good - FoodNerdy Recipes Management System

A great party should be well organized and requires a lot of planning. Therefore, note useful tips for party planning and celebrating. Because from the invitation to the food and music, everything should be perfect. So that you don’t forget anything, we have summarized the most important points for you.

Planning a party can also be stressful. Then you quickly lose track. But for the party to be a success, all you need is good music and great people. If you want to throw a party that will be unforgettable, make a checklist.

Organize an unforgettable party

A perfect hostess remains calm and composed. Because she has thought through the party planning well. Making a checklist will help you make your house party a success. So you don’t forget the important things and can celebrate a great party with your guests without worrying. So good planning and preparation are key. Then you can relax when the guests arrive and look forward to the evening.

It can also be good to introduce the people you meet to each other so that there is no awkward silence. For this, you could add some interesting information, it will make it easier to start a conversation. Also, note the following things when planning a party. In addition, note tips for planning a 70s party.

1) Design the perfect invitation

In order for your invitation to be perfect, it should contain all the important information. You can also determine the type and design. So think about whether you want to send the invitation by email, SMS, messenger, or as a card. You can let your creativity run free as a card or email. With other options rather less. Finally, provide the following information in the invitation:

the occasion, e.g. wedding, birthday, anniversary, etc.,
full name, location/address of the celebration (with directions)
the time for the party to start
your telephone number, for inquiries or emergencies
Dress code and/or motto

2) Choose a venue to party

The next thing you should think about is where the party will take place. Should it take place at your home or would you like to rent a venue? Because especially with the latter you have to plan in good time. And depending on the location of the celebrations, different things have to be considered. Is there enough space? Is there enough seating? Is the place handicapped accessible? And much more. If the party is indoors, provide enough ashtrays and trash bags. Then cleaning up after the party will be easier. Also, note how to make corks fit in case the wine is left over after the party.

3) Have a theme party or not?

If you want to plan a party, then a great themed party can be a lot of fun. Because how often do you get the chance to dress up? However, you should communicate this clearly with your guests. And if there is no motto, should you consider whether or not there should be a dress code? The decision is entirely up to you and maybe your guests as well.

4) Buy great party decorations

Depending on which theme you choose for your celebration, the right party decoration can underline the atmosphere. Then you can design the table decoration lovingly and imaginatively (e.g. with flowers and candles; depending on the season also angels, Easter bunnies, etc.). And crockery, cups, and glasses can also be selected to match. Garlands or other great party sets can also be organized. Also, note tips for planning and hosting a baby shower.

5) Plan a party and organize catering

Also, think about the food for your guests. Because you often get hungry at a party or want to snack on something. So you can prepare and provide chips, pretzel sticks, or other finger food ideas. Even a simple chili or a delicious casserole can be cooked well for a house party. Depending on your guests’ wishes, you can prepare it normally with meat, vegetarian or vegan. However, you should not make big experiments! Also, read valuable tips for planning a barbecue party.

6) Have a great party with finger food

As mentioned earlier, finger foods and simple snacks are perfect for a great party, so don’t forget about them. If you are missing finger food ideas, watch the following video. Because here are simple recipes for sweet and hearty tastes.

7) Select the music for the party

It will be a great house party if the music is right. If your house party has a specific theme, you should coordinate the music with it, at least at the beginning of the celebration. You can also consider hiring a DJ or creating a music playlist yourself. Both are great options for a relaxing evening and partying. In addition, get tips for a perfect dinner party.

8) Consider good party games

Good party games can loosen up the evening and be a lot of fun. So think ahead of time about great party games that you want to play with your guests. There are many games, e.g. Charade, Who am I? or how about a round of Twister? Drinking games like Meiern can also get the guests in the mood. Accordingly, you should get the necessary utensils in advance, such as dice, post-its, or entire games.

9) Plan a party and inform neighbors

If you are planning a great party, you should also inform your neighbors about the time and ask for their understanding. Many people hang up a note in the stairwell for this purpose. If you get along very well with your neighbors, inform them personally or invite them over. This way you can prevent and reduce unnecessary stress.

10) Make special ice cubes

When it comes to the little things when celebrating, it often comes down to the details. So try making special ice cubes. Because in decoration and kitchen shops you get many interesting ice cube trays. Instead of the conventional water ice cubes, you can also freeze delicious cola or juice. And you can particularly impress your party guests with cherries or strawberries frozen in ice cubes. Fresh mint leaves are also very suitable for this. Also, note tips for a Halloween party for children.

Lifestyle

Requirements for a Good Changing Table

There are certain requirements that a good changing table should meet. Therefore, we have collected the most important criteria for buying a changing table. As a result, sufficient safety is guaranteed and it works better to wrap your baby.

Perfect changing table for the initial equipment

A good and safe changing table is part of the baby’s initial equipment. A changing table or changing table is a fixed place where you can change, clean, and change your baby. Ideally, this is a dresser with all the essentials closes at hand. The selection in retail and online is very diverse. That’s why we’ve collected the most important tips for buying a changing table for you.

Changing table or changing table?

The first question many parents ask is “changing table or changing table?”. Both offer advantages and disadvantages. The changing table usually offers more storage space for baby things and has a larger lying surface. Meanwhile, the changing table is often more space-saving and suitable for smaller apartments. In addition, this is often cheaper than the chest of drawers. In many cases, however, the chest of drawers can continue to be used after the changing time, as the changing mat can often be removed. So this decision has to be made on an individual basis.

Ensure the safety of the changing table

The most important thing when buying is the safety of the baby. Therefore, you should buy the changing table to match your height. The table or chest of drawers should also be stable. Corners and edges should be rounded and the protective sides high so that your baby does not injure himself or fall off. It also makes sense to place the changing table in a corner of the room so that the two sides are already fall-proof. Of course, you have to be careful when changing the baby and always have one hand on the baby. So your newborn baby is safe.

The 5 most important requirements

So that you do everything right when buying changing tables, here are the most important requirements at a glance. In addition, you should redesign your apartment, because you should definitely make your apartment childproof.

Stability is an important requirement. Babies do not lie still and become heavier over time. Therefore, the changing table should be stable and not wobble or even collapse.
A large area of the changing table makes sense so that in addition to the baby, other changing utensils are also within reach. Alternatively, a shelf can be attached to the wall.
High edge limitations are important and ensure that the baby cannot fall sideways. Babies are able to turn around or change their own position very quickly.
Choose the right height for your height. Since you spend a lot of time there, it should also be comfortable for you to stand there. Consequently, you should not have to bend.
A soft and washable changing pad is advantageous. You can also ensure a comfortable lying position by placing a soft towel on the changing mat.

Buy accessories for the changing table

You also need the right accessories for your dresser. Only then is it complete and usable. Therefore, we have created a small list of helpful things that should not be missing:

diapers
wet wipes and towels
Various baby creams and oils
Cotton pads for navel care
a small trash can
possibly a toy or a music box
clothing, etc

Food

Barley Grass and Wheat Grass: Don’t Bring Much and Hardly Taste Good

Barley grass and wheat grass: Now the germs of the two types of grain are also supposed to be superfoods. The trend is once again coming from America, where Hollywood stars and top athletes want to improve their diet with smoothies made from the green powder.

The sprouts serve a lot of clichés: They are green, they are fresh, and as young seedlings they are particularly rich in nutrients. And they contain many plant growth factors that have a rejuvenating effect on cells. This raises great expectations: for example, barley grass is said to cure cancer, make muscles grow, alleviate gastrointestinal diseases and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Wheatgrass, on the other hand, detoxifies, weakens the harmful effects of radioactive radiation, helps against diabetes and infections of all kinds. In addition, both types of sprouts are naturally perfect sources of nutrients.

So much for the full-bodied promises of grass fans. In this case, cows should be bursting with health on the pasture. And indoor cats should never get sick. Isn’t that right? That’s exactly why we researched the facts behind the grass hype to find out what the promise of salvation really is.

What exactly are barley grass and wheat grass?

Although barley grass and wheatgrass are marketed as new, great superfoods, they are well-known plants. In spring, the superfoods can even be found by the millions on the fields in Germany. Because barley grass is the young shoots of barley that emerge shortly after germination. In fact, it is the barley that is normally sold as grain in our country. Cat owners may also know barley grass in another context: from the small bowls that are sold as “cat grass”. Again, these are just barley sprouts in a nutrient concentrate.

The same applies to wheatgrass, except that the young shoots are only harvested after about three weeks. This is when the nutrient content of wheatgrass is said to be at its highest. The plant then uses this for its own growth and for the formation of stalks and seeds.

Wheatgrass or barley grass juice: ingredients and nutritional values

Like all real cereals, wheatgrass and barley grass belong to the grass family. As mature grains, barley and wheat therefore contain gluten. Since the grass variants are harvested as somewhat older seedlings, especially in industrial production, they have not yet developed ears. Barley grass and wheat grass are therefore gluten-free, but contain a lot of carbohydrates – when fresh, therefore, around 300 kcal per 100 grams. The high energy density also explains the main purpose of barley grass: as fattening feed for cattle.

However, fresh barley grass also contains many minerals and vitamins, for example 3.4 mg zinc, 37 mg iron, 179 mg magnesium or 832 mg calcium. Wheatgrass scores with its high iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium content. In addition, the wheat sprouts contain a lot of vitamins A, C, E and K. The roughage, which is present in large quantities in the raw green shoots, no longer plays a role in the juice from wheatgrass or barley grass due to the pressing. Incidentally, these are also largely lost in the powder. However, the chlorophyll, the green plant pigment, which is said to play a role in cell protection, is retained.

Buy wheatgrass and barley grass powder

Wheatgrass and barley grass are rarely available fresh or as juice. This is due to the composition of the sweet grasses, which, like all grasses, spoil quickly once they are cut. However, since humans cannot consume wheatgrass hay or barley grass silage like cows can, the sprouts are (freeze) dried and processed into powder. The ingredients of barley grass and wheat grass are significantly reduced by the drying process, although it is very gentle.

You can then either buy pure barley grass and wheat grass powder, pressed into tablets or as capsules. But be careful: Since both grasses grow on normal fields, the pollution can be high even with supposedly organic products. Caution is advised, especially with products from the Internet, which often come from Asia.

So you can grow wheatgrass or barley grass yourself

On the other hand, it is safe to grow barley grass or wheatgrass on the windowsill at home without any harmful substances. Bowls or flower pots with soil or nutrient granules serve as a “field”. As seeds for barley grass and wheat grass you simply take normal, untreated and whole wheat or barley grains. These are available either in the health food store or, for example, in the country trade. But always ask for organic grain there, which is less polluted and healthier.

Then simply sprinkle a handful of grains on your bed, cover with a thin layer of soil or granules and moisten. At room temperature and moderately moist soil, wheat and barley germinate after a few days. You can harvest the shoots after about ten days to three weeks.

Barley grass: effects and side effects

Barley grass is said to have an almost unbelievable effect. The ingredients of barley grass are mostly antioxidants and plant growth factors. On the one hand, these should render the aggressive free radicals harmless and at the same time stimulate healthy cell renewal. The barley grass is said to support the body in dealing with radioactive radiation, fight cancer, heal gastrointestinal diseases and also have a positive effect on muscle building and mood.

In addition, fans of green sprouts say they lower cholesterol levels, boost the immune system due to their high nutrient density and speed up recovery from illness. Only fresh barley grass has side effects, as the long plant fibers are difficult for humans to digest. Therefore, the consumption of larger amounts is not advisable.

What is the effect of wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is also full of antioxidants and rich in nutrients. Similar to barley sprouts, the effect of wheatgrass is based on these ingredients. A 2015 meta-study summarized the possible effects of wheatgrass. The green shoots are said to help fight tumor cells and help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism.

Clinical trials on humans show a possible support of chemotherapies and maybe also reduce their side effects. And stomach ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes can also be treated with it. The same applies to wheatgrass: Only the fresh plants have side effects due to the high content of plant fibers. No problems were observed with wheatgrass powder or juice.

What do the powder products bring?

Granted, it sounds tempting. A bit of wheatgrass powder mixed with water and drunk daily and cancer, diabetes, obesity or stomach problems are history. Or maybe a little barley grass powder in the green smoothie and the flu season won’t bother me anymore.

It would be too good to be true. After all, both barley grass and wheatgrass only have one “effect”: they fill the coffers of the manufacturers. Nothing has been scientifically proven. The healing promises of barley grass are usually only based on experience or experiments in the test tube. There is only one small study on the effect on cholesterol levels, which, however, could not find any effect. The same applies to wheatgrass. The meta-study already mentioned says that although effects were observed, the studies were only carried out with small samples, were not methodologically flawless or were carried out on animals.

What remains is the high nutrient density of barley grass and wheat grass. Basically positive, but if you put the values in relation to the daily consumed amount as powder, capsules or tablets, this effect is also lost again. The bottom line is that there is no advantage left by the two green sprouts.

Conclusion: How useful are barley grass and wheat grass really?

Barley grass and wheat grass are green. They also grow at home on the windowsill. The nutrient density is relatively high. And they are marketed as superfoods. But that was it in terms of advantages. What is not mentioned is the risk of ingesting harmful substances such as mineral oils, pesticides or environmental toxins with wheatgrass juice or barley grass powder. Or that the dietary fibers in the stalks are hardly digestible for humans, but are absent in juice and powder anyway.

It is also often swept under the rug that when processed into barley grass or wheatgrass powder, many of the nutrients are lost and the daily amount consumed is only small. As is the fact that none of the claimed medicinal effects have been scientifically proven. So overall, the green grasses are nice but useless, they don’t even taste good. It is much better to switch to other green vegetables.

Broccoli, kale, spinach or chard also contain a lot of chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals. These types of vegetables can be bought regionally, seasonally and, of course, organically, and they are certainly tastier than barley grass or wheat grass.

Lifestyle

Finding a Good Hairdresser – You Should Pay Attention to This

A surprising number of customers are dissatisfied with the hairstyle, the service, or the costs after visiting the hairdresser. However, if you heed a few small pieces of advice, you can find a good hairdresser for yourself.

Everyone knows the problem: you move and eventually need a visit to the hairdresser. Or the regular hairdresser you’ve always been to suddenly close. What to do? Helplessly go to the first salon you come across and hope you’re satisfied? Surveys show that many customers leave the store unsatisfied. However, this can be avoided if you know how to go about your search for a good hairdresser.

Use someone else’s knowledge when looking for a hairdresser

First, you should explore yourself among friends, relatives, and co-workers. Listen carefully to the answers and pay attention to details. This allows you to roughly filter which salons come into question. If a good shop is recommended to you, feel free to test it out.

You can also look at advertisements: radio or television spots, as well as regional newspapers or advertising posters, may provide indications of good salons. But be careful, not every advertisement should be trusted blindly. Approach the matter critically and don’t let anything talk you into it.

Look at the hairdresser yourself and make experiences

If you have decided on a few salons in the pre-selection, refine your search. A first conversation with the shops of choice can be very helpful. Call them or stop by in person: ask about the prices for the hairstyle you want and don’t hesitate to ask about the service – is a head massage or a cup of coffee included in the price?

Pay attention to details in the salon: Is the shop carelessly furnished or creatively designed? If you are not able to furnish a shop nicely, you will also have problems mustering enough creativity for a beautiful hairstyle.

Take a look at the employees there: Do you like their hairstyle? The haircuts of the salon employees are often a good indication of how the salon works. If their cuts are not clean, you can actually leave the shop immediately.

Finally, give the store of your choice a chance. Pay attention to the cleanliness of the store, advice before the haircut, the execution of the cut, as well as tips and advice on the hairstyle. If you are satisfied, you have found a good hairdresser – if not, keep looking. Worth it.

Lifestyle

Skin Care in Winter – Protect Sensitive Skin in Good Time

Our skin is exposed to particular stresses in winter: dry heating air in the rooms, and cold winter air outside. In addition, it is supplied with less vitamin D due to a lack of sunlight and is usually cracked and dried quickly. Therefore, the right skincare in winter is important so that you can protect sensitive skin. Because with the right skin protection in winter, you can get through the cold season well.

Skin protection in winter is important

Winter means pure stress not only for sensitive skin. Because the cold lurks outside and the dry heating air inside. And both factors strain the skin and deprive it of moisture. As a result, the skin becomes dry, brittle, and cracked. While some home remedies help against dry skin, you should choose the right skincare in winter and ensure adequate skin protection.

1) The right skincare in winter

The main problem of sensitive skin in winter is dryness. Because the artificial heating air removes a lot of moisture from it, it flakes or dries out. This is where nourishing creams can help. However, it is important to use the right skincare. You protect your sensitive skin in winter with moisturizing and rich creams. Real chamomile, for example, has an anti-inflammatory and calming effect. Products with vegetable oils, such as nourishing argan oil or shea butter, also offer you suitable skin protection in winter.

2) Drink plenty of fluids

Protect sensitive skin from dryness in winter by drinking enough fluids. This way you supply them with liquid from the inside. Accordingly, drink at least 2-3 liters of water or tea per day. But you should avoid alcohol in winter because it also removes water from the body and contributes to the drying out of the skin. Likewise, avoid extensive bubble baths if you have sensitive skin. Instead, treat yourself to oil or cream baths.

3) Nutritious diet as skincare in winter

For suitable skin protection in winter, you should provide your skin with nutrient-rich nutrition. Therefore, eat salmon, nuts, or grapes for omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients. Flaxseed oil or walnut oil when cooking can also support this effect. And if you want to provide your skin with lots of vitamins, you should grab pomegranates in the supermarket. In winter they are increasingly available and can be wonderfully integrated into muesli, desserts, or fruit salads. In contrast, you should reduce salty food a little during the cold season, as it draws water out of the body.

4) Proper showering and bathing

Another simple winter skin care tip is showering and bathing properly. Accordingly, you should not shower and bathe too often, as this dries out your skin. Also note that the water is not too hot, it is better to shower a little colder to protect your skin. In addition, you should use pH-neutral, moisturizing, and moisturizing products.

5) Full bath with salt as skin protection

To keep your skin firm and elastic in winter, you can take a full bath with salt. To do this, dissolve half a packet of iodized salt in the bathtub. This has an invigorating effect. Because it stimulates blood circulation and thus keeps the connective tissue of the subcutaneous tissue taut. Then your skin will renew itself faster. But after this bathing experience, you should rinse yourself off with plenty of clear water and apply lotion carefully. It can still be a fatty cream.

6) Proper skincare in winter with gentle soap

Sensitive skin is additionally stressed by soaps with a high proportion of cosmetics. Therefore use natural soaps or pH-neutral soaps in winter. Many health food stores offer a great selection of soaps based on natural ingredients. You can also find natural cosmetics products on the internet. You should only wash your hands when it is really necessary. Because too much contact of the hands with water, soap, and the washing-up liquid dries out the skin. Consequently, you should always have a good hand cream with you to care for your hands.

7) Create a room climate that is healthy for the skin

You don’t always have to reduce the humidity. In winter with dry heating air, you should ensure a skin-healthy room climate. Indoor plants work wonders. Varieties such as spider plants, Cyprus grass, and lime trees are particularly suitable, as they release around 98 percent of the water they absorb back into the environment.

Lifestyle

Good Foods for Beautiful Skin

Special foods can ensure beautiful skin. Get beautiful skin from the inside with a good and balanced diet. Find out here which active ingredients are in your food and how they can tighten your skin.

There is often a direct connection between diet and the appearance of the skin. High-fat foods, such as fast food, often cause new pimples to form. But with the right diet, a good complexion can be supported and lastingly improve the complexion.

Skin as a large organ

The skin is the largest human organ and should be protected from the outside and inside alike. It can protect our bodies from harmful environmental influences and pathogens. And the days when only teenagers suffered from pimples are long gone. More and more adults are also suffering from impure skin and purulent rash. But the top layer of our skin renews itself every four to six weeks. And for this, it needs macronutrients, which we absorb with the diet. Consequently, the right foods can ensure beautiful skin.

Healthy nutrition for beautiful skin

A healthy diet is a basis for a healthy body with a functioning metabolism. As a result, the formation of new pimples is limited and elasticity is promoted. So that you can support your skin from the inside, we have collected some tips for you on foods for beautiful skin.

1) Drink lots of water

The basis for beautiful skin and a clear complexion is to drink a lot, preferably water. Because this contains no sugar and no other substances. Water has a detoxifying effect. Accordingly, you should consume at least 2 to four liters a day. It depends on your body weight and how much you should eat every day. Also, read our tips for soft and delicate skin.

2) Alkaline nutrition for beautiful skin

When it comes to your diet, you should pay attention to an alkaline diet, as many skin problems can arise due to hyperacidity. The alkaline diet is characterized by lots of fruit and vegetables. And this provides just as many vitamins and trace elements. As a result, a diet that includes a lot of raw food is not only good for the skin, but for the whole body. Also, note our tips against over-acidification of the body.

3) Avoid sugary foods
The high consumption of sugary foods, such as chocolate or white bread and other baked goods can cause bad and inflamed skin. Because this increases the insulin level and the result can be impure skin. Likewise, people with inflammatory skin diseases such as neurodermatitis should avoid sugary foods in order to avoid flare-ups. Consequently, foods for beautiful skin are sugar-free, or at least low in sugar. Please also note our contribution to identifying and reducing types of sugar.

4) Reduce dairy products

Likewise, insulin production and the insulin-like growth factor are stimulated by the protein contained in the milk. Consequently, this can also lead to impure and inflamed skin. Therefore, you should avoid dairy products or at least reduce them if you suffer from skin problems. Accordingly, milk is not one of the foods for beautiful skin.

5) Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin

The omega-3 fatty acid is a building block of the cell membrane and has an anti-inflammatory effect. They are extremely important for our metabolism and ensure the suppleness of our cells. Therefore, you should integrate them into your diet. Foods that contain this fatty acid include fish, such as salmon, herring, and mackerel. But vegetable products such as the wondrous avocado, flaxseed oil, walnuts, and rapeseed oil also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Also, read our article on omega-3 fish oil and its benefits.

6) Reduce omega-6 fatty acids

So that the body can absorb and process enough omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to consume a balanced ratio of both fatty acids. Since there is usually an excess of omega-6 fatty acids nowadays, it can be helpful to reduce them. And these are contained in many types of meat or in sunflower oil. So how about a delicious vegan minced meat alternative?

7) Beautiful skin with trace element silicon

Among other things, the trace element silicon is necessary to keep the skin elastic. And you don’t have to take this silicon as an expensive dietary supplement. Because you can find it in the popular asparagus, barley, and oats. The silicon contained in the food can effectively treat wrinkles.

8) Antioxidants for healthy skin

Antioxidants help fight free radicals and thus reduce the risk of disease. These antioxidants are also valuable for your skin. Because they protect against harmful environmental influences and strengthen and firm the skin. Therefore, you should ingest them with your food. You will find these, especially in dark fruits and vegetables, such as dark berries, beetroot, spinach, peppers, and the household remedy garlic.

Food

Slow Food: Good Reasons For Conscious Enjoyment

Slow food – the opposite of fast food – stands for the conscious enjoyment of food. The movement wants to promote a vibrant and sustainable culture of food.

Slow Food as a movement

In 1986, Carlo Petrini founded an association in Bra, northern Italy, which promotes a culture of culinary delights and a “moderate pace of life”. One of the triggers for this was the opening of a McDonalds branch on a baroque free bridge.

Three years later, in 1989, the international association Slow Food was founded and another three years later, in 1992 Slow Food Deutschland e.V. The mission is based on this philosophy:

“Three times a day, at every meal, we make decisions with far-reaching consequences. Our food is inextricably linked to politics, economy, society, culture, knowledge, agriculture, health and the environment”.

The central principles that apply to foods with a Slow Food character are derived from this: “buono, pulito e giusto” – good, clean and fair.

4 good reasons for Slow Food

1. Enjoy food

Enjoyment is the top priority at Slow Food: everyone should have a right to it. It’s about curbing blind consumption and creating awareness of the products that end up on our plates.

At the same time, this is a rejection of the to-go culture, which not only has little to do with enjoyment, but also produces vast amounts of unnecessary waste. When we are able to actively enjoy food, we also learn to appreciate its value. One of the central theses of Slow Food: “The shared meal is the basis of human coexistence”.

2. Health

Not only our mind is happy about conscious nutrition, but also the body. Food should be nutritious and healthy. Finished products and fast food often contain a lot of additives such as preservatives and flavor enhancers. The substances can be harmful to health, especially in large quantities. If you cook fresh yourself, you can do without such artificial ingredients – and get better quality and healthier meals.

3. Sustainability

The aim of Slow Food is to shape human nutrition in such a way that it can continue to exist in the future. A sustainable supply respects people, animals and nature.

4. Common Good

Social inequality is also a consequence of the consumption-oriented food system. Justice can only exist if everyone involved along the production chain works under fair conditions. In our current economic system, workers are systematically exploited for food production, especially in countries of the Global South, but also in Europe.

To change that, the Slow Food association founded the Terra Madre network. The network represents food producers worldwide who offer an alternative to industrial agriculture.

Food is political

Nutrition is an issue that affects everyone around the world. Without being fundamentalist, the Slow Food movement offers an alternative to unbridled consumption. Through enjoyment and awareness of our diet, we can create alternatives that not only benefit ourselves, but also the environment and community.

Food

Brain Food: These Foods are Good For Your Brain

Brain food refers to foods that are said to be particularly good for the brain. But which nutrients do our gray matter need? And what foods do they provide? We have the answers.

The human brain is the central control center of the organism, in which all information comes together. In order for it to function smoothly, the brain needs three things above all: enough oxygen, blood and the right nutrients. Brain Food is supposed to provide the right nutrients.

Brain Food: The brain needs these nutrients

Our brain is so complex that we are far from fully understanding it and how it works. Nevertheless, science agrees on a few points. When it comes to the right care, the following points are particularly important:
Water: Even before the actual brain food comes “brain liquid” – the brain needs enough liquid. A lack of water is quickly noticeable in the form of headaches, tiredness or poor concentration. That’s why you should drink about one and a half to two liters throughout the day – preferably water or tea. On hot days or physically demanding phases, it can be more.
Carbohydrates: The brain gets the energy it needs from carbohydrates. Instead of fast sugar, you should rely on complex carbohydrates (see below). These are slowly broken down into glucose in the digestive tract – this is how the brain gets the necessary glucose over longer periods of time.
Protein: Protein consists of amino acids, which serve as building material for the messenger substances. These are also called neurotransmitters and are responsible for the transmission of information in the brain. Of the 20 amino acids, eight cannot be made by the body – they must be obtained from food.
Fat: Brain and nerve cells are padded with fatty tissue for protection. The unsaturated fatty acids, especially the omega-3 fatty acids, are important for the functioning of the brain and make up two-thirds of the fatty acids in the brain.
Vitamins: The brain needs vitamins to produce messenger substances and to protect the cells from free radicals. The most important vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C and the B vitamins B1, B6, folic acid and B12.
Minerals: Minerals and trace elements are important for many tasks in the brain, especially for information transfer. Calcium, magnesium and iron are particularly important here.

This brain food provides the right carbohydrates

The brain needs about 120 grams of glucose, also known as dextrose, every day. Sweets provide this simple sugar quickly, but after the brief energy boost, the sugar level drops rapidly again. However, the brain needs a steady supply of glucose, which long-chain, complex carbohydrates provide. The best suppliers for this are:
Whole grain cereals, such as bread made from whole grain flour
Legumes such as lentils, beans and peas
potatoes
some fruits and vegetables, such as bananas
Dried fruit, muesli bars or trail mix
Especially if you put a lot of strain on your brain, you should avoid long breaks between meals: After five hours or more, the blood sugar level has dropped so much that the ability to concentrate decreases.

Good protein sources for a healthy brain

In order for our thinking apparatus to remain in top form, it also needs sufficient protein. Meat or animal products such as eggs and yoghurt are not necessarily required to cover the necessary intake. Although these are good sources of protein, you can also meet your protein requirements with a vegetarian or vegan diet. In this category, the best brain foods are:
Legumes such as lentils, beans and peas
soy products
whole grains
Nuts, especially peanuts, hazelnuts and walnuts
Seeds, in particular hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed and chia seeds
animal products such as cheese, turkey breast, beef, salmon, shrimp, low-fat quark or eggs

Brain food: foods with unsaturated fatty acids

With fats, a distinction is made between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in hydrogenated fats (e.g. in margarine or animal fats) and should be consumed with caution.

Above all, our body and brain need unsaturated fatty acids, which are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are also called essential fatty acids. The best suppliers of these healthy fatty acids are:
Nuts, especially walnuts and Brazil nuts
almonds
high-quality vegetable oils, for example rapeseed oil, linseed oil, walnut oil or soybean oil
Seeds, in particular hemp seeds, cashew nuts
fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, eel, herring, tuna or sardines

Vitamins for the brain – the best foods

The various vitamins are important for the human organism and are also needed in many places in the brain. Vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C protect against free radical damage. The B vitamins are crucial for the metabolism of messenger substances and the ability to concentrate. You can meet your vitamin requirements with the following foods:
Vitamin A: Dark green, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, corn, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, or apricots) and some animal products (especially liver, butter, cheese, egg yolks, and oily fish)
Vitamin E: Cereals, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and eggs
B vitamins B1, B6 and folic acid: whole grains, wheat germ, nuts and seeds, legumes, potatoes, cabbage, vegetables, fish, cheese
More information: vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12
Vitamin C: peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, sea buckthorn, potatoes, rosehip

The most important minerals – this brain food provides them

The most important minerals for the brain include calcium, magnesium and iron. These all have different functions for the brain.

Calcium: Vegetables (kale, broccoli, fennel, Chinese cabbage), nuts and seeds (poppy, sesame, almonds, hazelnuts), whole wheat bread, milk and dairy products
Magnesium: Vegetables (Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, spinach), legumes, whole grains, brown rice, cocoa, nuts and seeds
Iron: Legumes, oat flakes, nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame, pistachios, linseed), vegetables (spinach, broccoli, lamb’s lettuce, rocket), sugar beet syrup, wheat germ, currants, meat, fish

A healthy brain through diet and lifestyle

So it’s true: some foods can rightly be labeled “brain food”. In particular, nuts and seeds, high-quality oils, legumes and fresh vegetables are important for the brain – be it for the right fatty acids, sufficient protein intake or the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Nevertheless, you don’t have to analyze each nutrient individually and adjust your food accordingly by gram: With a balanced diet, you usually provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. It should be colourful, diverse and varied. Include various seeds, nuts and germinated sprouts as well as whole grain products and legumes in your diet and combine them with as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible.

However, a healthy lifestyle does not stop with nutrition: Sufficient exercise and lots of fresh air are just as important as a positive attitude and relaxation. You can also train your brain in a targeted manner and keep it fit. Meditation and mindfulness exercises have also been shown to promote a healthy body and mind.

Food

Palm Sugar: How Good is The Sugar Substitute?

October 26, 2025

Palm sugar is extremely popular as a sugar substitute. But how healthy is plant sugar really – and what about its sustainability?

Palm sugar (also traditionally called “jagre”) is a type of sugar extracted from the sap of various types of palm trees. Sugar has a long tradition in Asia – but you can now buy it from us.

Palm sugar tastes less sweet than regular sugar and has a slight caramel flavor. It has one thing in common with conventional types of sugar such as cane sugar and beet sugar: its main component is sucrose.

Production of palm sugar

Palm sugar is based on the blossoms of the atta palm, sugar palm or date palm. A viscous juice can be extracted from the cut flowers, which is then boiled and crystallized into a syrup. The sugar crystals are then ground and packaged as caster sugar.

A special form of palm sugar is coconut blossom sugar. For this variant, the manufacturers only use the juice of the coconut palm.

Is palm sugar really healthier than regular sugar?

Some manufacturers of palm sugar advertise that the plant-based sweetener is healthier than conventional types of sugar. However, when researching this article, we could not find any scientific studies that support this. Even if palm sugar is no more harmful to your body than conventional sugar – the exotic sweetness is not much healthier. Sugar is just sugar.

Only when it comes to the glycemic index (GI) does palm sugar perform better than table sugar. The GI for palm sugar is 35, for table sugar it is around 68. This means that the blood sugar rises less with palm sugar. Foods with a low GI also tend to keep you full longer. Foods with a high GI, on the other hand, are said to increase cholesterol levels in the long term.

Its glycemic index initially sounds like a clear advantage for palm sugar. Local honey, which is ultimately more sustainable and cheaper, also has similarly low GI values.

Food

Good Carbohydrates and Which Ones to Avoid: an Overview

October 26, 2025

“Good carbs” are said to be healthier than other types of carbs. We have summarized which foods contain which carbohydrates and what you should consider.

Good carbohydrates: That’s what makes them special

Carbohydrates are found in almost all foods. These are nutrients that your body uses for energy. To do this, digestive enzymes have to break down carbohydrates into sugars.

“Good carbs” is a slang term for a specific type of carbohydrate – the complex sugars. In food, you mainly encounter them as starch or cellulose, the building material of plant fibers.

Good carbohydrates: These foods contain them

These foods contain healthy carbohydrates:
Legumes such as peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils or peanuts
Grains such as whole wheat products, brown rice, oats, spelt, buckwheat, millet, quinoa and amaranth.
All types of vegetables (Potatoes and sweet potatoes are particularly rich in healthy starch.)
Nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds
Seeds such as pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Lose weight with good carbohydrates?

Studies indicate that carbohydrates can help you lose weight. They make test subjects less irritable and they can stick to diets longer.

Long-chain carbohydrates are mostly found in vegetables. They help you to eat a wholesome and balanced diet.
Many nutrients – little fat: Vegetables, as well as whole grain products or legumes, usually also contain vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances. On the other hand, their fat content is lower.
Roughage: Roughage from cellulose promotes digestion.

Good carbs: what are the bad ones then?

Your body does not have to convert “bad” carbohydrates into sugar first. They can enter the blood immediately as sugar and are available as energy a short time after the meal. The blood sugar level rises quickly from such carbohydrates, but it also quickly ebbs away again. That’s why the unhealthy carbohydrates don’t fill you up and you’ll quickly feel hungry again.

These sugar compounds consist of short molecular chains with a single bond (mono) or a double bond (di). These sugars are also called mono- or disaccharides by their chemical names. These include, for example:
Beet sugar, which is usually what household sugar is made of
Fructose, the fruit sugar in fruit
Glucose, for example, in dextrose
Lactose, the milk sugar
Maltose, the malt sugar
These “bad” carbs are often hidden in foods where you wouldn’t expect any sugar, such as convenience foods like ketchup, fruit yogurt, or soft drinks.