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Can You Eat Coffee Beans?

We usually consume coffee beans in ground and brewed form – namely as a coffee drink. But is it safe to eat the beans?

Roasted coffee beans to eat instead of drinking.

Most coffee lovers use coffee beans to brew their beloved coffee. The coffee beans are ground and mixed with water. But can you eat coffee beans? We do not find the question surprising. Something that is used to prepare one of our favorite drinks must also be used differently and, above all, enjoyed. Finally, time brings more and more offers of edible coffee beans.

Of course, roasted coffee beans can be consumed without hesitation. Despite the energizing effect, they are not toxic or harmful in any way. However, the same rule applies here as with all foods: you should eat them in moderation and not in bulk.

You can imagine that there is not only a lot of caffeine in the brewed coffee, but also in the coffee beans. For comparison, a cup of espresso has the same caffeine content as 15 to 25 coffee beans. Hence our advice: do not eat too many coffee beans at once. It is better to enjoy a small amount and in peace. About 30 minutes after consumption, the caffeine in the coffee beans begins to take effect. The effect usually wears off after about two to four hours. In rare cases, however, it lasts up to ten hours. It also makes a difference whether you are a smoker or a non-smoker, because the effects of caffeine last longer in non-smokers.

Of course, depending on the composition of the beans, they taste a little different. Some taste a bit sour, others rather bitter or mild. Some even find the taste of coffee beans hearty. You just have to try it out there and find your own favourite. In any case, the full aroma of the coffee beans tastes good when they are crushed and thus quasi ground. Fortunately, with this type of coffee enjoyment, you cannot burn your tongue or spill it in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Coffee beans are now part of many drinks and dishes. Whether alcoholic, as with sambuca or in a vinaigrette for the salad or in desserts such as cake, pudding and quark – the brown bean must not be missing.

If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a try! It is worth a try. Afterwards you can always treat yourself to a liquid coffee specialty.

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To Peel Persimmons or Not? This is How You Eat Them Properly

Whether or not it is necessary to peel persimmons depends on several factors. In this article you will learn how to best consume the sweet exotic fruits and what you should bear in mind when doing so.

Whether you peel persimmons or not depends on your preferences. Basically, the skins of the persimmons are edible and you can eat the orange fruits with their skins.

Unripe persimmons do not taste good due to the high tannin content. Therefore, when shopping, you should consider whether you want to eat the persimmons right away or in a few days. In this article, you will not only learn how to eat persimmons correctly, but also how to recognize and influence the right degree of ripeness.

The persimmon is the sweet fruit of the persimmon tree and originally comes from Asia. Persimmon trees need warmer growing areas because they are not frost-resistant. There is therefore no significant commercial cultivation of the orange fruit in Germany. Most of the growing areas are in China, Korea and Japan.

There are now also European kakis on the market, for example from Spain. In order to avoid long transport routes, you should prefer these fruits to those from Asia. If possible, buy kakis in organic quality: they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Peeling persimmons: you should know that

You don’t have to peel persimmons to eat them. However, there are a few basic things you should keep in mind if you want to eat persimmons with the skin on.

Use organic persimmons as their skins are untreated. In principle, however, you can also eat the skin of conventionally grown fruits.
You should always wash fruit thoroughly before eating. More about this here: Washing fruit properly: What to do about pesticides on the skin?
Depending on the type of persimmon, the skin varies in thickness. Thick-skinned specimens taste better peeled.
This is how you eat persimmons correctly

Wash the persimmons thoroughly with cold water.
Halve the fruit lengthwise.
Remove the hard carpels and the light-colored base of the stalk.
Cut the fruit lengthwise into four or eight wedges.
Whether you peel the kaki or eat it with the peel is up to you. If you want to peel the persimmons, cut the flesh off the skin, similar to a melon.
Scoop out persimmons

When persimmons are fully ripe and very juicy, they are easier to spoon than to cut:

Wash the persimmons thoroughly with cold water.
Halve the fruit lengthwise.
Using a small spoon, scoop the insides of the persimmon straight out of the shell.

Recognizing the right degree of ripeness of persimmons

In order to withstand the long transport routes, the harvested persimmons are usually still unripe. Unripe persimmons contain a high proportion of the vegetable tanning agent tannin. When you eat them, this gives you a furry sensation in your mouth. However, tannins are not harmful to health. As it ripens, the sugar content in the persimmon increases and the orange fruit tastes juicy and sweet.

In addition to the actual kaki, you will also find the cultivated forms in the trade

honey apple
persimmon and
Sharon.
The cultivated forms contain significantly less tannin and you can therefore eat them in a harder state.

This is how you can tell that the persimmon is ripe

The persimmon is ripe when it is very soft. The persimmon has reached the perfect degree of ripeness when the pulp shimmers through the skin with a glassy sheen. Fully ripe persimmons yield slightly when pressed lightly with your fingers. The shell should not show any brown spots or dents.

Transport and store ripe persimmons

When fully ripe, the persimmon is very sensitive to pressure. Therefore, make sure that you pack ripe persimmons to protect them from pressure when you buy them, so that you can transport them home safely. Store ripe persimmons refrigerated and eat within a day or two.

Allow unripe persimmons to ripen

If the persimmon is not yet ripe, you can store it next to bananas or apples for a few days. These secrete ethylene, which stimulates other fruit to ripen faster.

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Why You Shouldn’t Eat Nuts That Taste Bitter

Bitter-tasting nuts can have negative health consequences. We explain how you should deal with bitter nuts and which regional nut varieties are best for consumption.

Bitter nuts can be harmful to your health. They may contain mold or toxins. If the nuts are also stored warm and moist, they can release so-called mycotoxins. These are certain mold toxins that are produced during the metabolism of mold. A distinction is made between different mycotoxins, including aflatoxin, for example.

If nuts are discolored or have a bad odor, do not eat them. But beware, the mold in mycotoxins can sometimes be recognized neither by its appearance nor by its smell. However, a bitter taste or discoloration are signs of mycotoxins.

This is why bitter nuts can be bad for your health

According to the Federal Office for Consumer Protection, mycotoxins can affect the kidneys or liver, cause diarrhea or vomiting, weaken the immune system and, in the worst case, even promote the development of cancer. Therefore, you should definitely spit out bitter nuts immediately.

According to the agency, pistachios and peanuts are primarily affected by mycotoxins. Occasionally, however, the mold fungi can also be detected in walnuts and almonds. Therefore, you should be particularly careful with these four strains. Also make sure to always store nuts in a dry and cool place.

Nuts are healthy – if they don’t taste bitter

Nuts are a healthy snack in and of themselves, as long as they don’t taste bitter. They are mainly made up of fat and protein, which are good for the cardiovascular system. At the same time, they contain important dietary fibers that have a positive effect on digestion. However, many nut varieties have a poor ecological balance due to their long transport routes.

Nuts that are also grown in Europe include walnuts and hazelnuts. Almonds mostly come from California, but there are also Italian or Spanish ones. Therefore, for the sake of the environment, you should pay attention to the country of origin of the nuts. An organic certification guarantees you organic cultivation without the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides. With the Fairtrade seal, you also support decent working conditions and fair wages.

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health

5 Common Arguments to Eat Meat – NOT

As a vegetarian or vegan, you are often confronted with arguments as to why a meatless diet is unhealthy, unnatural or even harmful to the environment. What is it about these statements? We have collected five of the most common arguments for meat and formulated counter-arguments.

Claims like “The rainforest is on fire for tofu!”, “Athletes need meat!” or “If God hadn’t wanted us to eat meat, he wouldn’t have made it so delicious!” probably every vegetarian has: in and vegan:in heard before. We can do no more than argue about God and his plans. But if statements are demonstrably false, you don’t have to let them rest. How to dispassionately counter some of the most common arguments for eating meat:

Humans are carnivores?

Humans are carnivores, vegan diet is unnatural.

Some of the most popular arguments against vegetarians and vegans revolve around how natural a meat-free diet is. Sentences like “People are carnivores, you can see that from their teeth” are also often used. But: Humans are definitely not pure meat eaters (= carnivores). After all, even the biggest meat lovers eat a piece of fruit or vegetable from time to time. This is also important, because unlike carnivores, humans cannot produce vitamin C themselves and have to get it from food.

Furthermore, if we were pure carnivores, we could swallow large chunks of meat almost without chewing. In carnivores, digestion begins in the stomach, while humans start digesting in the mouth. An enzyme in the saliva that breaks down starch helps us with this. And starch is not in meat, but in plants.

Admittedly, from a biological point of view, people are not herbivores (=herbivores) either, but omnivores (=omnivores). That is, our physical characteristics—including how our teeth are constructed and how they work—allow us to eat both animal and plant-based foods, depending on what is available.

Unlike our ancestors who hunted and gathered, today we have choices. We don’t starve if we don’t eat meat, thanks to farming and storage facilities. We also don’t have to put as much energy into foraging – and making up for that loss with food. We’re also getting older, which is why it’s important to look not only at short-term satiety, but also at the long-term health pros and cons of a diet.

If you want to be physically fit, you need meat?

People need animal proteins, especially athletes.

“If the [construction worker] only gets meat once a week and only salad, he falls off the scaffolding on the third day.” This quote from the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger made the rounds in the summer of 2020. The politician is right on one point: You cannot have a balanced diet from lettuce alone. Luckily, there are a lot of other plant-based foods, also to provide us with the proteins that athletes love.

The documentary “The Game Changers” shows that you can also achieve top performance with a purely plant-based diet using the example of various top athletes. The science journalist Bas Kast even comes to the conclusion in his book “The nutrition compass: The conclusion of all scientific studies on the subject of nutrition” (buy** at Thalia, bücher.de or Buch7, among others) that vegetable proteins are healthier than animal ones. Various studies provide evidence that meat consumption increases the risk of various lifestyle diseases.

The vitamin B12 thing

Vegans need to supplement vitamin B12, meat eaters don’t.

If you have to take vitamin B12 as a dietary supplement, it cannot be a sensible diet – many have certainly heard this argument as well. It’s true, vegans should supplement with vitamin B12. Some plant-based foods also contain vitamin B12, but in a form that, according to experts, cannot be used by the human body.

But where does the vitamin B12 in meat come from? For poultry and pork, the answer is: from dietary supplements. Because just like in humans, vitamin B12 is formed in the large intestine of animals, but they excrete it without using it.

Ruminants, on the other hand, can use the vitamin B12 they produce in their own bodies. To do this, they must be sufficiently supplied with the trace element cobalt. In industrial agriculture, cows often lack this requirement, which is why they are often dependent on nutritional supplements.

On this basis, it is entirely justified to ask the question whether one cannot simply take vitamin B12 oneself in the form of food supplements and skip the detour via the animals.

Vegans eat industrial goo?

Meat substitutes are unnatural chemical food.

Vegan food consists of flavor enhancers, artificial flavors and other additives? This is true for some plant foods, as it is for many processed animal products. And as with an omnivorous diet, such products should be the exception rather than the rule when it comes to eating healthily.

Meat substitutes make it easier for many people to switch to a plant-based diet. They are practical if you want to prepare a vegan alternative to a meat dish without much effort. In the long run, however, many health-conscious vegans refrain from replacing meat, sausage and cheese 1:1 with vegan substitutes. Instead, there are, for example, Bolognese made from lentils, vegetable skewers when grilling and hummus on bread. Tofu is also available in its natural state, and even with processed meat substitutes, the list of ingredients is not always as long and cryptic.

Even if vegans treat themselves to a few vegan sausages at a barbecue party (if they are possible again): Before calling them industrial goo, one should consider whether it is really being vegan that decides how natural or unnatural one eats. Didn’t you just eat a bratwurst with a similarly long list of ingredients, plus ready-made barbecue sauces, chips and cola? If so, then maybe it’s best to keep your mouth shut.

Does the rainforest burn for tofu?

Vegan diet harms the environment.

If we all stop eating meat, where are we supposed to grow all the vegetables to keep us full? Some people are probably asking this question. If rainforests are already being cut down to plant soy, wouldn’t the problem get worse with a switch to a plant-based diet?

Many who ask these questions forget that pigs, cattle and chickens also have to eat. Very few of these animals graze on green mountain meadows that are unsuitable for growing food. Instead, large areas of arable land are required for the cultivation of animal feed. This means that the area required for animal food is higher than for plant food. When animal husbandry decreases, areas are freed up on which we can grow food for human consumption or on which we can reforest.

The increasing hunger for cheap meat has led to forests being cut down in order to grow animal feed in huge monocultures. Depending on the source, 75 to 85 percent of the soy harvested worldwide is fed to animals. So much for the claim that vegetarians and vegans are destroying the rainforest. Incidentally, the soy for meat and milk substitutes often comes from Europe.

After years of eating meat and other animal products, it can be difficult to reduce or even stop eating them altogether. But hiding behind false arguments no longer counts as an excuse.

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Eat Nasturtium: 3 Tasty Recipes

You can eat nasturtium not only as a decoration in the salad – there are many other ways to process their flowers and leaves. In this article, we’ll give you a few ideas on how to use the spicy herb.

You can not only eat the leaves and flowers of the nasturtium as a pretty decoration in the wild herb salad or smoothie. The hot and spicy taste, which comes from the mustard oil glycosides contained in the wild plant, also refines many other dishes. We’ll show you how to add spice to simple recipes for pesto, quark or spreads with the herb and how you can eat healthy nasturtium more often in everyday life.

Eating Nasturtium: These parts are edible

In Germany, it is mainly the parts of the nasturtium that grow above ground that we eat. If you are unsure how to properly prepare and eat the flowers, leaves and seeds of the nasturtium, we have compiled the most important information for you here:

Blossoms: The edible blossoms of the nasturtium are particularly beautiful to look at and are therefore often used raw as a decoration in salads or soups. You can also pickle the nasturtium flowers in vinegar. You can use the resulting blossom vinegar to refine dressings and sauces.
Leaves: You can eat the young leaves of the nasturtium in particular as a tasty topping for bread or in a salad. Because of its sharp taste, you should use the herb a little more sparingly than, for example, the milder-tasting watercress. You can not only use the leaves of the cress in salads, but also work them into quark or pesto.
Seeds and buds: dried, you can eat the rounded seeds of the nasturtium as a good substitute for pepper. The unripe, closed buds, on the other hand, can easily be preserved in vinegar and salt and later used as a substitute for capers.
By the way: The nasturtium originally comes from the Andes in South America. It is also common among the locals of this region to eat the tuberous nasturtium bulb. It is roasted like a potato or mashed.

Eat nasturtium as a delicious pesto

If you want to use as many parts of the nasturtium in a recipe, you should process the herb into pesto. In this way you can keep the freshly harvested leaves and flowers for a long time and eat the nasturtium even in autumn and winter.

The following recipe is enough for a glass full of pesto (350 milliliters).

Ingredients:

150 gfresh nasturtium (leaves and flowers)
120 mlolive oil
3 tsp salt
1jar with screw cap

Directions:

Thoroughly wash the leaves and flowers of the nasturtium and roughly chop them.
Pour the olive oil over the chopped flowers and leaves and add the salt. Mix everything thoroughly once.
Pour the nasturtium pesto into a boiled and cleaned glass jar. Be careful not to trap any air bubbles and leave some space at the top of the glass.
Top up the jar with more olive oil until the pesto is completely covered. Close the jar tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Refine spreads with nasturtium

Of course you can also eat nasturtium pure on your daily sandwich. If you want to make a seasonal spread yourself instead, you can easily incorporate the aromatic cress blossoms.

The following recipe is enough for one serving of spread (three tablespoons).

Ingredients:

1 handful of nasturtium flowers
3 tbsp cream cheese
a bit of salt

Directions:

Rinse the nasturtium blossoms gently under running water and dry them in a salad spinner.
Put the flowers in a bowl with the cream cheese and salt and puree everything thoroughly with a hand blender.

Eat pickled nasturtium seeds as a substitute for capers

You can pickle the seeds of the nasturtium instead of capers. To make the salty and sour snack yourself, you only need a few ingredients.

For a small jar of pickled nasturtium seeds, you need to follow the steps below.

Ingredients:

1 handful of nasturtium seeds
2 tsp salt
some vinegar

Directions:

Put the nasturtium seeds in a boiled mason jar and sprinkle with the salt. Be careful not to fill the glass to the brim.
Cap the jar tightly and shake vigorously. Put it in the fridge for four to five days, shaking the contents regularly.
Rinse the drained seeds and boil the jar again with hot water. Then fill the drained caper substitute back into the glass.
Boil some vinegar in a saucepan and then pour it into the glass with the seeds. Allow the jar to cool briefly and then place it in the fridge for a week or two. Before you can eat the pickled nasturtium seeds, you should drain them thoroughly.

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Eat Cabbage Raw?

Savoy cabbage is becoming more and more popular as a vitamin-rich superfood. But did you know that you can also eat savoy cabbage raw? In this article, we will show you what to look out for and introduce you to two delicious raw savoy cabbage recipes.

Savoy cabbage soup and savoy chips are real vitamin C bombs, especially in winter. If you want to rediscover the green vegetable, you can also eat savoy cabbage raw. Well washed, you can easily use the freshly picked savoy leaves as raw food or process them in many ways. Nevertheless, you should follow a few tips so that you can tolerate the raw savoy cabbage well.

Eating Savoy cabbage raw: That’s why it’s healthy

The savoy leaves contain many useful ingredients such as vitamin C and mustard oil glycosides. The heat-sensitive vitamin C, in particular, is quickly lost when cooking, which is why it is best to eat savoy cabbage raw in order to supply your body with as much of the vital nutrient as possible. You can cover your daily vitamin C requirement with just 100 grams of raw savoy cabbage.

However, you should be careful if savoy cabbage causes you severe flatulence even when cooked. In this case, you should better not eat savoy cabbage raw. When uncooked, cabbage has a particularly high content of mustard oil glycosides, which increases these unpleasant side effects.

You can eat these parts of the savoy cabbage raw

In principle, you can eat all of the above-ground parts of the savoy cabbage raw, because none of them are poisonous in any way. However, it is better to remove the stalk of the savoy cabbage, as it is usually too hard to eat raw. If the savoy cabbage comes straight from your garden, you should also remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. These are often less tender and more dirty than the inner savoy leaves and therefore do not taste quite as good raw.

By the way: Even if the outer leaves of the savoy cabbage are less suitable for eating raw, you can use them in a savoy stew or freeze the savoy for later.

Eating cabbage raw: You should pay attention to this

Before you can eat the savoy cabbage raw or process it further, you should definitely wash the leaves thoroughly. Not only will you get rid of dirt and soil, but you’ll also make sure there aren’t any small insects hiding between the leaves. If, on the other hand, you buy the savoy cabbage in the supermarket, you must note that you should only eat organic savoy cabbage raw. So you can be sure that no chemical-synthetic pesticides were used on the leaves during cultivation.

In addition, you should only eat savoy raw if it is really fresh. So make sure that the savoy cabbage still looks nice and crunchy and doesn’t have any wilted leaves or foul-smelling dark spots.

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You Should Rather Eat These 6 Types of Vegetables Raw

Anyone who eats consciously tries to eat as many vegetables as possible – some varieties are healthier raw than cooked. Even if it sometimes takes some getting used to, you should eat these vegetables raw from time to time.

Vegetables contain many valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, some nutrients are sensitive to heat – some of them are lost during cooking, roasting or baking. Vitamin B1, vitamin B5 and vitamin C, for example, are particularly sensitive to heat. You should therefore eat the following types of vegetables raw:

Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in vitamins B1, B2 and B6, among other things, and contains a particularly large amount of heat-sensitive vitamin C. With just around 100 grams, you can even cover your daily vitamin C requirement. A significant proportion of vitamin C disappears during cooking.

But that’s not the only reason you should eat the vegetables raw: the plant also contains glucosinolates – scientists suspect that the substances protect against colon cancer. They are also sensitive to heat.

Caution: When eating raw broccoli, only eat the florets, they are easier to digest than the stalk. Undercooked broccoli can also cause bloating. Sensitive people in particular should therefore only consume small portions.

Garlic

Garlic is a real miracle bulb. It contains ingredients that lower blood lipid levels and thus protect the blood vessels. Garlic can also lower cholesterol levels. The substance “Allicin” is also important. It is responsible for the typical garlic smell. Scientific studies provide evidence that allicin can prevent or even alleviate cancer.

Allicin in garlic is formed by the enzyme alliinase. However, cooking deactivates the enzyme. So to reap the full health benefits of garlic, it’s a good idea to eat it raw – chopped up in a salad, in a dip, or in garlic butter, for example.

Onions

Onions also contain allicin, as well as lots of vitamin C, antioxidants and B vitamins. Sulfur compounds, which are good for the heart, among other things, are also particularly valuable. Onions, like garlic, are believed to prevent cancer. Onions are much more effective raw than cooked because many of the most important ingredients are lost through cooking. So eat the vegetables raw from time to time – for example in a delicious radish salad.

Paprika

Bell peppers are considered to be one of the vegetables richest in vitamin C. Half a pepper should be enough to cover the daily vitamin C requirement. However, vitamin C is sensitive to heat – so it is better to eat peppers raw.

Zucchini

Zucchini is also particularly healthy raw. Among other things, it contains iron and a lot of vitamin C – which is lost during cooking.

However, be careful if the zucchini tastes bitter: cucurbitacins are responsible for the bitter taste. The bitter substances can cause stomach problems – even when cooked, a bitter zucchini is no longer edible.

Beetroot

The tuber contains a lot of vitamin B, potassium, iron and also a lot of folic acid. However, folic acid is very sensitive to heat and highly soluble in water. Beetroot loses a large part of its folic acid when it is cooked. Raw beetroot tastes good thinly grated, for example in a salad. It is also suitable as a juice.

However, one should not overdo it with raw beetroot: it contains oxalic acid. The fruit acid is not toxic per se, but can be harmful in large quantities: it promotes the formation of kidney stones and inhibits the absorption of iron. People who are prone to kidney stones should therefore not eat the vegetables raw.

Eat vegetables raw: And if they don’t taste good?

Heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamin C or folic acid do not have to disappear completely when heated – but significantly less remains in the vegetables. Zucchini, beetroot, garlic and co. are still healthy when cooked, but they are even more valuable raw. With other vegetables it is exactly the opposite: These vegetables are healthier when cooked than raw.

If you don’t like the vegetables mentioned raw, you should only heat them briefly and as gently as possible in order to preserve as many nutrients as possible. Steam cooking is particularly recommended. Here the vegetables are not cooked directly in the water, which is particularly nutrient-friendly.

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Eat Chinese Cabbage Raw: That’s Why It’s Good for Salads

Eating raw Chinese cabbage is healthy. In addition, cabbage has a good CO2 balance. We’ll show you why raw Chinese cabbage is great for salads.

You may have eaten cooked Chinese cabbage before – it can also be eaten raw. Chinese cabbage is actually very healthy if you eat it raw. Some nutrients are lost through cooking. If you eat Chinese cabbage raw, you will notice that it is a bit more tender than other raw cabbage types and tastes similarly mild to iceberg lettuce.

Eat Chinese cabbage raw: You have to pay attention to this

If you want to eat Chinese cabbage raw, you should buy Chinese cabbage, which mainly has a lot of green leaves and few white spots. The green cabbage leaves have a slightly more aromatic taste.

Also make sure to buy your Chinese cabbage in organic quality if possible. In organic farming, chemical-synthetic pesticides are not used and you contribute to better biodiversity and soil protection with your buying behavior. You should also buy your Chinese cabbage regionally and seasonally and thus save on long transport routes. In our seasonal calendar for vegetables and fruit you will find out: Chinese cabbage is in season from June up to and including November, with the peak season starting in August and there being more of it for sale then. Out of season you get Chinese cabbage from storage.

How to prepare raw Chinese cabbage
If you want to eat Chinese cabbage raw, you can simply prepare it. You also save time because there is no need to cook or steam.

To do this, simply remove the outer leaves if they look wilted or have large brown spots.
Rinse the Chinese cabbage briefly with cold water.
Cut it in half lengthways and then cut into strips.
Wash the strips if they get dirty.
Place the Chinese cabbage strips in a large bowl and use them to prepare a salad.
Tip: You can prepare Chinese cabbage in the classic way like other types of lettuce.

Eating raw Chinese cabbage: this is how you combine it

You can eat raw Chinese cabbage particularly well as a salad. Combine it with for example:

Lettuce varieties, e.g. leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce, radicchio or chicory
Vegetables, e.g. carrots, peppers, tomatoes
Fruit, e.g. apples, pears, oranges
Nuts, e.g. walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts
Seeds, e.g. sesame, linseed
Various dressings, e.g. salad dressing recipes: vinegar-oil, yoghurt dressing and balsamic dressing, raspberry dressing or honey-mustard dressing.
You can make a healthy and nutritious salad from Chinese cabbage. According to GEO, it contains, for example, a lot of potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins and folic acid, which are important for the immune system, among other things.

Tip: If the Chinese cabbage has been in the fridge for a few days and no longer looks fresh, put it in a bowl of cold water for about ten minutes and add a teaspoon of sugar. The lettuce will not taste sweet later, but will be crunchy again afterwards.

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Eat Turnips Raw: Delicious and Healthy Raw Food

You can eat turnips raw or cook them. The tender vegetable is often underestimated, but you can use it in a variety of ways in the kitchen. We give you tips for buying and using.

Eating turnips raw: that’s what matters

Turnips come in white and purple colors. In order to be able to process the vegetables, you do not necessarily have to cook them: turnips can also be eaten raw. However, it is important that you peel them first. After all, this type of vegetable has a fairly hard skin.

In the raw state, you can eat turnips with their slightly spicy taste particularly well in a salad or as a raw vegetable with a delicious dip. The leafy greens are good for seasoning, for example in soups or salads. Cooked, the turnips taste particularly good with hearty recipes, such as in soups or on tarte flambée.

Buy turnips: you should pay attention to this

If you want to eat turnips raw, they taste particularly delicious when they are fresh. If the vegetables look plump and have crisp leafy greens, this indicates good quality. It is best to look for a meaningful organic seal, for example from Demeter or Naturland. Then you can be sure that the turnips come from an organic farm that works without chemical pesticides.

If you can’t use the turnips right away, you can keep them in the fridge for another three to four days. Also keep in mind that the main season for turnips is very short: it lasts from May to June. You can find other seasons, also for other types of fruit and vegetables, in our Utopia seasonal calendar.

The turnips probably originally come from India, from where the Romans brought them to Europe. They are now grown in tropical countries as well as on European soil. With your purchase, support regional vegetables with a shorter transport route and CO2 consumption.

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Eating Jerusalem Artichoke Raw: When You Shouldn’t Eat It

It is basically possible to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw. In this article, we explain why the raw tuber is still not fully recommended and when you should be careful with it.

Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial plant that forms edible tubers underground. It originally comes from North America. It has been known as a crop in Europe since the 17th century, but has long lagged behind the more popular potato. In recent years, the Jerusalem artichoke has been found more frequently at weekly markets and in the vegetable department of larger supermarkets.

Externally, the tuber looks very similar to the potato. Unlike these, however, Jerusalem artichoke can be eaten raw and does not contain any harmful toxins. Nevertheless, it can overwhelm sensitive stomachs when uncooked. Here you can read what you should consider if you want to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw.

Eating Jerusalem artichokes raw: General information

As with most vegetables, the same applies to Jerusalem artichoke: the fresher it is, the better it tastes raw. Wrapped in a damp cloth, it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks, but will quickly lose its freshness. If you plan to eat the Jerusalem artichoke raw, you should consume it as soon as possible after buying it. Incidentally, small to medium-sized tubers are particularly suitable for raw consumption. It is better to use large Jerusalem artichokes for cooking.

Like the potato, Jerusalem artichoke is surrounded by a thin skin that you can eat with it. Because it’s so thin, the shell doesn’t bother you much even if you eat Jerusalem artichoke raw. In terms of taste, it is unobtrusive. If you still want to get rid of the peel, you can remove it with a vegetable peeler or paring knife before eating.

How to prepare raw Jerusalem artichoke:

Gently wash the tubers under cold running water. If necessary, peel the Jerusalem artichoke if the peel bothers you.
Cut the Jerusalem artichoke into thin slices or small pieces. You can also grate it and make a salad out of it. Eating Jerusalem artichoke whole raw is not recommended: the hard tuber can be a challenge for your teeth.
Raw Jerusalem artichoke oxidizes quickly in air. If you want to prevent it from turning brown, you can drizzle or soak the slices or pieces in lemon juice after slicing.
By the way: While cooked or roasted Jerusalem artichoke develops a sweet note, raw Jerusalem artichoke has a slightly bitter taste. It tastes good in salads or as a topping for bread, for example.

When not to eat Jerusalem artichoke raw

Although raw Jerusalem artichoke does not generally contain any harmful substances, it can cause digestive problems in some people. Bloating, in particular, is a common reaction.

This effect can be attributed to the high inulin content of the tuber. Inulin is a so-called polysaccharide and is one of the dietary fibers. It is recommended for diabetics because it ensures that carbohydrates from food enter the blood more slowly and thus have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. In addition, inulin is low in calories and stimulates digestion.

Like all fiber, inulin is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. In particular with larger amounts or with poor tolerability, gases are formed that lead to flatulence. If you generally do not tolerate raw vegetables well or have never eaten Jerusalem artichoke raw before, you should approach it carefully and start with small amounts. Eat as slowly as possible and pay attention to how your body reacts. One way to make the Jerusalem artichoke more digestible is to blanch it briefly before processing. It stays crunchy but is easier to digest.

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