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How to Lift Your Spirits with Mood Food

What we eat has a significant impact on our mood. Foods in which this effect is particularly evident are considered “mood food”. In this article, you will find out what these are and how they increase well-being.

What is mood food?

Foods that can influence a person’s mood are called “mood foods”. Some hormones are responsible for and influence our feelings and moods. In order to produce hormones such as serotonin, dopamine or oxytocin, the body needs special building blocks. Foods that contain a particularly large number of such substances can therefore function as mood food.

If the brain is not supplied with enough nutrients, this becomes noticeable through mood swings, lack of concentration or even depressive moods. Many foods contain nutrients that our brain needs for all its functions. Magnesium, thiamine, vitamin B6 and folic acid are particularly important for a well-functioning nervous system. Viewed in this way, basically all healthy, nutrient-rich foods can be mood foods.

Good to know: You will often find the term “soul food” synonymous with mood food. That means something like “food for the soul”. This term originally comes from the Afro-American culture in the USA, when slavery still existed there. At that time, food often consisted of cheap foodstuffs that were prepared with fat, salt and sugar to make tasty and high-calorie dishes. Food should bring comfort to the soul. Regardless of this original meaning, soul food is now used differently and partly as a synonym for mood food – for food that lifts the mood.

Serotonin as the most common active ingredient behind mood food

One of the most important substances associated with mood food is said to be serotonin. It is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone: as a messenger substance, it transmits information between nerve cells. Serotonin acts in the central nervous system, blood, cardiovascular system and digestive tract. For example, it ensures smooth digestion by increasing intestinal peristalsis. Serotonin is also important for healthy sleep and a good memory. So it has a variety of tasks.

Serotonin is colloquially known as the happiness hormone. In a way, that’s true, but the term is a bit misleading. The hormone does not make you feel euphoric or overly happy, but it creates a general sense of well-being and makes you happier.

For the synthesis of serotonin and to benefit from its effects, the body needs the following substances:

The amino acid tryptophan – it is mainly contained in soybeans, dairy products, Brazil nuts, plums or bananas.
Carbohydrates – They are important for tryptophan transport and absorption in the brain.
Magnesium – you can find the mineral in cocoa, broccoli, wheat bran and sunflower seeds, for example.
In order for Mood Food to work, you have to get everything you need with the food you eat. Tryptophan has difficulty getting through the so-called “blood-brain barrier” on its own. At this point, several amino acids compete for uptake in the brain. Carbohydrates make it easier for tryptophan to access it: Carbohydrates increase insulin in the body, which in turn increases the uptake of amino acids into the cells.

Overall, an ideal mood food is primarily a combination of carbohydrate-rich foods and foods that contain a lot of tryptophan. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D influence the effects of serotonin in the brain.

Which foods are mood foods?

Dark chocolate

Very popular and rich in tryptophan: the mood food chocolate, preferably vegan. Sugar is present as an accompanying carbohydrate. Cacao also contains caffeine and theobromine, a caffeine-like substance. Both have a stimulating effect and lighten the mood. The higher the cocoa content in the chocolate, the better.

Milk chocolate contains a lot of sugar in relation to cocoa. This can also cause a mood high, but more because of the increased blood sugar level. In the long run, this is not healthy and poses health risks. Don’t eat too much dark chocolate either. It is best to choose fair trade chocolate from organic farming.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts contain a lot of magnesium, are rich in B vitamins and contain trypotphan, which is important for the formation of serotonin. They are a great mood food for stress: the magnesium promotes communication between the nerve cells. A deficiency manifests itself in nervousness and concentration problems. B vitamins are particularly important for strengthened nerves.

Whole grain bread

It contains tryptophan, complex carbohydrates and is rich in important minerals such as iron and magnesium. All in all an effective mood food and a simple nutritional basis.

Other foods that are high in tryptophan include:

soybeans
cashew nuts
peanuts
lenses
oatmeal
curd

Spicy foods

The capsaicin contained in chillies and hot peppers provides the strong, burning sensation in the mouth when eating. Our body reacts to this feeling with a pain reaction: it releases endorphins, another happiness hormone. They have an analgesic, stress-relieving and euphoric effect. Pepper contains piperine, ginger contains gingerol. Both have a similar effect to capsaicin.

Omega-3 fatty acids in food

Mood food also includes foods with essential omega-3 fatty acids. Oily sea fish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, walnuts and walnut oil contain particularly large amounts of them. The consumption of fish is generally ecologically very problematic.

Saffron

The expensive and exotic spice has been well researched in terms of its positive health effects and can even be used as a medicine. It has been scientifically proven that saffron can help against depression due to the crocetine it contains. If you want to cook with saffron, save it for special occasions. It is very expensive and not regional.

Probiotic Foods

A lot of research is currently being done on how the gut and the psyche are connected and some things have not yet been definitively investigated. But many results indicate that a healthy intestinal flora is also noticeable in a generally better mood. The RND reports in an article from November 2021 that serotonin is largely produced in our intestines and that intestinal bacteria can promote production.

A recent Belgian study found that the composition of the microbiome in depressed people typically differed from that in healthy people. They lacked certain types of gut bacteria. Probiotics and prebiotic foods help to rebuild and strengthen the intestinal flora.

Healthy and sustainable food as mood food

The best mood food is still a balanced and healthy diet. If you feel comfortable in your body and it is provided with everything it needs, then this also affects your mood. An interesting example from research shows how much a healthy diet influences mental health: A 2017 Australian-New Zealand study followed depressed test subjects for three months. In the group that ate healthier, almost a third of the people were no longer depressed. In the control group it was only eight percent.

Knowing about the foods mentioned above is an opportunity: we can, to a certain extent, determine how we feel and support ourselves with food choices in stressful and difficult times. The influence of food on our mood is great, but of course not the only decisive part. You should always be aware of that. There are many factors that come into play for a healthy and happy life.

Also note that many mood foods are less suitable for everyday nutrition from a sustainable point of view. Exotic foods should not be seen as commonplace. Of course you can also eat chocolate or cashew nuts, but you should pay attention to the amount and origin. The same applies to products of animal origin: not in excess, preferably regionally and from organic farming. When your food is responsibly sourced and made without suffering, you can enjoy it with a clear conscience.

Recipe: Vegan Good Mood Breakfast

The following recipe is a simple vegan example of how you can combine mood foods and integrate them into your everyday life. The ingredients used contain everything your body needs to produce serotonin, keep your nerves strong and support a healthy intestinal flora: tryptophan, magnesium, carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts and probiotic bacteria from soy yoghurt. A cup of fresh ginger tea, for example, goes well with this.

Ingredients:

1 banana

1 handful of walnuts
20 dark vegan chocolate
50 grams of rolled oats
150 ml soy yoghurt

Directions:

Slice the banana and chop the walnuts into small pieces.
Grate the dark chocolate with a suitable kitchen tool or chop it up with a kitchen knife.
Put the oatmeal and soy yoghurt in a bowl along with the chopped ingredients and enjoy your breakfast.

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Breadcrumb Substitute: 5 Alternatives to Make Yourself

Homemade breadcrumb substitute is a convenient alternative to traditional breadcrumbs. We show you five ingredients that you can use to make a delicious breading without any breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumb substitute brings variety to the meal and is also suitable if you don’t have any crumbs at home. The options presented here are suitable for all dishes that are otherwise prepared with conventional breadcrumbs. For example, tofu or fresh vegetables such as kohlrabi and cauliflower taste particularly delicious if you turn them in breadcrumbs and then fry them.

Traditionally, breadcrumbs are made from breadcrumbs. A breading of breadcrumbs and egg then ensures that the food is crispy on the outside and stays juicy and soft on the inside.

But you can also prepare a crispy breading without breadcrumbs. We introduce you to five ingredients that are suitable as breadcrumb substitutes. You can make vegan or gluten-free breadcrumbs yourself from regional ingredients.

Tip: If you only have a few leftovers of an ingredient, you can also mix the breadcrumb substitutes.

Seeds and kernels as a substitute for breadcrumbs

Breadcrumb substitute made from seeds and kernels is gluten-free, vegan and can be made from regional products. The following seeds and kernels are suitable, for example, as a substitute for breadcrumbs:

sesame
linseed
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
hemp seeds

To use the seeds as a substitute for breadcrumbs, you’ll need to crush or grind them in a mortar and pestle. This gives them a consistency similar to breadcrumbs. This increases the surface area of the seeds and turns into a crispy shell when cooked.

But be careful: seeds and kernels burn faster at high temperatures than breadcrumbs. Always keep a close eye on your food while it is roasting.

Also keep in mind that some kernels and seeds have a strong flavor of their own. You should therefore adjust them to the taste of your dish. Sesame seeds go particularly well with Asian dishes and tofu.

Breadcrumb Substitute: Nuts, chopped and ground

In addition to seeds, nuts are also suitable as a substitute for breadcrumbs. For example:

walnuts
hazelnuts
almonds

To make breadcrumbs from nuts, proceed in a similar way to seeds and kernels. Crush the nuts with a mortar or high-powered blender. The finer the nuts are, the better they work as a substitute for breadcrumbs.

Also keep in mind that the nuts burn faster than conventional breadcrumbs. In addition, their nutty taste should match the dish.

Breadcrumb substitute made from nuts is vegan and gluten-free. However, some nuts, such as almonds, usually come from other countries and have been transported a long way. This causes high CO2 emissions and makes imported nuts a less sustainable food. Therefore, preferably choose nuts from regional agriculture.

Pretzel Sticks: Substitute for breadcrumbs for extra flavor

Breadcrumb substitute made from pretzel sticks brings an extra spicy note to your recipe. The pretzel sticks are already salty and hearty – that goes well with a hearty breading.

To make breadcrumbs substitute from pretzel sticks, you need to crumble them. To do this, pack the pretzel sticks in a reusable freezer bag and mash them up in the bag. The pretzel stick breadcrumbs are ready when they have a fine, crumbly consistency.

Breadcrumb substitutes made from pretzel sticks are usually not gluten-free, as pretzel sticks are traditionally baked with wheat flour. If you avoid gluten in your diet, gluten-free pretzel sticks or other breadcrumb alternatives presented here are suitable.

Oatmeal: The classic

Oatmeal is a classic substitute for breadcrumbs because it’s naturally rough and absorbs a lot of moisture. They ensure a crispy outer layer on breaded dishes.

Use the oatmeal whole or ground. The fine oat flakes are usually already fine enough to use as a substitute for breadcrumbs. Coarse oat flakes can be crushed in a mortar if necessary.

You can get oat flakes in the shop from regional and organic farms. In addition, oatmeal is gluten-free and vegan. They are therefore a healthy and versatile alternative to conventional breadcrumbs.

Cornmeal and corn products as a substitute for breadcrumbs

Corn products are also suitable as a substitute for breadcrumbs. These products include:

cornflakes
Corn flour (polenta)
tortilla chips
Keep in mind that some of these foods come from other countries or have already been processed several times. Choose preferably products from regional and organic agriculture.

Like pretzel sticks, cornflakes and tortilla chips need to be crushed before use. You can either use the cornmeal directly as a substitute for breadcrumbs or grind it finely in a mortar beforehand.

The advantage of cornmeal and corn products is that they form a particularly crispy breading. In addition, the taste is quite neutral and goes well with many foods.

Tip: Mix cornmeal with seeds, kernels or nuts. This gives you a crispy breading that also has a nutty aroma.

Bread with the breadcrumb substitute

If you have decided on a breadcrumbs substitute, then you can make a delicious breading. The process is the same for each ingredient. Just make sure that nuts and seeds burn faster than the other ingredients when frying or baking.

How to prepare the breading with breadcrumb substitute:

Choose the ingredients you want to bread. Wash and cut them as needed.
Toss the food in some flour until coated on all sides. If you are gluten intolerant, use gluten free flour.
Traditionally you turn the ingredients in whisked egg – but you can also just use plant milk for it. Also read the article breading without eggs.
Finally, toss your ingredients in the breadcrumb substitute until evenly coated on all sides.
You can fry, grill or bake breaded foods. Follow the instructions in the respective recipe. For example, try breaded eggplant or breaded tofu.

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Fasting Properly: Instructions and Tips for Healthy Fasting

Proper fasting can be interpreted in very different ways depending on the nutritional approach. We will show you which forms of fasting there are and how you can implement them yourself at home.

Proper fasting: There are these types of fasting

Fasting is originally a purely religious ritual that believers practice to free themselves from any distraction and thus establish contact with God. The interpretations are very different, but mostly the renunciation should serve the purification of the soul, penance, the defense against evil, the striving for concentration, enlightenment or salvation.

In addition to religious fasting, there is so-called therapeutic fasting. The Greek doctor Hippocrates is said to have spoken of this healing method almost two and a half millennia ago. The therapeutic fasting cure is intended to purify the body and/or cleanse the soul.

Therapeutic fasting has become a trend in recent years and fasting cures are becoming more and more popular. In Germany, some hospitals and clinics offer therapeutic fasting as fasting therapy. Today, many people resort to fasting, primarily to do something good for their health.

Different types of fasting have become established:

With so-called full fasting, the body is not supplied with any calories at all. The fasting drink only water and tea. This form of fasting is extremely risky and therefore not recommended from a medical point of view.
Buchinger fasting also integrates vegetable broth and juices.
Juice fasting focuses on various fruit and vegetable juices that you consume throughout the day.
While you should only go through the types of fasting mentioned so far for a limited period of time, you can firmly integrate what is known as intermittent fasting into your everyday life. You’re still eating regularly, but there are longer periods when you don’t eat at all and really fast. This includes, for example, dinner cancelling.

When is Lent in 2022?

In Christianity, people traditionally fast the 40 days before Easter, i.e. from Ash Wednesday up to and including Holy Saturday.

This year, the six-week Lent begins on March 2nd and ends on April 16th, 2022.

It is not advisable to strictly fast for the entire duration of “Lent”. Anyone who takes a fasting cure, a fasting holiday or a fasting day usually does so independently of the traditional fasting period.

What does fasting bring?

The supposedly positive effects of proper fasting have not yet been adequately scientifically proven. So far, there have mainly been studies that are based on animal experiments or a comparatively small number of participants. However, according to the Federal Ministry of Nutrition, there are indications that (intermittent) fasting has a positive effect on the brain, heart, fat cells, muscles, intestines, liver and blood.

Possible effects are, for example:

Reduce and prevent inflammation in the body
improved cognitive functions
higher muscle effectiveness
higher stress resilience
However, fasting is not a way to lose weight in the long term. During a zero diet, the body first reduces muscle mass and not fat. In addition, our organism wants to replenish its stores as quickly as possible after a zero diet, so that the well-known yo-yo effect easily occurs here. According to the DGE, only certain forms of intermittent fasting may prove to be a favorable aid for weight reduction.

Strict fasting methods are not suitable for older people, children, young people, pregnant women or people who suffer from certain diseases – they could even worsen the health situation. Uncontrolled fasting should also lead to a nutrient deficiency, cardiac arrhythmia or other complaints. So if in doubt, talk to your doctor. You can also inquire if there are reputable facilities in your area where you can practice proper fasting under supervision.

Correct fasting according to Buchinger: the basic rules

The so-called “Buchinger fasting” was developed by the doctor Otto Buchinger and is one of the most well-known types of fasting today. If you do the program independently at home, you should do it for about seven days.

Proper fasting according to Buchinger includes the following rules:

Lent begins with a day or two of rest to prepare you physically and mentally for the days to come. You take in about 600 kilocalories, mainly in the form of carbohydrates. For example, you can eat mostly brown rice or oatmeal with some fruit and vegetables throughout the day.
The first day of fasting is followed by defecation with the help of Glauber’s salt, laxative drops or laxative tea.
During the fasting period of about five days, you drink about 250 milliliters of tea with a little honey in the morning and afternoon. A quarter liter of fruit juice (freshly squeezed if possible) is on the menu for lunch and 250 milliliters of vegetable broth in the evening.

In addition, you should drink at least two liters of mineral water or unsweetened tea every day.
In some cases, you can also integrate oat or rice gruel as well as buttermilk and skimmed milk (or plant-based alternatives) into the fasting plan.
Use the time when you really fast to calm down inside. So you can do relaxation exercises and breathing exercises or meditations every day.
You should also move every day. So you can do light sporting activities such as walks, yoga or a short jog. Make sure not to overexert yourself physically, especially now, but to listen to your body’s signals.
To avoid a yo-yo effect after fasting and to slowly reintroduce your digestive system to solid food, you should only slowly increase the number of calories each day for the next five to seven days. At the beginning, use foods that are gentle on the stomach, such as potatoes and (steamed) fruit and vegetables, and later also whole grain products and yoghurt or quark. Animal protein should be reintroduced slowly.
Proper fasting also includes avoiding coffee, alcohol, sweets, and nicotine.

This is how intermittent fasting works

You have various options for designing intermittent fasting and adapting it to your lifestyle. The 16:8 method is particularly popular, i.e. fasting properly for 16 hours and eating within a period of eight hours. You simply extend your nightly fasting period, for example by stopping to eat at 7 p.m. the day before and having your first meal at 11 a.m. the following day.

Another well-known strategy involves eating as usual five days a week and then fasting two days straight. The Federal Ministry of Nutrition provides the following information for the fasting days:

Drink at least two liters a day. Use (warm) water, tea, vegetable broth or highly diluted fruit juices or spritzers.
Eat lots of vegetables on fasting days.
Also, include healthy sources of fat, such as vegetable oils (like olive oil or flaxseed oil), nuts, and seeds, in moderation in your fasting diet.
Avoid fatty animal foods. Instead, opt for protein sources with fewer saturated fats, such as legumes and nuts.
Replace white flour products with whole grains if possible. You can use oatmeal, whole grain pasta, spelled or brown rice, among other things.
To enhance your meals and save salt, you can use dried and fresh kitchen herbs, balsamic vinegar, mustard or horseradish, for example.
Also, make sure you get enough sleep and moderate physical activity.
In order to fast properly, you should also avoid stress as much as possible or develop strategies to better cope with stress.

8 tips for sustainable fasting

Instead of giving up all food, you could simply use the fasting period to avoid certain foods.

Here are eight sustainable suggestions:

Eat only regional foods – preferably only those that are in season or come from regional storage. Think about which region you want to limit yourself to: your district, a radius of 150 kilometers, your federal state or the whole of Germany? If you are consistent, you will have to do without a lot – but you can also use this opportunity to consciously find out what is growing and being produced around you and when. Take a look at our seasonal calendar to see what’s freshly available!
Don’t eat meat. Eating less meat is good for the environment and doesn’t harm your health either. Here are 10 tips to go a little more vegan.
Or you can go one step further and try out the vegan diet for a few weeks. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?
Buy only organic products. Far too expensive, you might think now. But is that really true? Just try it.
Don’t eat processed products. Fresh home-cooked food is more environmentally friendly, tastier and healthier than ready-made meals. And you can also easily make finished products such as vegetable broth yourself.
Stick to the 5-a-day rule: two handfuls of fruit and three handfuls of vegetables every day. It’s actually a very simple rule!
Only buy fair trade products. Surely your purchase will be a bit more complex and maybe you have to do without a few things. But fasting is about conscious renunciation!
Only buy unpackaged groceries – plastic fasting, so to speak. This requires a little bit of effort and preparation, but with these 4 simple tips for bulk shopping it will definitely work. Also interesting: plastic-free shopping in online shops

Proper fasting: It’s in your hands

In the end, you have to decide for yourself what “properly fasting” means for you personally and adapt it to your individual situation. If the conventional types of fasting are too radical for you, you can only do without sugar, alcohol, ready meals, meat or cigarettes for a certain period of time.

Fasting doesn’t have to be just about diet either. In the sense of a “digital detox”, you can do without social media, television or your smartphone for a while and thus consciously make time for other things that are often neglected in everyday life. Such a “strict” fasting period can then be the beginning of dealing with yourself and your fellow human beings more consciously and mindfully.

Many people also want to combine fasting with a break from everyday life. A fasting holiday offers the opportunity to consciously calm down and find oneself without the stress of everyday life – for example fasting hiking: for a few days you go without food and hike through nature. Fasting is often done according to Buchinger, but some organizers also offer raw food fasting, smoothie fasting or alkaline fasting. Just do some research on the internet.

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Vegan Substitute Products: You Can Make Them Yourself with These Recipes

Vegan substitute products can expand the plant-based kitchen and facilitate the switch to a vegan diet. With these recipes you can make soy milk, tofu, vegan cheese and more yourself.

The range of vegan substitute products is getting bigger and bigger – from classics such as plant-based milk alternatives and vegan cream to schnitzels that do not contain any meat or other animal products. Some of these substitutes have become so popular that they’ve found their way into vegetarian and flexitarian kitchens.

The vegan substitute products are no longer only available in health food stores and health food stores, but also in all supermarkets. You can also make the plant-based alternatives yourself at home: in many cases you only need a few ingredients. We will introduce you to various recipes for vegan substitute products.

Vegan substitute products: it’s worth making your own

Many people find vegan cuisine to be more creative and varied than conventional cuisine with milk, cheese and meat. The reason for this is, among other things, the large variety of vegan substitute products, thanks to which you do not have to do without your usual dishes. For example, you can replace cow’s milk with one of the many plant-based alternatives, such as soy, oat or almond milk. There are also good alternatives for yoghurt, cheese and various meat products.

Above all, the plant-based substitutes make it much easier to switch to a vegan diet. So you don’t have to do without the usual dishes such as pizza, gratinated casserole or rice pudding.

Most people buy pre-packaged vegan substitutes at the store. You can often make the plant-based alternatives yourself with little effort. This has several advantages:

Costs: Doing it yourself is usually much cheaper than buying it. A liter of homemade organic oat milk only costs around 20 to 30 cents. You pay at least 90 cents for it in a shop, which is easily three to four times as much.
Ingredients: Purchased vegan substitute products sometimes contain additives such as emulsifiers, preservatives or flavorings. By making the vegan foods yourself, you have full control over the ingredients.
Health: The “Albert Schweitzer Foundation for our environment” examined 250 meat alternatives in a study. Compared to animal products, these fared significantly better in terms of health and the environment. Nevertheless, the researchers criticized the mostly excessive salt content and unfavorable fatty acid profiles of the products. You can make homemade substitute products healthier – for example with less salt and linseed oil or rapeseed oil instead of sunflower oil.
Less waste: By making vegan substitute products yourself, you create less waste. You can buy the basic ingredients such as soybeans, oatmeal or walnuts in larger quantities and don’t have to buy new packaging every time. This means that homemade substitute products are also more environmentally friendly.

Make vegan milk substitutes yourself

Milk is not only popular in coffee, but also as an ingredient for many dishes such as rice pudding, pudding or béchamel sauce. Vegan cuisine knows more than just one milk alternative and has something to offer for every taste.

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Researchers Develop the Perfect Nutrition Plan

Your own diet is closely linked to the problems of our planet. With the “Planetary Health Diet”, experts have designed a diet that is intended to solve global problems – from pollutant emissions to diseases.

First of all: The nutrition plan of the so-called “Planetary Health Diet” is not necessarily vegan – although that would be the best solution in terms of the ecological footprint. But vegetables always play a central role.

The special feature of the Planetary Health Diet is that it focuses equally on the health of people and that of our planet. With this in mind, an international team of 37 researchers designed a special menu and published the result in January 2019 in the journal The Lancet.

How can 10 billion people be fed in 2050?

The experts on the panel, the “EAT Lancet Commission”, come from a wide variety of areas, from politics to agricultural science and health to environmental protection. The goal of their two-year research work: to develop a healthy and sustainable strategy for how the world population can be fed in 2050 – which, according to forecasts, will grow to 10 billion. And without the earth being exploited beyond its limits and without global problems such as civilization diseases, famine and global warming gaining the upper hand.

In plain language, this means that humanity must drastically reduce the consumption of red meat and sugar – by half. On the other hand, the proportion of vegetables in our diet must increase enormously. Fruit, nuts and legumes should also be consumed in large quantities.

This is what the Planetary Health Diet plan looks like

Vegetables: 300 grams (200-600 grams)
Dairy products (whole milk or products made from this amount): 250 grams (0-500 grams)
Whole grains (rice, wheat, corn or other): 232 grams
Fruit: 200 grams (100-300 grams)
Legumes: 75 grams (0-100 grams)
Nuts: 50 grams (0-75 grams)
Starchy vegetables (potatoes, cassava): 50 grams (0-100 grams)
Unsaturated fats: 40 grams (20-80 grams)
Sugar (all sweeteners): 31 grams (0-31 grams)
Poultry: 29 grams (0-58 grams)
Fish: 28 grams (0-100 grams)
Red meat (beef, lamb, pork): 14 grams (0-28 grams)
Eggs: 13 grams (0-25 grams)
Saturated fats: 11.8 grams (0-11.8 grams)
Of course, these are daily averages – after all, 28 grams of fish and 13 grams of eggs hardly make a decent meal. But there are guidelines that can help when putting together the food on the plate. In particular, the total of 300 to 900 grams of fruit and vegetables and the small amount of meat are conspicuous fixed points.

The values ​​in brackets mean that a range is provided here that allows the Planetary Health Diet to be implemented flexibly for everyone. For example, an interpretation of this model is possible in which no animal products are consumed at all – and also one for flexitarians who eat a small steak every two weeks.

Recipe ideas

Numerous recipes can be combined with the Planetary Health Diet. We have put together a small selection for you. Of course, these are only examples (in this case without meat and fish), and not a nutritional plan. Anyone wishing to try them must also consider other meals to ensure he or she is following all of the Planetary Health Diet’s recommendations.

Breakfast smoothie: delicious recipes for a good start to the day
Pumpkin Pancakes: This is how you prepare the spicy pumpkin patties
Frittata: A quick recipe that can be varied (caution: one serving already contains the recommended amount of eggs for a week.)
Chickpea Salad: A vegan recipe
Apple Muffins: Recipe with walnuts
Aloo Matar: Indian potato and pea curry

It’s about a new coordinate system

“We know that the world eats very differently,” says Jessica Fanzo, one of the study authors, on The Lancet podcast. “There is no one answer, there is diet,” adds her colleague Tim Lang from the University of London. It does not make sense, for example, to idealize the Mediterranean diet or to generally recommend eating fish to everyone in the world. Fanzo explains that the Planetary Health Diet is much more about providing a reference meal plan that can and should be adapted for any diet around the world.

However, the researchers not only have an eye on our eating habits, but also on other aspects such as food production and food waste. “It’s not enough for the United States to reduce its hamburger consumption while other countries don’t have these resources and options in the first place,” says Fanzo. It is about a new coordinate system that does justice to the challenges and complexity of the global food system. The aim is to create a win-win situation: for us and for the environment.

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Vegan Food Pyramid: How to Eat Healthy

The vegan food pyramid helps vegans eat a balanced diet. In this way, even with a plant-based diet, they receive all the important nutrients and can prevent deficiencies. You can find out exactly how the pyramid is built here.

What are food pyramids?

A food pyramid represents nutritional recommendations in the form of a pyramid: the broad basis is formed by foods that you should eat a lot of. The foods at the top, on the other hand, should only be eaten in small amounts. In this way, the food pyramid aims to make it easier for you to recognize how you are eating healthily. When evaluating and classifying the individual foods, a low energy density and a high nutrient density are usually in the foreground.

The classic food pyramid contains meat, eggs and dairy products. For people who eat no meat, there is also a vegetarian or vegan food pyramid.

The vegan food pyramid: what makes it special

The vegan food pyramid is intended to be an orientation for vegans who want to eat a balanced diet. Because especially people who eat plant-based food must ensure that the body is supplied with sufficient nutrients. In this way, they can prevent nutrition-related diseases or deficiency symptoms.

For example, Peta provides such a vegan food pyramid with six building blocks. It shows what a balanced, purely plant-based diet looks like that supplies the body with all the important nutrients.

The bottom three elements of the vegan and traditional pyramids are almost identical:

they consist of

1. liquid,

2. fruits and vegetables,

3. as well as grain and potatoes.

In the upper sections of the vegan food pyramid, however, all animal foods are missing. The upper sections consist of

4. protein products as well as nuts and seeds,

5. Oils, fats and salt,

6. Sweets, kibble and alcohol.

The vegan food pyramid replaces animal protein sources with legumes, nuts and seeds. Fats do not come in the form of dairy products or eggs, but in the form of natural oils or spreadable vegetable fats.

The vegan food pyramid put into practice

In everyday life, the vegan food pyramid should serve as a practical guide: It shows you which foods and in what quantities are part of a balanced plant-based diet. Peta indicates the quantities in portions. A serving is roughly the amount that fits in one hand (e.g. an apple, a slice of bread, a glass of water). For small fruits, grains, or salads, a serving is the amount that fits in both hands when formed into a bowl.

It is up to you to put together the meals according to the recommendations. So you can choose what you eat, when and how according to your personal taste, habits and individual energy needs.

Level 1 (Base): Drinks

Sufficient fluid intake is the basis (not only) of a vegan diet.
You should drink one to two liters of water a day. That’s about six servings. You can also replace some of it with other non-alcoholic, low-calorie drinks such as teas or heavily diluted juice spritzers.
You can also drink liquid as coffee or black tea. Don’t drink more than four small cups a day, though.
For bottled water, Peta recommends high-calcium varieties (containing over 400 milligrams of calcium per liter). But note: In Germany, the drinking water is of very good quality. So you don’t have to use bottled water.

Level 2: Vegetables and fruits

You should eat three servings of vegetables (about 400 grams) and two servings of fruit (about 300 grams) a day.
Vegetables and fruit form an important basis because, despite their low energy content, they fill you up well and provide the body with important vitamins, minerals, fiber and secondary plant substances.
Dried fruit can also be on the menu from time to time and can replace a portion of fresh fruit. Note, however, that dried fruit contains a lot of sugar. So don’t take too much of it.
If possible, you should buy fruit and vegetables that are seasonal, organic and regional: They are always fresh, have not been treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides and do not have to travel long distances to be transported, which would result in emissions that are harmful to the climate.

Level 3: grain and potatoes

Cereals, rice, pseudocereals such as quinoa or buckwheat and potatoes should be part of two to three meals a day. That’s about four servings.
Whole grain products are particularly recommended because they provide many minerals, vitamins, complex carbohydrates and fiber. That’s why they fill you up for a long time.
Cereals are also an important source of vegetable protein.
Breakfast cereals, granola mixes and granola bars do not belong in this category. They are often heavily sugared and contain a lot of fat. Although they are made from grain, they are considered more of a candy.
You should also not eat potato products with a high fat content such as fries every day and not in large quantities.

Level 4: Protein products, nuts and seeds

Many people worry about whether plant-based foods can provide them with enough protein. But if you stick to the recommendation of the vegan food pyramid, that shouldn’t be a problem.
The pyramid stipulates that legumes should be eaten several times a week or even daily, as they are good sources of protein. You can consume three servings of unprocessed legumes (beans, peas, lentils) or slightly processed soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk, plant-based yoghurt) per day.
More processed meat alternatives made from seitan, lupine protein or tofu should be on the menu no more than once or twice a week.
Nuts and seeds (and the muse made from them) are also valuable sources of protein and also provide vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. However, they also have a high energy content, i.e. many calories. Therefore, eat no more than 30 to 60 grams of it per day.

Level 5: oils, fats, salt

Level 5 contains foods that you should only eat in small amounts on a daily basis.
You should consume around two to four tablespoons of fats (e.g. spreadable fat), oils and vegetable cooking cream a day. Give priority to natural oils that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. flaxseed, canola and walnut oils).
Iodized table salt is used as the source of iodine.

Level 6: Sweets, salty munchies, alcohol

This category includes, for example, chips, chocolate, sweets or wine. You should eat these foods as seldom as possible, in small amounts and consciously. They are often high in salt, sugar and fat.
Eat a maximum of one serving per day.

Vegan food pyramid: It doesn’t show that

What Peta’s vegan food pyramid doesn’t reflect are dietary supplements. If you follow their nutritional recommendations, you should be able to prevent deficiency symptoms. Nevertheless, Peta and also Netdoktor advise adding certain supplements to the recommendations.

It is difficult to obtain some vitamins and trace elements from plant-based foods. You should therefore take these with dietary supplements if necessary. These substances include:

Vitamin D
iron
iodine
Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 cannot be obtained from a purely plant-based diet. The vitamin is only found in animal products. Therefore, you must definitely take vitamin B12 in addition to the recommendations of the vegan food pyramid.

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Freeze Baby Food: What You Should Consider

Baby porridge is great to freeze in advance. This saves you a lot of time and effort. We tell you what you should consider when freezing.

Freeze baby food: Here’s how

The homemade baby food should be frozen as fresh as possible, but completely cooled. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the porridge in a cold water bath.
Boil the freezer containers before you fill them with the baby food.
All containers that are expressly declared as freezer-safe are suitable for freezing. This could be Emsa glass food storage containers, for example, available from **memolife – they are certified as suitable for baby food. Or frozen cans made of bioplastics, available at **Avocadostore.
Freeze the porridge in portions that match your baby’s typical food intake. That way you won’t defrost too much porridge at once later. If your baby eats very little porridge at first, you can also freeze the baby porridge in ice cube trays and then store the frozen cubes in a freezer box.
Freeze leftovers from the jar

If you fed jars of food from the supermarket and have some leftovers, you can also freeze the rest.
It is important that the porridge in the glass has not come into contact with a used spoon. Scoop out a portion of the porridge from the jar with a clean spoon. Pour the rest into a freezer-safe container and freeze.

Tips and hints for freezing baby food

Always work with clean utensils.
Do not fill the freezer containers completely, especially if they are made of glass. The contents expand when it is cold.
Label the containers so you can keep track of the contents and shelf life. Homemade porridge can be kept for up to two months at -18 degrees Celsius.
Be sure to seal the containers tightly before freezing them.
Porridges with avocado, melon, banana and potatoes do not freeze well. After defrosting, the consistency and/or the taste change. You should prepare these foods fresh.
Even cooked spinach should not be refrozen and thawed if it is baby food. When warming up, bacteria could convert the nitrate contained in it into nitrite, to which babies could be sensitive.
You should only add other ingredients such as oil and (mild) spices after defrosting.

Defrost frozen baby food

Only thaw the pulp just before you are about to give it. It should not be left in the fridge overnight to thaw as bacteria can grow and multiply there.
Instead, thaw it in a hot water bath. Make sure it is evenly warm all over before giving it to your baby.
Once thawed, you should not refreeze it.

Why freezing baby food is worthwhile

Homemade baby porridge only contains ingredients that you have selected and are familiar with. If you cook in advance and freeze the porridge, you can always offer your baby baby porridge that you have cooked yourself – even if time is short. If necessary, all you have to do is gently heat the frozen portion.

By freezing, you make the baby food durable and safe without artificial preservatives, because bacteria don’t stand a chance in the cold. In addition, the good nutrients are retained. What’s more, you don’t have to throw away good food. You can freeze the porridge in suitable portion sizes and don’t have to dispose of valuable food (leftovers).

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Food

These 9 Foods are Good for the Heart

You can easily incorporate foods that are good for the heart into your diet. In this article we will show you which ones are included and give you healthy recipe suggestions.

Cardiovascular diseases are a widespread problem and occur particularly in old age. With simple habits and small changes in everyday life, you can keep yourself and your heart healthy for a long time.

Of course, your heart health is inseparable from your overall health. Basically, there is no food that is only good for a certain part of your body. It is therefore also important for your general well-being to pay attention to a balanced diet, physical activity, a stress-free everyday life and healthy sleep.

In this article we would like to introduce you to foods that can support your cardiovascular system, among other things. When shopping, we recommend that you look for organic quality whenever possible. In this way you can avoid residues of chemical-synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Incidentally, most of the foods listed here are locally grown during their season. By shopping regionally and seasonally, you avoid unnecessarily long and climate-damaging transport routes. You can read about the seasons of regional fruit and vegetables in our seasonal calendar.

Berries are heart strengthening foods

Berries contain many antioxidants. There is a lot of the blue pigment anthocyanin in dark berries such as blueberries, blackberries or black currants in particular. This substance is one of the flavonoids that have various positive effects on the cardiovascular system. According to the Federal Center for Nutrition, they can, among other things, strengthen the immune system, prevent blood clots, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure. You can eat berries just like that, use them as a topping for your muesli or use them in blueberry muffins, for example.

Green foods that are good for the heart

Especially dark green leafy vegetables and certain herbs and spices have a positive effect on your heart. They contain many different vitamins, minerals and fiber. These include in particular provitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, folic acid, potassium and magnesium. For example, you can prepare a refreshing lamb’s lettuce, a warm kale, chard or spinach dish. All of these dishes can also be refined with Italian herbs.

Red and orange foods that are good for the heart

Red and orange foods also contain the flavonoids mentioned earlier. Carrots, tomatoes and sweet potatoes in particular also contain so-called carotenoids. According to BZfE, this plant substance has a cell-protecting and cholesterol-lowering effect, which is positive for your cardiovascular system. Tasty recipes that you can try with these vegetables are for example a carrot ginger soup, a sweet potato curry or classic tomato recipes like tomato salad or tomato sauce.

Whole grain foods are good for the heart

In addition to many vitamins and minerals, whole grain products contain fiber in particular. According to the German Society for Nutrition (dge), a good supply of all three groups reduces the risk of various diseases. These include cardiovascular diseases, but also type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and colon cancer. Foods that provide you with healthy fiber are, for example, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread or oatmeal.

Legumes as heart-strengthening foods

Legumes are also generally very rich in nutrients and, in addition to protein, fat and fiber, contain B vitamins and folic acid in particular. The secondary plant substance saponin, which has a cholesterol-lowering effect, can also be found in abundance in legumes. In everyday life you can, for example, prepare a lentil soup, a tempeh dish or a pea stew to benefit from the healthy effects of the legumes.

Nuts: Unsaturated fats are good for the heart

In addition to vitamins and minerals, nuts also contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. According to the BZfE, these properties have a particularly good effect on your blood lipid levels and your cardiovascular system. To benefit from this, you can eat all kinds of nuts. These are, for example, walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, pecan nuts or hazelnuts.

Olive oil promotes heart health

Regular consumption of at least half a tablespoon of olive oil per day is not only associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The oil is also said to protect against neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases. For example, you can use olive oil in a salad dressing, homemade hummus, or spaghetti aglio e olio.

Onions and garlic are good for the heart

Onions and garlic in particular contain sulfides. Among other things, these are associated with blood pressure-regulating, cholesterol-lowering and blood clot-preventing effects. You can use onions and garlic in a variety of ways in the kitchen: they refine numerous hearty recipes, such as a pepper and vegetable pan or a broccoli and potato casserole.

Tea as a food that is good for the heart

Teas contain phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins and catechins. These are also associated with cardiovascular protective effects. You also have a large selection of different types of this food. Try it with a green tea, white tea or herbal tea.

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Food

Top Flavoring Mistakes: That’s According to the Science of Taste

Seasoning dishes is a science in itself. There are numerous spices that you can combine and use in many different ways. Here you can find out what the biggest mistakes are when seasoning.

For a dish to taste good, it has to look good, smell good and taste good. People have always used spices to refine their food. Spices are usually herbs or seeds that are added to food in dried or fresh form.

Due to their intense inherent flavor, spices have a significant impact on the overall taste of a dish. The correct handling and dosage when cooking are therefore important for a satisfactory result. We tell you the most common mistakes that you should avoid when seasoning.

You just season with salt and pepper

Of course, if you just want to season your dishes with salt and pepper, that’s perfectly fine. However, there are a great many spices with a wide variety of flavors that you can combine in different ways. So it would be a shame if you only used salt and pepper. Human taste is an extremely complex matter. The overall oral impression of a meal consists of taste, aroma and appearance, as described in the book “Aroma – The Art of Seasoning” by Vierich and Vilgis.

Humans are known to be able to distinguish between five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. The latter is a flavor discovered by a Japanese scientist in the early 20th century. Umami stands for spicy and hearty. According to the latest findings, there is also a sixth taste, the fat taste – but it is not yet fully recognized in the professional world.

By the way: Spicy is not a taste, but a pain signal from the nerves, more precisely the trigeminal nerve. A dish seasoned with chilli only irritates the pain receptors. The same happens with ginger or mint, for example.

You are storing your spices incorrectly

Spices can lose their flavor and aroma if you don’t store them properly. You should observe the following tips to avoid this:

It is best to store your spices in a dry and cool place.
The color of many spices can be destroyed by UV radiation, making them no longer attractive. So protect them from sunlight.
You should also store spices in airtight containers and, if possible, in their entirety. Ground spices have a larger surface area. As a result, the essential oils and thus the aroma evaporate much faster, according to Vierich and Vilgis.

You season with the salt shaker directly above the saucepan

Spices should not only stay dry where they are stored – you should also keep them away from moisture when cooking. When you use your spice grinder or shaker directly over the steaming saucepan, the spices inside come into contact with water vapor. The moisture can then collect in the grinder or container, and your spice will go lumpy or even moldy. It is best to sprinkle spices over your dish by hand.

You don’t roast your spices

The point at which you season your dish is of great importance. Many spices only develop their full aroma when you roast them. The heat then releases the essential oils of the spice. It is best to roast the spices whole and only then crush them with a mortar. You can find a mortar made of olive wood in the Avocadostore**, for example.

Spices in powder form, on the other hand, are poorly suited for roasting, as they quickly lose their aroma and burn due to the larger surface. Sometimes they also develop a bitter taste. This is the case, for example, with paprika powder.

You can roast your spices in a pan with or without cooking oil. If you roast your spice in oil, the aromatic substances will dissolve in it – so use an oil that is as tasteless as possible, such as sunflower oil or rapeseed oil. If you don’t want to use oil, it’s a good idea to roast the spices individually. This way, you can be more careful not to accidentally burn a spice. As soon as the spices start to smell fragrant, you should remove them from the pan. Always roast on a low or medium heat so that the spices warm up slowly and nothing burns.

Attention: Not all spices are suitable for roasting! Here is a small list of spices that you can roast without hesitation:

anise
chili
fennel
cardamom
cumin
cloves
pimento
sesame
black cumin
mustard seeds
fenugreek

You buy poor quality powdered spices

As previously mentioned, the essential oils in spices are volatile and are released when crushed. Therefore, you should buy your spices in whole form if possible, for example whole peppercorns and not ground pepper. This is the only way they can develop their full aroma potential.

In this context, it is also an advantage if you buy spices in small quantities. If you stockpile large quantities of spices, you will end up with less of them as the flavors will dissipate over time.

Make sure you buy organic quality: Only with organic spices can you be sure that they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides. The seals from Naturland, Demeter or Bioland are particularly meaningful. They stand for healthy spices without flavor enhancers and genetic engineering.

You only use dried herbs

Dried herbs usually taste more intense and you need less of them to flavor your dish. However, there are some exceptions that are much more aromatic when fresh. For example, it is best to use fresh basil, chives or parsley, as they are much more flavorful than in dried form. Ginger or bay leaves are also more aromatic when fresh.

Now you know which basic mistakes you should avoid when seasoning. Be courageous when cooking and keep trying out new combinations of spices. Only through practice will you learn which spices you particularly like and how they can develop their full potential.

Seasoning isn’t everything: what else makes up the taste of a dish

According to Vierich and Vilgis, the temperature also has a major influence on the intensity of the taste. We perceive salty and sweet to a greater extent in warm dishes, sour and bitter less. Heat-cold contrasts also stand for a full-bodied taste, which is why, for example, warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream tastes great. In connection with the taste, the temperature also has an influence on the seasoning.

We perceive aroma through our sense of smell. The higher the proportion of essential oils, the more aromatic a spice is. Incidentally, the scent molecules that we perceive as pleasant serve the plants themselves either as a sex attractant or as a defense against predators. For example, truffles smell of androst, a boar sex hormone that is also found in many men’s perfumes.

Finally, of course, the look is also important for the overall perception of a meal. These include the texture, presentation and color of the food.

Incidentally, taste also changes over the course of life. Perhaps you have already noticed this yourself because, for example, you like to eat certain foods today that you did not like as a child.

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Unhealthy Eating: 10 Foods That Aren’t As Good As Many Think

We think of some food as healthy when the opposite is true. Much of it is also too tasty to do without entirely. However, with these ten unhealthy foods, less would be better.

Actually, we all want to eat healthy – at least in theory. And you probably can’t hear nutrition tips anymore or you’re completely confused about what you should and shouldn’t eat. There are a lot of myths about food and especially about healthy eating. There are a wide variety of diets: from Paleo, to raw food and low carb, to veganism, detoxing or so-called clean eating. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which diet you feel comfortable with.

However, some well-known foods fall under the category of unhealthy food – and sometimes even harm our environment. We should therefore not eat this food anymore (or at least much less often). Fortunately, there is a good alternative for almost everything.

Unhealthy Eating: White rice contains fewer nutrients

Rice is not just rice: For white rice, the grains are ground. This means that the husk, the so-called silver skin and the germ are removed from the paddy rice. Then the grains are polished. Only the starchy kernel of the rice grain remains. The valuable nutrients contained in the peel are lost in the process.

So white rice “only” fills you up without providing you with many nutrients. People who regularly eat large amounts of white rice can also increase the risk of developing diabetes.

So-called parboiled rice is a little better than white rice: it is soaked, treated with steam pressure and dried before it is peeled and polished. As a result, the nutrients migrate inside and the end product still contains around 80 percent of the vitamins and minerals. However, it lacks fiber.

The healthiest rice is wholegrain rice: it is neither ground nor polished and therefore contains much more fibre, vitamins and minerals. Wholemeal rice looks brownish and is also called brown rice. We recommend whole grain rice in organic quality Good to know: Öko-Test has proven that problems with cadmium and arsenic occur time and again in rice.

Instant Vegetable Broth: Too much isn’t healthy

Instant Vegetable Broth Powder is handy for quick soups, broths or sauces. But often there are not many vegetables in it: Salt is usually the first ingredient in the list of ingredients. Followed by the flavor enhancer glutamate. Glutamate has fallen into disrepute because it can possibly lead to allergic reactions and is said to stimulate the appetite. The scientific evaluation is not yet complete, so recommendations are ambiguous.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and the German Society for Nutrition consider occasional consumption to be harmless. However, consumer centers advise against frequent consumption. In addition to salt and flavor enhancers, there are flavors, palm oil and sugar in vegetable broths. And they are a good reason to do without instant vegetable powder.

A better alternative are organic vegetable broths, no flavor enhancers and other questionable additives may be used here. Although there is yeast extract in some organic vegetable broths, which contains a small amount of glutamate, a study by the Münster University of Applied Sciences and the Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren could not make any clear scientifically based statement for or against the use of yeast extract in organic food.

Ready-made salad – an unhealthy food

Salad from the bag is tempting: no washing, no chopping, all that’s missing is the (ready-made) salad dressing and the “healthy” meal is ready. But unfortunately it’s not that simple. Apart from the fact that ready-to-eat salad cannot do without plastic packaging that is harmful to the environment and therefore ultimately unhealthy for people, it is also directly unhealthy for several reasons.

Instead of unhealthy white flour products, it is better to use whole grains

Unhealthy food: White flour usually refers to “Type 405” or “Type 550” wheat flour. It is normal household flour, which is often used for rolls, for example, because of its good baking properties. The number stands for a low degree of grinding and reflects the mineral content. Type 405 is the lowest number and therefore also contains the fewest minerals. The higher the number of a flour type, the healthier the flour.

In addition to the low nutrient content, white flour products have other health disadvantages: they are often high-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar products such as biscuits, croissants, cakes or toast. Similar to white rice, white flour products simply fill you up without supplying your body with important nutrients.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s wheat or spelt: with wholemeal flour, all the components of the grain are retained. Whole grain products therefore contain more minerals, vitamins and fiber and keep you full for longer.

Avoid unhealthy food: muesli instead of breakfast cereals

Unfortunately, chocolate muesli, cornflakes and honey pops are not a good start to the day. Breakfast cereals are highly processed and unhealthy foods because they often contain way too much sugar. They are high in calories, don’t fill you up for long, and are often fortified with artificial minerals and vitamins.

The latter sounds good, but it’s not: In Germany, most people are sufficiently supplied with nutrients. Excessive intake of fortified foods can even have adverse health effects. How about a muesli made from whole grain flakes, fresh seasonal fruit and a few hazelnuts from Germany instead? We have put together the best organic mueslis without palm oil for you – feel free to vote for your favourite.

Chocolate spread is not a healthy breakfast

A slice of white bread with chocolate cream on top. The perfect day begins, the ads lead us to believe. But the sweet cream for breakfast is not a good idea: Half of it consists of sugar, followed by palm oil, followed by hazelnuts and cocoa. This is actually more of a candy than a healthy breakfast.

Fruit juice drinks contain too much sugar

Fruit juice drinks promise an extra portion of vitamins for the immune system. Unfortunately, fruit juice drinks are rarely healthy: They contain a relatively high amount of sugar, which is why you should not drink them as a thirst quencher.

The fruit content in fruit juice drinks is often low. For this, water, sweeteners and vitamins are mixed in (therefore they can no longer be called “juice”). Manufacturers are happy to add vitamins C, E and provitamin A (beta-carotene). But the benefit of such artificial vitamins for our body is also controversial. Organic not-from-concentrate juices are better!

Legumes instead of protein and energy bars

As a (hobby) athlete, you treat yourself to a protein or energy bar every now and then. It gives you strength and promotes muscle growth – you think so. The reality is different: the bars are anything but healthy and natural. They are high in calories, highly processed and require added sugar, flavorings and isolated vitamins and minerals.

For athletes, a healthy and balanced diet makes more sense than energy and protein bars. For example, legumes such as lentils and peas or potatoes and whole grain products contain many valuable proteins. Or simply make energy balls yourself as a healthier alternative to energy bars.

Beware of unhealthy food: avoid cured sausage and meat products

Curing is an ancient preservation method. Meat and sausage products are preserved by treating them with curing salt, a mixture of salt and potassium or sodium nitrites (E249 – E252). The nitrite can form the so-called nitrosamines with amines (proteins). They occur particularly at high temperatures. Nitrosamines have been shown to be carcinogenic in animal experiments.

Today, meat and sausage products only contain small amounts of nitrite. But the consumer centers advise against frequent consumption. If you eat meat, choose organic meat instead. Organic farming associations such as Bioland or Demeter do not use nitrite curing salt.

Unhealthy food: better no light and diet foods

Light and diet products promise to contain less energy, sugar or fat. However, the reduced nutrient is often replaced by another and in the end the calorie content hardly differs from each other. To make light and diet products taste good, manufacturers use flavor enhancers, aromas and sweeteners.

Unprocessed products are better than industrially processed light and diet products. For example, try natural yoghurt with fresh fruit instead of light fruit yoghurt.

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