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Food Pyramid: These Foods Should Become a Habit

Healthy nutrition – everyone talks about it, but hardly anyone knows what it really is. Anyone who tries to finally eat healthily will usually fail miserably after a few weeks. But why is that? And how can you really eat healthy and, ideally, sustainably?

Before you worry about what you eat, you should know what food your body needs – and how much of it. The amount of energy a person needs depends mainly on two things: age and exercise. If you move a little at work or in your free time, you need less energy than someone who moves a lot. If you want to lose weight or are overweight, you should expend more energy than you take in.

If you want to know exactly how much energy you need, you can use an energy balance calculator to find out. And then it’s about the actual diet: The food pyramid offers a good guide to which foods are healthy and in what quantities we should eat them.

Food pyramid: which food groups are important?

The food pyramid shows you what you can eat a lot of – and what rather little:

The lowest level of the pyramid and thus the basis of your diet are drinks: we should drink about 1.5 liters per day – preferably water, unsweetened tea or diluted juice spritzers. If water tastes too boring for you, experiment with cucumber, mint, fruit or ginger to give the water more flavor. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks such as cola & co. can also be drunk from time to time, but better only on special occasions and then only in moderation.
The 2nd level of the pyramid contains vegetables and fruits: A healthy diet should contain plenty of them – preferably five servings a day. A portion corresponds to your own hand (palm without fingers). That sounds like a lot at first, but it’s easier than you think: For example, eat muesli with fresh seasonal fruit for breakfast in the morning and drink a glass of orange juice or have a few vegetable sticks in between. If you then eat a portion of vegetables as a side dish at lunchtime and maybe a fruit salad for dessert, then you have almost reached the five portions. A small salad for supper in the evening and you’ve already eaten enough fruit and vegetables. Give it a try!
The third place in a healthy diet should be cereals, rice and potatoes. It is best to use whole grain products – they keep you full longer, contain more minerals and provide fiber.
Only then comes the food group of animal products and sources of protein, such as dairy products, eggs, meat and fish. Anyone who eats a vegan or vegetarian diet naturally avoids these animal foods – because proteins are also found in plant products, for example in the form of legumes. A healthy diet also includes vegetable oils and fatty acids from rapeseed or olive oil. Snacks, sweets and other nibbles are at the top of the food pyramid and should only be eaten infrequently.
Of course, it is not that easy to find enough regional vegetables and fruit in winter, but if necessary you can also use the frozen version. In addition, many varieties can be canned, pickled or dried during the high season so that they are preserved even in winter. Have a look here: Preserving food: 3 simple methods.

If you want to check whether you eat according to these recommendations or don’t feel like counting calories, you can also use the “What I eat” app from the Federal Center for Nutrition, for example.

For more variety in the food pyramid

The rule of thumb is: If you want to eat healthily, you should eat as varied a diet as possible. Each level of the food pyramid contains various foods that can provide a varied supply of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

In order to get as much variety as possible when choosing vegetables and fruit, it makes sense – and at the same time sustainably – to orientate yourself on the seasonal calendar. In almost every month, different varieties have high season.

Try out fruits and vegetables that you haven’t tried before, or combine them in completely new ways. Of course there are varieties – such as the avocado – that are very healthy, but not regional and only end up on our plates with great transport effort and water consumption. There are often less well-known local species from the region that are just as healthy, tasty and much more sustainable.

Healthy eating starts with shopping

You can already make sure you eat healthy when you go shopping: because once there are cola, chips and chocolate in the kitchen cupboard, they will certainly be eaten. Before you ask yourself what you want to buy, the next time you go shopping, you could ask yourself where you shop.

Do you go to the supermarket around the corner by default? Or a few streets further to the organic or unpackaged shop? Perhaps there is also a (organic) weekly market or an organic farm shop near you? Small regional shops usually offer seasonal food from the region, and you often get good tips on how to prepare it.

There might also be a farmer in your town who delivers crates of vegetables directly to your home. Vegetable boxes mainly contain seasonal vegetables and thus automatically ensure a varied, healthy and sustainable diet. It’s often worth doing a little research before heading back to the supermarket around the corner as usual.

It also makes sense to plan what you want to buy before you go shopping. So you don’t buy anything superfluous or more than you need. When shopping, you should consciously choose which foods go in the shopping basket. In addition to the price and quality, the organic seal or the fair trade label, the list of ingredients and the nutritional information on the packaging can also be helpful.

In general, it is of course better to buy food that is as unprocessed and fresh as possible.

More vitamins and minerals through healthy cooking

Cooking is also part of a healthy diet: vitamins are best preserved when vegetables are prepared “al dente” – i.e. crispy. In general, temperatures that are too high and baking and roasting times that are too long should not be used.

Keeping warm and warming up also destroys vitamins. If you want to save energy at the same time, you should close the lid while cooking – this saves up to a quarter of the electricity – and use the residual heat from the stove.

Habit: In small steps to a healthy diet

It is certainly difficult to eat healthily and on the basis of the food pyramid overnight. This claim is far too high and almost impossible to meet.

Give yourself the time you need to make the dietary changes. It’s completely normal and okay if it doesn’t work out right from the start. Try it with small steps: Instead of the usual chocolate muesli in the morning, you can simply try grain muesli and fresh fruit. But you can also take it slower – try out what works best for you: maybe you can get used to the fruit in the chocolate muesli first.

Despite a healthy diet, it is important not to lose the fun of eating. Deal with the food, find out where it comes from and which recipes you can try out. Healthy eating will soon become a habit.

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6 Foods You Shouldn’t Reheat in the Microwave

Reheat yesterday’s food in the microwave? This is a good idea to avoid wasting food, but reheating some foods is not recommended.

Leftover food often tastes just as good the second day. However, you should be careful with some foods: reheating them risks an upset stomach or worse – especially if you’re just reheating them in the microwave. With proper storage, however, the risk can be reduced. You should be particularly careful with these foods:

Spinach

Spinach should not be reheated a second time – that’s an old kitchen rule, which is still partially valid today. The problem with spinach: the plant naturally contains a lot of nitrate. At room temperature, the nitrate can turn into toxic nitrite.

In conjunction with certain protein breakdown products, nitrite can form carcinogenic nitrosamines. High nitrite levels can also lead to nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. You should therefore no longer eat stale spinach or spinach that has been stored (cooked) for a long time.

You should only heat up spinach a second time if you have previously cooled the leftovers as quickly as possible – the cold curbs the formation of nitrites.
Even if you refrigerate the food, you should not wait longer than a maximum of two days. Because nitrite is also formed in the refrigerator, albeit more slowly.
Heat the spinach in the pot to over 70 degrees Celsius for at least two minutes. In the microwave, food often does not heat up evenly.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are similar to spinach: If you store cooked mushrooms at room temperature for a long time, reheating can become critical. With their high water and protein content, mushrooms are the ideal breeding ground for microorganisms – dangerous toxins can form during storage, which can lead to nausea and vomiting diarrhea.

However, if you follow a few rules, you can still reheat mushrooms:

Cool mushroom dishes quickly after preparation.
Store the mushrooms in the fridge for no more than a day.
When warming up, you should heat the mushroom dish well to at least 70 degrees.
Never reheat mushroom dishes afterwards!

Chicken

If you heat cold chicken a second time, the protein structures in the meat change. As a result, the stomach can no longer split the proteins properly – this can lead to digestive problems, nausea and diarrhea.

Another risk is salmonella. The bacteria can still be present even after preparation. If the cooked chicken is stored, the salmonella will multiply. If you only reheat the poultry in the microwave, the salmonella can remain on the meat – and in the worst case you risk salmonella poisoning.

As a rule, it is better not to reheat the chicken, but to eat it immediately after cooking. If something is left over, you don’t have to throw it away. There are just a few precautions you should take when warming up:

Do not reheat in the microwave
Heat the poultry completely and evenly for several minutes. The meat should also be hot in the middle, not just lukewarm.
When it comes to poultry, make sure you only buy organic meat. And when it comes to meat consumption, less is definitely more!

Egg

Whether scrambled, fried or boiled eggs – warming up is risky. Similar to chicken, protein structures can change, which can cause stomach upset. If the egg was stored at room temperature, salmonella can also multiply here. You should therefore always eat eggs freshly prepared. All dishes that contain egg should be heated to at least 70 degrees when reheated.

Potatoes and rice

There is also a certain risk with rice and potatoes: If you put boiled potatoes or rice in the fridge a few hours after preparation, spores or bacteria can form. Above all, if the food is only heated for a short time or at too low a temperature, the bacteria are not killed – in the worst case the result is food poisoning. That’s why:

Cool boiled potatoes and rice immediately after preparation and place in the refrigerator.
To be on the safe side, warm it up in a saucepan rather than in the microwave.
Heat the food completely and evenly for several minutes (at least 70 degrees).

Conclusion: The saucepan is safer than the microwave

All of the foods mentioned carry some risk when reheated. If spinach, mushrooms, etc. have been stored unrefrigerated for several hours, you should not reheat them at all.

To be on the safe side, you should not heat up the six foods in the microwave, even if they are sufficiently cooled, but in a saucepan. Because even in the refrigerator, bacteria can multiply or form nitrates. Thorough boiling or heating can kill bacteria. However, this is not the case with heating in the microwave, because the food is not heated sufficiently or for a sufficiently long time.

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8 Foods for Beautiful Skin, Hair and Nails

In addition to the right care, nutrition also has a major impact on skin, hair and nails: These eight regional foods ensure a beautiful complexion, healthy hair and nails.

Food for beautiful skin: carrots

Everyone knows carrots – the fact that they are good for the eyes is also nothing new. But did you know that they are good for your skin and hair? Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene: a precursor of vitamin A. This vitamin is important for the function and structure of the skin, it protects the skin from DNA damage that can be caused by the sun, for example.

A vitamin A deficiency can lead to hair loss, dry skin, dry hair and nails. In addition, vitamin A ensures the incorporation of iron, which is also important for the skin.

Men need about 1.0 milligrams a day and women need an average of 0.8 milligrams of vitamin A per day – this amount is already in a large carrot. Another plus point for the food for beautiful skin: carrots grow regionally in Germany from March to December.

Walnuts: biotin, vitamin E and omega-3

Walnuts are not only delicious, they are also really healthy: they contain biotin, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. Biotin is also called vitamin H and not without reason: it is important for the development of skin, hair and nails. A lack of biotin can result in skin disorders, hair loss, brittle nails and poor wound healing. The body needs about 30 to 60 micrograms per day. 100 grams of walnuts contain around 20 micrograms, which does not yet cover the entire daily requirement, but the content of other foods that you eat during the day must also be added.

In addition, walnuts can score with other important nutrients: Vitamin E protects the body’s cells through its antioxidant effect. If we don’t get enough vitamin E, our skin can become dry, blotchy, and wrinkled. It is also said to have a positive effect on neurodermatitis. Depending on age and gender, the body needs between five and 13 milligrams per day. 100 grams of walnuts contain around 6 milligrams. Walnuts are very rich in fat, they contain the essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are also said to have a positive effect on the skin.

Water: essential for life

The human body consists to a large extent of water – in adulthood 50 to 60 percent, with increasing age the proportion drops to 45 percent. This also explains why the skin becomes drier with age. In the body, water ensures that nutrients are transported to the cells and ensures that turgor is maintained – the state of tension in the skin.

A feeling of thirst is already an expression of a negative water balance. So if you’re thirsty, it’s high time to have a drink. Water is a better choice than soft drinks, juice, or coffee. The good thing about water: You already have it at home, because in Germany you can drink tap water without hesitation.

In Germany, the quality of tap water is specified by the Drinking Water Ordinance. And the health authorities ensure that the limit values ​​are observed. If you are unsure whether your tap water is really safe, you can test it yourself. You can order water tests online for little money.

Pumpkin seeds: zinc and iron

Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, the trace element is important for the immune system and the formation of connective tissue. Zinc is also involved in the synthesis of protein – without zinc, no skin cells and no hair are formed. It has a major impact on wound healing. The consequences of a deficiency can be cracked corners of the mouth, poor wound healing, hair loss and brittle nails. 100 grams of pumpkin seeds contain seven milligrams of zinc – this corresponds to the recommended daily amount for women and ten milligrams for men.

Another important nutrient contained in pumpkin seeds is iron: the main task of iron is to transport oxygen in the blood. As a component of the blood pigment hemoglobin, iron brings oxygen to every cell. If the iron intake is too low, the skin becomes pale, skin diseases, hair loss, brittle nails, cracked corners of the mouth and dry skin are also possible. With 12.5 milligrams of iron per 100 grams, pumpkin seeds are among the top iron-rich foods.

Food for beautiful hair: blackcurrants

Black currants are particularly rich in vitamin C. The vitamin is not only important for the immune system, its antioxidant effect protects the cells from aging processes, for example, it is important for the formation of collagen – which in turn is a component of skin, hair and nails. Vitamin C is also important for the optimal absorption of iron. A lack of vitamin C can lead to poor wound healing and bleeding of the skin.

With a content of 177 milligrams, blackcurrants are real vitamin C bombs after rose hips and sea buckthorn. Just 100 grams of blackcurrants can cover the daily requirement. However, it is best to eat them raw, because vitamin C is very sensitive to heat. The black berries also contain iron and potassium – potassium is important for the tissue tension of the body cells and the water balance. Unfortunately, the food for beautiful hair is only in season in summer.

Lentils: protein supplier for skin, hair and nails

Lentils are a good source of protein. Protein is found in each of our cells, it ensures the development and maintenance of skin, hair and nails – nothing works without protein. If there is a deficiency, the connective tissue becomes slack and wounds heal poorly.

Dried lentils contain an average of around 24 grams of protein, cooked it is still around nine grams. The body can absorb the protein particularly well if lentils are combined with other protein sources – for example lentil Bolognese with wholemeal pasta. Lentils also contain biotin, vitamin E, zinc, iron and magnesium. By the way, there are also lentils from Germany – more about this in the article “Soya and seitan are also available from Germany”.

Spinach: vitamins A, C and biotin

Most of us learned as children that spinach is healthy. Rightly so, because it contains many minerals, vitamins and protein.

Even if it is often claimed that spinach contains a lot of iron, it does not come close to the content of pumpkin seeds with three to four milligrams per 100 grams. Spinach contains vitamin C, vitamin A and biotin and is therefore a really healthy and regional food for beautiful skin, hair and nails.

Oatmeal: nutrient bomb for breakfast

Oat flakes are rich in zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium and biotin, and they are also a good source of protein. With a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, you can provide your skin, hair and nails with plenty of nutrients in the morning. You can combine porridge for breakfast very well with pumpkin seeds and walnuts – this is how the effects add up. In summer you can refine the whole thing with black currants.

Food for beautiful skin, hair and nails

In general, a healthy and varied diet with lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grain products, legumes, nuts, seeds and kernels is good for the body. Stress also has a strong influence on the body, which is why sufficient sleep, relaxation, exercise and mindfulness in everyday life are important components for beauty. Environmental factors such as pollutants also have an influence: It is therefore better to use organic food, as it contains fewer pollutants.

However, one should be careful with dietary supplements, because an overdose of some nutrients can have negative effects on health: For example, an overdose of vitamin A can cause headaches, skin changes, jaundice and liver failure.

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Low Purine Foods: Gout Diet List

Low-purine foods should be on your shopping list if you have gout. This list shows you that you can still eat varied and diverse.

Why low-purine foods are the right choice for gout

Change your diet and reduce the purines in meals: This is what your doctor recommends if you suffer from gout.

Gout is a metabolic disease in which the kidneys have trouble getting rid of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is left over from metabolism when your body breaks down purines.
Purines are the building blocks of genetic information in cells. This means that purine is basically contained in every cell – and also in almost all foods. However, it occurs in different amounts and has different compositions.
Gout patients can easily tolerate up to 200 milligrams of purines per day in their meals. However, the exact amount you can tolerate depends on several factors. For example, your height and weight matter. Get medical advice on this.

With the help of tables and online calculators, you can check how much purine is in your meals and how much uric acid it produces. The German Gout League, for example, provides a calculator online.

But you don’t have to calculate that much in the long run as soon as your uric acid level has normalized again. Nutritionists recommend a normal, varied and balanced diet with low-purine foods for gout.

Vegetables, fruits and vegetable oils contain little purine. A wholesome diet for gout therefore relies particularly on these products to reduce uric acid.
On the other hand, there is a lot of purine in meat, fatty sausages or alcohol – especially in beer. These foods can cause a gout attack.
You should also avoid ready meals and sugary foods. According to the Apotheken-Umschau, industrial fructose syrup in particular, such as isoglucose, is not compatible with gout.

Lower uric acid through diet: Milk is purine-free

Milk and milk products contain almost no purines. So here you can access gout to your heart’s content. Basically, the less fat a dairy product contains, the lower its purine content and the more suitable it is for lowering uric acid.

Low-purine foods based on milk include:

Low-fat milk or kefir
plain yoghurt or skyr
Quark or cream cheese – you can mix a purine-free spread or salad dressing with fresh herbs such as parsley or chives, for example.
Feta cheese, cottage cheese, or mozzarella. It is best to use mozzarella made from cow’s milk. The animals on the farms often have to suffer for the buffalo mozzarella, which is traded as a delicacy.
Sliced cheese, such as Edam or mountain cheese.
Eggs – choose organic eggs from species-appropriate animal husbandry that also keeps the male chicks alive.

Low-purine foods: These types of vegetables belong on the menu

Some vegetables contain more purines than others. Legumes such as beans, lentils or soybeans are considered critical, as are asparagus and spinach.

Doctors no longer generally eliminate these healthy vegetables from their diet in the case of gout. They recommend adding vegetables with higher purine content to your diet as soon as you no longer need to lower your blood uric acid levels any further.

For example, these types of vegetables are among the particularly low-purine foods:

Salads – salads with bitter substances such as rocket or dandelion are well suited. Tip: Both are also ideal as a basis for pesto.
Kohlrabi
cucumber
carrots or parsnips
Paprika supports the healing process with the inflamed limbs through the vitamin C.
Tomatoes – not all have to be red and round. Many old tomato varieties offer variety, both for the look on your plate and for the taste.
pumpkin
You can plant many of these vegetables yourself in the garden or on the balcony. So you always have low-purine foods on hand.

Low-purine foods: fruit always works

Fresh fruit is also usually one of the low-purine foods. You can enjoy it every day as a dessert or as a snack in between.

There is a small restriction for fruits that are naturally very sweet, such as pears, honeydew melons, sweet cherries or persimmons. Dried fruit is also less suitable because it contains a lot of concentrated sugar. The Apotheken-Umschau reports that fructose can impair kidney function. Therefore, artificially sweetened foods are critical in gout.

However, most fruits are low-purine foods. For example, you can access:

Apples – the local fruit is rich in vitamins and contains hardly any purines. Try out different regional varieties and let yourself be surprised by the taste.
Berries – Strawberries, currants, blueberries, blueberries, gooseberries or aronia berries contain many vitamins. Vitamin C in particular supports the healing process after a gout attack.
Plums – the slightly sour varieties such as the local plums are particularly suitable.
peaches or apricots
Important: Always buy your fruit and vegetables fresh, avoid canned goods and, if possible, frozen goods. It is ideal if you stock up locally with freshly harvested organic fruit and vegetables. In this way you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides and contribute to climate protection because your food does not have to be transported long distances.

Low-purine foods: There are exceptions for meat and fish

Meat, poultry, fish or crustaceans – all of these have a high purine content. The value rises even higher when additional fat, skin or innards are added. For example, a fried chicken with crispy skin contains more purines than a lean breast fillet.

According to the recommendation of the Society for Nutrition (DGE), even healthy people should not eat more than one meat meal (300 grams) per week.

But there are exceptions. According to NDR, the following types of meat products are among the rather low-purine foods:

lean poultry – important: always prepare without the skin.
lean beef or venison.
Basically, a diet without a lot of meat is healthier. But: Beware of meat substitutes! Pay attention to the ingredients, because tofu also contains a lot of purine. It consists of soybeans, which in turn are among the purine-rich legumes.

Fish: The same applies here – skinless fish has fewer purines and is therefore better tolerated. In addition, fish fats are good for your health: Unlike fatty acids in meat, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that can inhibit inflammation.

But: eel, halibut, carp, plaice, sole, herring, mackerel or salmon are good for your health – but fishing is often at the expense of the environment. Many of these fish species are already overfished. Endangered fish species are often caught by the fishermen. Therefore, pay attention to species-appropriate fishing or buy fish from sustainably managed organic aqua farms. The Greenpeace fish guide tells you what you as a consumer can do to protect the oceans.
Also pay attention to high-quality organic crayfish, shrimp, crabs and mussels.

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Imperishable: 8 Long-life Foods

Forever Foods: foods that can be kept indefinitely

Are you looking for foods that last for (almost) forever? Stored properly, these eight long-lasting foods never go bad, so they should never end up in the trash. They are ideal for people who would like to stock up for ten days or more.

Rice: the infinite grains

Rice can be kept forever, you can safely ignore the best-before date. Exception: The brown, elongated natural rice is not a contender for infinity because of its increased fat content.

But **Basmati rice, wild rice, jasmine rice, etc. simply do not go bad if stored dry and airtight (e.g. in a screw-top jar). More in the article Rice varieties and their special features.

Tip: Bulgur, quinoa, couscous and buckwheat provide a little more variety. The fillers also last for several years if stored dry.

Sweet and long-life food: honey

It may crystallize, but pure honey never goes bad on its own! Prerequisite for a long shelf life: Always close tightly, store in a cool and dry place and do not allow any foreign objects to get in. Above all, no liquid, because the liquid gold becomes acidic.

If honey crystallizes, simply put it in the warm oven in good time after you have baked something. After two to three treatments it should be liquid and spreadable again.

Sugar: sweet forever

It is almost imperishable because bacteria cannot survive on pure sugar. But he likes to turn into a rock-hard lump when moisture penetrates. So: Always seal the sugar airtight, then it will keep for a long time and you can use it forever.

Corn Starch: Thickener for all time

Cornstarch is used to thicken all sorts of liquids. If you’ve saved a rather thin gravy from melting away, don’t throw away the remaining starch right away: tightly closed, the almost non-perishable cornstarch will never spoil.

Long-life white wine vinegar: sour until dawn

Vinegar, more precisely distilled white wine vinegar, is an almost non-perishable food. The versatile ingredient for sauces, marinades and dressings is also easy to store: Simply store it tightly closed in a cool, dark place and it can still be used as an excellent leavening product even years later.

Maple syrup: immortal nectar

Maple syrup is not only incredibly delicious, it also keeps forever in the freezer. Even in the fridge, the shelf life after opening is extended enormously, frozen it increases almost indefinitely.

Schnapps: can’t be broken

Not really a surprise that liquor is a long-lasting food, is it? Of all the foods listed here, liquor is probably the most well-known forever food. Whereby the term “food” can only be applied to the notorious firewater if the definition is very broad.

Salt: season forever

Salt never goes bad, nor does it lose its potency. You should only protect it from getting wet with a tight closure, because rock-hard blocks of salt cause some problems with the dosed processing. Today’s table salt, however, often contains release agents that should reliably prevent such chunks.

Salt is not only an extremely long-lasting food, but also an important source of iodine.

Durable groceries for an emergency supply that will last you for 10 days

Many people consider stocking up on emergency supplies in case of an emergency.

Not everything lasts long…

Not all foods have as long a shelf life as our eight examples.

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Food

10 Foods You Shouldn’t Store in the Fridge

Tomatoes, lemons etc.: These foods do not belong in the refrigerator

Storing food properly is almost an art – and the refrigerator is not always the best solution. Not everything stays fresh longer in it. Many foods are harmed by the cold, some simply do not need it cool.

Store tomatoes in the fridge? Please do not!

Tomatoes lose their aroma in the refrigerator and can mold more quickly. It is best to keep them in the cellar or in the pantry – a temperature of around 15 degrees is ideal.

If a cool room is not available, tomatoes are still better off at room temperature than in the fridge. This also applies to other types of vegetables that contain a lot of water, such as cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and zucchini.

Food that doesn’t belong in the fridge: Bread

Bread is best stored at room temperature in air-permeable containers. Without air, moisture builds up and the bread starts to go moldy.

Clay pots are ideal for storage. Wooden bread boxes are also recommended, as bread dries out less quickly in them.

Olive oil does not belong in the fridge!

Olive oil can become flaky in the refrigerator. This is reflected in the warmth, but it doesn’t have to be.

Protected from light at room temperature (e.g. in a cupboard), olive oil keeps for many weeks – by then a bottle is usually gone anyway.

Lemons better not in the cold

Lemons and other citrus fruits don’t tolerate cold – after all, they come from warm regions. Lemons, oranges, grapefruit, etc. do well at moderate room temperatures, but they prefer it a little cooler.

You should store citrus fruits openly so that they have contact with air.

Garlic and onions

Garlic and onions are best kept in a cool, dark and dry place, such as the basement. It’s too cold for them in the fridge.

If you don’t have a cool room available, it’s best to store garlic and onions in a clay pot that gives them enough room to “breathe”.

Avocados shouldn’t be in the fridge

Like bananas, avocados are usually bought unripe. “Hard” avocados should be left to ripen and soften at room temperature. It is best to eat up ripe specimens as soon as possible.

Store bananas in the fridge?

Bananas quickly get brown spots in the fridge because the cold damages their cell tissue. They will keep for about three to four days at room temperature if you protect them from direct sunlight.

This also applies to other exotic fruits such as mango, melon or pineapple – better not in the fridge.

Booze

Anyone who has spirits such as vodka, whiskey or other spirits with more than 35 percent at home does not need to store them in the refrigerator. Sealed bottles last practically forever.

Even when the bottles are open, it takes time for the alcohol and aroma to evaporate. Storage in the basement or at room temperature without direct sunlight (e.g. in a cupboard) is sufficient.

Tabasco etc

In addition to chilies, hot sauces usually only contain vinegar and salt – these are excellent preservatives. That’s why Tabasco & Co. don’t have to be in the fridge even when they’re open.

In a light-protected place (in the cupboard) they last for many months.

Store honey in the fridge? Unnecessary!

Honey hardens in the fridge and is difficult to spread. When stored tightly closed, dry, and protected from light (e.g. in a cupboard), honey usually keeps for years without losing quality.

Also, if you keep honey free of foreign bodies, you can eat it practically forever.

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Cooking Tips

10 Vegan Foods That You are Guaranteed to Have at Home and That Will Fill You Up

A vegan diet does not necessarily mean just eating salad or relying on substitute products. Because you probably have these ten vegan foods at home anyway – and you’ll get really full of them.

If you want to eat vegan, you now have a large selection of vegan substitute products that are produced as an alternative to animal food. It’s a nice option, but it doesn’t have to be. Because many foods are already vegan anyway and you probably already have them at home. This is handy if you want to cook something without having to shop for it first.

Make sure that all food is regional and of organic quality. In this way you avoid long transport routes and chemical-synthetic pesticides and do something good for yourself and the environment. We can particularly recommend the Demeter, Bioland and Naturland seals, because they follow stricter criteria than the EU organic seals.

Red lenses

Small but fine: Red lentils can be the basis for many delicious dishes. Rich in proteins and minerals, they provide you with a lot of energy. In addition, they are already cooked after 15 minutes of cooking time – perfect when you need something quick.

Tomato passata

Tomato passata is easy to make yourself. All you need is onions, garlic, a carrot, celery, tomatoes, olive oil, and basil—just veggies you probably already have at home. You can find a detailed recipe here: Make Passata yourself.

Store-bought passata is also often vegan, which you can easily recognize by the vegan logo printed on the bottle or pack.

You can use the passata to make a refreshing tomato soup with oat milk right now in summer. You can also use it directly as a sauce for pasta or on pizza.

Spelled flour

Not only is it healthier than wheat, its hard shell also makes it easier to do without pesticides: spelled. Fortunately, wheat and spelled can be used in a similar way as flour. You can easily replace wheat flour with spelled flour.

A quick recipe with spelled flour is pan bread. You can prepare it in just 20 minutes with just a few vegan ingredients. Vegan spelled waffles are ideal for the coffee table: They are also ready in a short time. They are a healthier alternative to cakes, biscuits and the like and taste particularly delicious with seasonal fruit.

Potatoes

It is one of the staple foods in Germany: the potato. With a similar carbohydrate content as pasta or rice, it has only half as many calories.

The tuber can be used in many ways: you can make your own fries, for example. You don’t need much for these and they are healthier than frozen fries. Another delicious recipe is smashed potatoes. They taste delicious and can be garnished with various vegetables.

Quinoa

Filler and energy supplier: quinoa. The so-called pseudo-grain is gluten-free and can be eaten with vegetables or sauce instead of pasta and the like.

A summery recipe with the pseudocereal is a quinoa salad that tastes delicious and fills you up, but is not heavy on the stomach. But you can also make a sweet snack from quinoa, namely in the form of quinoa bites.

Chickpeas

It goes particularly well with meatless diets: the chickpea. Because the legumes contain many proteins that the body can otherwise get from the meat. Your body can also benefit from the high fiber content of chickpeas.

In oriental cuisine, chickpeas are often made into hummus or falafel. But the legume also tastes very good in curry.

Bananas

Many swear by bananas. And not without reason: because although they contain a lot of carbohydrates and fructose – also in comparison to other fruit – the banana is not unhealthy. Because it is rich in vitamins and provides energy.

If you get bored with bananas as a simple snack, you can also use them to make banana chips. The chips are also perfect as a topping for muesli. Or you make a simple dessert: a vegan chocolate cream. A slightly more unusual variant is the banana soup.

Note: Only buy bananas in moderation, because they have been transported long distances. Through food sharing, however, you can often save bananas that would otherwise have ended up in the trash.

Oatmeal

Gluten-free, healthy, low-calorie: oatmeal is a typical breakfast and gives you the energy you need for the day. This is also due to the high vitamin and mineral content of the grain. By the way: Oat flakes are also gluten-free (pay attention to the label on the pack). Therefore, you can eat them even if you have celiac disease.

One of the most popular oat dishes is porridge. Since you can vary the toppings – for example fruit or pieces of chocolate – very flexibly, you have variety every day. Those who prefer a hearty breakfast can prepare the porridge with vegetables. But oats also taste delicious when baked: It is not without reason that the so-called baked oatmeal – i.e. porridge from the casserole dish – is currently the trend breakfast on Tik Tok.

Coconut milk

It is true that coconut milk is high in calories and fatty acids and it does not necessarily score well with its CO2 balance, which is why you should not buy it too often either. However, it offers a good vegan substitute for cream or crème fraîche and it should not be missing in many Asian dishes. If you want to do without store-bought coconut milk, you can easily make it yourself.

A simple dessert is the coconut milk rice. You can prepare it with just four ingredients and garnish with seasonal, fresh fruit or fruit puree. In Indian korma, a mild curry with ginger and cauliflower, coconut milk is important for taste and texture. And if you want a fruity cool down in summer, you can make your own watermelon ice cream with coconut milk.

Cornmeal

Whether for thickening sauces, for making desserts or for tortillas and nachos: corn flour can be used in many ways. It is also gluten free. But be careful: In contrast to spelled flour, you cannot simply replace wheat flour with corn flour. That’s why other types of flour always have to be mixed into cornbread.

But even if you don’t want to bake bread, you can use cornmeal in your kitchen – for example to make tortillas yourself. Or you can make your own nachos. You can also replace potato flour with corn flour in the dumpling dough.

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Food

Low Histamine Foods: A List

Low-histamine foods are important for you if you suffer from histamine intolerance. We have compiled a list of low histamine foods.

General information on low-histamine foods

If you are sensitive to histamine, there are a few general things to keep in mind:

Histamine is either naturally present in food or is produced when food spoils.
Basically, you should therefore prefer fresh, unprocessed or little processed food.
Perishable, protein-rich foods (especially fish, meat and dairy products) should only be eaten fresh. This means that the cold chain must not be interrupted. A few minutes at room temperature are enough for histamine to form.
Many canned foods and convenience foods contain histamines. Therefore, always inform yourself well about the ingredients and cook yourself if possible.
If you prepare fresh, animal products, you should pay attention to a gentle preparation method. If you want to save leftovers, let them cool down as quickly as possible and freeze them. Only thaw them just before eating.
In restaurants, you can never be sure exactly what is included in the meal. Ask the waiter and choose dishes that consist of foods that are as low in histamine as possible.
Many people who do not tolerate histamine well are also sensitive to sulphites. Therefore, when you buy dried fruit, you should make sure that it is unsulphured. Many finished products also contain sulphites.
The following list does not list every single low-histamine food, but serves as a guide. You should also test for yourself whether you tolerate the food in question – this can vary depending on how severe your intolerance is.

Low histamine foods – vegetables and fruits

Low histamine vegetables:

Types of cabbage: broccoli, kale, red cabbage, cauliflower
Cucurbits: cucumber, squash, zucchini
Nightshade family: potato, pepper
Root vegetables: fennel, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, radish, beetroot, salsify, sweet potato, onion
Leek
chard
rhubarb
Lettuce (all sorts except rocket)
asparagus
Low histamine fruit:

Apple
Berries: blueberry, currant (red and black), jostaberry, blackberry, gooseberry, lingonberry, cranberry and grape
pomegranate
persimmon
lychee
melon (all kinds)
Stone fruit: dates, cherries, mangoes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums (only small amounts), sour cherries, plums (only small amounts)

Low histamine foods – grains, nuts and oils

Low histamine cereals and baked goods:

Corn
rice
millet
quinoa
pasta
Wheat, oats, barley, spelled and baked goods made from them (beware of products with yeast, buckwheat, sourdough or wheat germ)
Low histamine nuts and seeds:

products made from coconuts
Hazelnuts (only in small amounts, as they release endogenous histamine)
macadamia
almonds
Maroni/chestnuts
brazil nuts
pistachios
Sesame, linseed, pumpkin seeds
Edible oils are generally considered harmless. You should only be careful with walnut oil.

Low histamine foods – animal products

For the sake of you and the environment, you should only buy animal-based foods that are organic. When shopping, look for the Demeter seal, the Naturland seal or the Bioland seal. This is particularly important if you suffer from histamine intolerance. The SIGHI (Swiss interest group histamine intolerance) recommends the following foods for a low-histamine diet:

Low histamine meat:

fresh and unmarinated meat (pay attention to the date on the package or buy fresh from the butcher.)
if frozen, thaw quickly and use immediately
Fish and seafood low in histamine:

absolutely freshly caught fish or seafood; if in doubt, do without it
if frozen, thaw quickly and use immediately

Low-histamine dairy products and eggs:

Fresh milk products, raw milk straight from the farm
pasteurized milk and UHT milk
butter (sweet cream)
Creme fraiche Cheese
Cream cheese (tip: make your own cream cheese)
cottage cheese
Quark (mixed with water, you can use it as yoghurt)
cream
unripened cheeses, such as mozzarella, young Gouda or young butter cheese
fresh eggs

Low Histamine Foods – Spices and Miscellaneous

Low-histamine spices and kitchen herbs:

salt (sparingly)
fresh garlic (in small amounts)
kitchen herbs
Ginger (in small amounts)
turmeric
mild spices
brandy vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Binding agents such as corn starch or potato starch
Low histamine sweets:

basically everything without cocoa and jams made from compatible fruits
Sugar, Honey, Stevia, Agave Syrup. Remember to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Too much sugar can be harmful.
Low histamine drinks:

still water (carbonated water can also cause problems)
Herbal teas (except stinging nettle)
Fruit juices/nectars from well-tolerated fruits
Almond milk or oat milk (other plant-based milks may cause problems. You should find that out for yourself.)

These foods are high in histamine

A particularly large amount of histamine is contained, for example, in:

Fish that is neither freshly caught nor frozen freshly caught
Meat and sausage products that are no longer fresh (especially game and pork)
offal, especially liver
Cheese: the riper the cheese, the more histamine it contains
Dairy products like yogurt and sour cream
Sauerkraut, through lactic acid fermentation (other foods fermented with lactic acid, such as pickles, often contain a lot of histamine)
Vegetables like tomatoes, avocado, eggplant and spinach
Mushrooms such as porcini, morels or button mushrooms
fermented liquids such as vinegar (wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar), soy sauce or fermented (fruit) juices
yeast extract
Alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer (due to fermentation)
Cocoa, black and green tea, coffee (through fermentation)
Dyes and artificial additives in food
Citric Acid Concentrate

In addition to foods containing histamine, there are also some foods that indirectly cause the histamine level to rise. Some of the things that can release the body’s own histamine are:

lots of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons
Bananas, kiwi, pears, papaya, guavas, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple
Legumes (lentils, beans, soy) and wheat germ
The capsaicin contained in chili also causes reactions in many sensitive people, but the mechanisms behind it are not entirely clear.
While the limitations of histamine intolerance are high and frustrating, don’t focus on what you can’t eat, instead enjoy what you can eat. Concentrate your mind on the low-histamine foods.

What is histamine?

Histamine is a so-called biogenic amine. It is formed during the natural metabolism of humans, animals and plants. Histamine is formed in food when bacteria break down the amino acid histidine. Some plants such as tomatoes or spinach naturally contain more histamine, while others are low-histamine foods. Animal products such as fish, meat or dairy products that perish easily can have high histamine levels.

The human body also produces histamine as a partial product of normal metabolism. In healthy people, the organism is able to break down both the body’s own and the absorbed histamine. The histamines and other amines are inactivated and rendered harmless as soon as they penetrate the intestinal wall. In high doses, histamine is toxic to all humans. However, individual tolerance for low doses of histamine can vary widely.

Why is histamine harmful?

Some people are very sensitive to histamine intake. It is difficult to judge whether the affected person is only suffering from an intolerance or whether the body’s own defense mechanisms are not working properly.

In too high doses, histamine can lead to allergic reactions such as itching or reddening of the skin. In addition, it can lead to a drop in blood pressure and in sensitive people to symptoms of poisoning such as diarrhea or rapid heartbeat.
Histamine is heat resistant. This means you cannot eliminate the harmful amine by cooking or baking affected foods.
If you still have symptoms even after eating low-histamine foods, you should definitely consult a doctor.

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Food

These 6 Foods are the Worst for the Climate

What does nutrition have to do with climate protection? Lots: certain foods are bad for the climate because of how they are produced. We present the six most climate-damaging foods and show how you can make your diet more climate-friendly.

1. Butter

Even if it is a vegetarian product, butter is considered the number one climate killer. According to the Öko-Test, around 24 kilograms of CO2 equivalents are emitted for the conventional production of one kilogram of butter. A CO2 equivalent indicates how much a certain mass of a greenhouse gas (e.g. methane) contributes to global warming. To do this, it is compared with the same amount of CO2. Thus, the value of the CO2 equivalent describes the share of a product in the greenhouse effect.

The climate-damaging effect of butter is due in particular to the fact that, according to Öko-Test, around 18 liters of milk are required for one kilogram of butter. This in turn means that many cows have to be kept. A large amount of greenhouse gases are already released during the production of the required animal feed. In addition, cows emit methane gas during digestion, which is even more harmful to the climate than CO2.

2. Beef

Beef is the most climate-damaging type of meat and, with around 13 kilograms of CO2 equivalents, has a CO2 balance four times as high as that of poultry or pork. This is also due to the way the cattle are kept. The value is only lower than that of butter because beef cattle live significantly shorter lives than dairy cows. Another disadvantage: in terms of water consumption, beef ranks third after cocoa and coffee.

3. More from the cow: cheese and cream

Other foods, for the production of which cattle have to be kept, also have a drastic effect on the climate. On average, 8.5 CO2 equivalents are required for the production of cheese and 7.6 for cream. In order to improve these values at least a little, it is advisable to use products with a low fat content. Because the higher the fat content of a dairy product, the more milk is needed to make it.

4. Vegan, but harmful to the climate: frozen fries

With 5.7 kilos of CO2 equivalents, a mostly even vegan product is in fourth place among the most climate-damaging foods. However, the reason for this is not the potatoes themselves, but the complex production of the fries, which have to be dried, deep-fried and frozen. A lot of energy is required for these processes. Incidentally, this also applies to dry powder for mashed potatoes, the production of which requires around 3.8 kilograms of CO2 equivalents.

However, you don’t have to do without fries and mashed potatoes completely, you can easily make both yourself. This is not only more climate-friendly, but also healthier.

5. Chocolate

As a popular sweet, chocolate is good for the soul, but very bad for the climate. 3.5 kilos of CO2 equivalents are caused for one kilogram of chocolate. Their climate-damaging effect is due to these two factors:

Chocolate often contains milk, the production of which is harmful to the climate due to the greenhouse gases released, as described above. More milk in the chocolate means more CO2.
In addition, chocolate products often contain palm oil. In many areas, rainforests are being cleared on a large scale to make way for palm oil plantations. The carbon that the rainforest had stored then escapes into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
In addition, chocolate consists largely of cocoa, which requires large amounts of water to produce. It takes up to 27,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of cocoa beans, and there is around 1,700 liters of water in a bar of chocolate. Although this is not directly related to the climate, it is also an environmentally harmful factor.

To make chocolate a little more climate-friendly, you should buy chocolate products that contain little to no palm oil. Chocolate bars usually contain no palm oil, but you should take a closer look at other chocolate products. There are also many vegan chocolates that do not contain milk and therefore have a slightly better CO2 balance.

Another tip: It is advisable to buy chocolate and cocoa with fair trade certification. By doing so, you support fair trade, where farmers and workers in the production chain receive a fair wage.

6. Pork and Poultry

With around 3.4 CO2 equivalents, these meats are significantly more climate-friendly than beef, but they still occupy sixth place on our list. The reason for this is that pigs and chickens also need large areas and a lot of feed.

The feed is often imported, which means that large amounts of CO2 emissions are released during transport. In certain areas (e.g. in Brazil), large areas of rainforest are also cleared for the cultivation of fodder plants.

If you want to do something good for the climate, animals and the environment, you should reconsider your meat consumption and consider how you could reduce it. You don’t have to live vegetarian or vegan overnight if you still find it very difficult at the moment.

But you can slowly approach the topic, for example by having two to three vegetarian or vegan days a week or by preparing certain meals a day exclusively from plant-based products.

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11 Foods You’re Better Off Avoiding in Winter

Our kitchen and fridge are full, even in winter – but often with the wrong food.

If you shop correctly, you are not only doing something for your health, but also for the environment and fair working conditions.

Strawberries

Strawberries now mostly come from abroad. For example from Spain, where strawberry plantations have fallen into disrepute due to exploitative working conditions, the massive use of pesticides and questionable irrigation methods. Or they are even imported from Israel or California.

The following applies to strawberries from Germany: don’t be fooled! In autumn and winter they ripen in this country only with a considerable expenditure of energy. Above all, the power consumption for the artificial lighting is enormous.

In our Utopia seasonal calendar you can find out which fruit and vegetables you can buy from local growers.

Imported apples

What is more ecological: an imported apple from New Zealand or a local apple from cold storage? This question is a well-known ecological dilemma – luckily we can’t care until about mid-December.

Until then, there are fresh apples from the region that do not have to be cooled using a lot of energy, for example Cox Orange, Jonagold, Elstar, Berlepsch. So there really is no need for apples from overseas.

In our photo series “Determining apple varieties”, you will mainly find apple varieties that also grow here.

Green salads

When it’s cold, green lettuces (like lettuce, batavia, iceberg lettuce) come out of the heated greenhouse and end up in stores “immature”. That is why they have less taste and also contain fewer healthy nutrients such as vitamins and phytochemicals.

There are still enough lettuce in season in Germany, for example lamb’s lettuce, chicory, radicchio, endive or purslane.

Imported Nuts

Most of the nuts in our stores come from far away: peanuts from the US and Israel, walnuts from California, almonds from the US and Spain, cashews from India.

Therefore, especially in the autumn and winter months, we should eat varieties that also grow in our area (and that can be stored without using a lot of energy). So: walnuts and hazelnuts from Germany.

Conventional citrus

Even if it says “untreated” – residues of pesticides and preservatives are regularly found in conventional oranges, tangerines and lemons.

Manufacturers use tricks so that they do not have to specify the chemical treatment: Sprays that are normally applied to the fruit after harvesting are already sprayed on the lemons and oranges hanging on the tree.

So: better buy organic and fair!

Conventional ACE juice

An extra portion of vitamins for an intact immune system? Better not with conventional ACE juice. The fruit content is usually only between 20 and 60 percent. For this, water, sugar or sweeteners and vitamins are added. These vitamins often come from the laboratory, and their use is also highly controversial.

If you want to take vitamins in liquid form, it is better to drink organic not-from-concentrate juices – they are healthier and are usually bottled during the respective season. Or try one of our healthy winter smoothie recipes made with seasonal ingredients.

Tomatoes

We like to eat them all year round. But in the cold season, almost all of our tomatoes come from the Netherlands, Spain and France, where they are grown in greenhouses with high energy consumption.

Better: Avoid “fresh” tomatoes in winter and use organic tomatoes that have been strained in a glass jar for pasta, pizza, etc. These are harvested when ripe and therefore not only taste better than winter imports, but also contain more nutrients. But it’s better to take a closer look when you’re shopping, because glass and canned tomatoes often come from China and have been transported long distances.

Cucumbers

The same applies to cucumbers as to tomatoes. They are popular all year round, but we only have season from June to the end of October. In winter there are greenhouse imports and that means less healthy nutrients, problematic production conditions and long transport routes.

Another reason that speaks against cucumbers in winter: In some supermarkets you can now only find them wrapped in plastic. The supermarkets justify that the cucumbers would be better protected during transport.

We show you how you can avoid packaging in the supermarket instead.

Zucchini

Although zucchini is a pumpkin plant, it is only in season here from June to the end of October. “Real” pumpkins such as Hokkaido or Butternut, on the other hand, are available until December and from then on as stock goods from local cultivation.

We show which pumpkins you can also eat with the skin. You can also try this delicious, warming pumpkin soup recipe.

Conventional tea

Black and green tea comes mainly from China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. Working conditions on conventional plantations are often miserable. Exploitation, discrimination and poverty are the order of the day. The massive use of pesticides harms the environment and workers, residues end up in our cup.

You should therefore buy black and green tea from fair trade and with the EU organic seal. Or: prefer herbal teas made from local herbs.

Imported Grapes

From November, grapes mostly come from South Africa, India, Chile, Peru or Brazil. Because they do not ripen, they are harvested fresh and then transported to us by ship. Depending on the place of origin, this can take up to three weeks – and that’s it with the freshness.

Conventional grapes are also often contaminated with pesticides because vines are susceptible to fungi, lice, mites and other pests. Not only do we suffer from this, but also the environment. You should therefore only buy the fruit regionally, during the season and in organic quality.

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