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Unhealthy Foods: You Should Avoid These 12 Things

Too much sugar, few vitamins, harmful ingredients: a lot of what we eat is unhealthier than we realize. We have put together 12 foods that you should better avoid in the future.

We believe that some foods are healthy. In reality, they are unhealthy and unnecessary. As with many pleasures in life, the same applies to food: the dose makes the poison. Many of the foods that end up on our tables almost every day are unhealthier than we thought – and simply unnecessary. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consume them at all, but we should turn to healthier alternatives more often. These are available for almost all of the twelve foods that we present below.

1. Diet, zero and light products: Low in calories, but absolutely unhealthy
2. Protein bars: Only recommended for athletes – unsightly side effects
3. Microwave popcorn: Toxic fumes damage the lungs – stay away
4. Vegan sausage: Unfortunately, there are hardly any healthy ingredients – then it’s better to avoid them altogether
5. Breakfast cereals: High in sugar, low in vitamins – only briefly more energy
6. Rice: Beware of harmful substances – it is better to use whole grain rice
7. Instant vegetable broth: make it better and healthier yourself
8. Ready-to-eat lettuce: A real germ spinner – and not healthy at all
9. Nutella: For the unhealthy breakfast – Contains palm oil
10. White flour products: Lots of carbohydrates, little fiber
11. ACE juice: High sugar content – increases risk of cancer
12. Cured sausage and meat: Possible carcinogens

Conclusion: A balanced diet is important

You certainly would not have thought of these 12 foods that we regularly eat with us, but some of which are really unhealthy. Who assumes that rice, veggie sausage or lettuce are unhealthy?

So if you want to eat healthier, you should keep your hands off some foods – or at least eat less of them. It’s not that difficult: Most can be replaced with a healthier option, for example white bread with whole grain bread, cured meat products with unprocessed ones, or packaged lettuce with fresh, unpackaged lettuce.

The basic rule is: Always ensure you eat a balanced diet with a large proportion of vitamins, nutrients and dietary fiber and primarily eat unprocessed foods. Then you really can’t go wrong.

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E Number List: You Should Avoid These Additives

E numbers do not have a good reputation. Rightly so: food additives can lead to allergies and trigger diseases. But which E numbers should you really avoid?

They are found in many foods and give themselves inconspicuous names: additives with E numbers, many of which are suspected of being unhealthy.

What does the E stand for?

“E number” is actually just another name for food additives that are approved in the EU – the “E” in “E number” stands for Europe.

There are many different additives with different functions:
Antioxidants: prevent fats from going rancid and ensure a longer shelf life
Emulsifiers: combine substances that are not miscible with each other, such as oil and water
Dyes: make food a bit more colorful and bright
Thickeners: ensure a nice consistency, for example with pudding or ice cream
Flavor enhancers: spice up the taste
Preservatives: inhibit microorganisms and ensure a longer shelf life
Sugar substitutes: used as a sugar substitute
E-numbers: useful, but also suspicious…
E numbers are therefore added in order to make food last longer, to improve consistency, to simplify technological processes or to increase the enjoyment value.

But food additives not only have good properties: Many are suspected of triggering allergies and promoting diseases such as asthma, neurodermatitis, Alzheimer’s or even cancer.

In recent years, customers have become more critical. And the food manufacturers have actually reacted: in supermarkets there is hardly an E number left on the packaging.

How can that be? Because the manufacturers now like to use the name of the additive instead of E numbers: “Citric acid” sounds much more harmless than “E330”.

Therefore, a list of ingredients on which no E-numbers can be seen does not mean that the content is actually free of additives. A critical look at the list of ingredients is always worthwhile.

In the case of packaged foods, you still have the opportunity to check the ingredients on the packaging. It’s a bit more complicated at the bakery or at the kebab shop during the lunch break – who really asks the seller what’s in it (and asks if the answer is “Only healthy things!”).

But you should do it with the questions. Because since December 2014, bakers, butchers, snack bars, restaurants and ice cream parlors have had to have written information about the ingredients at hand. In addition, a label next to the goods must indicate whether additives have been used.

E102 – Tartrazine

The E number E102 is found in mustard, custard powder, processed cheese, as well as drinks and sweets. Tartrazine is an artificial yellow dye with a high allergy potential, especially in people who are sensitive to aspirin or benzoic acid. E102 is also of concern for people with asthma or neurodermatitis.

Tartrazine has been linked to health effects such as difficulty breathing, skin rashes or blurred vision, and can affect children’s activity and alertness. The dye E102 is banned in Norway. In Germany and Austria, the ban was lifted as part of a harmonization of EU laws. The consumer centers advise against the consumption of larger quantities.

E104 – Quinoline Yellow

Jelly, effervescent powder, chewing gum, smoked fish and fruit wines – the E number E104 is only permitted for such foods, and only in small quantities. The yellow dye quinoline yellow is suspected of causing cancer and is banned in the US, Japan and Norway. E104 can cause allergies and affect children’s activity and attention.

E110 – Yellow Orange S

The dye E110 colors products such as wine gums, salmon substitutes or cheese yellow-orange. In animal experiments, the additive led to kidney tumors. Yellow orange S is probably a trigger for asthma and neurodermatitis and is considered an allergy-triggering agent for people who are sensitive to aspirin and benzoic acid (E210). The dye E110 can affect children’s activity and attention. The consumer centers advise against the consumption of larger quantities.

E122 – Azorubine (carmoisine)

The red dye E122 is found in ready-made products and ready-made soups, but also in drinks and sweets. Azorubine can cause allergies, especially in people who are sensitive to aspirin and benzoic acid. In addition, the red dye E122 can impair children’s attention and activity. The consumer centers advise against the consumption of larger quantities.

E123 – Amaranth

Amaranth does not mean the grains here, but the red dye E123. Amaranth is only allowed for spirits, aperitif wines and caviar. It is even banned in the USA because it is suspected of causing cancer. In animal experiments, E123 caused calcium deposits in the kidneys. This dye is also of particular concern for people with an aspirin or benzoic acid allergy and could be a trigger for neurodermatitis and asthma.

E124A – Chochineal Red A

The red dye Chochineille A or E124A is what gives the salmon substitute its beautiful red colour. It is also found in chorizo ​​sausage, fruit jelly and other confectionery. E124A is considered to be allergenic and may affect children’s activity and attention. Consumer advice centers advise against consuming large quantities.

E127 – Erythrosine

The red dye is only permitted for cocktail cherries, candied cherries or fruit salads containing cherries. The E number E127 can release iodine into the body and impair thyroid function. People with thyroid disorders should not eat foods with erythrosine, so avoid cocktail cherries and candied cherries of all kinds. The dye E127 can disturb children’s attention and cause allergies.

E129 – Allura Red AC

We still know very little about this red dye: Hardly any research has been published, so the effects of E129 have not yet been conclusively assessed.

In Germany, the dye can be found in sweets, desserts and drinks. The E number E129 is banned in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France and Switzerland. People with aspirin or benzoic acid allergy, asthma or neurodermatitis should avoid the E number. Allura Red AC may affect children’s activity and attention.

E142 – Green S

Peppermint candies or canned peas, but also drinks, cosmetics, wool, leather and paper are colored with the green dye E142. One may ask oneself why peas have to be colored even greener. Although the body excretes the E number largely unchanged within 7 hours, E142 is banned in the US, Canada, Japan and Norway. The additive Grün S is suspected of promoting Alzheimer’s and has led to genetic damage in animal experiments.

E150C – Ammonia Caramel

Ammonia – isn’t that toxic? As “ammonia caramel” not directly. You’ve probably already eaten E150C: it’s in cola, whiskey and mustard sauces, for example, and is what gives it the brown color. Ammonia caramel is made from sugar compounds using ammonia, and genetically modified corn can be used. By-products of the E number led to cramps in animal experiments and impaired the immune system. In the USA, the dye E150C is suspected of causing cancer. Consumer centers advise against frequent consumption of the E number.

Incidentally, Coca-Cola does not have the E number: instead of E150C, Coca-Cola is made pretty brown with the dye E150D. Unfortunately, the additive ammonium sulfite caramel is not much better than ammonia caramel: In the USA, a by-product of E150D that is difficult to avoid is suspected of causing cancer: 4-methylimidazole (source: BfR). The E number may contain a toxic compound that caused blood changes and convulsions in animal studies.

E151 – Brilliant Black BN

Caviar substitute, liquorice, but also shampoos or liquid soaps are colored violet, brown or black with the dye E151. The food additive Brilliant Black BN is considered to cause allergies in people who are sensitive to aspirin and benzoic acid and should also be avoided by people with asthma or neurodermatitis. Consumer centers advise against consuming large quantities.

E154 – Brown FK

The E number E154 can damage internal organs due to deposits. Consumer centers advise against consuming large quantities. The good news: the dye Braun FK is only in smoked herrings from England (Kippers) anyway, it is not approved for anything else. The food additive Braun FK should be avoided by people with aspirin and benzoic acid allergies, asthma or neurodermatitis.

E155 – Brown HT

The reddish-brown colorant E155 is primarily used to color sweets such as cakes, biscuits, ice cream and chocolate. However, consumer advice centers advise against consuming the food additive, since the E number is particularly questionable for people with neurodermatitis, asthma and an allergy to aspirin or benzoic acid.

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Avoid Toxic Fumes When Tinkering

If you want to craft with the family, you should avoid toxic fumes. These are often contained in special adhesives and can cause damage to health.

Be careful when using special glue

Crafting is a great activity for kids. But when tinkering, you may be working with special glue or plastic glue, which can develop toxic vapors due to their solvents and lead to health problems if inhaled intensively. Therefore, the following always applies: Only use special glue if there is no other option. This is the case, for example, with plastics. It is better to use craft glue that is also suitable for children.

Tips on avoiding toxic fumes

However, if you and your family have to tinker or work with special glue, you should take certain precautions. As a result, you can avoid health problems and the inhalation of toxic fumes. In addition, read how to remove glue and superglue.

1) Ventilate well and avoid toxic fumes

Particular caution with such handicrafts applies to open flames because the special glue is often highly flammable. To avoid burns and keep the glue away from fire. In addition, you should definitely open a window and ventilate well if you want to heat and glue plastics. Good ventilation ensures that the toxic vapors can escape quickly.

2) Crafting outdoors

If you must work with special glue, try doing it outdoors. Thus, the toxic haze in the air can quickly dissipate. Consequently, the risk of inhaling them is minimized and you protect your health. You can also make great ideas for advent calendars.

3) wear masks and avoid toxic fumes

Wearing masks is not a measure against corona, but also an effective way to protect yourself against toxic gases when doing handicrafts and DIY. These ensure that harmful vapors or particles do not enter your body through inhalation. This makes working and handicrafts with special glue safer.

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Yo-Yo Effect: How to Avoid it With a Healthy Diet

The yo-yo effect destroys any success in losing weight. You can find out what is behind the effect, how it is promoted and which diet you can use to maintain your desired weight in the long term in our guide.

With a lot of willpower and discipline, the desired weight is reached, but within a very short time the pounds that have been painstakingly slimmed down are back on your hips. When things go really bad, it’s even more than when you started the diet. This is the yo-yo effect.

The goal of losing some weight is desirable for many people: According to the German Society for Nutrition, 59 percent of men and 37 percent of women are overweight. This is accompanied by an increased risk of a variety of diseases, such as cardiovascular problems.

This is the yo-yo effect

This is how the yo-yo effect is created:
When dieting, you avoid certain foods and often reduce portion sizes as well. The more you restrict your calorie intake, the more your brain interprets an imminent danger from starvation. So to give you a good chance of surviving during a food shortage, your metabolism works more slowly. Muscles are broken down and the basal metabolic rate decreases.
If you have now reached your desired weight after tedious weeks, the restrictions in your diet are a thing of the past. You’re consuming your usual amount of calories again. However, your body still metabolizes them too slowly and puts them on so that you are prepared for the next famine. You’ll be back to your starting weight in no time.
Another problem is that when you eat less, your brain releases stress hormones. When stress persists, cravings and cravings for sweets increase. These have a particularly high glycemic index, which causes the blood sugar level to rise rapidly. Even if saturation occurs quickly, the sugar is immediately stored in the liver. When insulin levels drop, the food cravings begin again.

Prevent yo-yo effect – tips & tricks

The real problem with losing weight isn’t the yo-yo effect, it’s the diet itself. Every body is different and should therefore be treated differently. A diet can never work the same for everyone. In addition, utopian promises tempt you to restrict yourself completely insanely and one-sidedly.

Use these tips to prevent the yo-yo effect:
Give up diets! In order to reduce your weight, you should monitor your diet closely for a few days. What are you eating and drinking? Do you take your time with your meals? Where is hidden sugar?
Approach your diet carefully and slowly. Become aware of which foods are unhealthy and not good for you. Gradually remove them from the menu. This can include replacing fruit juices with unsweetened tea in the first week, for example. Next, the frozen pizza can give way to a healthy evening of cooking with friends. Get used to the change step by step so that you don’t get the feeling that you have to do without something.
In particular, remove ready-made products from your menu and replace them with fresh recipes that you can prepare yourself. We recommend that you use regional and seasonal fruit and vegetables. With short transport routes you can reduce your CO2 footprint. In addition, fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins and important nutrients.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, you should eat a high-protein diet and make sure your food is low on the glycemic index. This means cutting out sweet and fatty foods. Instead, you grab too many vegetables, nuts, legumes and tofu. Lean meat or fish is also recommended. However, due to the overfishing of the seas, we advise against the latter.
There is often a deeper reason behind excessive eating habits. Does stress or grief make you overeat? do you eat out of boredom If you are aware of the trigger, you can counteract it more easily. For example, by integrating more relaxation and deceleration into your everyday life.

Eat a balanced diet and lose weight

Here’s what you can do every day to lose weight:

Start your day with a balanced and high-fiber breakfast to lose weight. This fills you up, boosts your metabolism and prevents annoying cravings.
Drink a glass of water before every meal. This fills the stomach and makes you feel full faster.
Don’t over-pack your plate. Try moderate sizes and get a second helping if you’re not full.
Take your time to eat. Practice mindfulness and avoid distractions like the TV or cell phone.
Protect yourself from impulse buying by only going shopping with a list once a week. This saves you additional trips and money.
Integrate movement into your everyday life. Muscles increase your basal metabolic rate and ensure that you burn more calories. You don’t necessarily have to go jogging. Maybe you’ll find a great club in your area or try to walk 10,000 steps a day.

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Tips to Avoid Stress at Work

Stress at work is counterproductive. Although it can increase productivity for a short time, a stress factor should never creep into working life in the long term, which ultimately hinders work and exhausts the body.

Create a positive working atmosphere

Most often, the stress with colleagues or with the boss is a real trigger for getting sick. You have to keep in mind that group dynamics can increase performance both in a positive sense and in a negative sense it can also tear a whole team apart. It is therefore always important to ensure that you deal with colleagues as correctly as possible so that no gossip can arise in the first place.

In order to create a positive working atmosphere, everyone must participate and want to do so. For this purpose, it makes sense to create a kind of identity for the team so that all employees can identify with it and are proud of being part of this special team.

State of exhaustion

If there is a dispute, it is important not to reinforce the fronts. Because this fight is stressful. If it lasts longer, the body falls into a precarious state. In the short term, the body can compensate for the stressful situation with the appropriate hormones. In longer-lasting states, however, this reserve is exhausted, there is an imbalance in the hormones and ultimately a real state of exhaustion.

Fresh air

But you can also do something physically for yourself: for example, an hour of fresh air a day should improve the oxygen supply of your body. Getting to and from work can also include a walk. Even during the lunch break, a walk can work wonders and take your mind off things.

Find your own center

When the stress gets very high and you feel like you are losing yourself now, it can be helpful to sit up straight, close your eyes and imagine that there is a warm ball in your chest in your body. This helps to find one’s own center again.

Call while standing

Getting up from time to time and talking on the phone while standing, for example, puts the body in a different position. This helps with computer work. In addition, there is nothing unnatural about telephoning while standing. You are more agile, can articulate better, and feel more flexible. Try it. Especially when it comes to difficult phone calls, being stuck in an armchair can also cause a certain rigidity in thinking and in conversation.

Nothing is immutable

Nothing is set in stone. That means as much as: the laws in every company are only the laws of the company. There are no laws of nature like the law of gravitation per se. So if you’re not comfortable with any policy at all, it may help to encourage reflection and discussion of that policy. If there is no solution, you can also consider whether you fit in with the company, or whether you have to bend in such a way that back pain and back pain are the results of this “bending”.

The body doesn’t lie

The body doesn’t lie. This is the greatest truth. So be honest about what you can handle and endure, and what you can’t. Listen to your body. In the event of prolonged exhaustion, headaches, or back pain, the body signals that it doesn’t like something. The body turns on an alarm light that you should not ignore. Listen to yourself: what do I not like? What is stressing me? Try changing the states before you get sick.

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Processed Cheese: Why You Should Avoid It

Processed cheese is a popular ingredient in ready meals. However, it is contaminated with chemicals and unhealthy. We explain to you what makes processed cheese so problematic and why you should better avoid it.

Processed cheese from the chemistry lab

The food industry has all sorts of tricks ready to adapt our food to its intended use. A processed cheese is made in such a way that it is nice and soft and melts and flows quickly when heated. Many cheeses are also artificially colored to whet the appetite. Processed cheese no longer has much in common with natural cheese in terms of appearance. A look at the list of ingredients confirms this: Processed cheese is an unhealthy chemical club.

Processed cheese preparations contain large amounts of artificial phosphates. They are often used in the food industry: for example, they are added to cola to preserve the colour. Another example is coffee creamer, which thanks to the addition of artificial phosphates flows nicely and does not stick.

Natural vs. artificial phosphates

Phosphates are not fundamentally bad: Natural phosphates are even important for the human organism and are contained in many natural foods. Phosphates are minerals that are important for teeth and bones. According to the NDR, around half of this goes into the blood when it is absorbed, while the other half is excreted undigested.

This is different with artificially obtained phosphates: since they are soluble, almost all of them get into the bloodstream. They must be washed out by the kidneys and excreted through the urine. With too much phosphate, however, the kidneys are overwhelmed in the long run and can no longer filter out the substance sufficiently. If there is too much phosphate in the blood, it is harmful to health:
Phosphate has a negative effect on the inner walls of the vessels and thus increases the risk of strokes or heart attacks.
It breaks down muscle.
The consequences can also be seen visually: the skin ages faster with high phosphate levels.

Processed cheese is unhealthy and harmful to the environment

So it’s best to avoid processed cheese and just enjoy natural cheese whose origin you know. Here you can also check organic quality and be sure that you are getting fresh, safe food. Natural cheese also melts when heated and tastes even better.

Another big disadvantage of processed cheese is the packaging waste: the processed cheese preparations come either as a cream in a plastic box – or as slices even individually wrapped in plastic.

Conclusion: Processed cheese is an unnecessary product that is harmful to your health and the environment.

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Avoid Annoying Winter Depression

Avoid winter depression with these clever tips. Declare war on the winter blues and bad moods now. Stay healthy with natural home remedies and get fit through the winter.

Winter is slowly arriving and with the cold season, not only the temperatures but also the immune system and the mood often fall into the red.

What is winter depression?

The lack of sunlight and the gray weather are triggers for winter depression. These so-called seasonal depressions in winter often occur together with listlessness and fatigue and many people suffer from this annually recurring depressive mood. However, these winter depressions can be avoided with simple tips.

1) Healthy eating

Especially in winter, it is important that we equip ourselves with all vitamins because an adequate supply lifts the spirits and prevents depression. We need vitamin C for the formation of the happiness hormone serotonin, as well as for a strong immune system, which is why citrus fruits such as tangerines or oranges are both healthy treats and real vitamin C bombs. Other good suppliers of vitamin C are seasonal vegetables such as kale, savoy cabbage, or white cabbage.

How about a green smoothie made from kale and oranges? But vitamin B6, which can also be found in cabbage, green beans, and lentils, forms the depression killer serotonin. Do you like cracking walnuts in winter? This is great, because the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts and flaxseed are not only good for the brain but also good for avoiding winter blues. Also, note our home remedies to strengthen your immune system.

2) Supplement vitamins

We cannot get all the vitamins from our food in winter, which means that we are welcome to help with supplements. Most people are vitamin D deficient because vitamin D is only found in sunlight. This means that we are supplied with it even less in the dark season. Vitamin D deficiency manifests itself as a lack of drive and fatigue. Also, read our tips against tiredness.

Vitamin deficiency is considered to be one of the main triggers for depression in winter or for the so-called seasonally dependent depression. Here vitamin tablets help to replenish the memory. In general, it can be helpful to take additional vitamin tablets every day, but these do not replace a balanced diet. For those who prefer not to take pills at all, natural antidepressants and mood enhancers might be something for you. Black cumin oil is suitable as a home remedy for physical and mental well-being.

3) Warm baths or showers for depression

Cold and wet weather outside in winter makes you depressed? There is nothing nicer than pampering yourself with a warm bath and switching off. A cold bath or a relaxing bath is healthy for the body and soul. Bath bombs can color the water and lift spirits. The right scents declare war on winter depression: lavender has a calming effect, while citrus scents put you in a good mood. Why not bring summer into the bathroom with summery scents such as coconut or passion fruit? Scented candles placed on the edge of the bathtub create a pleasant atmosphere. Note our other ideas for body relaxation with bath additives and peelings.

Is no bathtub available? No problem – there are also great shower gels, peelings, and body lotions that sweeten your winter with the right scents. Incidentally, it doesn’t always have to be warm here, because contrast showers and a few minutes of cold showers revitalize you even in winter and get your circulation going. You can also massage yourself in the shower with massage sponges or use shower jelly. Fragrant body milk or body butter is particularly important to protect the skin from drying out. Applying lotion slowly helps to consciously perceive the body. For the ultimate wellness feeling, you can turn your bathroom into a wintry spa on your own four walls.

4) Invigorating drinks are good for winter blues

In winter, a good cup of tea is a must. Fresh ginger and lemon are the big hits here because they are not only healthy and strengthen the immune system, but they also help against winter depression. Simply pour warm water over ginger pieces and lemon slices and leave to infuse. Yogi teas, chai, and other Indian spice blends provide the energy boost you need. Try our great tips for making tea with temperature and brewing time.

Golden milk is also a miracle weapon: mix warm almond or oat milk with a little turmeric, ginger, vanilla, a pinch of aniseed and coriander, and if you like, a little cinnamon. Would you like even more spice? Some pepper and chili in the Golden Milk is healthy and gives you power. This Indian insider tip not only warms you from the inside and tastes wintry, but also impresses with its beautiful yellow color. But the classic is cocoa, which is also a true mood enhancer. Discover the healthy effects of cocoa as a miracle cure.

5) Get out into nature! The immune system is also happy

Especially in winter: put on a winter jacket and explore the area, because how do you say it? There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. A wintry landscape invites you to walk and dream. Maybe one of the other parks offers good motives for photos?

Maybe you meet one or the other animal that you can still observe? Walks and fresh air help against brooding and circling thoughts. Connecting with nature brings new ideas and turns winter depression into winter motivation. The immune system and our mood will thank us if we don’t just hide away at low temperatures, but become active.

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Sulfur Dioxide (E220): Why You Should Avoid The Preservative

Sulfur dioxide is a preservative in many foods and must be declared on the packaging. Manufacturers often indicate the substance as E220 in the list of ingredients. Here’s why the preservative is problematic.

Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas that also occurs in nature. It can be dissolved in water and is then called “sulphurous acid” or as salts of sulphurous acid (E221 to E228):
E220: sulfur dioxide
E221: sodium sulfite
E222: sodium bisulfite
E223: sodium metabisulfite
E224: Potassium metabisulfite
E226: calcium sulfite
E227: calcium bisulphite
E228: potassium bisulphite
It doesn’t matter which of these substances the manufacturer uses – they must declare it on the packaging. So consumers know exactly that sulfur dioxide is contained.

The problem: The substance can lead to headaches and nausea and destroys vitamin B1. Therefore, sulfur dioxide must not be used in staple foods that are rich in vitamin B1.

sulfur dioxide in food

Sulfur dioxide is popular with manufacturers because it can be used in a variety of ways:
Sulfur dioxide blocks the growth of fungal and bacterial cultures and is therefore a good food preservative.
Colourants, vitamins and aromas are slowly broken down when they come into contact with oxygen. Sulfur dioxide can prevent this or slow down the process significantly. Products therefore stay fresh longer and do not turn brown, explains the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL).
Sulfur dioxide or the salts are particularly common in the following foods:
Potato Chips
salted dried fish
pearl barley
Sun-dried tomatoes
dried fruit
Meat and fish substitute products
finished products
Wine

How dangerous is sulfur dioxide for health?

Some people are sensitive to sulfur dioxide: People with allergies may experience asthmatic reactions after eating foods containing sulfur, according to the LGL. Examples include asthma attacks and allergic reactions.
Normally, the enzyme sulfite oxidase ensures that the body breaks down sulfur dioxide. However, some people have little of this enzyme. Then, after eating foods containing sulfur, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headaches can follow.
There have also been anaphylactic shocks with circulatory collapse. After a restaurant guest died after eating in Canada, additives containing sulfur were banned in restaurants there.
There is also evidence that the intestinal mucosa is damaged.
In smaller amounts, foods with sulfur dioxide do not pose a health risk, explains the Federal Center for Nutrition. Also not for pregnant women and babies. Only allergy sufferers should be careful and check whether they notice an allergic reaction. However, we advise everyone against eating products with sulfur dioxide. Because the preservative destroys vitamin B1, which is important for the metabolism and can only be ingested through food. Most products are also available unsulphured, such as dried apricots.

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9 Tips on How to Avoid Food Waste During The Holidays

Christmas dinner is about feasting with the family. But when we dine so festively, we should be all the more careful not to waste food. Avoid holiday food waste with these tips.

The rest of the Christmas roast ends up in the garbage, the dumplings would have been enough for several large families. It seems absurd: At the festival of love, we treat food in a particularly careless way. And on the other hand, we often become more aware during this time that other people are in need and, for example, dependent on the food banks.

Food waste is a problem at any time of the year

It should actually be a matter of course throughout the year that we handle food carefully and prevent food waste wherever possible. But the numbers are sobering: According to a study commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, every consumer throws away around 75 kilograms of food every year.

47 percent of this waste in households would be avoidable and another 18 percent partially avoidable. Unavoidable food waste is, for example, egg, onion or banana skins, which of course we could not eat. We are responsible for the rest ourselves because we shop wrong or throw away food too early.

The best tips against food waste at Christmas

For the Christmas days, when we often feast a lot or have to provide more people with (celebratory) food than in everyday life, you should consider the following things – to prevent unnecessary food waste from the outset.

1. Plan the Christmas menu carefully

How many people come to the feast, which ingredients do you need exactly, what do you cook for lunch and dinner on all public holidays? The more far-sighted you are planning the Christmas menu, the more targeted you can buy the right quantities. That way, there are no exaggerated hamster purchases, some of which end up in the trash.

2. Talk to guests beforehand

It can also be helpful to involve family members in the planning: how many dumplings does your uncle like to have as a side dish? Does the little sister even want a soup beforehand or is that too much for her? Of course, it should be possible to have a second helping if someone is hungrier than expected. But if you make menu planning as individual as possible, you can influence that less is left over overall.

3. Offer lighter fare

Many families have traditional dishes that are served at Christmas. Anyone who is open to modifying traditions a little can try to make what is often very heavy fare lighter. Roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings is hearty and filling – there is a high risk of not eating everything. How about a fresh salad as a side instead? Fish or vegetarian main dishes are also less digestible and the risk of food waste is reduced.

4. Prefer loose goods when shopping

In order to buy the right amount of food as precisely as possible, it is advisable not to use large packs. It is better to buy loose than packaged goods or choose groceries from the deli counter. By the way, this has two advantages: Not only can you more easily adjust the purchases to the number of guests, but you also avoid unnecessary packaging waste.

5. Buy last-minute fresh produce

Do all the Christmas shopping a few days in advance? That’s not a good idea. It makes more sense to procure all food that can be stored well for a long time with sufficient lead time. If the menu includes fresh items like lamb’s lettuce and perishable fruits and vegetables, ideally stock up on those ingredients the day before Christmas Eve. This way you ensure that the food for the feast does not spoil beforehand – causing food waste and despair in the kitchen.

6. Serve small portions

Christmas dinner is the epitome of gluttony. Still, we don’t have to encourage the habit of overeating. Serve multiple courses, but each in small portions – so all guests feel spoiled without the feast getting out of hand. Eating less often means less food waste.

7. Store leftovers properly

If something is left over after the feast, the elaborately prepared meal does not have to end up in the garbage. Store the leftovers in separate containers in the fridge – note the different temperature zones -, freeze them (label with the current date!) or preserve them in some other way, for example by boiling them down. Very important: Do not leave meat and fish at room temperature for a long time and it is best to freeze both immediately after eating.

8. Use the leftovers creatively

Aside from the fact that a second portion of Christmas dinner tastes just as good for lunch the next day: be creative and think about how you can use the leftovers to make something new that is just as delicious. Leftover raclette meat can be fried, for example, and used in casseroles, cold in salads, etc. Leftovers taste cold with tartar sauce, with salad or as a sandwich. Diced and fried with an egg in a pan, dumplings become a completely different dish.

9. Make other people happy

The nice elderly woman who lives next door is spending Christmas alone? She will certainly be happy if you bring her a portion of roast or a piece of stollen if you have miscalculated the amount. You can probably think of another way to make other people happy with a part of your celebratory meal!

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Food

Good Carbohydrates and Which Ones to Avoid: an Overview

“Good carbs” are said to be healthier than other types of carbs. We have summarized which foods contain which carbohydrates and what you should consider.

Good carbohydrates: That’s what makes them special

Carbohydrates are found in almost all foods. These are nutrients that your body uses for energy. To do this, digestive enzymes have to break down carbohydrates into sugars.

“Good carbs” is a slang term for a specific type of carbohydrate – the complex sugars. In food, you mainly encounter them as starch or cellulose, the building material of plant fibers.

Good carbohydrates: These foods contain them

These foods contain healthy carbohydrates:
Legumes such as peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils or peanuts
Grains such as whole wheat products, brown rice, oats, spelt, buckwheat, millet, quinoa and amaranth.
All types of vegetables (Potatoes and sweet potatoes are particularly rich in healthy starch.)
Nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds
Seeds such as pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Lose weight with good carbohydrates?

Studies indicate that carbohydrates can help you lose weight. They make test subjects less irritable and they can stick to diets longer.

Long-chain carbohydrates are mostly found in vegetables. They help you to eat a wholesome and balanced diet.
Many nutrients – little fat: Vegetables, as well as whole grain products or legumes, usually also contain vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances. On the other hand, their fat content is lower.
Roughage: Roughage from cellulose promotes digestion.

Good carbs: what are the bad ones then?

Your body does not have to convert “bad” carbohydrates into sugar first. They can enter the blood immediately as sugar and are available as energy a short time after the meal. The blood sugar level rises quickly from such carbohydrates, but it also quickly ebbs away again. That’s why the unhealthy carbohydrates don’t fill you up and you’ll quickly feel hungry again.

These sugar compounds consist of short molecular chains with a single bond (mono) or a double bond (di). These sugars are also called mono- or disaccharides by their chemical names. These include, for example:
Beet sugar, which is usually what household sugar is made of
Fructose, the fruit sugar in fruit
Glucose, for example, in dextrose
Lactose, the milk sugar
Maltose, the malt sugar
These “bad” carbs are often hidden in foods where you wouldn’t expect any sugar, such as convenience foods like ketchup, fruit yogurt, or soft drinks.

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