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Fruit Yoghurts are Quite a Sugar Bomb

As a quick snack, many people like to grab fruity yogurt from the fridge. However, this is usually not touched by yourself, but manufactured industrially – and that’s where the problem lies. Because a recent study found out: that fruit yogurts are sugar bombs! The consumer should therefore raise awareness when enjoying the milk product.

The study

Two students from the University of Hohenheim examined the sugar content in fruit yogurts and found out that there is much more sugar in dairy products than is good for the body. Fruit yogurts are sugar bombs! A total of 600 varieties from various brands were examined in the laboratory for the study. The result: Almost all fruit yogurts contain roughly the same amount of sugar, namely around 14.1 grams in 100 g cups.

A single fruit yogurt thus almost completely covers the maximum value of the daily requirement for energy from sugar. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sugar accounts for only five percent of daily energy requirements – and other sugary foods and drinks are consumed throughout the day.

Pioneers of Norway and Switzerland

Some food companies in Switzerland and Norway are showing a possible solution in the fight against sugary fruit yogurts. The latter offers buyers yogurts in six different levels of sweetness, ranging from 0 to 13 grams of added sugar. A manufacturer in Switzerland reduced the sugar content in its fruit yogurts by 45 percent. It remains to be seen whether the food industry in Germany will react to these results and also reduce the sugar content.

Make your own fruit yogurt

The best way to keep an eye on the sugar content is to simply touch the delicious fruit yogurt yourself. This is not only easy on the wallet but also saves a lot of calories! The best thing about it: the fruit yogurt tastes particularly good with your favorite fruits. It gets crispy with a topping of nuts, seeds, or muesli flakes.

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Sugar Bomb Ready Breakfast Porridge

When it’s cold and uncomfortable outside, many people have a warming breakfast porridge instead of the usual muesli with cold milk. This is now even available as a ready-made product in supermarkets. Particularly practical: the finished breakfast porridge only has to be poured over with hot water and is ready to eat immediately – although this variant usually also contains a lot of sugar.

Sugar bomb-ready breakfast porridge

Boil water, stir into the ready-made breakfast porridge mixture, refine with seasonal fruits or nuts – and the quick breakfast is ready. Anyone who likes to use prepackaged breakfast porridge from the supermarket should definitely study the list of ingredients beforehand because ready-made breakfast porridge can also turn out to be a sweet sugar bomb.

In addition to added granulated sugar, sugar substitutes and flavorings can also be included in the ready-made porridge. This naturally ensures that more calories are absorbed and a rapidly rising blood sugar level, which leads to renewed hunger after it has dropped – annoying food cravings are the result. Thus, the supposedly healthy breakfast porridge is no longer a full meal, but more like a candy.

Make breakfast porridge yourself

If you want to avoid hidden sugar traps, you should make your own breakfast porridge. Porridge is particularly suitable for this! The warm porridge made from cooked oat flakes can be cooked in just a few minutes in either milk (also soy or almond milk) or water until soft.

Refined with vanilla or cinnamon, the homemade breakfast porridge gets a sweet note – without any sugar. With fruit and nuts as a topping, breakfast becomes a real pick-me-up, provides fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and, thanks to the complex carbohydrates, keeps you full for longer.

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DIY: Make Your Own Yoghurt Bomb

Do you already know the yoghurt bomb? Fresh fruit, light and creamy yoghurt – this sweet dessert will delight your guests. EAT SMARTER shows you how you can easily make the yoghurt bomb yourself.

Yoghurt bomb: a perfect dessert for every occasion

Everyone loves a light dessert to eat on a hot summer day or a rainy Sunday afternoon. The yoghurt bomb is just the right dessert when guests come to visit at the weekend. It can be prepared quickly the day before – so the treatment can be served fresh the next day without stress.

That is why the yoghurt bomb is a protein bomb:

The yoghurt bomb consists mainly of natural yoghurt and cream. As a result, the protein content in the dessert is very high. The pistachio is also a source of protein and provides a fine nutty taste.

Top the yoghurt bomb with seasonal fruits, such as delicious berries, for that special freshness.

How healthy is the yoghurt bomb actually?

The berries provide us with filling fibre that is good for our intestines. The myrtillin from the blueberries ensures good elasticity of the blood vessels and thus has a preventive effect against heart and circulatory diseases. At the same time, it has an antioxidant effect and thus protects our body cells from free radicals.

The natural acidity and tannins in raspberries help our liver break down harmful substances and fight pathogens.

The green kernels of pistachios are rich in iron, which we need for blood formation. A lack of the important trace element leads to tiredness and premature exhaustion.

Make your own yoghurt bomb

The ingredients for 6 servings:

  • 500 g yoghurt (3.5% fat)
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups of whipped cream
  • 250 grams of raspberries
  • 250 grams of blueberries
  • 30 grams of pistachios

The preparation:

  1. Mix yoghurt with honey and lemon juice.
  2. Whip the cream in a bowl and fold it into the yoghurt mixture.
  3. Line a large sieve with a clean tea towel and place it in a large bowl. Then pour the yoghurt mass into the sieve and place the foil directly on the yoghurt surface.
  4. Now chill the prepared yoghurt bomb in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
  5. The next day, carefully remove the foil and turn the yoghurt bomb out onto a large plate. Slowly peel off the dish towel.
  6. Sort and wash the berries
  7. Decorate the yoghurt bomb with raspberries and blueberries and spread a handful of pistachios on the yoghurt bomb.

Enjoy your meal!

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Bubble Tea: Harmless Trend Drink or Dangerous Calorie Bomb?

The colorful drink from 2010 is back: bubble tea. Experts have re-examined the drink on this occasion – and warn of the consequences for health.

Carcinogenic substances? That’s what the experts say

Although it has long been very widespread in Asia and regularly consumed with meals there, the hype first came to us in 2010. The drink was very popular at the time, but quickly fell into disrepute due to rumors about harmful ingredients. The turning point shortly before the pandemic: Bubble tea celebrated its comeback and is more popular than ever. One more reason for researchers to take a closer look at the drink.

As the portal Mimikama mentions, the allegations regarding the harmful ingredients are said to have been refuted beyond a doubt. Deutschlandfunk also writes that no carcinogenic substances were found when the ingredients were examined more closely. Nevertheless, both agree that the drink should be enjoyed with caution, because the drink is one thing above all: sweet.

Although the investigations did not find any direct dangerous ingredients, it was found that a large part of the drink consists of sugar and sweeteners. The sweetener acesulfame was also found, although this was often not specified.

Sugar, sugar, sugar and sweetener on top

So why you shouldn’t overdo it with bubble teas is the enormous number of calories that the “drink” brings with it. These quickly range from 300 to 500 calories, replacing a full meal. It is therefore better for people who are overweight or have previous health problems to avoid it. Nevertheless, with a general balanced diet, it shouldn’t be a problem to drink a bubble tea from time to time. Nevertheless, consumer protection warns against children consuming Asian tea. Because with a sugar content of 180 grams per liter, a risk of addiction cannot be ruled out.

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Acerola: Vitamin C Bomb and Superfood For The Immune System?

Acerola has the highest vitamin C content of all plants and is considered a miracle cure for colds. We are interested in what can really be thought of their healing properties – and we also take a look at their downsides.

Autumn and Winter: The weather is foggy, rainy or stormy. A cold manifests itself with a headache, sore throat, cough and runny nose. Almost everyone catches a cold once a year, but we would like to avoid this annoying disease. And since grandma always said vitamin C was good for colds, we’re looking for different sources of the supposed supervitamin.

It’s a good thing that a small red “cherry” is considered an incredible vitamin C bomb: the acerola. The stone fruit, originally from Mexico, is said to have the highest vitamin C content of any plant. No wonder that acerola can be found in almost every medicine chest in the form of powder, capsules or juice.

But that’s not all the acerola cherry can do. In addition to vitamin C, it also contains other secondary plant substances such as flavonoids, which are considered antioxidants. Which is why acerola is also said to rejuvenate and protect internal organs. Quite a lot for such a small fruit. If that’s all true as claimed.

Where does acerola come from?

The acerola is native to tropical or subtropical regions, mainly in North and South America. The small red fruit originally comes from Mexico, more precisely from the Yucatán Peninsula. The natural range today includes Texas, Mexico, Brazil, Panama, Jamaica and Guatemala. The ripe fruit can be spherical to cylindrical, red, purple or yellow. It can be harvested up to eight times a year because the cherry has a short fruit cycle of just 25 days. Outside of the natural range, the plants are still cultivated in Asia, especially India and China.

Acerola Powder and Acerola Juice – Use and Processing

However, the short development span of acerola also has its downsides. The fruit must be harvested when it is perfectly ripe and processed within two days or it will spoil. Harvesting must be done carefully, either by hand or with special harvesting machines that shake the cherries off the bushes without damaging the delicate fruit. They are then packed in cool boxes, frozen and transported in this way to the place of processing.

The fruits are therefore almost impossible to get fresh on the American (outside of Texas) and European markets. Either the sour-tasting juice or the powder is available. For the former, the drupes are squeezed out after thawing and the juice is preserved.

For the powder, the cherries are freeze-dried and ground into powder. This has turned out to be the gentlest method to preserve as much of the valuable nutrients as possible. Acerola is typically added to other products as a natural source of vitamin C. For example in ACE juices, lozenges against sore throats or in food supplements that are supposed to stimulate the immune system.

Besides vitamin C, what else is in acerola?

The small stone fruit has a lot of nutrients hidden under its thin, sensitive skin. The very sour pulp has hardly any calories, 100 grams of fresh juice are more or less negligible with 16 kcal. The same amount contains 700 to 4,800 mg of vitamin C (average: 1,700 mg), depending on the growing area and variety. For comparison: The normal daily requirement for adults is an average of 95 mg for women and 110 mg for men.

In addition, acerola contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid and B vitamins. The fruit itself also contains flavonoids, pectins, carotenoids, anthocyanins (colours) and other secondary plant substances. However, much of it is in the skin, which is lost when it is processed into acerola juice. The ingredients are still contained in the powder and the products made from it, but in smaller quantities due to freeze-drying.

What is the effect of acerola?

The effect of acerola is mainly based on the high vitamin C content. In certain situations, for example high-performance sports, infections or smokers, our vitamin C requirement is increased. When normal nutrition cannot meet these needs, the natural vitamin C found in acerola juice or powder is far better for the body. In interaction with the other components of acerola, the vitamin can be metabolized more easily and therefore has a higher bioavailability, destroys tumors and could thus be used as a natural therapy against cancer.

In addition, the Barbados cherry boosts the metabolism and has a cell-rejuvenating effect. The beauty industry also takes advantage of this effect by mixing the fruit in creams, lotions and skin cleansing products. The secondary plant substances in combination with the vitamin C of the acerola should also reduce the negative effects of obesity and balance out an unhealthy, high-fat diet.

The acerola cherry is really healthy – right?

So the list of alleged effects of acerola is long and reads like an advertisement from a manufacturer of dietary supplements. The vitamin C bomb is said to boost the immune system, support metabolism and diets, help against cancer, have anti-aging effects, eliminate the negative consequences of obesity and smoking and make you fitter and more efficient overall.

What sounds like an exaggerated advertising promise is often one. In the case of acerola, this means: The studies on anti-aging, fighting cancer or obesity were carried out either on individual cells in the test tube or on mice in the laboratory. For humans, this is not very meaningful and provides a maximum of information.

On the other hand, the effect of vitamin C on strengthening the immune system has been better studied – it doesn’t work at all. Those who consume more vitamin C are still not less likely to catch a cold. Maybe the vitamin reduces the duration of the cold, but only maybe. An overdose of vitamin C is not entirely harmless. Nausea and stomach cramps can result, even if an excess of the water-soluble vitamin is excreted via the kidneys.

And then there are the allergies. Because acerola can cause a cross-reaction in latex allergies. The juice, often added to enrich it with vitamin C, can certainly lead to severe allergic reactions. A combination that makes the acerola not appear quite as healthy as it appears at first glance.

Acerola and sustainability

The acerola plant needs very specific tropical or subtropical conditions to thrive. Their natural distribution area is also in South and Central America. The main growing area is Brazil, from where the majority of the acerola products available here come. But originating in Guatemala, Mexico or Panama does not shorten the transport route. This is where the Barbados cherry collects the first sustainability minus.

Next point: The thin skin and rapid ripening process make acerola so delicate that it can only be used processed – and processing takes energy. The third minus point is the type of transport. Both the freshly harvested fruit on the way to processing and the juice have to be transported in refrigerated trucks, which are not very environmentally friendly, so that the goods do not spoil. The overall result is “insufficient” for sustainability.

Better sea buckthorn than acerola

Of course, acerola contains a lot of vitamin C. And of course we need it to stay healthy. Today, however, a nutrition-related deficiency hardly ever occurs. In addition, the positive effect of the vitamin on the immune system is scientifically rather low. Vitamin C can only have a positive effect on the immune system during extreme exertion such as in high-performance sports and under constant stress. The other possible effects of the acerola cherry are only suspected, there is no scientific evidence.

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“Oat Milk”: Nutritious Milk Substitute or Calorie Bomb Without Calcium?

Vegan, lactose-free, more nutritious than soy and rice milk: at first glance, “oat milk” seems to be the best milk substitute. But how healthy is an oat drink really?

The times when oats were only for horses and only landed on our plates as porridge or oat flakes in muesli are long gone. The nutrient-rich power grain is becoming more and more popular, as it contains significantly more minerals and fats than wheat or rye, for example.

Thanks to the high-fat grains, oats can also be processed into a tasty milk alternative for people with lactose intolerance, milk protein intolerance or vegan diets. The nutritious oat milk scores with a number of advantages over soy or rice milk and has become increasingly established in recent years.

“Oat milk” – what is that anyway?

Strictly speaking, according to EU legislation, the term “oat milk” should not be used at all, as the term “milk” is reserved for animal milk from cows, sheep, goats or horses. The milk substitute is therefore commercially available under fancy names, as an oat drink or oat drink. In this article we use the term as it is used by the normal consumer.

Oat milk is basically just made from oatmeal and water. The flakes are soaked in water and mashed. After a short fermentation phase, the oatmeal is filtered – the resulting liquid is the oat milk. During industrial processing, additives such as calcium or stabilizers are then added and the product is preserved by ultra-high heating.

What are the nutritional values ​​of oat milk?

Oats are a real power grain that contains many essential amino acids, minerals such as potassium or magnesium and fiber. However, many of these substances are lost during processing. Oat milk therefore no longer has a particularly high nutrient content, but it does impress with the beta-glucans, a special type of sugar that helps regulate digestion.

How healthy is the oat drink?

Oat milk contains no lactose, no milk protein and no components of soy, but a relatively large amount of fiber, which makes you comparatively full. For anyone who suffers from an intolerance or even allergy to one of these substances, oat milk is a good milk substitute that is not unhealthy. In addition, the grain milk is free of cholesterol and thus helps to lower the cholesterol level.

However, the grain milk made from oats contains gluten – the oat drink is therefore not suitable for celiac disease patients or people who want or need to eat gluten-free. Pure oat milk without additives is usually well tolerated by babies and toddlers and can even help to regulate digestion.

Since the oat drink does not contain any calcium, however, it makes no sense to exclusively feed it, especially for growing children. In addition, industrially produced oat milk often contains a lot of sugar, emulsifiers and other additives that quickly make the milk substitute unhealthy.

Recipe: Homemade oat drink

If you want to be sure that the oat milk does not contain any unnecessary additives, you can make it yourself quickly and easily. You only need:
80 g organic oat flakes (fine)
1 liter of water
and 1 pinch of salt
And this is how easy it is:
Boil water, let the flakes swell in it, then puree.
The oatmeal is then filtered through cotton cloth, allowing the oat milk to drip into a bowl, leaving the solids in the cloth.
Wring out the cotton cloth well so that no liquid is lost.
The finished oat milk can be stored in sealed containers in the refrigerator for about three days.

Oat drinks: milk substitute with calories

At only around two percent, oat milk contains significantly less fat than whole cow’s milk. But the milk substitute made from cereals is still a real source of energy: The starch contained in the grains is also retained in the oat drink, which – depending on the product – accounts for 40 to 60 kilocalories per 100 milliliters.

The heating and fermentation process also breaks down the slowly digestible starch of the oats into easily digestible sugars, making the grain milk a real calorie trap. For comparison: 100 ml of cola contains 42 kcal – so oat milk is just as unsuitable as a thirst quencher as the sweet soft drink. However, whole milk has even more calories: around 65 kcal per 100 ml.

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Sauerkraut: The Vitamin Bomb is so Healthy

Sauerkraut is not only healthy because it contains so many vitamins: it also provides many different minerals. It also promotes a healthy intestinal flora and digestion.

Sauerkraut is made by fermenting white cabbage with lactic acid. During the fermentation process, the sugar in the cabbage is converted into lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria. This gives the cabbage its characteristic sour taste and preserves it. Last but not least, this lactic acid fermentation makes sauerkraut so healthy.

Sauerkraut: These nutritional values ​​make it so healthy

With less than 20 kilocalories and 0.4 grams of fat per 100 grams, sauerkraut is ideal if you want to watch your figure. But there are also plenty of reasons to reach for fermented white cabbage more often. For example, it provides the following vitamins:
Vitamin C: Sauerkraut contains vitamin C, but not in high amounts.
Beta carotene: Sauerkraut is rich in beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. It contributes to healthy skin and eyes, supports bone formation and strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for healthy bones and blood clotting.
Folic Acid: Folic acid is a B vitamin. The body needs it to form cells and blood.
Vitamin B12: Sauerkraut contains vitamin B12, but only traces of it. Therefore, it is not enough for vegans to reach the recommended daily value.
Sauerkraut contains many minerals, in particular:
Sodium – important for the brain and muscles
Potassium – important for the heart and muscles, as well as cell growth and blood pressure
Magnesium – important for the heart, muscles and bones
Calcium – important for nerves, muscles and hormone balance
In addition, there are also some amino acids and about two to three grams of fiber per 100 grams of sauerkraut.

A healthy intestinal flora with sauerkraut

Even if many people think of indigestion, especially flatulence, when they think of cabbage, sauerkraut is actually very healthy for our digestive system.

On the one hand, sauerkraut is easier to digest than unfermented cabbage because the microorganisms also digest the cellulose during lactic acid fermentation.

Even more important to our gut itself are the lactic acid bacteria: these multiply in abundance during the fermentation process, making sauerkraut an excellent probiotic food. The fermented herb thus contributes to a healthy intestinal flora, which is particularly damaged after antibiotic therapy

By the way: Even if the term “lactic acid” sounds a bit misleading, you don’t need to worry. The lactic acid in sauerkraut is vegan.

Only raw sauerkraut is really healthy

The mildly sour-tasting fermented cabbage is so healthy because it is rich in minerals, vitamins and lactic acid bacteria. It is therefore particularly important that you eat the sauerkraut raw. When it is heated, not only are many vitamins lost, but also the particularly beneficial lactic acid bacteria.

But sauerkraut packaged in cans and jars from the supermarket is almost always pasteurized. Although this still contains lactic acid, the metabolic product of the lactic acid bacteria, it no longer contains living lactic acid bacteria. Such sauerkraut is therefore not probiotically effective and therefore does not contribute to a healthy intestinal flora.

Organic shops and health food stores sometimes sell raw but also often pasteurized sauerkraut. That’s why you should definitely read the packaging or, to be on the safe side, ask in the store whether the sauerkraut is raw, untreated.

But you can also make sauerkraut yourself: All you need is a suitable container, white cabbage and salt – and a few weeks for the fermentation process.

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Black Garlic: Kiss-Proof Health Bomb

At my harvest, nothing works without garlic (Allium Sativum) – the widespread tuber, which is actually an onion or leek plant, is used in our team on an inflationary basis because of its taste and its extensive powers. When you get a cold it is eaten raw before breakfast, it is almost never missing from lunch and some of us would like to smuggle it into dessert. No wonder we delved deeper into the world of garlic. We made an exciting discovery: “Black Garlic” is the name of our new favorite.

The variant, which is still rarely found on the vegetable shelf, is not a separate garlic genus, but “normal” garlic that has gone through a complex process of refinement. This refinement has properties that are praised in terms of appearance, taste and health and scores with understatement for sensitive noses.

Garlic: Health Benefits and a Small Catch

If for some it is indispensable in the kitchen, for others it is an absolute NO GO – the garlic divides minds.

The health properties of the spice plant are clearly convincing. The so-called toes of the plant from Asia have a proven antibacterial, blood pressure-lowering and blood-thinning effect and are used in many cultures around the world, e.g. B. by the ancient Egyptians or Romans, used as a medicinal plant for a long time. It is also said to have preventive and soothing properties for colon cancer.

While the smell of raw garlic is usually despised, fried or baked it can make you want more. However, when consumed, garlic can put the olfactory buds of the social environment to a severe test, which is why many people wave their hands at an important appointment or at a romantic dinner. Who would want to chase their opponent into the distance with acrid vapors or garlic flags?

The reason for the unpleasant smell: It is precisely the health-promoting, organic sulfur compounds that are produced by the starting material allicin that are responsible for the fact that garlic often leaves a “lasting impression”.

The “little black one” is always convincing

Knobi fans have reason to be happy thanks to the “black garlic”: After the conversion through the so-called “Maillard reaction”, the black bulb does not produce stubborn vapors or odors and shines in this area with restraint – rating: kissable.

The chemical reaction that occurs when the garlic is stored for four to six weeks under heat (55-65°C) is also beneficial for the other senses: the garlic shines elegantly in a dark robe and surprises with subtle, sweetish notes of liquorice and balsamic vinegar -, preserved plum, fig and caramel notes – a taste adventure for every palate. Sugars and amino acids are responsible for this, which produce yellow-brown to black nitrogenous compounds during the long fermentation process, similar to fried onions. Another plus point: According to scientific knowledge, black garlic has a higher antioxidant content than white garlic and is recommended for oxidative stress, such as during the menopause.

The purchase price, which at first glance is a bit high, is due to the complex finishing process, which is practiced worldwide above all by the Koreans and South Americans.

Already knew?

Some people experience digestive problems after eating regular garlic.
Steffi’s tip: Before processing, take out the strand in the middle of the toe if it is green and pronounced, this has proven to be helpful 😉
In order for it to develop its full health effect, the cell walls of conventional garlic have to be destroyed. It is advisable to “bump” or press and then take a ten-minute rest before processing. Incidentally, garlic does not like high and long heat.
As with almost all foods, most of the nutrients are ingested in their raw form – this is much easier to absorb with black garlic than with white garlic.

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