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FODMAPs: How Does the Low-fodmap Diet Work?

Avoiding so-called FODMAPs can help against abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea. But what are these fodmaps anyway? And how does a (low) fodmap diet work?

First of all, the question of whether it means “Fodmaps” or “Foodmaps”: Fodmaps have nothing to do with the word “food” – FODMAP actually comes from English and is an abbreviation for fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and (English: and) polyols. But what is that exactly?

FODMAPs are fermentable polysaccharides

FODMAPs are dietary components that occur naturally in food or are added through food production. Today, the term stands for fermentable multiple sugars, double sugars (such as lactose), simple sugars (such as fructose) and sugar alcohols (sweeteners).

Fermentable means that the sugars can be fermented by intestinal bacteria: This can lead to bloating and flatulence. Important: Fodmaps are neither toxic nor dangerous, but they can be involved in digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome.

What do fodmaps do?

They have three things in common:

The absorption of the fodmaps in the small intestine is difficult or even impossible. Possible reasons for this are:
The molecules are too big and cannot fit through the intestinal wall.
The transport systems of the intestinal wall are not sufficient. This is the case, for example, with fructose.
The necessary digestive enzymes are not available – or not in sufficient quantities.
Fodmaps bind water: As a result, a lot of liquid collects in the intestine and the stool becomes softer or diarrhea occurs.
When Fodmaps enter the colon, they are fermented by the colon bacteria. Because they are short-chain, this process does not take much time and gas and flatulence develop after a short time.
These three characteristics mean that Fodmaps can cause some people to experience the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: abdominal pain, bloating or diarrhea. Anyone suffering from irritable bowel syndrome suffers chronically from these symptoms.

Low Fodmap Diet: How It Works

The (low) fodmap diet is a concept for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome originally developed by Australian scientists, which you can read about here. Avoiding these substances improves the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

In this diet, mainly foods that contain little of it are eaten. Fodmaps-rich foods, on the other hand, are avoided. One study showed that the diet significantly improved bloating, flatulence, stool consistency and abdominal pain in those affected by irritable bowel syndrome who took part in the study.

In the first phase of the (low) Fodmap diet, Fodmap-rich foods are completely avoided for six to eight weeks. If it becomes apparent during this time that the symptoms are significantly improving or normalizing, a long-term diet without these substances can make sense.

In the second phase of the diet, various Fodmap-rich foods are tested for their individual tolerability: a food rich in it is eaten in increasing amounts for three to four days to find out what amount is tolerated. A week later, the next food is tested. This systematic testing makes it possible to find out which Fodmap-containing foods trigger symptoms. These foods should be avoided in the future.

The goal of the diet is to find a diet that reduces symptoms and improves quality of life – without major dietary restrictions.

Who is the (low) fodmap diet suitable for?

This diet is particularly suitable for people who suffer from bloating, loose stools or diarrhea in combination with abdominal pain or cramps. This mostly affects patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Important: The (low) fodmap diet does not cure irritable bowel syndrome – it does help to avoid foods that cause stomach problems.

The (low) fodmap diet can also be helpful for people with fructose, lactose or sorbitol intolerance. The low-fodmap diet can also relieve abdominal pain and improve the consistency of the stool in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or celiac disease.

Fodmap list: Which foods contain fodmaps?

The (low) fodmap diet is not about eating entirely without: but the diet should be low in these substances. Unfortunately, you can neither taste nor see them. However, food can be classified according to the amount it contains.

However, the information is more of a rough guide: Anyone who eats a low-fodmap diet should test the individually tolerable amounts of appropriate foods (see the following lists).

Fodmap list vegetables

These vegetables are high in:

artichoke
cauliflower
beans
Chicory
Peas
spring onions (white part)
garlic
leek (white part)
lenses
Mushrooms
Beetroot
celery
soy
asparagus
savoy
onions

Fodmap list fruits

These fruits contain a lot of:

Apple
apricot
pear
blackberry
date
currants
cherries
mango
nectarine
peach
plum
watermelon
plums
fruit preserves
fruit juices

Cereal products fodmap list

These grain products are high in:

barley
rye
Wheat
bread
cereals
couscous
pastries
Grit
pasta

Fodmap list of dairy products

These dairy products are high in:

buttermilk
cream cheese
cottage cheese
yogurt
condensed milk
margarine
mascarpone
milk
milk ice cream
cream
sour cream

Other fodmap-rich foods

These foods are high in:

agave syrup
cashew nuts
fructose syrup
honey
Ketchup
pistachios
milk chocolate
Wine & sparkling wine (semi-sweet, sweet)
sugar substitutes

Low fodmap vegetables

aubergine
broccoli
Chinese cabbage
fennel
spring onion (green part)
green runner beans
cucumber
Ginger
carrot
Potato
Kohlrabi
Chickpeas
pumpkin
Leek (green part)
chard
olives
paprika
parsnip
Parsely
radish
Cauliflower
beets
salad
chives
bean sprouts
spinach
tomato
zucchini

Low fodmap fruits

pineapple
banana
blueberry
clementine
strawberry
Grapefruit
raspberries
honeydew melon
kiwi
lime
tangerine
orange
rhubarb
bunch of grapes
lemon

Low fodmap grain products

buckwheat
Spelt
Oats
millet
Corn
polenta
quinoa
rice
Popcorn
gluten free products
rice noodles

Low Fodmap dairy products

lactose-free milk
lactose-free dairy products
Brie
butter
Camembert
Cheddar
feta
hard cheese
coconut milk
Mozzarella
Parmesan
soy milk

Other low fodmap foods

maple syrup
dark chocolate
eggs
Vinegar
Fish
fish sauce
chicken meat
coconut
lamb meat
jam
seafood
olive oil
vegetable oil
rapeseed oil
beef
pork meat
Mustard
soy sauce
sherbet
tofu
Turkey
wine (dry)
sugar
sugar syrup

Both overviews come from the “Nutrition guide for the FODMAP diet” recommended by the German Irritable Bowel Aid Association. If you are looking for more information and tips, it is worth taking a look at the book.

In general, with irritable bowel syndrome, it makes sense to clarify the symptoms with a doctor and to discuss the change in diet with a nutritionist.

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Minerals: These are the Most Important Nutrients in Your Diet

Minerals are essential for our body. But which are the most important ones and what effect do they have? And what is the difference to vitamins?

Minerals: why do we need them?

Minerals are vital for our organism (to survive). They ensure that everything, really everything, works well – from the bones to digestion and cell renewal. Like vitamins, minerals are micronutrients that the body needs in addition to macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats – to regulate metabolic processes. They are important for the electrolyte and water balance, for the immune system and indispensable for the structure and function of bones, muscles and teeth. The body also needs minerals for vision and the nervous system, and they are involved in blood clotting and reproduction.

However, our body cannot produce the micronutrients on its own – but we can support it by eating the right foods. Minerals are found as inorganic food components in various animal and vegetable foods. You can read about which minerals are in which foods at the end of the article.

How many minerals does the body need?

In order for the processes in the body to work properly, the supply of minerals and vitamins must be right. But how many minerals does the body need? Because this is not so easy to assess, there are official nutrient recommendations. In German-speaking countries, the D-A-CH reference values ​​are the standard. These reference values ​​indicate the amount of nutrients a person should consume in order to stay fit and healthy. Incidentally, there are also these recommendations for the other nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and also for energy, water, fiber and alcohol.

The reference values ​​are initially based on the nutrient requirement – i.e. the amount of nutrients that is necessary to avoid a deficiency. This requirement is increased by 20 to 30% because it is an average value: this means that the reference values ​​are usually higher than the actual nutrient requirements. Individual needs vary from person to person and depend on many things such as age, gender or metabolism.

If you eat a balanced diet, you shouldn’t have any problems with deficiency symptoms: Most people in Germany are adequately supplied. However, there are some risk groups that should pay special attention to their mineral intake. They include pregnant and breastfeeding women and the sick, but also people with a lot of stress, an unbalanced diet, special diets and vegan diets. If you belong to one of these groups, you can take minerals in a targeted manner: either through dietary supplements or – and we recommend this – by eating the right foods.

Minerals: bulk and trace elements

Minerals are required by the body in different amounts and are divided into bulk and trace elements depending on their content in the body.

The bulk elements include: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur. They occur in a concentration of over 50 mg per kg of body weight.

Trace elements, on the other hand – as the name suggests – only occur in traces in the body. They are only found in the body in concentrations of less than 50 mg per kg. The minerals iron, iodine, fluoride, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium and molybdenum are considered trace elements. A special feature is the mineral iron: Although it occurs in a concentration of around 60 mg per kg of body weight – it should therefore theoretically belong to the bulk elements – due to the similarity of its functions to the trace elements, iron is counted to this subgroup of minerals. The most important minerals and their functions at a glance: Many types of fruit and vegetables contain minerals.

The most important minerals and their functions at a glance

Minerals have different functions and are found in different foods. We give you a brief overview of the most important minerals here – if you want more detailed information, browse through the linked articles on the individual minerals.

Magnesium is important for the muscles and enzymes that stimulate metabolism – it also ensures strong bones and is involved in the storage and release of hormones. The mineral is found in many plant sources such as spinach, kohlrabi, nuts and sunflower seeds, wholemeal bread and legumes.
Calcium: Teeth and bones need enough calcium (or calcium) to grow and remain stable – children in particular should therefore always consume enough of the mineral. But it also strengthens your cell walls, helps make hormones, and plays a role in blood clotting. If you are deficient, calcium is “pulled” out of the bones and into the blood, which can cause osteoporosis. It is therefore best to eat enough green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, algae or nuts – dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt also contain a lot of calcium.
Sodium: This mineral is found in almost all foods – especially table salt and salty products. You need sodium for your water balance, your blood pressure, the activity of enzymes and your acid-base balance. However, be careful not to eat too much salt – too much sodium can cause problems with high blood pressure, edema, drowsiness and restlessness.
Phosphorus: Just like calcium, phosphorus is important for teeth and bone formation. In addition, the muscles need the mineral to convert energy into movement and it is a building block of our genetic make-up. Phosphorus is added to industrially processed foods in particular – but even if you do without such products in everyday life, you don’t have to worry about a deficiency here: The substance is found in protein-containing products, legumes, nuts, most types of fruit and vegetables and also in Meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Potassium is extremely important for the transmission of nerve signals, water and electrolyte balance as well as for good muscle function. You can find it in many foods, especially spinach, potatoes, kale, mushrooms, and nuts.

Chloride: The mineral is related to sodium and potassium and is a component of stomach acid and bones. In addition, chloride regulates the water balance and is involved in the acid-base balance. A good source of chloride is table salt. You can also cover your chloride needs with foods such as salami, pork ham, kefir, milk or cheese.
Iron: is involved in the storage and transport of oxygen in the blood, blood formation and the regulation of numerous metabolic processes. The mineral is also important for brain development in children and adolescents. Menstruating women have an increased need. You can cover your needs with green vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, brown rice and other whole grain products or with animal products such as meat or offal.
Iodine: As an essential component of the thyroid hormones, iodine is involved in growth and maturation, heat production and energy metabolism. Iodized salt is a good source of iodine.
Fluoride is a component of bones and teeth, it promotes the development of tooth substance and inhibits the growth of caries bacteria. You can get fluoride from mineral water, fluoridated salt, or black tea.
Zinc: The trace element is a component of many enzymes and the antioxidant protection system, it is also involved in growth and development, influences hormone metabolism and the immune system. Because our body cannot store the mineral well, we depend on a continuous supply – for example through whole grain products, oatmeal, milk and milk products or meat.
Selenium protects against oxidative damage, influences blood clotting, is involved in thyroid metabolism and stimulates the immune system. You can cover your needs with potatoes, brown rice, peanuts, asparagus, wholemeal bread or hazelnuts.
Copper has many functions in the body. Among other things, it helps with the mobilization and transport of iron, protects against free radicals and contributes to the coloring of eyes, hair and skin. Nuts – especially cashews – salsify, artichokes and whole grains are good suppliers of copper.
Manganese supports the development of connective tissue, protects against free radicals and is involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Blueberries are a particularly good source, but blackberries, spinach, strawberries, kale or wholemeal rye bread also help to cover your daily needs.
Chromium supports the absorption of glucose from the blood and thus ensures a balanced blood sugar level. You can meet your needs with foods such as mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, spinach and tomatoes.
Molybdenum is a component of enzymes and is found in foods such as red cabbage, green beans, peas, peanuts and whole grain products.

Minerals vs. vitamins: A distinction

Both minerals and vitamins are micronutrients and very important for your body: They influence all life activities, so a deficiency can have serious consequences. But the fundamental difference between vitamins and minerals lies in their origin: vitamins are organic compounds in the body, while minerals are inorganic components.

You need both micronutrients for a healthy and functioning organism: Both vitamins and minerals are involved in numerous metabolic processes, they play a major role in the electrolyte and water balance, are for the immune system and for the structure and function of bones, muscles and teeth indispensable. They are also necessary for vision and the nervous system and are involved in blood clotting and in the processes of reproduction, cell division and differentiation.

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Oatmeal Diet: It Really is That Useful

How does an oatmeal diet work? And how can you lose weight with the healthy type of grain? We will explain to you what is behind it and how useful it is.

Oatmeal Diet: How it works

Oatmeal is healthy and can help you lose weight. These are the most important basic assumptions of the oatmeal diet:

The main component of the diet is oatmeal. You should consume 250 g of this per day. Whole grain oatmeal is best, as this keeps the blood sugar level constant. You can combine the oatmeal with yoghurt, quark, milk and fruit as you wish.
While you can use the oatmeal dishes for breakfast and lunch, a fresh salad, raw vegetables or vegetables are recommended for dinner. In some cases, this is also combined with lean meat, although meat production should be viewed critically due to animal suffering and the ecological balance.
You should drink two liters of water per day. Fruit and herbal teas and vegetable juices without sugar are also allowed.
Avoid sugar as much as possible during this diet, as this promotes cravings and raises blood sugar levels.
You should not exceed the calorie limit of 1000 to 1300 kcal.

Why does oatmeal help you lose weight?

Despite the relatively high calorie content, oatmeal is a healthy food. Oats are characterized by these nutrients:

Dietary fibre: The large amount of dietary fiber contained in oatmeal ensures that you feel full for a long time and promotes digestion.
Proteins: The vegetable proteins promote muscle growth.
Carbohydrates: The high carbohydrate content is a valuable supplier of energy that keeps the blood sugar level stable. You store less fat, so there are no food cravings.
The following nutritional values apply to 100 g of oatmeal:

Calorific value: 371 kcal
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 59 g
of which sugar: 1.1 g
Protein: 13g
Dietary fiber: 10 g

How useful is the oatmeal diet?

The oatmeal diet requires a lot of commitment and creativity. If you combine oatmeal with many different foods, you can lose weight without showing signs of deficiency. However, you must make sure that you count the calories you burn very precisely every day and come up with varied oatmeal recipes every day.

However, you should not follow this diet for longer than three weeks, because even with a lot of inventiveness, the oatmeal will certainly become monotonous at some point. Instead, it is more sustainable to eat a balanced diet and do enough exercise. With this way of life you can maintain your desired weight in the long term, feel balanced and at the same time treat your body with respect.

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Lose Weight at Lightning Speed with the 24-hour Diet: How Useful is That?

The 24-hour diet promises rapid weight loss success. But how effective and above all useful is this type of diet actually?

The nutrition coach Achim Sam and the scientist Prof. Dr. Michael Hamm developed the 24-hour diet and promise a weight loss of up to two kilos within 24 hours. During this time, your carbohydrate storage is completely emptied, which should boost fat burning. Sports units combined with protein-rich foods are intended to prevent the yo-yo effect. In a test in 2011, the University of Freiburg was able to demonstrate various successes of the 24-hour diet.

What is the 24-hour diet?

With the 24-hour diet, you have to calculate more than one day.

Day 1: Preparation

Intensive sports program to empty carbohydrate stores. Endurance sports are well suited for this.
Do not eat anything two hours before exercising.
After exercise, protein-rich supper.
Seven hours of sleep.
Day 2: Actual diet day

Women: no more than 800 calories
Men: no more than 1000 calories
Breakfast: high in protein
Two hours of exercise
Lunch and dinner also contain protein
No food intake for 4 hours between meals
Drink 2.5 liters of water
Experts recommend fish, meat and dairy products on the diet day. However, meat and co. can be replaced by foods with vegetable protein. The 24-hour diet is reminiscent of the ketogenic diet due to its protein orientation.

The diet should by no means be permanent. However, according to the inventors of the diet, it can be done once a week in order to be able to record constant weight loss.

Criticism of the 24-hour diet

Crash diets are criticized for achieving weight loss through water loss and muscle mass reduction and disrupting the metabolism. The disturbance of the metabolism then leads in turn to the famous yo-yo effect when the body is supplied with normal food again. The German Society for Nutrition also warns against lightning diets due to a lack of nutrient intake.

Achim Sam and Prof. Dr. Michael Hamm want to prevent exactly that with their new weight loss formula – although it is a crash diet. The advantage of this diet is that you will not be hungry.

As the experts themselves point out, the 24-hour diet is by no means a permanent solution. Limiting calorie intake alone would have fatal consequences. In addition, the physical strain combined with the low calorie intake could become too much for untrained people.

As with most diets, a change in diet is better

Losing weight within 24 hours sounds tempting. But dieting is not a long-term solution. It would make more sense to generally eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Your body and your health will benefit from this.

A diet like the 24-hour diet, which is based on meat and dairy products, is also bad for the climate. After all, animal products are responsible for around 60 percent of food-related climate emissions. Therefore, you should only consume them in moderation. If you do not want to support factory farming, then look out for organic seals such as Demeter, Naturland or Bioland when shopping.

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Cabbage Soup Diet

Have you heard of the cabbage soup diet? We tell you how it works, what risks are associated with the crash diet and which recipes you can use to make the soup.

Cabbage Soup Diet: What’s behind it?

The thesis of the cabbage soup diet is simple: digesting the cabbage soup requires more calories than are ingested during the meal. This is intended to achieve a weight loss of up to 8 kilograms within a week, which is also confirmed by many positive reports on the Internet. Critics, on the other hand, blame the weight loss on dehydration and muscle loss due to protein deficiency.

However, the one-sided diet offers some advantages:

Cabbage contains many vitamins and minerals
inexpensive
seasonal
often also regionally
fast and easy
prepare well

This is how the cabbage soup diet works

There is no patent recipe for the cabbage soup diet. Basically, it’s about eating cabbage soup for a week: morning, noon, night. Depending on the variant, additional food may or may not be allowed. You can’t feel hungry during the cabbage soup diet, so you can eat as much cabbage soup as you want. It is also important that you drink a lot: three to four liters of water a day are recommended. Abstaining from coffee and alcohol is mandatory.

The basic ingredients for a cabbage soup diet are mainly various types of cabbage:

white cabbage
savoy
Kale
cabbage
Cauliflower
But herbs such as parsley or other soup vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, carrots and onions may also be consumed.

Risks and side effects of the cabbage soup diet

Since you are not allowed to eat between meals or snacks on the cabbage soup diet, the cravings for forbidden things automatically increase. You can also get protein and carbohydrate deficiencies as a result of the diet. This in turn increases appetite for foods high in protein and carbohydrates. In addition, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) points out that increased fat burning through the cabbage soup diet has not yet been scientifically proven.

You can counteract the protein and carbohydrate deficiency by eating other foods in addition to the cabbage soup – as provided for in some variants of the diet. In this case, red lentils are a good choice: They contain a lot of proteins, but also carbohydrates.

In addition to nutrient deficiencies and food cravings, you can get bloated because cabbage is high in fiber. A fennel tea helps here after the meal – or you season your soup with caraway seeds.

As is often the case with diets, experts suspect that the cause of weight loss is low calorie intake and doubt the miracle effect of cabbage soup. In principle, however, there is nothing wrong with cabbage soup, especially with regard to the vitamin content. For days, however, the cabbage soup diet is probably too monotonous.

The cabbage soup diet is not recommended for people with circulatory or metabolic diseases.

Cabbage soup: basic recipe and possible variations

The basic recipe for cabbage soup is simple, requires few ingredients and is quick. In addition, you can theoretically pre-cook them for your entire cabbage soup diet week. Cabbage soup can be stored in the fridge for a few days, but it can also be frozen.

First you need the following ingredients:

8 onions
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp mustard
1 kg of carrots
1 stick of celery or half a celeriac
1 large head of cabbage, for example white cabbage
1 pepper
8 tomatoes
Parsely
Pepper salt
chili
Caraway seeds
Ginger

How to prepare the cabbage soup:

Peel and chop the onions and sauté them in a large saucepan until translucent.
Add the tomato paste and mustard.
Peel the carrots and celery root, dice them and add them to the pot as well.
Fry the vegetables for about four to five minutes.
Wash the cabbage and peppers, chop them up and add them to the onion, carrot and celery mixture.
Fry everything together for three more minutes.
Chop the tomatoes, add them to the pot and fry them for two minutes.
Deglaze the vegetables with 4 to 5 liters of water and season to your taste.
Bring the soup to a boil, put the lid on the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. Depending on how big you cut your veggies, the cooking time may be a little shorter or longer. When the vegetables are cooked, the soup is ready.

You can season the cabbage soup with spice mixtures from all over the world. For example, turmeric, curry, cinnamon and garam masala provide Indian spice. The Italian version succeeds with oregano, basil and herb salt, while miso paste gives the soup a Japanese touch.

If you like smoothies in the morning, simply puree your soup and enjoy it thick and cold like a gazpacho. To achieve a smoothie consistency, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of cashew butter to your cabbage soup.

If you want to control your weight long-term, the cabbage soup diet won’t work wonders either. Try to change your diet sustainably and exercise and do sports regularly. In this way you will permanently achieve a healthy weight.

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Vegan Diet: Which Plant Sources Provide You with Which Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for survival – we have to get them with food. What is the easiest way for vegans and vegetarians to do this? And which vitamins should you pay particular attention to?

For a vegan or vegetarian diet as well as for a diet with meat, it is helpful to know the different vitamins and their (vegetable) sources. Although healthy people in Germany are adequately supplied with most vitamins, there are also critical vitamins: These include vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Vitamins: important for a healthy life

Vitamins are tiny molecules with a variety of functions and effects: they regulate the utilization of nutrients and are indispensable for energy production. Vitamins strengthen our immune system and are essential for building cells, blood cells, bones and teeth.

Individual vitamins can be involved in many different processes. Vitamins often work together and reinforce each other’s effects. It is all the more important that all vitamins are sufficiently absorbed.

Cover vitamin requirements with vegan nutrition

In order to cover as many vitamins as possible with a plant-based diet, you can observe the following tips:

Stick to the 5-a-day rule and eat at least three handfuls of vegetables (400 grams) and two handfuls of fruit (250 grams) a day.
Eat three servings of whole grains (e.g. 250 to 300 grams of cooked rice, 100 to 150 grams of bread) and potatoes (200 to 350 grams),
a serving of legumes (40 to 50 grams raw or 150 to 220 grams cooked) and
one to two servings of nuts and seeds (30 to 60 grams).
Pay attention to variety: the more colorful, the better.
Go out into the fresh air every day and – if possible – soak up some sunlight.
Seasonality ensures variety and a high nutrient content (see also the Utopia seasonal calendar).
Thanks to regionality, you get fresh, nutritious products without long transport routes.
Organic products have less pesticide residue and are better for the environment.
Ensure your supply of vitamin B12.
We cannot see or taste vitamins – and yet we need them to live. There are 13 known vitamins in total. They are divided into two groups: there are four fat-soluble and nine water-soluble vitamins.

The four fat-soluble vitamins

As the name suggests, the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K need fat to be absorbed by the body. However, traces of fat are enough for this and it usually happens automatically: A bit of oil in a salad or for steaming vegetables and even the fat contained in wholemeal bread is enough. The fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body’s fat deposits.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is involved in the visual process, has an influence on reproduction and thyroid activity, protects the skin and mucous membranes and is important for the immune system.

The foods in which the nutrient is found are easy to remember: in yellow, green, orange and red vegetables. You can cover your daily needs with 100 to 200 grams of lamb’s lettuce, a large carrot, a pepper, 150 grams of kale or spinach. Pumpkin, broccoli and corn also contain vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, is involved in the formation of bones and teeth and has an impact on muscle strength. It is a very special vitamin – because the body can produce it itself from precursors that are already present in the body: Most of our needs can be covered with the help of sunlight (UV-B light).

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), anyone who exposes a quarter of their body surface (face, hands and parts of the arms and legs) to the sun for 5 to 25 minutes a day can cover their daily needs in Germany, at least in the summer months.

Only a small part (10 to 20 percent) of the requirement has to be obtained from the diet. Vitamin D is found in very few foods – most are of animal origin. But there are also plant sources: Mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelles or button mushrooms contain vitamin D.

vitamin E

Vitamin E is a component of all membranes and has various antioxidant effects – for example, it protects fats and fatty acids from the harmful effects of oxygen compounds.

It is mainly found in vegetable oils such as wheat germ oil, walnut oil or sunflower oil. But also in nuts such as hazelnuts, almonds or seeds such as linseed. The daily requirement can be covered with 50 grams of hazelnuts, two spoons of sunflower oil or a teaspoon of wheat germ oil.

vitamin k

Vitamin K is involved in the formation of bones and blood clotting factors. It is found in green vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, lettuce, chard, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts or lamb’s lettuce. But also corn oil, olive oil, whole grains, sauerkraut contain the nutrient and 120 grams of potatoes, 400 grams of mushrooms, 15 grams of chives or 130 grams of asparagus cover the daily requirement.

The nine water-soluble vitamins

In addition to the fat-soluble vitamins, there are the water-soluble vitamins: these include all B vitamins and vitamin C. In contrast to the fat-soluble vitamins, the water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and must therefore be taken in regularly.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

Vitamin B1 – also known as thiamine – is involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism and the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system. Thiamine is found in the outer layers of grains and is therefore found in whole grain products. It is also found in potatoes, sunflower seeds, soybeans, sesame, peas, rice and oatmeal. 300 grams of peas, 200 grams of whole grain rice or oatmeal or 200 grams of whole grain flour can cover your daily requirement.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 – or riboflavin – is involved in protein and energy metabolism and is important for growth and development. It is found in yeast, almonds, soybeans, mushrooms, whole grains or broccoli, asparagus and spinach. 200 grams of almonds, 250 grams of mushrooms, 375 grams of pumpkin seeds, 400 grams of soy meat, 450 grams of dried lentils, 700 grams of wholemeal flour or 650 grams of cooked broccoli correspond to the daily requirement.

Niacin

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is involved in energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Your daily requirement can be covered with 25 grams of peanuts and 100 grams of fried oyster mushrooms or 250 grams of whole wheat. Niacin is found in peanuts, cashews, mushrooms, wheat bran, dates, whole grains, legumes, roasted coffee beans or potatoes.

Vitamin B6

Like all B vitamins, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in metabolism. It plays an important role in protein metabolism in particular. The nutrient is found in whole grain products, potatoes, walnuts, sunflower seeds, bananas, legumes or soybeans. 45 grams of sprouts, 150 grams of rolled oats, 130 grams of soybeans or 300 grams of potato or carrot salad refined with a handful of walnuts are enough to cover your needs.

Folic Acid (Folate)

The human body needs folic acid for blood formation, growth and development. Pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should ensure that they are adequately supplied. The average daily requirement can be covered by 40 grams of sprouts, 400 grams of green vegetables, 150 grams of soybeans, 200 grams of chickpeas or 300 grams of kale. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, types of cabbage, whole grain products, parsley, cereal germs and bran, yeast or potatoes, legumes such as soybeans, lentils or chickpeas.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid is important for all build-up and breakdown reactions in the body. The vitamin is found in lentils, beans, celery, yeast, mushrooms, peanuts, rice and whole grains. The daily requirement can be covered, for example, by 200 grams of porcini mushrooms, 400 grams of wholemeal rye flour, 300 grams of rice, 300 grams of beans or celery.

Biotin (Vitamin B7)

We depend on biotin: It is a component of important enzymes and is important for skin and hair. We can absorb it from yeast, peanuts, oatmeal, brown rice, peas, spinach, lentils. Our daily requirement corresponds to around 500 grams of apples, 85 grams of soybeans, 150 grams of walnuts or 700 grams of beans.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

The human body needs vitamin B12 – or cobalamin – for blood formation and for building up the cell core substance. It is formed by microorganisms and is found in animal foods such as meat, offal, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is a problematic nutrient, especially for vegans: although fermented foods such as sauerkraut, algae, beer and seedlings are said to contain cobalamin, they are not considered reliable sources. To counteract a vitamin B12 deficiency, vegans and possibly vegetarians should take supplements or use fortified foods or toothpaste.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Ascorbic acid has many functions: It is involved in tooth, bone, connective tissue and blood formation. It helps to heal wounds and injuries, improves iron absorption from food, has an antioxidant effect and performs functions in the immune system.

Vitamin C is found in particularly large amounts in rose hips, sea buckthorn, peppers and berries such as black currants. 100 grams of fennel, 80 grams of broccoli or Brussels sprouts, 250 grams of chard or leeks, 200 grams of spinach or kohlrabi or 130 grams of cauliflower cover the daily requirement.

Vitamins are delicate

Many vitamins are sensitive to light and oxygen. Some are also sensitive to heat and washing. Still other vitamins can be better absorbed by the body when heated than raw. Not all sensitivities can be observed for every food or vitamin – but with these tricks you can ensure that your food has the highest possible vitamin content:

Store food as cool, dark and dry as possible
wash only briefly and uncut,
stew and steam rather than cook for a long time,
Use cooking water for sauces and
Eat fruit and vegetables both fresh and heated.

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Glyx Diet: What’s Behind It and How Useful It Really is

On a glycemic diet, you try to avoid foods with a high glycemic index. So carbohydrate-rich foods are taboo. We explain whether this makes sense.

The Glyx Diet is all about the glycemic index (GI). This indicates how quickly blood sugar levels rise after eating carbohydrate-containing foods:

When you eat a cube of dextrose (glucose), the sugar goes directly into your blood – so the blood sugar level rises very quickly. Glucose thus has the highest GI, the value is 100.
Conversely, when you eat a slice of whole grain bread, it takes your body a while to convert the long-chain carbohydrates in the bread into glucose. Therefore, the blood sugar level rises more slowly. In other words, whole grain bread has a lower GI.
According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), a GI below 55 is low, between 55 and 70 medium and above high.

But why should eating only low GI foods help you lose weight? The basic idea is that when blood sugar levels rise slowly after a meal, you stay full longer. Because the slower it rises, the slower it falls again and we only have a need for sugar supplies later.

Glyx diet: lose weight through changing your diet

The Glyx diet goes back to the ecotrophologist Marion Grillparzer. The concept has been around since 1999 and is still quite popular. The Glyx diet is not intended to be a short-term diet, but rather a permanent change in diet.

Getting started begins with two to three soup days, during which you mainly eat soup. This is supposed to stimulate fat burning.
This is followed by a “fat burner” week, which has a recipe plan for three meals a day. By primarily eating plenty of vegetables and protein (the diet recommends 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight per day), you should lose up to half a pound per day.
In the third phase you should change your diet permanently. There is a table for this in which the foods are divided according to GI into green (low, i.e. good), yellow and red (high, i.e. bad). Some foods that only have a medium GI but contain a lot of fat are also marked in red. Overall, you should eat lots of vegetables, as well as regular (low-fat) meat and fish and high-quality fats such as olive oil.
Basically, you should avoid processed products, especially if they have a high GI. Sweets, high-carbohydrate fast food such as fries and most alcoholic beverages are taboo (list: high-carbohydrate foods).
In addition to meal plans, the Glyx Diet requires you to exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Effect of the Glyx Diet on the Body

In a statement on the Glyx diet, the DGE summarizes various studies that deal with the effects of the diet. Overall, the DGE came to the conclusion that the Glyx diet can be beneficial for people suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus or a pre-form. Studies have shown that diabetes patients improve their glucose metabolism when they avoid foods with a high GI.

Also, a meta-analysis suggested that low GI diets may lower blood pressure. However, according to the DGE, the study had systematic errors. Effects such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and types of cancer have been studied. However, there are no clear results yet.

In healthy people, there is no evidence that the Glyx diet has a positive effect on health. Whether it is an effective method for losing weight and whether you actually lose half a kilo per day during the “fat burner” week has also not been proven by any study.

Criticism of the Glyx Diet: The Concept GI

Some things about the Glyx diet can be seen positively: You should eat lots of vegetables, avoid ready meals and exercise regularly. In a statement, however, the DGE criticizes the idea of ​​orienting nutrition to the GI:

Orienting yourself solely on the GI of a single food is of little use. Because the concept no longer works in a wholesome meal. For example, fats and proteins ensure that the body absorbs blood sugar more slowly. So you could also say that fats and proteins lower the GI of the meal. So, a single potato can potentially trigger cravings as it has a high GI. However, if you eat it together with herb quark, it becomes a healthy and filling food.
Some extremely healthy foods like pumpkins and watermelon are high GI. So are these foods not healthy after all? The problem is that the GI only indicates how quickly the carbohydrates from a food are utilized – not how many carbohydrates are actually contained in the food. Watermelons have a GI of 80, but only contain about five carbohydrates per 100 grams. The parameter, which considers the proportion of usable carbohydrates in addition to the GI, is called “glycemic load” (GL). And here it turns out: The GL of 100 grams of watermelons is quite low.
Even the GI of individual foods is often only an estimate. It may be that a certain whole grain bread was found to have a GI of 74. However, another whole grain bread, where the grain has been ground a bit finer, may already have a different GI. Because it depends very much on the processing. It is also unclear how exactly dietary fiber affects the GI.

Other criticisms of the Glyx diet

Then there are other criticisms of the Glyx diet:

The Glyx table alone hardly helps to put together a healthy and wholesome meal, since it makes no statements about fats, proteins and micronutrients such as vitamins or minerals. There are recipe suggestions, but no deeper knowledge of healthy cooking is imparted.
The Glyx diet recommends consuming 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The recommendation of the DGE is only 0.8 grams. It has not been proven that this amount of protein is harmful to health. However, there is evidence that too much protein is harmful to the kidneys. The Glyx diet is therefore not suitable for people with kidney problems.
Fructose has a low GI and is therefore not a problem in the Glyx diet. According to studies, too large amounts of the simple sugar are said to promote obesity, among other things. At least the Glyx diet bans ready meals, which often contain a lot of fructose.
The consumer advice center criticizes the fact that it is recommended to eat meat regularly and fish at least three times a week. Even if you buy humanely farmed meat and fish, they still have a pretty bad life cycle assessment.

Conclusion on the Glyx Diet

It is quite possible to eat healthily after the Glyx diet. Going through GI charts before every meal, however, is quite exhausting – and, as has been shown, not necessarily useful. If you want to lose weight healthily, you should eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. You don’t need a special diet for this.

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Banana Diet: How Useful is the Diet Really?

How can you lose weight on a banana diet? And how useful is this type of diet? We explain how the delicious fruit should help you lose weight quickly and what you should consider.

Banana Diet: How it works

For the banana diet, it is important that you use green, unripe bananas. They contain a resistant starch that keeps blood sugar levels low so fat burning is accelerated. These are the basic assumptions of the banana diet:

The idea behind the banana diet is that you eat bananas instead of snacks and a regular breakfast.
You can eat as many bananas as you want for breakfast until you are completely full. It is best to drink water to boost digestion.
A light meal is recommended for lunch. There are no specific rules for this. However, you should avoid fatty foods because they would counteract the desired effect of the diet.
If you get hungry in the afternoon, use bananas again. At this point, consciously avoid sweets.
The choice of your dinner is also up to you. However, make sure to eat very early in the evening so that there is at least four hours between eating and going to bed.
Tip: As with any diet, the banana diet also means that you should exercise as regularly as possible and move around a lot.

Why do bananas help you lose weight?

There is a lot of sugar in bananas. But they contain no fat and no cholesterol. Instead, they shine with lots of vitamin B, magnesium and potassium.

Fructose: Due to the high fructose content, bananas are considered to be a fast supplier of energy, as studies show.
Magnesium and potassium: Both nutrients are important for your muscles. They strengthen your bones and teeth.
Vitamin B6: stimulates the metabolism and supports the immune system.
The following nutritional values apply to 100 grams of bananas:

Calorific value: 96.0 kcal
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
of which sugar: 17.2 g
Protein: 1.1g
Fiber: 2.0 g

How useful is the banana diet?

Although bananas contain no fat, they do have a relatively high proportion of fructose. Nevertheless, bananas are very filling, making it easier for you to do without sweets.

As with many other diets, the banana diet can also cause possible deficiency symptoms. Therefore, you should not follow this one-sided diet for longer than three weeks. You can lose weight quickly with the banana diet, but it is not healthy in the long term and does not replace a balanced diet.

You should also keep in mind the ecological characteristics of the fruit: bananas travel long distances. They come from the tropics and are delivered to Europe, for example, from Colombia and Costa Rica. In addition, conventional bananas in particular are usually treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides, which also causes a number of negative effects on the health of workers on the plantations. So look out for the Fairtrade seal when you buy bananas.

It makes sense to do regular exercise and eat a balanced diet instead of such diets. Such a lifestyle can lead to your desired weight in the long term.

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Ketogenic Diet: Principle and Disadvantages of the No-carb Diet

The ketogenic diet reduces body weight and increases well-being, say advocates. Is that true, or is no-carb just a fad?

Ketogenic diet: the principle of the diet

If the body does not get enough sugar from food, it has to produce a substitute: ketones. The ketogenic diet eliminates carbohydrates almost entirely to keep blood sugar levels low and boost ketone production.

This can be helpful when losing weight, because in this state the body does not release as much insulin, which replenishes the fat stores. Therefore, the ketogenic diet should lead to rapid and sustainable weight loss. In addition, less insulin in the blood also leads to fewer food cravings.

Alternatives to the ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet is an extreme form of the low-carb diet. But there are many other variants of such diets.

The Paleo diet, for example, is related to the ketogenic diet. The so-called Stone Age diet mainly consists of fruit, vegetables, nuts, meat and fish.
The Atkins diet is also a low-carb diet – carbohydrates are almost completely avoided here. To compensate for this, one should take vitamin and mineral supplements.
The Glyx diet only allows carbohydrates that are slowly broken down by the body. This is to keep the blood sugar level stable.

Health pros and cons of a ketogenic diet

Medical studies mention the benefits of the ketogenic diet in childhood epilepsy. Alzheimer’s patients should also benefit from the diet. But there are also risks associated with the change in diet. Especially in the first few weeks you have to reckon with temporary side effects. According to a study by Australian scientists, these often resemble symptoms of a cold or flu, such as:

headache
nausea
Fatigue
dizziness
irregular heartbeat
In addition, the no-carb diet could overload the kidneys and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease because you eat more animal protein and saturated fat. So there are several reasons why you should not change your diet too lightly.

No-carb diets often pollute the environment

On a ketogenic diet, you often consume a lot of meat and other animal products. This puts a strain on the climate and the environment. If you decide to go on a no-carb diet, you should definitely make sure that all products are organic and regional. This is especially true for meat, fish and eggs.

A ketogenic diet can be bad for the climate

According to the DGE, eating carbohydrates is not related to various diseases such as diabetes, obesity or cancer. On the other hand, a no-carb diet may be suitable for losing weight. On the other hand, the ketogenic diet also poses health risks. In addition, the many animal products pollute the environment significantly more than, for example, a vegetarian or vegan diet.

If you absolutely want to follow such a diet, it doesn’t have to be the extreme ketogenic diet. To get you started on an environmentally friendly, low-carbohydrate diet, we reveal delicious low-carb recipes made from regional ingredients.

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Fiber in the Diet: What are the Best Suppliers?

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. We’ll tell you what fiber is all about and which foods contain a particularly large amount of fiber.

What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber is mainly found in plant foods. These are mainly linked sugar molecules. They swell up in our body and thus ensure a faster feeling of satiety. They are not decomposed by enzymes in the stomach and intestines, but are excreted almost undigested.

Dietary fiber can be divided into water-soluble and water-insoluble:

Soluble fiber is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine, which, according to the Apotheken Umschau, is good for the intestinal flora.
Insoluble fiber binds water and swells in the intestine. In this way, the contents of the intestine are transported faster.

Dietary fiber: we need it for that

Although fiber does not provide our body with nutrients and is often excreted undigested, according to Apotheken Umschau it plays a very important role in our body:

They stimulate digestion and prevent constipation.
Fiber also causes the blood sugar level to rise very slowly after eating. This is especially helpful for people who suffer from diabetes.
Fiber is said to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. However, the study situation is still ambiguous in this regard.
A high-fiber diet can prevent colon cancer.
Drinking enough water is important for a high-fiber diet. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends about one and a half liters of water or unsweetened tea a day. This is the only way the dietary fibers can swell in the intestine.

Dietary Fiber: The Best Foods

If you value a balanced diet, you don’t have to worry about a lack of fiber. The best fiber suppliers are:

Fruits: apples, pears, berries, kiwis and citrus fruits
Dried fruits: plums, raisins and apricots
Vegetables: Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts and white cabbage
Whole grain products: Whole grain bread and whole grain pasta
nuts and seeds
Legumes: Peas, lentils and beans

High-fiber diet: These foods are unsuitable

As mentioned above, dietary fiber is mainly found in plant foods. These should therefore make up the bulk of your diet. The DGE also recommends this in its ten rules for a balanced diet.

But not all plant-based products are automatically high in fiber: foods made from white flour in particular contain hardly any fiber. For a high-fiber diet, it is better to choose the whole grain version.

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