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Hot and Greasy: You Should Better Avoid 5 Dishes During Your Lunch Break

During the lunch break, many people grab fast food – after all, there is often not much time to eat. However, there are 5 dishes that you should better avoid.

Fast food during the lunch break: because it has to be fast

Although such a lunch “to go” is anything but relaxed, it saves time and is usually delicious. The choice of the right lunch should not be underestimated. Most people leave much more time for breakfast and rethink their eating habits more often. But at midday work is pressing and people only eat because of hunger. Lunch is the prerequisite for an energetic and successful second half of the day.

In the long run, the unhealthy lunch breaks can become a habit and have some nasty side effects. Fast and stress eaters are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome. These include obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. In the short term, symptoms such as bloating or heartburn can be expected.

In order to prevent the mentioned possible side effects of permanently unhealthy lunches, you should avoid the following dishes in the future:

#1Pizza

A well-known lunchtime classic. A whole pizza is usually eaten up in just 30 minutes, because the break just doesn’t allow for more time. However, our favorite Italian food should remain the exception, because it contains significantly more sodium than the average adult needs per day. Elevated sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

#2 Sandwich

Even the popular sandwich or roll is not necessarily good for our body. A lavishly filled roll with greasy sauces or cold cuts usually covers half of an adult’s nitrite and nitrate requirement. It is better to choose a vegetarian alternative or a simple sandwich – without sauces.

#3 Burgers

The burger is also a popular lunchtime dish. Most of the time, fries and a soft drink are ordered as well. In combination, the calorie value of the meal naturally jumps up quite a bit. However, with this high-fat, calorie- and sodium-rich food, overweight, diabetes and high blood pressure must be expected if consumed more frequently.

#4 Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken is loaded with fat and sodium. In general, fried meals are often viewed very critically. In very large quantities, they often lead to cardiovascular problems and can even have fatal consequences.

#5 Hot Dogs

The well-known sausage with a roll, roasted onions and sauce almost completely fills the daily requirement of saturated fatty acids for an adult. In addition, there is a sodium intake that should not be underestimated, because a high sodium content can lead to high blood pressure. This also increases the risk of suffering a stroke or developing heart failure. In addition, excessive intake of fatty acids leads to higher cholesterol levels. This increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke even more.

Better: Tips for a healthy lunch

To avoid all side effects and dishes, but still enjoy a healthy and relaxed lunch break, here are a few tips:
60-30-10 principle: 60 percent of the break time is meal time, 30 percent exercise time and 10 percent relaxation time.
Eat in peace and take your time.
Choose lots of fruits and vegetables for your dish.
Avoid toppings on white bread, prefer whole grain rolls.
Consume animal products in moderation.
If possible, avoid fast food altogether.
Do you drink much

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Food

Eat Better: Are Cooked Carrots Healthier?

Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables, and not without reason! But why are cooked carrots healthier? We’ll tell you!

What is the difference between raw and cooked carrots?

The good news first: Whether raw or cooked, carrots definitely are
You should also always add some fat in the form of healthy olive oil, sunflower oil or a little butter during preparation. Because the important ingredient beta-carotene is fat-soluble. So if you add some fat to cooked carrots, you absorb the beta-carotene particularly well. This also applies to raw carrots, by the way. If you eat them uncooked, also eat them with some fat (e.g. hummus) to be able to absorb the vitamins better.

It’s best if you don’t remove the skin from the carrots at all, or only remove them where necessary. Because most of the vitamins are right under the skin. Therefore, always wash the carrots particularly thoroughly to remove smaller soil residues. Our conclusion: If you want to absorb as much of the carrot’s vitamins as possible, then pay particular attention to the correct preparation. So you always get the best of the healthy root vegetables.

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Food

Is it Better to Buy Organic? These Foods in Particular are Contaminated With Pesticides

Is organic food really treated with fewer pesticides or are there products where the conventional version is just as good?

Better to go organic for these foods

There are foods where it can make sense to buy the organic version. They include:
Fruits and vegetables – there is a low exposure to pesticides here
Meat – the quality is higher with organic products
Native oils – they contain valuable ingredients
ready meals
whole grain products
When it comes to fruit and vegetables, you can use the sensitivity of the products as a guide: In the case of rather more sensitive foods, it is often worth reaching for organic products. These are often less contaminated with pollutants. This applies, for example, to pears, berries, peppers and lettuce.

Which pesticides are used? Are they harmful?

Pesticides are often used by farmers to protect their crops from insects and weeds on the one hand, but also to prevent fungal infestation on the other. There are both chemical and biological pesticides that farmers can use. In conventional agriculture there are around 270 active ingredients that are approved. Their use has a rather negative impact on various areas. The pesticides can get into other biotopes and water bodies through air or rain and pose a threat to nature there. One result can be the impoverishment of the plant world, and the insects and birds living there are also deprived of their livelihood.

In organic farming, these chemical-synthetic pesticides are prohibited. Natural pesticides are used, which are also biodegradable. Examples would be copper, sulfur or beeswax. However, that does not mean that these pesticides cause less damage. In contrast to chemical pesticides, natural pesticides not only work in specific areas, but over a wider area, which in turn can harm other living beings.

Nevertheless, the biological pesticides are a better alternative, since far fewer of them are permitted, which minimizes the negative impact on nature overall. Many organic farmers also turn to natural methods to protect their crops.

Can you still buy “non-organic”?

Even if it can make sense to use the organic version for some foods, some products that have been produced conventionally perform just as well.

Dairy products – some products were even able to convince with a better result
Fish – even conventional fish was able to keep up well with the organic alternative
Refined oils – in addition to the quality, for example, the lower price could also impress
Side dishes – for example with pasta, the conventional alternative is completely sufficient
Luxury foods – every second conventional product was convincing here
Vegetables that grow underground are also less contaminated by pesticides, so conventional alternatives can also be used here. In addition, it almost always makes sense to use seasonal goods, as these are usually less contaminated.

Conclusion: is organic really better?

Overall, therefore, it cannot be assumed that organic products are always the better choice. Most of the conventionally produced foods are also of high and good quality in terms of pesticide exposure. Here you can make your choice depending on the food. With regard to the environment, however, it can make sense to use organic products and to pay attention to the various seals, since the production of these foods is often less of a burden on nature.

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Food

Better to Avoid These Dairy Products

Not only because of the ethical dilemma, many people nowadays leave out dairy products or replace them with plant-based alternatives. But if you still like to use animal products, you should still avoid these three foods, which are considered particularly hazardous to health.

#1 whipped cream

Whipped cream is particularly popular with cake or ice cream. A cup of cream is also needed in some cooking recipes, but this dairy product is particularly rich in fats. With a fat content of 30 percent, cream can be very detrimental to calorie balance and cholesterol.

Whipped cream: only consume in small amounts
Therefore, the consumption of whipped cream should not happen regularly and only in small amounts. As with almost all unhealthy products, the same applies here: a small amount goes a long way. Now and then you can enjoy the milk product with caution.

#2 Fruit Yogurt

Whether for breakfast or as a small snack in between, fruit yoghurts initially appear to be healthy. But appearances are deceptive: most yoghurts have an excessive sugar content.

A 250 gram cup can easily contain more than 30 grams of sweetener. Therefore, the seemingly healthy dairy product can be counted as a candy rather than a healthy snack.

Fruit yoghurt: this is how you make it yourself very quickly
But the remedy is easy: You can easily conjure up a delicious fruit yoghurt yourself from natural yoghurt and fresh fruit. If you like it a bit sweeter, you can also add a little honey or agave syrup.

#3 butter

One of the most unhealthy dairy products is butter. Under cheese or jam, for cooking or baking, butter is used very often in the kitchen. However, butter is an absolute calorie bomb:
100 grams of butter can contain over 700 calories. Therefore, you should use the fat spread very sparingly, otherwise excessive consumption quickly leads to unwanted weight gain.

In addition, the dairy product is full of saturated fats, which cause cholesterol to rise sharply. Elevated cholesterol levels, in turn, increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.

Be careful when consuming dairy products

It is up to you whether you want to consume dairy products, but you should always be careful when consuming them. Although milk is said to promote bone formation due to its high calcium content, its high lactose content can also increase the risk of diabetes.

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health

9 Natural Home Remedies to Fall Asleep Better

Natural home remedies for sleeping better will help you fall asleep better. So you no longer have to spend the nights sleepless in bed. We show you the best home remedies for better sleep, which you can do without numerous remedies from the pharmacy.

Improve the quality of sleep with natural means and finally sleep through the night again. This makes the days worth living again because every morning can now start well-rested and fit. Many people have trouble falling asleep at night. Grandma’s old home remedies can be a simple, quick, and effective solution to help you fall asleep more easily.

1) Hot milk to fall asleep

Even the grandmother knew the sleep-promoting effect of milk with honey. In fact, the substance tryptophan and the sugar contained in the healing miracle cure honey lead to the formation of the substances serotonin and melatonin in the brain. As a messenger substance, serotonin plays a role in human sleep-wake regulation. And melatonin has been shown to promote sleep. Hot milk with honey can help you fall asleep faster after bedtime. However, it does not help with chronic insomnia. However, it is an effective home remedy for coughs.

2) Warm cocoa

The health benefits of cocoa are impressive. Since cocoa contains the substance phenylethylamine, it can help you fall asleep. This increases the production of happy hormones. And too many happy hormones make you tired after a short time. This will make you want to sleep quickly. So you should have a hot chocolate drink 30 minutes before bed to help you fall asleep.

3) Golden milk as a sleep aid

In addition to our traditional drinks such as warm milk and cocoa, there is golden milk – a traditional drink from India. This is said to have a very positive effect on human health and to be helpful as a remedy for sleep problems. So if you want to try something new, try our recipe for making golden milk yourself and it will make it easier for you to fall asleep.

4) Valerian to fall asleep

You can also buy valerian in the form of drops or dragees. This natural sedative has been known for generations and still ensures the best night’s sleep today. To do this, take a few drops 10 minutes before going to bed. Valerian then provides the desired tiredness and rest. This makes your sleep more relaxed and restful. Also, see our article on relieving symptoms of anxiety and stress. This can also improve your sleep.

5) St. John’s Wort for better sleep

As you have already learned, many herbs can have a calming and relaxing effect on your sleep. St. John’s wort can also help you sleep better. For this, you can take St. John’s wort in the form of tea or dragees. And thus promote a good night’s sleep in a natural way. It is also a good home remedy for avoiding annoying winter depression. So worth a try every time.

6) A warm bath in the evening

A nice home remedy to fall asleep is a warm full bath before going to bed. When sleep just won’t come, a warm bath can often work wonders. If you use the power of herbs as a bath additive and use mixtures with a calming effect, you can look forward to relaxed sleep afterward. Essential oils such as chamomile, St. John’s wort, or the beneficial power of the medicinal plant lavender are suitable for this.

7) Scented sachets and beautiful scents

Likewise, you can not only please your nose with beautiful scents, but you can also promote your night’s rest with delicate scents and improve your sleep. To do this, fill a sachet with aniseed, thyme, mint, lavender, lemon balm, and chamomile, and place the sachet next to your pillow. Then it will be easier for you to fall asleep. Or get a scent lamp with ylang-ylang or lavender to improve your sleep. But a nice rose oil can also bring you relaxation with its wonderful scent before you go to sleep. So your sleep will be relaxed and deep again. Also, note ideas for making room fragrances yourself.

8) Compensate for magnesium deficiency

If you are tired and sleepy in the evening but cannot fall asleep, then there may be a lack of magnesium in the body. Therefore, you should integrate magnesium into your diet or as a dietary supplement. Thus, the body is made fit again. And consequently, healthy sleep is no longer a long time coming. Also, read our 5 tips for a good and healthy sleep.

9) Warm feet help you fall asleep

Cold feet make it difficult to fall asleep. Thus, cold feet can be a reason for poor sleep in the evening. If you suffer from insomnia and cold feet, you should try whether you can sleep better with warm feet. There is a theory about this problem that says that cold feet signal to the body that frostbite is imminent and that the body is, therefore, unable to rest. That’s why you should put your feet in ice-cold water for a few minutes before going to bed. This promotes blood circulation and your feet get warm. Of course, you can also use a hot water bottle, a grain pillow, or wool socks to warm your feet. Of course, it’s best if you have a two-legged hot water bottle to warm up your feet with. This is also a good tip for avoiding a cold and strengthening your immune system.

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Lifestyle

Healthy Sleep: 6 Tips for Better Sleep

Healthy sleep is extremely important for us: body and mind recover at night. Thus, sleeping is a nocturnal rejuvenation cure, because the cells regenerate, and the brain processes the impressions or information of the day. Therefore use valuable tips for better sleep.

Why is good and healthy sleep so important?

Medical sleep researchers are deeply concerned with the subject of sleep. She came to the conclusion that sleep has positive effects on the psyche, heart, memory, and much more. Healthy sleep also strengthens the immune system. Consequently, a good night’s sleep is essential for the well-being of every individual. You can only maintain your performance in the long term and counteract premature aging processes if you sleep sufficiently and well. If you constantly sleep badly or too little, you have to reckon with serious health consequences! Since important processes are neglected during sleep:

  • the cells renew themselves
  • metabolism is regulated
  • strengthens the immune system
  • the brain processes information and forms memories

Simple tips for sleeping better

If you experience restless nights, it can be an indication of anxiety or depression. Do you often lie in bed brooding and worrying? Or do you keep going through certain situations in your head? Then there are typical patterns of thought loops that won’t let you sleep. Consequently, tips for successfully combating sleep problems will help you. And if you just want to improve the quality of your sleep, then here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1) Sleep well with the right pad

Healthy sleep needs enough time and individually suitable equipment. As a result, too little space in the bed can disrupt the nocturnal regeneration phase. You should also choose your mattress individually according to body weight, personal needs, and quality. Mattresses that are too hard or soft impair the musculoskeletal system and lead to complaints. If the mattress is too soft, the body finds it difficult to fall asleep and tenses up at night. For allergy sufferers who are sensitive to house dust, for example, there are also special models that do not give mites a breeding ground. In addition, note useful tips for cleaning mattresses.

2) Choose the right pillow

Choosing a suitable pillow is also helpful for better sleep. Many cheap pillows are too soft, too big, or just hard. As a result, they provide little support and cause pain in the cervical spine and neck. The empty space between your shoulder and spine should be filled with a neck support pillow, for example, to prevent unpleasant consequences. If you are one of those people who prefer to sleep on their side, a side sleeper pillow will help. Consequently, with the right pillow, you can prevent back pain and prevent neck pain.

3) Appropriate sleeping position for better sleeping

Everyone has their individual and preferred sleeping position. But not all promote a good night’s sleep. For example, lying on your stomach is considered the unhealthiest sleeping position. Therefore, you should definitely avoid lying on your stomach. Meanwhile, sleeping on your back is the healthiest, and alternating from side to side also helps to get healthy and restful sleep. Therefore, make sure you fall asleep in the right position in the future.

4) Create a healthy sleeping environment

If you want to sleep better, you should ensure a healthy sleeping environment. You should be able to feel comfortable and relaxed around the bed. In order to achieve an ideal sleeping environment, the following aspects are also important:

  • Make sure there is enough darkness, as light impairs the formation of the sleep hormone melatonin.
  • 18 degrees in the bedroom is the ideal room temperature for a good night’s sleep.
  • Regular cleaning of the bed reduces house dust and ensures pleasant freshness.
  • Choose suitable bed linen: Cotton is best – flannel or beaver for cold winter days, jersey or satin in summer.

5) Ensure a good indoor climate

There are a few tips on how you can positively influence the indoor climate in the bedroom. The easiest way is to air the bedrooms regularly. Accordingly, you should “ventilate” after getting up. So open all the windows completely and thus ensure a complete exchange of air. You should do the same ritual in the evening at least ten minutes before you go to bed. If the room climate is still bad, you can get tools that, for example, reduce the humidity. Plants can also improve the indoor climate.

6) Avoid electrosmog in the bedroom

The magic word is short-term “digital detox” – at least a few hours before going to bed, you should observe a certain level of sleep hygiene. And that means banning smartphones, laptops, TVs, or tablets from the room in the hour before bed. You should also avoid surfing the Internet at night or watching a marathon of your last favorite series before going to bed. As a result, your body can switch off early. By replacing your cell phone with a quartz alarm clock, you can reduce electromagnetic radiation. Then your sleep quality should improve significantly.

 

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Frozen Versus Canned Food: Which Is Better?

Seasonal fruit and vegetables are healthy and also environmentally friendly. But what about frozen food and tin cans? Which preservation method is the gentlest for vitamins and minerals – and therefore the healthiest? Which method is the most environmentally friendly?

Healthy Eating: Frozen or Canned?

Freshly harvested fruit and vegetables contain a particularly large number of important nutrients. However, vitamins – such as vitamin C – are very sensitive to light, heat and oxygen. For this reason, fruit and vegetables should not be transported over long distances and should be eaten as fresh as possible. But what happens to the nutrients when they are preserved by freezing or in the can?

When processed into frozen food, fresh fruit and vegetables are frozen just a few hours after harvesting. This has clear advantages: The levels of minerals and vitamins are still very high and remain largely intact even when temperatures are consistently below zero.

A study by the University of Hamburg shows that the vitamin C content of raw peas was already significantly reduced after seven days of storage at room temperature, while the content hardly changed after two years of deep-freeze storage at -25 degrees (study pdf).

Another plus point: Frozen fruit and vegetables do not contain any preservatives. Frozen food – at least if it is not frozen ready meals – does well from a health point of view, but what about canned foods?

Compared to fresh or frozen products, jarred or canned fruit and vegetables have a lower nutrient content: they are heat sterilized to kill microorganisms and inactivate enzymes.

This preserves the product, but important nutrients such as heat-sensitive vitamins suffer. In addition, mixtures of water, sugar, acids, herbs and sometimes additives are usually added.

Another aspect that does not speak in favor of the can from a health point of view: Tin cans are usually made of tinplate or aluminum, both metals are stable and protect the food from gases, light and odors.

The inner surface is sealed with plastic so that no metals are released from the can and transferred to the food. However, this plastic coating often contains the harmful bisphenol A (BPA): it is suspected of acting like a hormone in the body.

Frozen or Canned: Which is Better for the Environment?

For a long time, frozen food was notorious for being particularly harmful to the environment: the complex production and energy-intensive storage in the freezer at home cannot be environmentally friendly at all. However, a study by the Freiburg Oko-Institut (pdf) shows that this is not necessarily true.

The Freiburg scientists examined various product groups: rolls, chicken fricassee, peas, pizza and potato pancakes. For all products, the greenhouse gas emissions of the compared variants were relatively close to each other.

The example of the peas shows that the different variants are relatively close together. Canned peas have the best climate balance, while frozen peas are in the middle. However, the results depend heavily on the boundary conditions, for example the storage time in the freezer has a major impact on the overall result.

All in all, our behavior influences the carbon footprint of the peas by around 38 percent: a lot can be achieved through the preparation, storage in the household, washing dishes, the trip to the shop and the choice and setting of the refrigerator.

In the life cycle assessment of chicken fricassee, the frozen product performs better than the unchilled or self-prepared product, which is also due to the industrial preparation in large quantities. But here, too, the values are close together.

The illustration shows that it is not the consumer who has the greatest influence on the result, but the way in which the raw materials are provided. In the case of vegetables, this means cultivation and, in the case of meat, livestock farming. With chicken fricassee, keeping the chickens accounts for around 42 percent of the raw material supply. It is therefore decisive for the ecological balance whether the products are of animal origin and whether the product is composed of many different ingredients.

Our actions have a big impact

The general conclusion of the Freiburg study is: frozen products are no more harmful to the climate than canned products; the recipe and consumer behavior are decisive. The higher the proportion of meat and milk, the greater the “fixed cost share” of the climate impact.

Another study shows how big the impact of our behavior on the carbon footprint of food is:
If a consumer decides in favor of the climate for 1 kg of fresh instead of deep-frozen goods, he saves a smaller amount of greenhouse gas emissions than is caused by a 2 km long car journey.

In other words, driving to the grocery store is “worse” than buying frozen instead of fresh vegetables. In any case, it is worth questioning your own actions. You can make a big difference with these eight tips:

Ditch the car and ride your bike – or, if necessary, use public transport – to go shopping.
Plan your purchases so you avoid food waste and long storage times for frozen products.
Place frozen products last on the belt and get them into your freezer as quickly as possible.
Check: how energy efficient is your freezer?
Only open your refrigerator briefly and let freshly cooked food cool down before freezing.
Follow the preparation instructions on the packaging.
Fresh seasonal products from the region are the best choice.
The less meat and animal products you eat, the better for the environment.

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Food

Coffee Alternatives – Are There Better Pick-me-ups?

Do you have the feeling that your coffee consumption has increased indefinitely and you urgently need a coffee substitute with a fresh kick? Or do you just want to try something different, but don’t want to miss out on the wake-up effect in the morning? We present you some caffeinated beverages, but also decaffeinated alternatives that are more or less known to be a good substitute for coffee.

Black tea

One of the most popular coffee substitutes is black tea. The advantage of tea is its slower but usually longer-lasting effect. Although caffeine or theine is also included, since this is bound to other substances, it takes longer for the desired stimulant effect to develop. However, if you are looking for a quick caffeine kick in the morning, you should rather grab an espresso or coffee.

Green tea

Believe it or not, green tea is a perfect pick-me-up as it is also a caffeinated beverage. The difference to black tea is that green tea is not fermented. Thanks to its binding to numerous amino acids and tannin bonds, the caffeine acts very slowly and gently. The effect of the caffeine also lasts much longer.

A very special green tea is matcha tea. It is given as a powder in hot water and foamed with a bamboo whisk. This coffee substitute contains many vitamins and other healthy ingredients that result from gentle processing. In addition, the powder is made from whole tea leaves, so you can consume all the ingredients. When preparing the tea in a bag, the ingredients are removed from the tea by removing the leaves.

Cola

Cola is also known for its refreshing and invigorating effect. As a caffeinated drink, it is enjoyed on many occasions – especially on hot days as a popular coffee substitute. One reason to reach for the cola is the stimulant effect. Thanks to the caffeine and sugar it contains, tiredness quickly dissipates and we become fit and alert. Unfortunately, this effect does not last long.

Energy drinks/ Guarana pick-me-up

Thanks to the caffeine it contains, guarana stimulates the cardiovascular system and is therefore often found in energy drinks and lemonades. But Guarana is also found in some types of cocoa and chocolate. However, since this is bound to tannins, it takes a while for the guarana stimulant to take effect and for the effect to wear off again.

Because the amount of caffeine is regulated in Germany, energy drinks may not contain more than 32 mg of caffeine per 100 ml.

Mate tea

Originally, the term Mate referred to a drinking vessel from which the infusion with finely chopped Mate leaves was drunk. However, this name has also prevailed for the drink. With us, however, the infusion drink is better known as a bottled soft drink.

The caffeine content per bottle is about as much as a 150 ml cup of coffee and contains only half the sugar compared to cola. This caffeinated drink can therefore also be described as a coffee alternative.

Ginger water

But not only caffeine can trigger a waking effect. Hot spices can boost the metabolism and stimulate blood circulation. This wakes you up and doesn’t make you tired so quickly. You can simply pour honey over hot ginger pieces or slices and then enjoy.

Hot lemon

Thanks to the high vitamin C content, which stimulates the metabolism, a hot lemon can drive away tiredness. The extra vitamin kick provides more energy and an increase in concentration. A pick-me-up that does not require any caffeine and is very healthy.

Ultimately, your taste decides which alternative is the best coffee substitute. Do you prefer a hot lemon or do you grab a guarana pick-me-up? As a coffee lover to coffee lover, however, we recommend that you limit your coffee consumption a little and enjoy your favorite drink more consciously. Because you don’t want to do without a quick caffeine kick in the morning, do you?

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11 Foods You’re Better Off Avoiding in Winter

Our kitchen and fridge are full, even in winter – but often with the wrong food.

If you shop correctly, you are not only doing something for your health, but also for the environment and fair working conditions.

Strawberries

Strawberries now mostly come from abroad. For example from Spain, where strawberry plantations have fallen into disrepute due to exploitative working conditions, the massive use of pesticides and questionable irrigation methods. Or they are even imported from Israel or California.

The following applies to strawberries from Germany: don’t be fooled! In autumn and winter they ripen in this country only with a considerable expenditure of energy. Above all, the power consumption for the artificial lighting is enormous.

In our Utopia seasonal calendar you can find out which fruit and vegetables you can buy from local growers.

Imported apples

What is more ecological: an imported apple from New Zealand or a local apple from cold storage? This question is a well-known ecological dilemma – luckily we can’t care until about mid-December.

Until then, there are fresh apples from the region that do not have to be cooled using a lot of energy, for example Cox Orange, Jonagold, Elstar, Berlepsch. So there really is no need for apples from overseas.

In our photo series “Determining apple varieties”, you will mainly find apple varieties that also grow here.

Green salads

When it’s cold, green lettuces (like lettuce, batavia, iceberg lettuce) come out of the heated greenhouse and end up in stores “immature”. That is why they have less taste and also contain fewer healthy nutrients such as vitamins and phytochemicals.

There are still enough lettuce in season in Germany, for example lamb’s lettuce, chicory, radicchio, endive or purslane.

Imported Nuts

Most of the nuts in our stores come from far away: peanuts from the US and Israel, walnuts from California, almonds from the US and Spain, cashews from India.

Therefore, especially in the autumn and winter months, we should eat varieties that also grow in our area (and that can be stored without using a lot of energy). So: walnuts and hazelnuts from Germany.

Conventional citrus

Even if it says “untreated” – residues of pesticides and preservatives are regularly found in conventional oranges, tangerines and lemons.

Manufacturers use tricks so that they do not have to specify the chemical treatment: Sprays that are normally applied to the fruit after harvesting are already sprayed on the lemons and oranges hanging on the tree.

So: better buy organic and fair!

Conventional ACE juice

An extra portion of vitamins for an intact immune system? Better not with conventional ACE juice. The fruit content is usually only between 20 and 60 percent. For this, water, sugar or sweeteners and vitamins are added. These vitamins often come from the laboratory, and their use is also highly controversial.

If you want to take vitamins in liquid form, it is better to drink organic not-from-concentrate juices – they are healthier and are usually bottled during the respective season. Or try one of our healthy winter smoothie recipes made with seasonal ingredients.

Tomatoes

We like to eat them all year round. But in the cold season, almost all of our tomatoes come from the Netherlands, Spain and France, where they are grown in greenhouses with high energy consumption.

Better: Avoid “fresh” tomatoes in winter and use organic tomatoes that have been strained in a glass jar for pasta, pizza, etc. These are harvested when ripe and therefore not only taste better than winter imports, but also contain more nutrients. But it’s better to take a closer look when you’re shopping, because glass and canned tomatoes often come from China and have been transported long distances.

Cucumbers

The same applies to cucumbers as to tomatoes. They are popular all year round, but we only have season from June to the end of October. In winter there are greenhouse imports and that means less healthy nutrients, problematic production conditions and long transport routes.

Another reason that speaks against cucumbers in winter: In some supermarkets you can now only find them wrapped in plastic. The supermarkets justify that the cucumbers would be better protected during transport.

We show you how you can avoid packaging in the supermarket instead.

Zucchini

Although zucchini is a pumpkin plant, it is only in season here from June to the end of October. “Real” pumpkins such as Hokkaido or Butternut, on the other hand, are available until December and from then on as stock goods from local cultivation.

We show which pumpkins you can also eat with the skin. You can also try this delicious, warming pumpkin soup recipe.

Conventional tea

Black and green tea comes mainly from China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. Working conditions on conventional plantations are often miserable. Exploitation, discrimination and poverty are the order of the day. The massive use of pesticides harms the environment and workers, residues end up in our cup.

You should therefore buy black and green tea from fair trade and with the EU organic seal. Or: prefer herbal teas made from local herbs.

Imported Grapes

From November, grapes mostly come from South Africa, India, Chile, Peru or Brazil. Because they do not ripen, they are harvested fresh and then transported to us by ship. Depending on the place of origin, this can take up to three weeks – and that’s it with the freshness.

Conventional grapes are also often contaminated with pesticides because vines are susceptible to fungi, lice, mites and other pests. Not only do we suffer from this, but also the environment. You should therefore only buy the fruit regionally, during the season and in organic quality.

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Boil Carrots: That’s Why It’s Better Than Eating Them Raw

When you cook carrots, you ensure that your body can better utilize the healthy nutrients. Here you can find out what else you should consider when preparing carrots.

Vitamins and nutrients in carrots – It depends on the cooking

Carrots taste wonderful in a salad or as a snack between meals. But did you know that their valuable ingredients can be utilized even better by your body with the right preparation method?

A study conducted in Sweden in 2012 examined how the availability of the healthy, fat-soluble carotene varies depending on how it is prepared. The conclusion was that both adding fat and cooking the carrots made the valuable ingredients easier for the body to utilize. Above all, however, chopping the vegetables has a positive effect on availability, as reported by ZEIT online.

According to the study, around three percent of the carotene in whole or roughly chopped carrots passes into the gastric juice.
By cooking, the amount can be increased to six percent.
By adding additional oil, the value increased to eight percent.
However, if the carrots were strained or grated before consumption, the value increased many times over: the availability of beta-carotene in boiled and grated carrots increased to a full 27 percent. With additional oil, the value even increased to 45 percent.

Boil the carrots or cook them in a sieve

In order to preserve as many of the healthy ingredients in the carrots as possible during cooking, you should cook them as gently as possible. That’s how it’s done:

Using a vegetable brush and water, scrub the carrots thoroughly to free them from soil.
Cut off the base of the leafy greens and the carrot into small pieces – as you need them for the dish.
Just barely cover the vegetables in the pot with water. The carrots don’t have to be completely immersed in water to cook, as the vitamins are lost in large quantities in the cooking water.
Steam cooking with a sieve insert is even gentler. This allows the carrots to lie in the sieve without coming into contact with the cooking water. Vitamins and nutrients are optimally preserved. Make sure to close the pot and sieve insert with a suitable lid. This will ensure that the steam cooks the carrots properly.
The cooking time in the sieve insert is slightly longer than when cooking in water. Depending on the size of the pieces, carrots require between 10 and 15 minutes. Before the time is up, test your carrots for consistency by puncturing them with a sharp knife. Anything you like is allowed! If you prefer your carrots to be soft, let them cook a little longer. If you like them crispier, shorten the time accordingly.


Season the carrots with as little salt as possible. Salt removes water from the carrots and thus the healthy nutrients.
Tip: Use carrots from organic farming. It has been scientifically proven that organic vegetables and fruit contain more vitamins than conventionally farmed vegetables. Enjoy your meal!

 

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