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Farting on bread: If you have a rumbling stomach after eating a piece of bread and butter, you will quickly suspect gluten intolerance. In fact, flatulence is caused by the way the bread is made, not the type of grain. EAT SMARTER explains which slices of bread are particularly affected.

Does every roll have its own tone?

Bakers line the streets and advertise “freshly baked bread”. But as is always the case when a food production process is industrialized, something falls by the wayside. In the case of industrial bread, this is the rising time of the dough.

Often there is a rumbling in the stomach after eating bread, the diagnosis is quick: irritable bowel syndrome or gluten intolerance. However, scientists at the University of Hohenheim have now discovered that it is not the grain that causes the flatulence, but rather the short rising time.

In their study, the scientists examined both the types of grain and the manufacturing process. Industrial loaves in particular are far too short, usually just an hour. But the process is very important because it breaks down indigestible FODMAP sugars.

The term FODMAP describes a group of short-chain carbohydrates and so-called sugar alcohols that are fermentable. They are neither toxic nor dangerous but cause pain in irritable bowel patients because the small intestine cannot break them down. In the colon, the FODMAP sugars from carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen, cause bloating.

As early as 2010, an Australian study examined and found that a low-FODMAP diet has a positive effect on the symptoms of irritable bowel patients. By the way: Although spelled flour contains fewer FODMAPs than wheat flour, the difference is so small that it has no noticeable effect.

This prevents the bread from bloating

So the real culprit is the rising time in bread-making. It determines how high the FODMAP sugar concentration is in the dough. Industrial bread usually only lasts an hour, which is far too short and so this bread has the highest FODMAP concentration.

In traditional bread making, the dough rises for several hours because the ingredients need this time to combine. This gives the dough the right firmness and full aroma.

The scientists from the University of Hohenheim analyzed bread with rising times of one, two, four, and four and a half hours. After four and a half hours, only 10 percent of the FODMAP sugar content remained and the slices of bread also contained more biologically usable zinc and iron. So the longer the rising time, the more digestible the bread!

Some manufacturers – particularly those for supermarkets and “quick bakeries” – even separate the outer layer of the grain kernels. This saves money but robs the bread of many vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are mainly found in this outer layer.

So if you want to eat really nutritious bread and avoid possible flatulence, you should buy bread from a baker who still bakes in the traditional way. Or fire up the oven yourself and bake some walnut bread yourself.

They often occur, especially when doing sports: calf cramps. There are simple ways to avoid the annoying pain. Read the best tips for relieving and preventing calf cramps here.

Electrolyte Imbalance – Most Common Causes of Leg Cramps

Common causes of cramps are overexertion of the muscle or a disturbed electrolyte balance. However, if the symptom occurs regularly for no apparent reason, it can be a sign of kidney disease, diabetes or an underactive thyroid. In this case, a doctor should be consulted.

A disturbed electrolyte balance, on the other hand, can easily be avoided. The body needs a variety of minerals such as magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium, especially when exercising. During strenuous physical activity, large amounts of it are lost through sweat production. If this loss is not compensated promptly by the intake of fluids, there is a risk of a deficiency and imbalance in the electrolyte balance, which then manifests itself in the form of cramps.

Magnesium plays a particularly important role: The mineral has a major influence “on the activities between nerve cells and muscles,” explains Apotheken Umschau. If there is too little magnesium in the body, the muscles can cramp more quickly.

These tips will help against calf cramps

If the cramp is already occurring, stretching exercises are particularly helpful to loosen the cramped muscle. The following tips can also help to prevent calf cramps:

Balance electrolytes: The loss of electrolytes through the urine or heavy sweating must be balanced, for example by drinking. Isotonic drinks can help with this.
Walking around: If you get a cramp while exercising, walking around can help a little. Even if it is painful, the movement stimulates blood circulation in the leg and relieves the cramp.
Stretching: Stretching is particularly helpful. An effective exercise for calf cramps is to lock your leg and pull your foot in toward your body. At the same time, the heel must be pushed through. After half a minute at the latest, the pulling should subside.
If you want to avoid calf cramps, you should make sure that you drink enough. However, the electrolyte balance can also be controlled through diet. Affected people should pay attention to balanced meals with minerals such as magnesium, iron or calcium. Dietary supplements are also an option to compensate for the loss of electrolytes.

In addition, you should always pay attention to the right footwear when doing sports. Anyone who regularly suffers from calf cramps should still see a doctor.

An unhealthy diet promotes the development of pimples and blemishes. Researchers have now discovered that a certain type of milk is also said to be responsible for the annoying pimples.

This milk is to blame for pimples

The research team examined the milk consumption of 225 subjects aged 14 to 19 years. The researchers found that acne was much more common among adolescents who consumed low-fat milk at least twice a day than among those who drank a dairy product at most once a week. The reason: the glycemic index, which indicates the effect of a product on blood sugar levels, is significantly higher in low-fat milk.

In addition, if the body produces more insulin, the production of male hormones also increases. These are responsible for the development of chronic inflammatory processes.
Acne patients in particular should therefore avoid high insulin levels and refrain from consuming low-fat milk. If you are not prone to skin impurities anyway, you can still use low-fat milk without hesitation.

Sodium acetate acts as an acidity regulator and preservative in various foods. The additive is considered harmless. We’ll show you where it usually occurs.

On many toast ingredient lists you’ll find this entry: “Acidity regulators: sodium acetates.” Behind this are the sodium salts of acetic acid. Strictly speaking, there is sodium acetate and sodium diacetate, but sodium acetate is often spoken of in general.

Sodium acetates have various effects in food:
The additives reduce the sour taste in acidic foods.
In addition, the pH value (i.e. the degree of acidity) of food and medicines can be controlled and stabilized via sodium acetate. Hence the name “acidity regulator”.
Sodium acetates preserve baked goods. They could theoretically also be listed as preservatives.
Sodium acetates can be produced from acetic acid by simple chemical reactions. At room temperature they form a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water.

Sodium acetates in food

Accordingly, sodium acetate (E 262) is permitted in almost all foods without restrictions. Unrestricted means here: Manufacturers can use as much as they need for the desired effect. In Latin it means “quantum satis”. There are only a few exceptions, such as organic food. These must not contain sodium acetate.

You can find sodium acetate in these foods:
canned vegetables
canned fish
Mozzarella and whey cheese (e.g. ricotta)
Baked goods (e.g. toast or white bread)
Baby food

Are sodium acetates harmful?

As reported by the consumer initiative, sodium acetate is considered harmless. There is no recommended maximum daily intake.

Some experts are fundamentally critical of the approximately 150 additives permitted in baked goods – for example, they can have a negative impact on the intestinal flora. However, it is unclear whether the statement also applies to sodium acetate. However, it is possible that the EU will reassess sodium acetate in the future.

If you want to avoid sodium acetate, go for organic foods. You also avoid other additives and synthetic pesticides, and you also support sustainable agriculture.

Conventional meat production causes environmental damage for which the general public pays. That’s what Greenpeace says in a new study – and calculates how expensive meat should actually be.

Factory farming produces a lot of liquid manure that ends up on fields as fertilizer. The problem: There is too much manure and the soil is over-fertilized, which is why our groundwater is polluted with nitrate. In order for the water to be drinkable, it must be cleaned. The water suppliers take care of that, they bear the costs for the water purification.

This is just one example of how the meat industry causes damage that it ultimately does not pay for itself – this is referred to as “external costs”. According to a new Greenpeace study, the consumption of beef and pork in Germany causes 5.91 billion euros in such costs each year, which the general public has to pay for. Most of the costs are caused by pork (73 percent).

Environmental and climate damage caused by meat production

The 5.91 billion euros annually are made up of various types of damage, such as:

Greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis
Destruction of rainforest for animal feed
Water bodies polluted by fertilizers and pesticides
deterioration of soil quality
If the meat producers had to bear the “true costs” themselves, meat would be significantly more expensive. According to Greenpeace, pork should cost twice as much: an average of 3.04 euros per kilogram instead of 1.52 euros. Beef would be about half the price: 5.33 euros per kilo instead of the previous 3.50 euros. The external costs of meat imported from South America are even higher.

Greenpeace: The costs should be borne by those who cause them

In the study, the authors also compared conventional meat production with organic. The result: The ecological variant causes significantly less damage – and thus also lower external costs. If all companies would only produce meat according to ecological standards, more than two billion euros could be saved. Nevertheless, organic meat would also have to be more expensive so that the general public no longer pays – pork by 23 percent, beef by 50 percent.

“Anyone who consumes at the expense of third parties harms the general public,” says Greenpeace agricultural expert Martin Hofstetter. “Because supermarkets want to lure their customers with cheap meat, others have to pay a high price.” Greenpeace calls for political measures according to the “polluter pays principle”, i.e. those who pay for the damage they cause: meat companies and meat consumers: inside. This is possible, for example, through increased taxes on meat or a CO2 tax.

Do you feel constantly hungry? Here we show you ten reasons why this can be and how you can prevent the constant feeling of hunger.

A constant feeling of hunger is not the same as cravings, i.e. short-term binge eating of unhealthy food. Constant hunger isn’t just a question of feeling hungry for particularly greasy, sweet or salty foods – even if you eat healthily, you can feel a constant hunger pang.

Feeling hungry is a positive thing. Hunger is an important signal from your body. If your body lacks energy and nutrients, the feeling of hunger sets in. This is triggered by the hormone ghrelin.

The causes of constant hunger range from poor nutrition to insulin resistance. Here we show you ten reasons why you could suffer from a constant feeling of hunger.

You eat too little

When you’re on a diet and eat very little, your body doesn’t have enough energy available. Therefore, it triggers a feeling of hunger. Too large a calorie deficit will not bring you long-term success. There is a risk that you will quickly fall into cravings. If you choose the right foods, you can eat your fill and still lose weight. You can find recipe inspiration here: Lose weight without feeling hungry: 3 healthy recipes.

You can find more information about how to lose weight effectively, healthily and sustainably here:

Important: For some people it makes sense to lose weight for health reasons. However, anyone who only loses weight to meet a beauty ideal is not always doing something good for their own body – and may suffer from a constant feeling of hunger.

Even if you do a lot of sport, your energy consumption increases. Because the more muscles you have, the more energy they need. If you then eat too little, you have to reckon with a constant feeling of hunger. If you’re not sure if you’re eating enough, you can calculate your energy needs and add more calories to your meals.

You eat unhealthily

Sugary foods and easily digestible carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta made from white flour or white rice can trigger almost addictive behavior. This is because the short-chain carbohydrates present in these foods are broken down into individual sugar molecules in a very short time. As a result, the blood sugar level rises quickly, but then falls again rapidly. The result: There is hardly any real, long-lasting feeling of hunger and you will quickly get hungry again.

On the other hand, dietary fiber from green vegetables or whole grain bread and proteins from legumes keep you full for longer.

Learn more about sugar withdrawal here: Sugar withdrawal: What effectively helps against sugar addiction.

A lack of protein in your diet also leads to constant hunger. Incorporating a large dose of protein into your meals will also keep you fuller for longer. In consideration of the environment, you should use more vegetable proteins instead of animal proteins.

You eat too fast

If you don’t give yourself enough time to eat, your brain will delay registering the energy intake. So you can’t tell while you’re eating whether your hunger pangs have been satisfied or not. As a result, you end up eating more than your body needs. As scientists at Osaka University have found, there is a connection between eating quickly and feeling full later. The study also showed that fast eaters were three times more likely to be overweight than those who didn’t eat fast.

When you eat slowly and chew thoroughly, your brain can sense satiety. This is the only way you will recognize your satisfied feeling of hunger.

You are thirsty

Sometimes hunger is confused with thirst. This is because hunger and thirst are both regulated by the hypothalamus. If you haven’t had a drink in too long and you’re already dehydrated, you may mistake hunger for thirst. So make sure you drink enough fluids regularly. If you feel hungry, drink water first.

You sleep too little

Lack of sleep affects your constant feeling of hunger. Sleeping too little can lead to a lack of the hormone leptin. Leptin ensures that a feeling of satiety occurs. Get enough sleep and at the same time ensure sufficient leptin production. This is a natural way to curb your hunger pangs. Seven to eight hours is recommended.

You take medication

Certain medications have the side effect of increasing your hunger pangs, particularly birth control pills, antidepressants, and cortisol supplements. The constant feeling of hunger goes away when you stop taking the medication. However, you should only do this after consulting a doctor and, if possible, have an alternative medication recommended to you.

You are stressed

A constant feeling of hunger can also be a side effect of permanent stress. When you are under stress, the hormone cortisol is released and your cortisol levels rise. You can find out how to lower your cortisol level here: Lower cortisol: The best tips against high cortisol levels. Cortisol ensures that the body is provided with more energy to deal with the stress that arises. When more energy is provided, the body cries out for new energy. Therefore, with constant stress, a constant feeling of hunger sets in. You get rid of the constant feeling of hunger when you lower your stress level. Conscious breaks, exercise, or spending time in nature can help you reduce stress.

Food on TV

You can see attractive photos depicting food everywhere. Whether on TV cooking shows, scrolling through your Instagram feed or in newspapers. As a study confirms, such images make us hungry. They create a virtual hunger. The more often you are confronted with such images, the more often the stimulus is triggered in your brain to want to eat these foods – regardless of whether your body really needs energy or not. This tasty representation of food is also called “food p*rn” because it makes you want to eat these foods. This creates a constant feeling of hunger in you.

You can consciously filter out and ignore such images. In addition, before you reach for food, you can always ask yourself whether you really have a need for energy, or whether you simply feel hungry because of “food p*rn” images.

You have an overactive thyroid

Constant hunger pangs can also be due to an overactive thyroid. Here the metabolism increases and thus also the energy requirement. So you have to eat more to cover the increased energy requirement and not suffer from constant hunger pangs.

If you suspect an overactive thyroid gland, go to the doctor and have yourself checked out.

 Insulin resistance

Another health reason for feeling hungry all the time is insulin resistance. Here, the cells do not respond or respond only weakly to insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar. Therefore, the pancreas produces more insulin than necessary. Insulin signals the body to eat. This creates a constant feeling of hunger.

If you suspect insulin resistance, you should see a doctor.