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Food Rescue Tips: How Long Does Our Food Keep?

The best before date (MHD) is often understood as an expiry or use-by date. However, this is a big mistake. The Hamburg consumer advice center gives useful tips on how to save food and how long it can generally be eaten.

Risk of confusion between the best-before date and the use-by date

However, food that is actually bad no longer belongs on the plate. Food infections or mold toxins are not to be trifled with. More than 200,000 people fall ill every year, mainly due to poor kitchen hygiene, insufficient heating or insufficient cooling, according to the Hamburg consumer advice center. When stored and at the right temperature, foodstuffs can often still be eaten without significant losses in taste and quality or any health risk. As a rule, the food is still edible after the specified best-before date.

The consumer advice center points out that there are two different information on the expiry date. Specifically, the best-before date (MHD) indicates the point in time up to which the manufacturer can guarantee that the food will retain its properties such as smell, taste and nutritional value. However, this always refers to unopened – i.e. completely airtight packed – and correctly stored goods.

The use-by date, in turn, indicates by what point in time a perishable food such as minced meat must be consumed in any case. Food such as raw meat can pose an immediate health risk after just a short time and is therefore marked with the use-by date.

Shelf life of food: This is how long grain and dairy products, drinks, fruit and vegetables can be kept

When it comes to the shelf life of bread, a distinction must be made between fresh bread from the baker and home-baked and packaged bread from the supermarket. The latter lasts much longer – even beyond the best-before date.

Packaged Bread:
Thanks to the enzymes used in production, they can be kept for up to eight weeks and generally still edible after the best-before date has expired
Tip: store in airtight packaging at room temperature and not in the refrigerator. The cold temperatures spoil the bread faster

Fresh bread:
Wheat bread*: can be kept for up to three days
Mixed wheat breads*: keep for three to five days
Mixed breads: keep for four to six days
Mixed rye breads*: keep for five to seven days
Rye breads: keep for six to ten days
Rye meal/wholemeal breads*: keep for eight to twelve days
Tip: it is best to store the bread in clay or stone containers and wipe them out regularly with vinegar. Place sliced ​​bread cut side down and do not refrigerate

The useful life of grain products

Grain products are generally still edible after the best-before date has passed. However, if the best-before date is a little longer, the products should be checked for appearance, mould, smell and, of course, taste before consumption.

Noodles:
Hard and dry noodles can be kept for a very long time after the best-before date has passed
Fresh pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for between three and four weeks
Egg noodles should no longer be eaten after the best-before date
Tip: Make sure it is stored dry
Rice:
Can be kept for up to two years. The following applies: Because of the lower fat content, white, polished rice has a longer shelf life than brown rice
Tip: store dry and airtight
Flour:
Wholemeal flour and meal: shelf life between three and four weeks
Very fine flour: shelf life between two and three months
Very coarse flour: can be stored for up to more than a year
Tip: always store dry, cool, dark and above all tightly closed
Muesli and cornflakes:
Can be kept for months after the best before date has passed
in the event of mold growth, the entire muesli must be disposed of
Tip: always store dry and tightly closed

The lifespan of beverages

Some drinks, such as wine, can be kept for a very long time after the BBD has expired. In general, these are all drinks, but they should be checked for appearance, smell and appearance before consumption.

Mineral water:
Unopened, the bottles can be kept almost indefinitely
Tip: store in a cool, dark place. Plastic bottles in particular should be protected from direct sunlight
Cola:
Can be kept long after the best-before date has passed
However, cola can eventually lose carbon dioxide in PET bottles
Tip: always store in the dark

Juices:
In glass bottles: up to one year after the expiry date
In boxes: up to eight months after the expiry date
In plastic bottles: can be kept for up to three months after the best-before date
Once opened, it only lasts a few days
Tip: always store in a dark and cool place
Beer:
Generally good for months after the expiry date
Pasteurized, heavily hopped beers with a high alcohol content have a longer shelf life
Tip: store in a dark and cool place, avoid strong temperature fluctuations
Wine:
Shelf life varies greatly depending on alcohol and acid levels or cork
Can be kept between one year for normal quality wines and ten years for Beerenauslese wines
Red wine generally has a longer shelf life than white wine. If the bottles are stored horizontally so that no oxygen can get to the cork, red wine will last for many years (and is said to keep getting better)
Tip: store in a cool place and protect from direct sunlight

Milk and milk products – that’s the shelf life

As long as the milk or milk products are unopened, they can still be kept past the best-before date. But once they’re open, caution is advised.

Milk:
Unopened milk packs: best for approximately three days after the best-before date
Raw milk: two to three days after the best before date
Pasteurized milk: Shelf life approximately six days after the expiry date if refrigerated and unopened. Can be kept two to three days after the expiry date if opened
UHT milk: closed, keeps for around eight weeks after the best-before date, opened for around two to three days
Tip: store in a dark and cool place

Butter:
Stored cool: stable up to three weeks after the expiry date
Tip: It is best to store the butter in a butter compartment in the refrigerator in a porcelain or plastic butter dish
Cheese:
Whole pieces of cheese: can be kept for several weeks after the best-before date
Fresh cheese that has been opened or individual slices: can be kept for up to one week after the best-before date
Shrink-wrapped cheese slices: can be kept for up to three weeks after the best-before date
Cheese with a low water content has a longer shelf life
Tip: store in a dark and cool place and separate from other foods. The packaging should not be airtight
Yoghurt and quark:
Unopened: 10 to 14 days past the best before date
Once opened: 3 to 4 days after expiry of the best before date
Tip: store in a dark and cool place
Cream:
Unopened: Can be kept for about four weeks after the expiry date
Once opened: 3 to 4 days after expiry of the best before date
Tip: store in a dark and cool place

Perishable foods: fruits and vegetables

There is no best-before date for fruit and vegetables as they are among the perishable foods.

Fruit and vegetables generally do not have a particularly long shelf life, as their high water content makes them very susceptible to mould
if mold is severe, you should always discard the entire quantity of affected food – even the pieces where the mold is not obvious are likely to be affected
Tip: keep local varieties in the fridge and tropical fruits at room temperature. Apples and tomatoes should always be stored separately from other fruits and vegetables as they release ethylene. As the Hamburg consumer center explains, the plant hormone would accelerate the ripening process of the other fruits and they spoil faster as a result.

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Does Caffeine Help With Lack of Sleep? – Study With a Clear Result

A recently published study examined how caffeine counteracts the loss of performance caused by lack of sleep. The result is clear and underlines the importance of sleep.

How caffeine affects cognition during sleep deprivation

It is well known that sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognition. The research team led by psychology professor Kimberly Fenn therefore investigated to what extent the increase in caffeine can counteract this.

The 276 subjects were initially asked to complete a simple task that required little attention. There was also a difficult task to solve in which the participants had to complete several steps in a specific order – no steps could be skipped or repeated.

“We found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both task types and that caffeine intake helped people successfully complete the easier task,” study author Fenn said in a Michigan State University news release. However, the intake of caffeine mostly had little effect on the more difficult task.

Conclusion: Caffeine cannot replace sleep

While caffeine can help you stay awake and get a task done, it does little to prevent procedural errors that can lead to medical errors or car accidents, for example. “Caffeine increases energy, reduces drowsiness, and may even improve mood, but it certainly doesn’t replace a full night’s sleep,” says Fenn.

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Does The Time of The Meal Matter? Experts Have Unequivocal Opinions

Eating in the evening makes you fat? This opinion is widespread. But is that really true? Here you get the answers.

Link between weight gain and late eating? Experts have been researching the question for a long time

In 1985-86, a study (Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals) was conducted that recorded the dietary habits of 1,802 women. It showed that no connection could be established between a late meal (after 5 p.m.) and weight gain, according to the DGE. Even in a larger study (NHANES-I) from 1982 to 1984, in which the eating habits of 7,000 men and women were observed, even after ten years of follow-up (follow-up study of NHANES-I), no connection could be found between eating in the evening and the body weight development can be determined.

In another study from 2002, researchers compared the eating habits of overweight and non-overweight women. The overweight women ate more meals a day than the normal-weight women. In addition, the overweight women ate more volume in the evening compared to the normal-weight women. However, this study only indicates that overweight women not only ate late, but generally ate more. But not that they are fat because of their late eating habits.

Another 2004 study analyzed 7-day consumption logs from a total of 900 women and men. This study also showed that people who eat more in the evening already had a higher energy intake during the day than subjects who ate most of it in the first half of the day. It also found that subjects who ate a larger, more nutritious breakfast ate less food during the day and evening.

Researchers cannot link obesity to late night eating

These studies show that eating out at night does not automatically make you fat. However, the time at which you eat food still plays a role. Because if you eat a lot and plenty of it early on, you will show less hunger during the day. It has been proven that people who eat a decent breakfast have a lower energy intake during the day and also in the evening. Despite these results, according to the scientists, more research is needed in this area in order to be able to speak of reliable knowledge. However, the daily calorie intake still determines whether you gain or lose weight. If this is too high, you gain weight – no matter when you eat.

The results of a small 1997 study on weight loss support eating late meals to preserve lean body mass, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. For this purpose, researchers observed ten women in a weight loss program. They found that eating a large breakfast leads to slightly greater weight loss than a large evening meal. However, a large dinner resulted in better preservation of lean body mass.

So the secret isn’t skipping dinner: it actually has benefits for the body. This makes the widespread assumption that it makes you fat a myth. On the other hand, it makes much more sense to eat a balanced breakfast. A balanced breakfast fills you up early in the day. Thus, this variant prevents food cravings during the day.

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Coffee Enjoyment in Abundance: How Many Cups of Coffee a Day Are Still Healthy – and When Does it Become Dangerous?

Coffee is one of the most popular hot drinks. The average person drinks three cups a day in this country. But is that still healthy?

From how many cups is coffee harmful?

The caffeine contained in coffee boosts bodily functions, increases hand rank, expands the bronchi and promotes concentration. Whether caffeine can kill is also easy to answer – yes, it can. A quantity of several grams becomes dangerous. The stimulant affects everyone differently. Not only in terms of the effect, but also in terms of how long it takes the body to break down the caffeine. While it takes some people just a few hours for caffeine to be metabolized, for others the process takes much longer.

When it comes to blood pressure, high blood pressure patients have nothing to fear, Professor Wolfram Delius assures the pharmacy umschau. Coffee increases heart rate, but to a manageable extent. With regular consumption, this effect is even weaker. The thesis that coffee is a “water stealer” has also been refuted. The diuretic effect cannot be denied, but it is due to the large amounts of water that you consume when drinking coffee. Nevertheless, Delius emphasizes that it is better not to drink coffee before measuring your blood pressure. Although studies always say that coffee should support heart function, the professor points to the lack of data. Under certain circumstances, those affected can feel cardiac arrhythmias more strongly after drinking coffee. What is certain, however, is that coffee lowers the risk of diabetes. “This is shown by large observational studies,” says Dr. Young Hee Lee-Barkey, Senior Physician at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW in Bad Oeynhausen.

Can coffee even prolong life?

nutritionist dr. Anna Flögel, who researched at the German Institute for Human Nutrition in Potsdam, emphasizes “If you live unhealthily, for example because you smoke or drink alcohol frequently, coffee does not make you healthier.” Researchers have now discovered the maximum amount of coffee you should drink per day before it becomes unhealthy: with too much coffee, the risk of a heart attack increases significantly. While men consume an average of 3.6 cups per day, women only drink 3.2 cups of coffee. Researchers at the University of South Australia have investigated whether these amounts are dangerous to health.

There are still many myths and theories surrounding the popular hot drink. One side warns against too much coffee, the other side even claims that it has a healing effect. According to recent studies, drinking coffee could reduce the relative risk of death. In addition, filter coffee is said to help against high cholesterol levels, and in one German city people with liver disease are even asked to consume up to six cups of coffee a day. The “University of South Australia” has examined more closely whether coffee is really harmful”. The researchers used values ​​from the British Biobank: data from a total of 347,077 people aged between 37 and 73 were recorded and evaluated.

Global coffee consumption: three billion cups a day

“Around three billion cups of coffee are drunk every day worldwide. Knowing the limits of what is good and what is bad is essential,” says Professor Elina Hyppönen. She is Director of the Australian Center for Precision Health at the University of South Australia Cancer Research Centre. She also says, “As with many things in life, it’s all about balance; if you overdo it, your body will pay for it.”

Risk of heart disease increases with too much coffee

The study found that drinking more than six cups of coffee increases the risk of heart disease by up to 22 percent. More precisely: The study found that too much caffeine can lead to increased blood pressure. This is considered a precursor to serious heart disease. A certain dose can therefore also have negative consequences for health. The study was the first to provide a recommendation for the maximum amount of coffee you should drink per day.
As with most things, the same applies to coffee: as long as you don’t overdo it, drinking it every day is not harmful to your health.

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Asparagus Season Begins: Why Does Urine Smell so Bad After Eating Asparagus?

Asparagus is delicious and, thanks to valuable ingredients, also healthy. But as soon as you eat it, the delicious dish turns into a pungent smell in the toilet. Why is that?

The problem: Urine smells bad after eating asparagus

If only it weren’t for that unpleasant acrid smell when you go to the toilet, shortly after eating asparagus. However, fewer people are affected by this than is commonly thought.

The phenomenon of asparagus urine only occurs with every second person. The reasons can be very different. “Methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulphide compete in asparagus urine for the most unpleasant note,” says an article in the magazine Chemie in our time.
The foul-smelling substance trio is quite familiar to our nose: It also gives human biogases such as flatulence, mouth and athlete’s foot odor unpleasant notes.

Why does urine smell after eating asparagus?

Asparagus, whether white or green, contains asparagusic acid, which is initially odorless. However, if this is broken down, a sulphur-containing compound is formed which is excreted in the urine – with a corresponding odour.

However, this breakdown product only occurs if you have a certain enzyme – and not everyone does that. The genes decide who has this enzyme and who doesn’t. Only about 40 percent of people have such a gene that is able to produce the enzyme.

Still others can’t even smell the smell. The Apotheken Umschau writes that those affected then probably have a mutation in an odor receptor gene. But don’t worry, it’s neither bad nor dangerous.

Asparagus urine resembles skunk secretion

“The smell is harmless and not a sign of illness or poisoning,” reports Stefan Lorkowski, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Jena, to the Apotheken-Umschau. Stuffing when going to the toilet is still unpleasant. No wonder, since the substance is similar to the chemical compounds in the dreaded skunk secretion.

Only 15 minutes after enjoying an asparagus meal, it starts to smell. Nothing can be done about it. However, drinking plenty of water helps flush the breakdown products out of the body quickly.

Incidentally, the problem that the pee gives off a strange smell after eating asparagus is not new: reports of smelly asparagus urine have been around since the middle of the 17th century – a time when sulfur and sulfates were used as fertilizers for the first time.

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Coffee Enjoyment in Abundance: How Many Cups of Coffee a Day are Still Healthy – and When Does it Become Dangerous?

Coffee is one of the most popular hot drinks. The average person drinks three cups a day in this country. But is that still healthy?

From how many cups is coffee harmful?

The caffeine contained in coffee boosts bodily functions, increases hand rank, expands the bronchi and promotes concentration. Whether caffeine can kill is also easy to answer – yes, it can. A quantity of several grams becomes dangerous. The stimulant affects everyone differently. Not only in terms of the effect, but also in terms of how long it takes the body to break down the caffeine. While it takes some people just a few hours for caffeine to be metabolized, for others the process takes much longer.

When it comes to blood pressure, high blood pressure patients have nothing to fear, Professor Wolfram Delius assures the pharmacy umschau. Coffee increases heart rate, but to a manageable extent. With regular consumption, this effect is even weaker. The thesis that coffee is a “water stealer” has also been refuted. The diuretic effect cannot be dismissed out of hand, but is due to the large amounts of water that you support when drinking coffee, the professor refers to the lack of data. Under certain circumstances, those affected can feel cardiac arrhythmias more strongly after drinking coffee. What is certain, however, is that coffee lowers the risk of diabetes. “This is shown by large observational studies,” says Dr. Young Hee Lee-Barkey, Senior Physician at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW in Bad Oeynhausen.

Can coffee even prolong life?

nutritionist dr. Anna Flögel, who researched at the German Institute for Human Nutrition in Potsdam, emphasizes “If you live unhealthily, for example because you smoke or drink alcohol frequently, coffee does not make you healthier.” Researchers have now discovered the maximum amount of coffee you should drink per day before it becomes unhealthy: too much coffee increases the risk of a heart attack. While men consume an average of 3.6 cups per day, women only drink 3.2 cups of coffee. Researchers at the University of South Australia have investigated whether these amounts are dangerous to health.

There are still many myths and theories surrounding the popular hot drink. One side warns against too much coffee, the other side even claims that it has a healing effect. According to recent studies, drinking coffee could reduce the relative risk of death. In addition, filter coffee is said to help against high cholesterol levels, and in one German city people with liver disease are even asked to consume up to six cups of coffee a day. The “University of South Australia” has examined more closely whether coffee is really harmful”

Global coffee consumption: three billion cups a day

“Around three billion cups of coffee are drunk every day worldwide. Knowing the limits of what is good and what is bad is essential,” says Professor Elina Hyppönen. She is Director of the Australian Center for Precision Health at the University of South Australia Cancer Research Centre. She also says, “As with many things in life, it’s all about balance; if you overdo it, your body will pay for it.”

Risk of heart disease increases with too much coffee

The study found that drinking more than six cups of coffee increases the risk of heart disease by up to 22 percent. More precisely: The study found that too much caffeine can lead to increased blood pressure. This is considered a precursor to serious heart disease. A certain dose can therefore also have negative consequences for health. The study was the first to provide a recommendation for the maximum amount of coffee you should drink per day.

As with most things, the same applies to coffee: as long as you don’t overdo it, drinking it every day is not harmful to your health.

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Insider Tip Black Garlic: What Can The Fermented Bulb do – and What Does it Taste Like?

Black garlic is an absolute insider tip for the kitchen. But how does the black tuber taste and what else can it do?

What is black garlic?

Black garlic or “Black Garlic” is a delicacy in Japan, China and Korea and belongs in every good kitchen there. But in the meantime, the black tuber has gradually become better known and, above all, more popular. However, the black bulb is not a special variety, but rather ordinary garlic (Allium sativum).

But where does the unusual color come from? The reason lies in the processing of the garlic. It is fermented for weeks in high humidity and heat. As a result, the sugar and amino acids contained in the garlic are converted into tanning substances, so-called melanoidins. The result: the tubers gradually turn black.

This fermented garlic is much easier on the stomach because it contains fewer polysaccharides. The fermentation also gives it a very special taste of vanilla, caramel or even plum and some liquorice

This is how you can ferment your garlic yourself

If you want to make your own fermented garlic yourself, you’ll need to prepare it a little differently. Because a week-long fermentation in the oven would be far too expensive. But if you can do without the black color, there are two simple production methods in particular:
With honey: peel the garlic and press it lightly. Then put it in a jar with a wire seal and pour honey over it until the jar is about 2/3 full. Keep the jar in a dark place for several weeks, turning it from time to time. Once the garlic has completely sunk in the honey, it’s done.
With salt: Make a saline solution by stirring 3 grams of salt into 100 milliliters of water. Place the peeled garlic cloves back into a mason jar and fill it 2/3 full with the brine. Now the jar is well sealed and put in the fridge for about four weeks. In the first few days you should open it briefly once a day and then close it tightly again.
Depending on your taste, you will like the sweet or salty variant of fermenting your garlic better. Try it yourself and then test your garlic in the kitchen.

Black garlic in the kitchen: the healthy black bulb goes well with it

Conventional garlic is inherently very aromatic and healthy. The little toes are antibacterial, can prevent cardiovascular diseases and are also considered a natural cholesterol-lowering agent. These are just some of the tuber’s effects. However, so-called secondary plant substances are still produced in the garlic as a result of the fermentation. They protect our cells and slow down free radicals. In addition, probiotics are produced, which protect both our intestinal flora and the immune system.

The Black Garlic is particularly popular in Asian dishes and is ideal for sauces and marinades. But in the meantime it is also becoming increasingly popular for pasta dishes. For example, you can also cook the classic spaghetti aglio e olio with black garlic. It is also ideal as “black” garlic butter. Serve them with fish, meat or potatoes, for example.

In addition to the flavor component, the black garlic is also ideal for decoration. However, you should rather use a copy from the Asian store. Like regular garlic, don’t use too much if you don’t tolerate it well or if you’re taking blood-thinning medication. Garlic can enhance the effects of such drugs. Otherwise you are doing something good for yourself, your health and your palate with black garlic!

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Does The Universal Root Ginseng Live Up to Its Promises?

Ginseng is probably the best-known medicinal plant from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It has the reputation of being able to practically stop aging and at least alleviate almost all age-related problems.

As a tea, extract or powder, the ginseng root is said to strengthen the immune system, help against Alzheimer’s and increase mental performance. In addition, it is said to drive away fatigue, accelerate convalescence after serious illnesses or operations and have a potency-enhancing effect.

With this impressive list of applications, it is no wonder that ginseng is also referred to as the “all-healing root”. But are all of these claims really true, or is it all just a possibility that hasn’t been proven? That’s what we wanted to find out and during our research we came across a completely different, negative aspect of the alleged miracle root.

Typology and botanical properties of true Korean ginseng

The term ginseng is colloquially used for several Asian roots, all of which contain the so-called ginsenosides. With Panax Ginseng, the real ginseng from Korea, the concentration and thus the effect is the highest. Other names for real ginseng are Korean or Asian ginseng.

The herbaceous plant, whose roots are considered a natural medicine, originally came from the deciduous and mixed forests of Korea. There were also a few small occurrences of wild ginseng in north-eastern China. In the meantime, however, there are hardly any wild plants left, today’s ginseng comes from plantations. However, the ginseng root is still harvested and cultivated by hand because it requires a lot of care. Incidentally, the name “ginseng” comes from the Chinese and roughly translates to “human root”.

Ginseng is a very slow-growing plant, the roots can only be harvested after at least four, preferably six to eight years.

What is the effect of the ginseng root?

In TCM and in Korea, ginseng has a long tradition as a medicinal plant; the ground root has been used there for over 2000 years. The plant has been known in Europe since the 17th century. It was not recognized as a medicinal plant in this country until the 20th century. The active ingredients contained in the root, the ginsenosides, have been repeatedly examined for their effect in traditional areas of application.

The ginseng root is valued above all as an invigorating agent that stimulates the metabolism, makes you lively and strengthens the immune system. The all-healing root should at least have a supportive effect on almost every type of illness and accelerate convalescence. For the same reason, ginseng is also said to have an anti-aging effect, the ginsenosides are also said to act as free radical scavengers and antioxidants. This in turn should lead to better cognitive and motor performance, especially in older people, but not only. In addition, several studies in American clinics indicate that ginseng can reduce stress, inflammation and the risk of cancer.

The ginseng root is also a hot candidate as a remedy for Alzheimer’s. The miracle root has another important range of effects: it is said to promote potency and libido in men and help women with menopausal symptoms.

So is the ginseng root really a universal healing root?

Because the ginseng root was recognized as a herbal remedy a long time ago, there are a number of studies on the various areas of application. They all suggest that ginseng may actually have the claimed effects. But (and there is always a “but” with such alleged miracle cures): That’s not entirely true. If you take a closer look at the studies, you will discover that they were only carried out in vitro (i.e. in the test tube) or on mice and rats. And even if there were experiments with human subjects, the random samples were only small or the experimental setup was not suitable for excluding other influencing factors. The advertising promises of the manufacturers about the allegedly scientifically proven effect are therefore not correct. The available results provide indications, but nothing more.

On the other hand, the root is quite effective as a pick-me-up and invigorating agent in times of increased stress. The ginsenosides have a similar effect as caffeine. Ginseng therefore has some side effects that must be taken into account. The invigorating effect can lead to high blood pressure and tachycardia; it also enhances the effects of caffeine. Furthermore, ginseng increases the tendency to bleed and is therefore particularly dangerous in combination with ASA (active ingredient in aspirin) and coumarins (anticoagulants). Diabetics, people with high blood pressure and anyone taking the above medications should therefore speak to their doctor before taking them.

The intake: ginseng tea, capsules and tablets

Radix ginseng, the ginseng root, is processed in two ways: the white ginseng is only dried and ground into ginseng powder, the red ginseng is boiled before drying and gets its color in the process. The red variant is said to be more effective. The pure powder is rarely taken, and it is not used for cooking or baking. It is either concentrated in capsules or pressed into tablets, or it is drunk as ginseng tea. In addition, the universal root is also sold in the form of extracts or tonics.

For ginseng tea, pour 150 milliliters of hot water over about three grams of ginseng powder and let the brew steep for five to ten minutes; then you strain the tea and enjoy it. Ginseng capsules and tablets should be dosed according to the information on the package. It should be used daily for at least four weeks, as the effect does not start immediately. Doctors recommend taking a break of several months after three months, as there are no studies on the long-term effects of the universal root. After that, ginseng can be used again for three months.

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Matcha Tea: Does The Green Pick-Me-Up Make You Healthy and Happy?

Matcha tea was and is the best and finest tea in Japan, which used to be reserved for the elite only. The bright green, frothy drink is still considered a cult drink.

However, the trend towards matcha tea did not come to Germany directly from Japan, but from the USA. Stars, starlets and wannabes have been spotted there with the green “in” drink in their hands for a number of years.

It is said to make you slim, fit and healthy, and helps fight signs of aging and even cancer. Like all other green teas, it also serves as a stimulating alternative to coffee with its caffeine content (tein). Is the expensive cult drink worth its price?

Why is matcha tea actually powder?

Matcha tea is one of the green tea varieties and is traditionally drunk in Japan. The tea probably originally came from China, but was forgotten there. Unlike “normal” green teas, matcha tea is not prepared as a decoction of tea leaves, but from a bright green powder.

This powder consists of finely ground green tea leaves from which the stalks have been removed. “For Matcha of the highest quality, the tea farmers even remove the leaf veins by hand,” explains Heidrun Schubert from the Bavarian Consumer Advice Center

Only the pure leaf remains, which is also consumed as a whole in tea. Since matcha tea is a so-called “shade tea”, the tea bushes are shaded with bamboo mats or similar four weeks before harvest. This makes the leaves particularly intense green.

Prepare matcha tea

If the matcha tea from the green powder is not brewed properly, neither the taste nor the effect are said to be right. Preparing matcha tea is part of a tea ceremony in Japan. You don’t have to make a ceremony out of it at home, but it still takes some practice and effort.

The water for the foamy tea should be as soft as possible, it must have a temperature of 80° Celsius when brewing. The easiest way to check this is with a roast thermometer. About a teaspoon of the powder goes into a bowl, which you then pour on with around 100 milliliters of water.

Then manual work is required – matcha tea has to be opened during preparation. To do this, take a special broom made of bamboo (the Chasen) and stir with a loose wrist in your own movement until the powder has completely dissolved and a fine foam has formed on the surface.

The right accessories

In order for the preparation to succeed, you need the right accessories – a normal teacup or blender is not enough to create the perfect foam. A set consists of the already mentioned bamboo whisk, a suitable bowl and a bamboo spoon for portioning the tea powder. Purists or lovers then get a suitable ladle and a Japanese kettle.

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Vitamin C: What it Does, When It’s Missing, Where It’s in

The water-soluble vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is known to everyone and experiences a revival every year when the weather is bad. But why vitamin C at all? “It helps against a cold,” is the popular opinion. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Vitamin C strengthens the immune system. However, it has not been scientifically proven that it really has a preventive or healing effect on colds. And if the cold is already there, it comes, stays and goes (as a rule of thumb) for three days each – with or without the administration of ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C: effect

However, vitamin C not only helps the immune system, it can do much more:
As a radical scavenger and antioxidant, it protects cells from premature aging processes
necessary for the formation of collagen (component of connective tissue, teeth, skin, hair and nails)
important for cholesterol metabolism
important for fat metabolism
important for optimal absorption of iron
can increase sperm count
inhibits the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines during digestion
it helps in the formation of messenger substances and hormones

Vitamin C: deficiency

We humans cannot produce ascorbic acid ourselves and therefore have to get it from food. If our body doesn’t get enough of it, it can even lead to a disease: This is how scurvy occurs due to a vitamin C deficiency. Scurvy used to be the leading cause of death among seafarers who lacked access to fresh food at sea. Even today, scurvy still occurs wherever people eat too little C-containing food. If infants are affected, the disease is called “Möller-Barlow syndrome”, but the cause is the same.

Vitamin C deficiency manifests itself as follows:
bleeding gums
susceptibility to infection
poor wound healing
Joint and bone pain due to bleeding under the periosteum
Bleeding of the skin and mucous membranes, organs, muscles
tooth loss
Fatigue, dizziness and exhaustion
muscular dystrophy
joint inflammation
severe diarrhea
cardiac insufficiency
depressions
However, these symptoms can also have other causes.

Vitamin C: overdose

If you take too much vitamin C, you will get digestive problems such as diarrhea from about three to four grams per day. However, such a high intake can only occur through incorrect dosing of food supplements and cannot be achieved with natural foods. To clarify the amount: a heaped teaspoon of powder corresponds to about one gram.

People who are prone to kidney stones or have damaged kidneys should be particularly careful not to overdo it with ascorbic acid-containing remedies. After all, even a dose of one gram per day can lead to side effects.

Vitamin C: the daily requirement

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) revised the reference values ​​in 2015, so that other information can be found in older literature. The DGE differentiates between the requirements for men and women, since the daily requirement also depends on body weight. According to the new guidelines, women should take in 95 mg and men 110 mg of vitamin C with food per day. The requirement increases to 105 mg for pregnant women and 125 mg of vitamin C per day for breastfeeding women. Smokers and also passive smokers have a significantly higher daily requirement of 135 mg (women) or 155 mg (men) per day.

Vitamin C: in which foods?

When it comes to vitamin C, everyone immediately thinks of citrus fruits. But even before lemons, oranges and tangerines ended up in our fruit basket, it was possible to have enough of them all year round. There are many locally grown fruits and vegetables that we can use to meet our daily needs.

The star among the local vitamin C bombs is the sea buckthorn. It originally comes from Central Asia, such as Mongolia. To this day, he ensures that people in barren, hostile regions are always well supplied with it. With 450 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, sea buckthorn is a local superfood that is only surpassed by the almost twice as high C content (1250 mg/100 g) of fresh rose hips and makes acerola superfluous.

Citrus fruits come a long way behind with only around 50 mg/100 g. Far better performers: blackcurrants (189 mg/100 g), peppers (139 mg/100 g), kale and Brussels sprouts (105-110 mg/100 g) or strawberries (63 mg/100 mg).

Unfortunately, much of the vitamin content of food is lost during preparation and storage. So make sure you buy food as fresh as possible – preferably directly from the producer – only store it for a short time and wash it undivided. Only cut fruit and vegetables just before eating to get the largest possible portion. Because ascorbic acid is heat sensitive, make sure you keep cooking times as short as possible.

By the way: It is also added to food as a preservative under the E numbers E300 to E304, E315 and E316. Manufacturers use this to protect, for example, apple juice from oxidation and browning; Cooked sausages can be made appetizingly reddish with it. It is also sometimes added to flour to improve its baking properties.

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