cotton filter. This allows more oils to get into the coffee and the intensity of the aroma increases.
Environmentally friendly: The environment benefits greatly from the fact that filter coffee is on the rise again. Pad or capsule machines are faster than a filter machine, but leave a lot of waste. An additional capsule is required for each new coffee drink. And a capsule consists of two-thirds coffee and one-third packaging material. In addition, the capsules are a major cost factor in the long run.

This is to be considered with a filter coffee

The coffee beans: For filter coffee, it is important that the coffee beans are gently roasted slowly and only at low heat. This will prevent a bitter taste as the bean will not burn. Classically, the Arabica bean is used because, like the Canephora bean, it can be roasted very well. Of course, decaffeinated beans can also be used for filter coffee.
The degree of grinding: For filter coffee, the beans are best freshly ground. A wide berth should be avoided around ready-made coffee powder. The longer the coffee was roasted and ground, the more aromas the ground coffee loses due to oxidation. Accordingly, the grind should be as fresh as possible. A medium grind of the bean is ideal for this. According to the trend, the beans must be lightly roasted. With a dark roast, more acids are broken down and the coffee gets more bitter notes. The lighter beans, on the other hand, emphasize the fruity acids.
The water: As already described in the ingredients, the water should ideally be 86 to 96 degrees hot. It is at this temperature that the oils in the coffee beans combine best.

What are the options for preparing filter coffee?

Filter coffee from the coffee machine: Everyone has probably had the typical, conventional coffee machine at home. The principle is simple and learned: bend the paper filter, insert it into the holder, add the desired amount of coffee powder, fill in the right amount of water, press a button and off you go.
Hand filter coffee: The hand filter method is a bit more complex than the preparation in the coffee machine. It takes several steps to create the perfect coffee experience. But it is the most original way of making coffee.
Chemex: The Chemex is a not so well-known device for preparing filter coffee. It is a glass filter coffee maker invented by a German chemist. During preparation, particularly thick filter paper is used, resulting in a very pure coffee.
Moccamaster: The Moccamaster is comparable to an ordinary coffee machine. However, it has far more technical subtleties, which, according to its Dutch inventor, should create the perfect coffee experience.

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Food

Kidney Beans: That’s How Healthy They Are

Kidney beans are a healthy and popular type of bean that can be used in a variety of dishes. Here you can read about the nutrients contained in red beans.

Kidney beans are best known as an ingredient in stews such as Chili sin Carne. Characteristic and eponymous is the shape, reminiscent of a kidney. This type of bean tastes mild, is quite soft and feels slightly floury in the mouth.

The red bean originally comes from Peru and is now cultivated in Africa, America and Asia. Kidney beans can be found in cans or jars in most supermarkets. They are also available as an uncooked, dried version in well-stocked supermarkets, health food stores or bulk shops. However, dried kidney beans must first be soaked for several hours and then boiled before they can be eaten. They are poisonous raw!

We recommend buying organic kidney beans. This way you can be sure that they have been grown free of synthetic chemical pesticides. Organic seals such as those from Bioland, Naturland or Demeter show you which products are certified.

These ingredients make kidney beans so healthy

Thanks to their ingredients, kidney beans are healthy and particularly valuable for various diets and requirements: This applies to vegetarians and vegans, but also to sports enthusiasts and pregnant women. Kidney beans are not only rich in fiber, protein and carbohydrates, they also provide important minerals and vitamins. At the same time, they only have a low fat content.

The nutritional values ​​of dried and pre-cooked kidney beans are slightly different. Since you also have to cook the dried beans before using them, this difference is not significant (see Institute for Nutritional Information). However, the longer you cook the beans, the more nutrients they lose. Keep this in mind with stews, for example, which often need to be simmered for a longer time for a better taste. The average calorie content of cooked kidney beans is about 100 kilocalories per 100 grams.

According to Geo Magazine and Food Data Central, the following minerals and vitamins make kidney beans a healthy food:

Potassium: important for central processes in the body such as heart function, nerve stimuli or the acid-base balance
Magnesium: important for energy metabolism and muscle building
Iron: Central to the transport of oxygen in the blood and the immune system
Vitamin B1: important for energy metabolism
Vitamin B6: important for fat metabolism, the nervous system and the immune system
It also contains significant amounts of biotin (good for skin and hair), folic acid (important for pregnancy) and vitamin B3 (important for various metabolic processes in the body).

All this makes kidney beans healthy. Note, however, that beans, like many other legumes, can cause flatulence. For a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.

Kidney bean recipes

Kidney beans are a healthy basis for a number of varied recipes:

Vegan hamburger
Vegan Meatballs
vegan brownies
Mexican bean paste
Chili sin carne

Mix them into a green salad or prepare a bean salad similar to the kidney bean salad.
If you buy canned kidney beans from a can or jar, you can continue to use the rather thick liquid in which the beans are soaked. If you boil dried beans yourself, you can use the cooking water (not the soaking water!). Bean water is often used as aquafaba to make vegan egg whites or as an egg white substitute.

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Food

Peas are so Healthy: Nutritional Values and Ideas for Use

Peas are not only delicious, but also very healthy. You can read here what nutritional values they contain, whether you can eat them raw and what you can prepare from them.

The pea belongs to the legume family and is one of the oldest cultivated plants. It probably originally comes from the Orient and was consumed there long before the beginning of our era. In the following you will find out what makes the pea so healthy and nutritious and what you can prepare from it.

Peas: Healthy legumes with valuable nutrients

When looking at the nutrients of the small green legume, it performs extremely well. 100 grams of peas contain only 81 calories and only traces of fat, making them very suitable for healthy weight loss. Furthermore, there are seven grams of protein, four grams of fiber and eleven grams of carbohydrates in 100 grams of peas.

Peas also contain many vitamins and minerals. These include, for example, vitamin E, B and beta-carotene as well as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium and zinc. Legumes also contain a number of important amino acids.

By the way: The pea not only provides very good macro and micronutrients, but is also easy to digest and has a positive effect on the blood sugar level. It is therefore well suited for diabetes or high blood sugar levels.

Peas: fresh, dried, frozen or canned?

Although peas are basically very healthy, they differ in their nutritional values ​​depending on their condition. You can buy them fresh, dried, frozen, or canned.

Peas are in season from June to September. During this time you can buy them fresh. If you decide to use fresh peas, you should use them as soon as possible, as they will keep in the refrigerator for a maximum of two to three days. When shopping, also keep in mind that from a kilogram of fresh peas in pods, only about 350 grams of peas are left. Tip: If you have bought too many peas, fresh peas are ideal for freezing. These have a shelf life of about a year.

When it comes to shelf life, dried peas are unbeatable. These have a shelf life of one year or longer and are also available all year round. They also contain almost twice as much protein as fresh peas.

Canned peas have a shelf life of three to five years. Compared to fresh, dried and frozen peas, however, they are the least recommended, as they are heated before filling and thereby lose many valuable ingredients. In addition, manufacturers often add salt, sugar and flavorings to the canned peas.

Frozen peas are shock-frozen before they are packed, which means they retain a large part of their nutrients. They also have a long shelf life, are easy to store and are therefore a good alternative to fresh peas if you also want to use them out of season.

By the way: You can also eat peas raw without any problems. They contain no toxins and can be eaten practically straight from the bush.

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Cooking Tips

Which Coffee Beans Are the Right Ones For Fully Automatic Machines?

Are you looking for the right beans for your fully automatic coffee machine? We explain to you what you should pay attention to when buying coffee beans.

Choosing the right coffee beans: you have to pay attention to this

In principle, you can use any bean for your fully automatic coffee machine, provided it is suitable for fully automatic coffee machines. However, this does not always make sense, since, for example, different beans are usually used for a black coffee than for an espresso. But one after anonther.

In order to find the right coffee for your fully automatic coffee machine, three points are particularly important:

quality of the coffee beans
Roasting of the coffee beans
Settings of the coffee machine
Ultimately, however, it also depends on your own taste, which you will probably only find out over time. Let’s take a closer look at each point.

Two types of coffee dominate world trade

There are around 40 different types of coffee worldwide, but only two dominate the market. The Arabica bean makes up around 70 percent of world trade, the Robusta bean just over 30 percent. The two beans differ in appearance and taste. The Arabica bean is longer, flatter and oval in shape. The caffeine content is lower compared to the Robusta bean, but it is said to have a finer, slightly sweet taste. The Robusta bean is slightly smaller and has fewer fats and lipids. Therefore, their crema is a bit firmer and is therefore often used for espresso.

Coffee bean or espresso bean?

Fully automatic coffee machines work fundamentally differently than filter machines. Instead of slowly filtering the coffee, the fully automatic coffee machine works with a pressure process. This pressure is what creates an espresso.

The espresso beans that you can buy in stores are usually a blend of different types of beans that contain a higher proportion of robusta. These ensure a strong, intense taste. With a mixture of Arabica and Robusta, you can benefit from the positive properties of both beans. This makes espresso beans ideal for use in your fully automatic coffee machine.

Don’t let the term “espresso bean” fool you. The term is somewhat misleading, because the so-called espresso bean is basically a coffee bean. However, beans used for espresso are roasted darker, have more caffeine and are stronger in taste. So it can be an orientation.

This can also be the case for medium roasted coffee beans. The use for coffee crema is often noted on the packaging.

Which beans are unsuitable?

Avoid caramelized beans for the fully automatic machine. The sugar can clog the grinder in the machine and in most coffee machines this is very difficult to reach and clean. Flavored beans such as amaretto or Irish cream are also not recommended for this reason.

Caution is also required with very oily coffee beans. If the bean is very shiny, essential oils are already escaping. This is a clear sign that they shouldn’t be using these beans. The lipids come out when the coffee has been roasted past the second crack. This is often the case with dark Italian roasts.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to do without the variety altogether. Essential oils can also leak out if you have stored the coffee beans for a long time. After buying, you should use the beans relatively quickly and only store them in airtight packaging.

Roasting: Which degree of roasting for use in the fully automatic machine?

In addition to good bean quality and the bean mix, the roasting of the coffee beans is of crucial importance. In principle, a distinction is made between light, medium and dark roasting. Some roasting masters even subdivide into five degrees of roasting and indicate their roasting as medium-light or medium-dark. The different colors are caused by different roasting times. A coffee bean has over 900 different aromas that are released at different roasting temperatures. Filter coffee beans are usually roasted lighter, while espresso beans tend to be roasted darker.

Note the drum roasting process, if specified. Because drum roasting is much gentler on the bean than industrial hot air roasting, where many flavors are lost.

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Cooking Tips

Sunflower Seeds: Why They are so Healthy

Sunflower seeds are healthy because they contain many important nutrients. However, you should not eat sunflower seeds in large quantities. The reason: the omega-6 fatty acids.

Sunflower seeds: healthy and crunchy

Sunflower seeds are a real superfood that comes from Germany. Long transport routes and CO2 emissions do not usually arise for them – good for the CO2 footprint. In the supermarket, however, there are often sunflower seeds from abroad. Therefore, take a close look at the package when you buy the cores. They are very healthy because they contain many minerals, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and proteins.

Nutritional values of sunflower seeds per 100g:

Calories: 557 kcal/ 2,334 KJ
Carbohydrates: 11.4 g
of which sugar: 2.9 g
Fiber: 6 g
Fat: 47g
Protein: 19 g
Sunflower seeds are also rich in:

Magnesium (336mg)
Vitamin E (38.8 mg)
Vitamin B1 (1.9mg)
B3 (11.2mg)
B6 (1.3mg). Just 60 grams cover the daily requirement of vitamin B1.
Iron, copper and zinc are also abundant in the cores.

Sunflower seeds: Rich in unsaturated fatty acids

About half of the sunflower seeds consist of fats. However, these are quite healthy fats:

90 percent of the fats contained are unsaturated fatty acids. As a result, the body does not produce harmful LDL cholesterol, which doctors blame for various diseases.
Unsaturated fat can help you lose weight, a 2015 study confirms. Sunflower seeds also have a favorable nutrient ratio: since they contain only a few carbohydrates, the body draws its energy mainly from the proteins and fats it contains.
Tip: So that the sunflower seeds do not go rancid after a while, you should store them in a dark place and seal them airtight. A screw-top jar, for example, is ideal.

Omega-6 fats in sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are rich in omega-6 solids. These are unsaturated fatty acids that are found in many plant and animal products. They’re not inherently unhealthy, but you need to consume them in the right ratio to omega-3 fatty acids. According to one study, a good ratio is between 2:1 and 5:1. However, omega-3 fatty acids are only found in a few foods – for example in fish and flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Omega 6, on the other hand, is contained in many foods – especially in meat or many vegetable oils.

The sunflower seeds increase the amount of omega-6 fatty acids and you should eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids to compensate. You can do this, for example, by mixing flaxseeds in addition to sunflower seeds in your muesli, or by sprinkling linseed oil over the finished muesli. However, it is best if you eat sunflower seeds in small amounts. This way you benefit from the healthy nutrients without consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids.

Use sunflower seeds: 3 ideas

You can use sunflower seeds in many ways, they taste delicious not only in muesli. Here are three ideas on how to incorporate sunflower seeds into your meals:

Homemade Bread: You can mix the sunflower seeds into the batter or sprinkle them over the bread before it goes into the oven.
Salad: Seeds always go well in a green salad. In addition to sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are suitable as a crunchy and healthy topping.
Bread topping: Sunflower seeds are a good base for homemade vegan spreads. For example, try these spread recipes.

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