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20 Amazing Facts About Tomatoes

Eating tomatoes again, have you ever thought about what they are? Hardly what it is – after all, they are so accustomed, you can buy them in any store, even in winter, even in summer. In fact, these vegetables are quite interesting, besides, they are popular almost all over the world. Their various varieties are grown on all continents, except Antarctica, as well as on most inhabited islands.

  1. In the presence of moisture and nutrition, additional roots can form on any part of the tomato stem. The plant needs only a few days for this.
  2. Some varieties of tomatoes can grow up to 2 meters in height. And the height of the smallest of them usually does not exceed 30-35 centimeters.
  3. Choline, a substance found in tomatoes, helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
  4. In Mediterranean countries, particularly Italy and Spain, tomato-based cold soups are popular. For example, the famous gazpacho soup.
  5. Tomatoes are used as a seasoning and in dried form, and in 5-10 days of drying they lose up to 85-90% of their mass.
  6. Historically, tomatoes come from South America. There, wild varieties are still found in nature.
  7. Tomatoes came to Europe only in the middle of the 16th century, after the Europeans discovered the New World.
  8. The world’s first tomato-based recipe was published in a recipe book published in 1692 in Naples. At the same time, the author of the recipe claimed to have borrowed it from Spain.
  9. Scientists are working in many countries to develop new varieties of tomatoes. For example, when a cultivar was crossed with a wild tomato from the Galapagos Islands at the University of California, it was possible to obtain a cultivar with a salty taste. Experiments have shown that salted tomatoes grow well on sandy soils when watered with sea water.
  10. For a long time, tomatoes were considered inedible and even poisonous, and therefore gardeners grew them as an exotic ornamental plant.
  11. In the first place in the production of tomatoes, and by a huge margin, is China. India and the United States follow.
  12. Every third tomato in the world is grown in China.
  13. The pulp of ripe tomatoes in folk medicine is often used to treat wounds and burns. Fast healing occurs due to the high content of so-called plant antibiotics in the pulp of tomatoes – phytoncides, which prevent infection from developing.
  14. At temperatures below +10 degrees, tomatoes lose their ability to reproduce, and the plant dies without leaving fruit.
  15. Under suitable conditions, tomato seeds can be stored for up to 6-8 years without losing germination.
  16. Unlike some other vegetables and fruits, green and unripe tomatoes, when picked, ripen well on their own.
  17. From a botanical point of view, tomatoes are not vegetables or even fruits, but berries.
  18. For a long time it was believed that the tomato is an aphrodisiac, but studies have shown that this is not the case.
  19. Tomatoes are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C.
  20. The world’s largest tomato was grown in the USA, in the state of Wisconsin. He weighed a whopping 2.9 kg.
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15 Amazing Facts About Cauliflowers

Cauliflower belongs to a group of cruciferous vegetables, also known as the cabbage family. It is closely related to broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and cabbage. The birthplace of cauliflower is Asia Minor. Its cultivation began 600 years BC. in Turkey. Cauliflower gained popularity in Europe in the 16th century, and its cultivation in America began in the early 20th century. Cauliflower requires slightly acidic clay soil that is rich in minerals.

  1. Cauliflower can grow from 20 to 77 cm in both height and width.
  2. The leaves are large and rough, green in color. They grow in a rosette shape, surrounding a stem, in the center of which is a large white head of cabbage.
  3. Ahead of cabbage in cross-section looks like a miniature tree. Usually, its width is 15.2 cm, and its weight is 900-1400 g in large varieties. Ahead of cabbage consists of a central stem that forks and contains undeveloped flower buds.
  4. Leaves support the development of a white head of cabbage. Without them, a bunch of inedible yellow flowers would appear.
  5. The color of the head of cabbage depends on the variety. The most common type of cauliflower is white but green, purple, orange, brown, and yellow cauliflowers can also be found.
  6. The green variety is known as broccoli because it is similar to broccoli.
  7. Cauliflower belongs to the group of cruciferous vegetables. They are so named because they have flowers that consist of four petals growing in the shape of a Greek cross.
  8. Cauliflower is propagated by seed.
  9. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-265 days from planting seeds to harvesting. Cauliflower is harvested when it reaches the expected size and texture.
  10. Cauliflower is an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamins C, K, and B vitamins, as well as minerals such as manganese, potassium, and magnesium. The plant is low in calories and can be used as a substitute for rice and potatoes.
  11. Cauliflower can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled.
  12. Long-term cooking destroys most vitamins, and this is due to the unpleasant sulfur-like smell of cabbage. Cooking for 30 minutes or more reduces benefits by 75%.
  13. Medical research has shown that substances isolated from cauliflower can prevent the development of certain types of cancer.
  14. China is the largest producer of cauliflower in the world.
  15. Cauliflower is an annual plant, which means that it completes its life cycle in one year.

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18 Amazing Facts About Chilies

Everyone will immediately recognize this spicy hot burning taste that slowly spreads in the mouth and the tongue begins to burn. What do we know about chili peppers? Here are some interesting facts.

  1. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a colorless, pungent, crystalline substance that gives the pepper its flavor.
  2. Interestingly, the pungent taste of the pepper is stronger closer to the heart of the fruit.
  3. Pepper is known to kill harmful bacteria in food.
  4. More than 140 varieties of chili peppers are grown in Mexico.
  5. When eating very spicy food, a general reaction of the body occurs in the form of sweat.
  6. Chili peppers contain more vitamin A than carrots (especially red chili).
  7. Chili peppers can help you lose weight and improve your metabolism.
  8. Chili peppers contain aphrodisiacs and their use increases libido.
  9. Green chili has more vitamin C than citrus fruits.
  10. Chili is the second most common spice in the world, after salt.
  11. Chili pepper was first cultivated in Central and South America around 3000 BC.
  12. The Mayans rubbed hot pepper on their gums to stop toothaches.
  13. The smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. The hottest peppers are up to 5 centimeters long.
  14. The first European to taste chili was Christopher Columbus in America in 1493. Over the course of a century, it spread throughout the world.
  15. The Incas believed that chili peppers improved vision.
  16. An interesting fact in Mexico is chili laden soup is a hangover cure.
  17. Due to the extreme pungency, some peppers should not even be touched, as they can burn the skin. They are prepared by wearing gloves.
  18. The degree of hotness of a pepper is measured on a special scale. The most pungent of all is the habanero.
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20 Amazing Facts About Garlic

Garlic, like its beneficial properties, has been known to mankind since ancient times, it was actively used in cooking hundreds and thousands of years ago. People have long paid attention to its features and came to the conclusion that a plant that copes with diseases so well probably has another power, and therefore garlic was awarded the “ability” to fight various evil spirits. Interestingly, this superstition originated in many different cultures of the past, independently of each other.

  1. In Japan and Korea, the so-called “black garlic” is a popular delicacy. It turns out if the heads of garlic are fermented at high temperatures. It is indeed black in color and has a sweet taste.
  2. Scientists have proven that people who consume more garlic are less likely to suffer from heart disease.
  3. Garlic is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins needed to keep the body healthy. Its heads are one of the richest sources of potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and selenium.
  4. Garlic was found in sarcophagi with closed eyes and in the internal cavities of Egyptian mummies. Garlic may have ritual significance
  5. In ancient Egypt, garlic was included in the diet of workers engaged in hard work, such as building pyramids to maintain and increase the strength of the workers. Once, about 1600 BC. e., a rebellion broke out there when the workers at the construction of the pyramids did not receive garlic.
  6. Garlic contains over 100 chemically active elements.
  7. Garlic is a natural antibiotic that strengthens the immune system and thins the blood.
  8. The name of the American city of Chicago, translated from one of the Indian languages, means “wild garlic”.
  9. In 1720, garlic entered the history of mankind as its savior, in the truest sense of the word. Thanks to garlic, France was saved. Garlic mixed with vinegar saved the French from a raging plague that could spread throughout the world and destroy masses of people.
  10. In ancient Rome, garlic was necessarily included in the diet of warriors, not only for health, but also because they believed that it gives courage and masculinity.
  11. In ancient times, it was believed that the evil spirits are afraid of the smell of garlic, so garlands with dried garlic were a talisman in many homes.
  12. The cultivation of garlic began about 5 thousand years ago.
  13. Garlic is capable of killing many harmful bacteria.
  14. The unofficial title of the garlic capital of the world is the Spanish city of Las Pedronieras.
  15. In 2009, there was a swine flu epidemic in China, and because of rumors that garlic is helping to cope with this dangerous disease, prices for garlic rose 40 times during the year due to the manifold increase in demand.
  16. For cats and dogs, garlic is quite toxic and therefore dangerous.
  17. Scientists discovered that garlic contains antibiotics back in the 19th century.
  18. In ancient India, garlic was actively used as a medicinal plant, but it was not eaten there because of its pungent smell.
  19. Most of the world’s garlic is consumed in China, Korea and Italy. In these three countries, on average, about 10 cloves of garlic are eaten daily per capita.
  20. Garlic originates from Central Asia. The researchers found that for the first time people began to domesticate this plant in the territory of modern Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

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14 Amazing Facts About Fennels

Fennel is a herbaceous plant with no more than 10 species in the wild. In cooking, they use any of them – the tubers are stewed, baked, eaten fresh, fresh juices are made, greens are put in salads, and seeds are added to stewed vegetable and meat dishes as a strong, spicy seasoning.

  1. The homeland of the fennel is the Mediterranean coast, from where it came to the north of Europe, to the south to Egypt, and to the east to India and China. The Greeks were the first to use fennel, and we owe its distribution to the ancient Romans. By the way, fennel can be included in the famous Italian minestrone soup, and in our opinion, in vegetable soup.
  2. Ignorant people often confuse fennel with dill. In fact, it is a close relative of celery, and its seeds resemble anise in the aroma. And yet we, following the botanists, assert: fennel is a completely independent plant.
  3. All parts of the fennel are eaten: the leaf part, the stems, and the root. They are used both as a seasoning and as an ingredient in a dish, Byway, fennel seeds are included in the Chinese mixture of five spices (fennel, cloves, cinnamon, anise, and Sichuan pepper) – the personification of the balance of five basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty). Why fennel can be the basis of a meal. For example, it is very original to cook mashed potatoes on a side dish not from the usual potatoes, but from fennel.
  4. The word fennel comes from the Latin feniculum, which means hay. But this name was assigned to the plant later – in the era of Ancient Rome. Initially in ancient Greece, it was called a “marathon”. And all because in 490 BC. e. in the battle with the Persians, the Greeks won a convincing victory on the battlefield called Marathon. In the heat of battle, the Hellenes took notice of the herb with a spicy-sweet scent that grew in that very field. Since then, the fennel has become a symbol of military success and victory.
  5. The same Greeks endowed fennel with mystical abilities, believing that its roots are able to save from evil spirits and bring good luck. They inserted pieces of the plant into the keyhole as a ward against evil spirits at home.
  6. Fennel can also be called the prototype of modern chewing gum. In the late Middle Ages, it was often chewed during important meetings to freshen the breath. Well, in India, fennel seeds are still served after a meal for this very purpose.
  7. Fennel has been honored to be immortalized in the name of the city. The capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira – Funchal – is named after him.
  8. There is, probably, the most implausible legend about fennel. It seems like thanks to this plant, snakes shed their skin every year and are reborn again. Of course, I would like to understand how they use fennel for this. But a legend is a legend, not a scientifically proven fact, to talk about outlandish things…
  9. Stern, but with a great sense of humor, the English respected fennel in ancient times so much that they even came up with a saying: “Whoever sees fennel and does not collect it is not a man, but a devil.”
  10. The most famous and widespread in gastronomy are fennel seeds – as a spicy-aromatic seasoning. They have a licorice smell and a sweet, spicy aniseed flavor. Fennel seeds are part of the famous 5 Chinese Spice Blend and the Indian counterpart, punch phoron.
  11. When choosing, note that the fennel tubers should be white, firm, and juicy, and the stems and herbs should be green and fresh. They contain many vitamins of group B, A, C, as well as trace elements sodium, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.
  12. Fennel is considered to be one of the best vegetables for weight loss. It removes excess fluid from the body, stimulates metabolism, satisfies hunger, and also calms the nervous system, and lowers cholesterol levels.
  13. The simplest and most delicious fennel dish is to fry the tubers cut into 6-8 parts in olive oil until golden brown, grind with crumbs and parmesan.
  14. Before use, fennel seeds can be slightly calcined in a dry hot pan – this will enhance not only the sweetness but also their pungency. In India, these seeds are used after meals as a breath freshener.
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9 Amazing Facts About Spinaches

Spinach is a very healthy and tasty greenery! How much do you know about Spinach?

  1. Spinach is one of the oldest vegetables. Interestingly, spinach is really a leafy vegetable, not a herb. The first mentions of it date back to the 6th century AD – it was at this time that they began to eat it in Persia. After 1,500 years, he came to China, and from there to Europe, where he immediately became one of the favorite dishes of kings due to its useful and nutritious properties.
  2. Spinach is considered to be a superfood: it contains many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. It also has a very low-fat content, which makes this vegetable a real boon for those on a diet. 100 grams of spinach contains 25 calories, 2.8 grams of protein, 0.8 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of carbohydrates.
  3. Spinach has a good effect on vision, helps to maintain youthfulness and skin tone, strengthens the immune system and the nervous system, improves memory, helps relieve stress, and regulates blood pressure.
  4. Many stars include spinach in their diets – for example, Nicole Kidman regularly eats spinach for breakfast and adds it to salads. Reese Witherspoon, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jessica Alba, and other stars cannot imagine their start to the day without a glass of spinach smoothie.
  5. If you want to include spinach in your menu, keep in mind that fresh spinach has a softer and more neutral flavor than cooked spinach. By the way, if you overexpose this vegetable on fire, it will taste bitter, and the dish will turn out to be not very tasty and even harmful. Oxalic acid will be released from spinach, which negatively affects the body and is contraindicated in diseases of the joints and kidneys.
  6. It is not worth boiling it: most vitamins will be destroyed. If you want to add spinach to your soup, add it at the very end of cooking.
  7. Spring is a great time to make fresh greens smoothies. By the way, if your kids don’t want to eat spinach, offer them spinach and banana pancakes or a healthy and delicious shake!
  8. Spinach does not lose its vibrant green color during cooking, making it an excellent food coloring. Rotate a bunch of spinach through a meat grinder, squeeze the juice – the paint is ready!
  9. Juice can be used to color butter, sour cream or cream, ice cream, omelets, dough – for example, for pasta or dumplings.

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10 Exciting Facts about Chocolate

“Chocolate is God’s excuse for broccoli,” American writer Richard Paul Evans once said. And Charles Dickens also wrote aptly: “Nothing is more valuable than a good friend, except a friend with chocolate.” The whole world loves chocolate because it comforts the soul and makes people happy, can protect the heart, and even make it beautiful.

1. Simply divine

“Food of the Gods”. The translation of the Greek name for Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree, sounds enticing in itself. And so it is not surprising that chocolate is one of the most popular and sensual sweets of all. The first known “chocoholic” was Maria Theresa of Austria, the wife of the Sun King Louis XIV. She loved chocolate so much that after her death in 1683, out of mourning, her husband completely banned chocolate from official occasions and receptions. Today, each of us eats an average of nine kilograms of chocolate a year.

That’s 91 bars of sweet sin – which are sometimes far more than just a sweet treat. “We only survived the hardships because we had enough chocolate,” reported Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who was the first person to reach the South Pole in 1911.

2. Bittersweet discovery

The triumph of chocolate begins with the cacao pod: around 3,500 years ago, the Olmecs in what is now Mexico broke open the large pods of the cacao tree for the first time, pureed the seeds inside and the pulp surrounding them, and mixed them with cold water. This first cocoa drink tasted very bitter – but was in great demand. So much so that only kings and successful warriors were allowed to drink it. Women were strictly forbidden from sipping cocoa, which was considered stimulating.

Cocoa beans were so valuable that they were accepted as currency for a while. At some point, the tart drink was then flavored with pepper, vanilla, and corn, and finally sweetened between 1519 and 1544 – and from that moment cocoa and chocolate started their brilliant triumphal march around the world.

3. From cocoa bean to chocolate

Almost 540,000 tons of dark and whole milk chocolate are produced in Germany alone every year. The cocoa pods in the growing areas around the equator are harvested by hand and the beans are fermented and dried on-site. They come to Europe by ship and are first roasted in the chocolate factories (the typical cocoa aroma is created), then the shells are removed and finally mixed with cocoa butter and sugar (depending on the variety also with milk powder or cream) and ground.

The mass is then first rolled for several hours and finally stirred in the so-called conche (invented in 1879 by the Swiss Rodolphe Lindt). The last unwanted bitter substances now evaporate, the aromas unfold completely and the typical chocolaty creaminess develops. Depending on the type and quality of the chocolate, conching can take up to 72 hours.

4. Chocolate as a seducer

“I don’t want chocolate, I’d rather have a man!” Trude Herr crooned fervently in 1959. Unfortunately, we don’t know whether she found her sweetheart in the end. But on the other hand, sweet sin and great love are by no means mutually exclusive! This is proven not only by Bridget Jones – who, as is well known, even ate chocolate for breakfast – but also by Juliette Binoche as Vianne Rocher in 2000, who conquered Beau Johnny Depp with her sophisticated chocolate creations in the film “Chocolat”.

5. TLC for the soul

The French Cardinal Alphonse de Richelieu is said to have reached for chocolate during the melancholy attacks that often tormented the poor. That was around 1642 – and even today chocolate is said to make people happy. In fact, it contains the messenger substance serotonin, often referred to as the happiness hormone. However, its concentration in chocolate is so low that you would have to eat almost 300 bars for a real rush of happiness. Nevertheless, chocolate is a soul caresser because we have learned to reward or comfort ourselves with it in certain situations. And in this way, in the Pavlovian manner, they can evoke small feelings of happiness. They feel – serotonin or not – sometimes just really real.

6. Cardiac protection in a different way

“No other time has nature squeezed such an abundance of the most valuable nutrients into such a small space as in the case of the cocoa bean,” said natural scientist Alexander von Humboldt. In the 16th century, more than 1500 uses for the raw material cocoa were known. Among other things, it was assumed that the beans act against coughs and colds, but also against the “evil eye”. In the 19th century, chocolate was then sold at high prices in pharmacies as a tonic. Today we know: Of course, chocolate is not real medicine, even though it contains some of the healthy substances of the cocoa bean. And studies confirm that dark chocolate with a high cocoa content can have a blood pressure-lowering effect and protect against cardiovascular diseases thanks to many bioactive plant substances.

7. Noble cocoa for fine chocolate

A distinction is made between dark, milk, and white chocolate. The latter is often not even referred to as “real” chocolate among connoisseurs, since it contains no cocoa, just cocoa butter. And how do you recognize good chocolate? “There is bulk cocoa and fine flavor cocoa,” explains Georg Bernardini, chocolatier and author of the book “The Chocolate Tester”. “Cheap consumer cocoa is often used for inexpensive chocolate, while more expensive varieties often contain more aromatic and also significantly more expensive fine flavor cocoa.” The price can therefore be an indicator of quality.

More expensive chocolates are also often more complex, and sometimes still made by hand. “But the most important thing is clearly a look at the list of ingredients: Dark chocolate consists at best of just cocoa and raw cane sugar. Some cocoa butter or soy lecithin and natural vanilla are also okay, but there is no place for more ingredients in good dark chocolate,” Bernardini knows. And what about milk chocolate? “If you value the cocoa taste, look for at least 38 percent cocoa. Sugar shouldn’t be too high up on the ingredients list, and of course, artificial flavors and colors shouldn’t show up either.”

8. Step by Step: Make your own chocolate

Homemade chocolate is a great Christmas present. You need 50 g raw cocoa, 50 g vegetable margarine, 200 g milk powder, 100 g honey, and 125 ml cream. Preparation: Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Place a small saucepan and let the margarine melt in it. Mix the milk powder and cocoa in a bowl, then add to the margarine. Mix everything well and gradually add the cream.

Remove the small saucepan from the water bath and continue stirring. Allow the mass to cool to about 50 degrees, then add the honey. Spread the chocolate mixture on a greased baking sheet until it is about a finger’s width high. Sprinkle with spices or chopped nuts if you like, then dry in the oven for 10-20 minutes at 50-100 degrees.

9. Chocolate trends

beer with chocolate? chocolate noodles? chocolate liquor? Is there anything today! Even chocolates with chili, licorice, sea salt, or other unusual ingredients are no longer niche products. “The latest trend when it comes to chocolate is raw chocolate,” says chocolate expert Georg Bernardini. Raw makes you happy is the motto, and the form of nutrition in which food is heated to no more than 42 degrees has more and more fans. Now the raw food trend is expanding from main meals to snacks.

“Even for raw chocolate, the cocoa beans are never heated to more than 42 degrees during production,” explains Bernardini. “In this way, a particularly large number of valuable ingredients are preserved.” A second megatrend comes from the USA: “Similar to the craft beer movement, more and more small chocolate manufacturers, so-called bean-to-bar producers, are being founded there, but also in England and Australia. who guarantees the entire production process from a single source and offers top quality,” explains Georg Bernardini.

10. Experience chocolate up close

What does a raw cacao bean taste like? And how does it become creamy chocolate? Anyone who would like to dive deep into the world of chocolate should visit one of the numerous chocolate museums in Germany – for example, the “Chocoversum” in Hamburg, the “Chocolate Museum” in Cologne, or the “Halloren Chocolate Museum” in Halle (Saale).

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Interesting Facts About Hanukkah

The windows of the Holy Temple were wider on the outside than on the inside. Instead of letting in sunlight like other windows, they were supposed to let out the light of the menorah to illuminate the rest of the world.

Maimonides wrote that the menorah in the temple in Jerusalem was adorned with 22 chalices – and all were turned upside down! They symbolize the blessings that G‑d pours on the world.

The Maccabees retook Jerusalem with the help of Jehudit, who snuck into the enemy’s camp, served the leader salty cheese and strong wine, and cut off his head with her sword as he slept.

The disciples of the great sage Shammai lit eight candles on the first day of Hanukkah and then snuffed out one each day because there is less darkness each day. According to Kabbalah, we will all follow this custom in the era of Moshiach.

Did you know that the first eve of Hanukkah never falls on a Monday?

During the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, President Carter attended the first menorah lighting on the White House lawn. It was the first time he had left the White House in 100 days.

The menorah in the temple in Jerusalem had only seven arms. Each carried exactly the same amount of oil, but the lamp closest to the Holy of Holies burned twice as long as the rest.

An estimated 0.5 million latkes will be consumed at public menorah lighting this year.

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Millet: Interesting Facts About The Healthy and Gluten-Free Grain

Millet contains many healthy ingredients, but these vary from variety to variety. In some parts of Africa and Asia, millet is still a staple today – in German millet means “saturation”.

Millet: What the color reveals about the ingredients

Millet is not just millet: the healthy grain comes in different colors and each type of millet has slightly different ingredients. Yellow millet contains a lot of beta-carotene and red and brown millet more antioxidants. Glassy-white millet, on the other hand, is rich in protein. All millet varieties contain a lot of the following healthy ingredients:
Protein,
Iron,
vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6,
Fluorine,
Zinc,
Magnesium,
Silicon.
Since children and babies in particular need the amino acid leucine from millet, millet porridge is a popular food for babies and toddlers. However, you must not eat millet raw, as some enzymes in millet are toxic when uncooked. Before cooking, you should soak millet to extract phytin. It blocks the absorption of important nutrients such as iron and zinc.

Millet helps with diabetes

As scientists from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) found out, millet can prevent excessive insulin release. This makes the grain particularly attractive for diabetics. Researchers at the University of Agricultural Sciences also attribute a positive property to millet for diabetics: a millet cure over 28 days can lower blood sugar levels and raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Does millet make you slim?

The combination of amino acids and complex carbohydrates makes millet a real slimmer. Because millet fills you up for a long time and has only 114 kilocalories per 100 grams. A lot of roughage and the high protein content prevent ravenous hunger attacks.

Beauty secret “millet”

Beautiful hair from millet? In fact, millet is rich in silicon, which ensures beautiful skin, hair and nails. Millet can help against dry skin and also tighten the connective tissue. Millet can even strengthen the hair.

Millet also supports the immune system and can thus protect against flu. Anyone who already has a flu can also get help from millet: unlike other types of grain, millet does not form mucus, it also supports the production of antibodies and regulates the immune system.

Is millet a whole grain product?

If you suffer from gluten intolerance, you probably already know millet. Because the grain is gluten-free and is sold shelled, just like oats and barley. Millet is therefore not a real whole grain product, but it has many of the properties of a whole grain cereal. Because the nutrients are distributed throughout the grain (unlike other types of grain). This makes millet as healthy as real whole grains. You get millet in whole grains, as millet flour, millet flakes and millet semolina.

Exception: brown millet is a real whole grain product, as the grains are processed into flour with the shell.

How sustainable is millet?

Millet often comes from China, Canada and the USA and is imported to us in Germany. This results in a poor CO2 balance and often affects organic millet as well. Millet can also be grown in Germany, as some companies have demonstrated.

In organic farming, old, native varieties are often cultivated, thus promoting biodiversity. Millet does not need much water and is very resilient. This makes the use of pesticides superfluous, which is why millet is well suited for organic farming. The stalks of the millet plant can also often be reused as natural fibres.

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Myths and Facts About Himalayan Salt

Myths and fairy tales are entwined around Himalayan salt, tempers heat up – and many people spend a lot of money on the pink-colored salt. What’s behind it?

So-called Himalayan salt is basically a rock salt colored pink by iron oxides (rust) or algae, which consists of at least 97% sodium chloride, i.e. ‘common salt’. Rock salt, geologically called halite, is mined from salt deposits that were formed when the seas dried up about 200 million years ago and the sea salt formed by evaporation was deposited.

Due to geological processes, these salt deposits are now underground. Roughly speaking, rock salt is ‘million-year-old sea salt’. There are also salt deposits in Germany, for example in Lower Saxony and in Berchtesgadener Land.

So why should you buy the much more expensive Himalayan salt instead of ‘Alpensalz’? The sales strategists have come up with arguments that we would like to investigate.

“Himalayan salt comes from the Himalayas”

This statement ended up before the Qadi at the Cologne Higher Regional Court, because most of the so-called ‘Himalayan salt’ comes from the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is not in the Himalayas at all.

The court ruled that advertising the salt in this way was a consumer deception, because “anyone who reads the product information on the packaging would at least expect that the salt was won in a valley or at the foot of the high mountain massif and was therefore particularly pure. However, the salt does not come from the Himalayan mountain range.”

“Himalayan salt contains minerals and healthy ingredients”

Devotees and sellers claim the biggest difference to regular salt is the high mineral content. Some suppliers even advertise that the salt contains ‘all 84 elements’ (out of 94 naturally occurring ones). That’s more of a marketing gibberish: However, the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection (VIS) was only able to identify eight elements in a study of Himalayan salt, and it is certainly not wrong that elements such as arsenic or lead are not included.

The Stiftung Warentest was not able to find much in the highly praised Himalayan salt either: “Even in the Himalayan crystal salt, the laboratory was unable to detect the 84 elements that supporters ascribe to this type of salt.”

The Bavarian study came to the conclusion: “Additional elements are indeed present, but to an extent that is of no importance in terms of nutritional physiology.” Because in order to meet the need for these substances through salt, you would have to ingest a large (huge!) amount of salt , which is not acceptable from a health point of view.
The DGE recommends a maximum intake of 6 grams of salt per day.

“Himalayan salt is natural”

In principle, every natural salt (in contrast to industrial salt) is left in its natural state. It depends on what ingredients the seller adds. And you can’t always tell, because so-called ‘trickling aids’ such as lime do not have to be declared. That means: Even if no additives are printed on the packaging of the gourmet salt, there may still be some.

“Himalayan salt is unencumbered”

Himalayan salt was actually created at a time when there were no microplastics in the sea and when no pesticides got into the groundwater. But this applies to all rock salts.

“Himalayan salt lowers blood pressure and is healthy”

But on the contrary. And the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) finds clear words on this: “The connection between table salt intake and blood pressure is clear: A high table salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).” Since Himalayan salt consists of at least 97% sodium chloride, i.e. salt, Increased consumption of this salt also leads to high blood pressure and cannot in any way lower it.

The consumer advice center NRW also strictly advises against it: “The advice to lower high blood pressure with brine is extremely questionable from a health point of view, because it can not only disturb the metabolism and water balance, but also put a strain on the kidneys.” A lot of Himalayan salt is to be consumed anything but a healthy idea!

“Himalayan salt balances the acid-base balance”

Advocates of the ‘alkaline diet’ often recommend Himalayan salt to restore the body’s acid-alkaline balance. However, this idea is not scientifically tenable, because a healthy person regulates the acid-base ratio all by themselves and does not need any special diet, specific base powders or well-travelled salt.

If there is no ‘overacidification’, no salt can help either. The DGE comments on this as follows: “However, there is no reason to fear hyperacidity caused by diet in healthy people. Various buffer systems in our body regulate the acid-base concentration in the blood and keep it constant. Taking additional ‘alkaline-enhancing’ dietary supplements is unnecessary.”

“Himalayan salt promotes health and well-being”

If you believe some advertising strategists, the expensive salt is a cheap panacea for almost all health problems. Some of these ideas should make you smile rather than buy salt. For example:
“Himalayan Salt Shows Promise for Blood Sugar Problems”
“supports the reduction of common signs of skin aging”
“reduces the development of respiratory and sinus problems”
“increases bone strength through minerals”
“promotes a healthy sleep pattern”
“improves libido”
“eliminates poisons”
One can also read about “vibrational components” and “living elements” through which the (low) mineral content “can be absorbed particularly well”. There are also various opinions on these statements from a scientific point of view, such as from the already cited Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection: “The bioenergetic effect, for which there is no scientific evidence to date, is therefore more likely to be assigned to the esoteric area.”

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