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Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats: Which is Healthier?

What is behind saturated and unsaturated fatty acids? We will show you briefly and concisely where they are contained, what is better and what effect the fatty acids have on your body.

Difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids

Fat is important for our body – along with proteins and carbohydrates, it is one of the basic nutrients. Every fat contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Fat isn’t clearly healthy or unhealthy – it depends on how much you’re eating and where it’s coming from. Unsaturated fatty acids are healthier. But saturated fats also have their place and don’t always have to be bad in moderation.

Which fatty acids are contained in which and what do they do?
Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in hydrogenated edible fats (e.g. margarine, palm fat, all animal fats, coconut fat) and in most finished products. You can tell they’re firm (or spreadable) at room temperature. Saturated fats provide a lot of energy.
Unsaturated fatty acids are mainly found in vegetable oils and are very sensitive to heat, which is why you should not use olive oil for frying, for example. Unsaturated fatty acids are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The monounsaturated fatty acids help build the cell membrane, polyunsaturated (also called essential fatty acids) are important for the development of the body. You can find them in meat, grains and potatoes, but also in vegetable oils, nuts, fish and avocados.

Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats: How Much is Healthy?

Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends that no more than seven to ten percent of the total energy intake should consist of saturated fatty acids. Too many such fats can increase cholesterol and blood pressure. This, in turn, often leads to heart disease and obesity.

Monounsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, have a positive effect on fat metabolism. Polyunsaturated fatty acids even lower cholesterol levels.

In the production of edible fat such as butter or margarine, but also if you heat fats too much, trans fats can be formed from unsaturated fatty acids. These also increase the “bad” LDL cholesterol level and lower the “good” HDL cholesterol level.

The Federal Office for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends no more than one percent trans fatty acids for a healthy diet – however, trans fats are contained in many processed foods. They are currently not subject to declaration in Germany, so you cannot tell from the packaging whether a product contains them. For example, avoid them by cutting out fried foods, shortening, margarine, and baked goods made with them.

Coconut oil consists almost exclusively of saturated fatty acids, but is not harmful – provided it is “virgin coconut oil”.

Attention: Coconut products have been transported a long way and the cultivation is often not very sustainable either: In order to meet the increasing demand, coconuts are often grown in monocultures and treated with pesticides.

Summary: Which is better?

Even if fat is generally discredited, it is important and very healthy in moderation – it all depends on which fat you eat.

Saturated fats are found in many foods, especially processed ones. It therefore makes sense to avoid such products as far as possible. If possible, switch to unsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oils.

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Ceylon Cinnamon: Is It Really Healthier?

Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices. The Ceylon cinnamon variety is not only delicious, it is also considered to be particularly healthy. But is that really true?

Ceylon cinnamon is obtained from the bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree. The tree originally came from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) – hence the name. Today, however, Ceylon cinnamon is also grown in other regions of South Asia, such as the Seychelles and Madagascar.

Although Ceylon cinnamon is probably the best-known type of cinnamon, we mainly get the Chinese variety Cassia cinnamon in this country. Because it is cheaper and has a stronger aroma. If you buy cinnamon sticks, you can recognize real Ceylon cinnamon by the fact that the sticks are fine-leaved and consist of several thin layers.

How healthy is Ceylon cinnamon?

The interesting components of cinnamon are the essential oils, of which the cinnamon bark contains up to four percent. The so-called cinnamaldehyde has the largest share in this. This substance gives Ceylon cinnamon and the other varieties their characteristic aroma. The remaining components of the essential oils are partly different for the two types. This applies, for example, to these two substances:
Eugenol: While Ceylon cinnamon contains up to ten percent of the substance, cassia cinnamon contains almost zero. Eugenol is one of the polyphenols that are known as cell-protecting antioxidants. A study on cell cultures and rats confirms that eugenol has an antioxidant effect. However, the study does not show whether this substance also has a positive effect on the human body. Nor can she explain how eugenol works in conjunction with the other ingredients in Ceylon cinnamon.
Coumarin: Here it’s the other way around: according to Foodwatch, cassia cinnamon contains about 200 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon, and Stiftung Warentest came to a similar conclusion. The substance is considered liver-damaging if you ingest too much of it. Cassia cinnamon contains so much that you already reach the recommended maximum limit with two grams of it per day.
Since Ceylon cinnamon contains significantly less coumarin than cassia cinnamon, it is healthier, at least in larger amounts.

There are many studies that have examined cinnamon itself and have found different positive effects – for both varieties. The following two reviews summarize some study results:
A 2014 review cites studies concluding that cinnamon is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial. It is also said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, just as in the case of eugenol, human clinical trials are lacking.
Another review looks at studies looking at whether cinnamon can lower blood pressure. The available studies seem to confirm this, but the authors of the review come to the conclusion that there are too few studies to clearly demonstrate an antihypertensive effect.
Overall, there is a lot of evidence that both Ceylon and Cassia cinnamon are healthy, even if there have been too few clinical studies to date. Because it contains a lot of coumarin, you should only use it very sparingly – especially if children are eating with you.

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9 Psychological Tricks to Lose Weight Healthier

Psychological tricks to lose weight healthier to help you get slim. Lose weight successfully without sport through simple measures. To do this, the psychological background of eating and gaining weight must be taken into account.

In order to be able to lose weight healthier, simple psychological tricks will help you in everyday life. They support you in getting slim without putting you on a radical diet. That’s why they’re so effective. Because success begins with your attitude and your thoughts.

Healthier weight loss without exercise

If you want to lose weight these days, it’s not easy. Because sweet temptations are lurking everywhere and there is often a lack of movement in everyday life. It can quickly happen that you gain a few finds that you actually don’t want to have. And as long as you feel comfortable in your own skin, nobody should embark on a radical diet! But if you feel the need to lose weight, psychological tricks can help you lose weight. And all without a diet plan, renunciation, and competitive sports!

Good reasons to lose weight

Nobody should be forced to lose weight if they feel comfortable in their own skin. However, being overweight can pose a health risk. If that’s the case, you should try to reduce your weight and do something good for your health. Because the consequences of morbid obesity are manifold and should be taken seriously.

Tips for healthier weight loss

If you’re one of those people who would like to lose some weight but don’t have the time or desire to do intensive sports, then try the psychological tricks for losing weight. They should help to achieve long-term success against excess weight. Because the mistake of many diets is that they give too many rules and only a few stick with them in the long term. And sometimes clever tricks help to look slimmer and appear thinner.

1) Never go hungry!

Starvation or delaying the next meal often leads to food cravings. And in such a case one tends to eat more than is appropriate in a diet. Therefore, it makes much more sense to satisfy your small hunger with a piece of fruit or yogurt. As a result, you may be able to reduce weight a little more slowly but more effectively this way. Likewise, strictly abstaining from eating only reinforces the urge for more. And the only thoughts revolve around the food!

2) Avoid cravings and hidden sugars

Since ravenous hunger attacks often trigger a guilty conscience or lead to abandoning the diet, you should break the ravenous hunger spiral. In addition, sugar makes us dependent. From childhood, we are conditioned to eat something sweet when we have done well or when we are sad. To break this psychological thought pattern, try to learn new reward strategies. You should also avoid hidden sugars. In the following video, you will learn more about insidious food cravings and how to get rid of them. In addition, see our article on nutrition and cravings during pregnancy.

3) Reduce stress and lose weight

Too much stress in everyday life can cause cravings and increase the craving for sweet food. Because the sweet temptation is known to calm the soul. As a result, we like to reward ourselves with a bar of chocolate or a bag of chips while watching TV after a hard day’s work. Therefore, it can help if you use stress-reducing agents. With less stress, you can lose weight sustainably.

4) Inform others, helps with weight loss

Informing friends and family helps with weight loss. Because if your environment knows your diet plans, they will not tempt you to diet sin. It may also be that your environment welcomes your change in diet and who knows – maybe you will find fellow campaigners in your environment who also want to lose a few kilos? You can get to know the advantages of superfoods together and work on a healthy dream figure.

5) Meaningful employment and activities

If you want to lose weight successfully, you should structure your everyday life with meaningful activities to prevent boredom or idleness. Because a full day with meaningful activities distracts from eating. So make a list of important and fun things you’ve wanted to do for a long time. Accordingly, you can redecorate your apartment, go to the swimming pool or have a wellness day. Sporting activities also help to ensure mental well-being and help to reduce weight. So go for a long walk. In addition, a walk can stimulate digestion, which is just as important when losing weight.

6) A memento motivates

If you want to lose weight with a diet, a piece of clothing that you fit into when you were “fattest” can serve as a motivational aid. So pick up the garment and slip it on from time to time. You’ll be amazed at how good it feels when the garment feels wider and wider. And this positive feeling should be an incentive and give you the feeling that you are on the right track to losing weight more effectively and healthily. In addition, note our tips for self-motivation.

7) Souvenir photo as a reminder

If you really want to lose weight with a diet, a clever trick can help you avoid constantly getting food out of the fridge. To do this, attach a photo to the pantry and refrigerator door that shows you in your “toughest” times. Every time you want to get something out, you’ll get a quick reminder not to deviate from your goals. Consequently, a good tip for healthier weight loss without exercise. You can also hang up a picture from your “best” times.

8) Hide the candy

Everyone knows that sweets should be avoided or only allowed in very limited amounts when dieting. Therefore, you should not tempt yourself with the sweets you have by storing them incorrectly. Consequently, these should not be lying around openly and within reach. In order to be able to lose weight more healthily, it helps to store the sweets well where you cannot see them all the time. It can also be useful if you hide them in a way that makes them more difficult to reach, for example on top of the kitchen cupboard. In line with this, note our tips on the correct storage of food.

9) Weight table creates control

If you want to lose weight in a healthy way, keeping a weight chart can have a motivating and controlling purpose. Accordingly, enter your starting weight at the beginning of the weight loss phase. Then add the new values ​​so that little by little the success becomes visible. It is also important to check that you are not losing too much weight too quickly. This way you can avoid health hazards and the yo-yo effect. To avoid uncertainty, step on the scales no more than once a week.

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Oat or Spelled Flakes? Which Breakfast is Healthier

Both spelled flakes and oat flakes are suitable for a healthy, nutritious breakfast. We compared the nutritional values ​​of the two cereals.

Oat porridge is probably one of the most popular breakfast foods – especially among athletes, because oatmeal is known to be rich in proteins. But you can also prepare the delicious breakfast porridge or muesli from spelled flakes. You can find out here which nutritional values ​​the cereal flakes provide you with in detail.

Spelled flakes vs. oat flakes: nutritional value comparison

Oatmeal is high in protein, healthy fats and fiber, and also provides some vitamins and minerals. More information: nutritional values ​​​​of oatmeal. Oats have earned their reputation as a healthy breakfast ingredient—but spelled can keep up, too.

The macronutrients of oat flakes and spelled flakes in comparison (per 100 grams):
Calories: With around 350 to 370 kilocalories, spelled flakes and oat flakes have about the same energy density.
Carbohydrates: Both cereals are rich in high-quality long-chain carbohydrates. With around 64 grams, spelled flakes provide a little more than oat flakes with around 59 grams.
Proteins: Spelled flakes provide about 14 grams of vegetable protein. With around 13 grams, oat flakes can almost keep up with this considerable value.
Fat: The spelled flakes contain around 2.6 grams of fat. In comparison, oatmeal is quite high in fat, at about seven grams of fat. In both cases, however, it is mainly unsaturated fatty acids that are considered healthy fats.
Fiber: With around 8.4 grams of fiber, spelled flakes are among the foods rich in fiber. Oatmeal can even go one better with almost ten percent fiber content. The breakfast cereals thus contribute to healthy digestion.

Conclusion: In terms of macronutrients, oat and spelled flakes perform similarly. Both types of grain can score with a high protein and fiber content as well as with complex carbohydrates. The biggest difference lies in the fat content: spelled flakes are significantly lower in fat than oat flakes. However, these are mainly the health-promoting unsaturated fatty acids.

Oat or spelled flakes: vitamins in comparison

When comparing the two cereal flakes, it is also worth taking a look at the micronutrients they contain. Both oat and spelled flakes provide valuable vitamins:
Vitamin B1: 100 grams of spelled flakes cover around 30 percent of the daily thiamine requirement and still provide only half as much vitamin B1 as oat flakes. The latter contain a proud 0.6 milligrams of thiamine. The flakes support the metabolism and are healthy for the nervous system.
Vitamin B2: With the same amount of spelled flakes you can still cover 8.6 percent of your daily riboflavin requirement. They have about as much vitamin B2 as oatmeal (nine percent of the Guideline Daily Amount GDA).
Vitamin B3: While spelled flakes do not contain any significant amount of niacin, 100 grams of oat flakes can cover a quarter of your daily needs. So oat flakes perform significantly better here – and are therefore particularly good for metabolism, cell division, the immune system as well as skin and muscles.
Vitamin B5: Oatmeal can also score points with vitamin B5. 100 grams cover around 18 percent of the GDA and thus support the energy metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Vitamin B6: Spelled flakes are particularly rich in vitamin B6. With around 25 percent of the GDA, they provide about twice as much vitamin B6 as oatmeal and thus support a healthy metabolism as well as the nervous and immune systems.
Vitamin E: Both oat flakes and spelled flakes are rich in vitamin E. While 100 grams of spelled flakes cover around 10.5 percent of the GDA, oat flakes even manage around twelve percent. The cereal flakes thus protect the cells from free radicals.
Conclusion: Spelled flakes provide a lot of important vitamins. Compared to oats, spelled scores with a particularly high vitamin B6 content. Oatmeal, on the other hand, contains more vitamins B1, B3 and B5. Both cereal flakes contain about the same amount of vitamins B2 and E.

You also get important minerals from both oat and spelled flakes:
Iron: 100 grams of spelled flakes cover 20 percent of the daily iron requirement, oat flakes even more than 35 percent. The breakfast cereals thus support a healthy immune system and the transport of oxygen in the blood.
Potassium: There are about 330 milligrams of potassium in 100 grams of spelled flakes – about 16.5 percent of the GDA. Oatmeal even manages to reach almost 400 milligrams. This makes the flakes particularly healthy for the muscles.
Magnesium: With 105 milligrams per 100 grams, spelled flakes can cover around 35 percent of the GDA. Oatmeal contains even more magnesium with 130 milligrams. Both cereals contribute to healthy muscles and metabolism.
Zinc: 100 grams of spelled flakes cover about 31 percent of the daily zinc requirement – oat flakes even about 60 percent. The mineral is important for healthy skin and hair.
Conclusion: With these minerals, both spelled flakes and oat flakes can contribute to a balanced diet. A comparison shows that oat flakes provide slightly more vital minerals than spelled flakes.

Oat or spelled flakes? – Conclusion of the comparison

Both in terms of macronutrients and micronutrients, oat and spelled flakes are convincing. Both cereal flakes are rich in vegetable protein, fiber and long-chain carbohydrates – and also provide lots of vitamins and minerals.

In a direct comparison, it is noticeable that oat flakes contain slightly more minerals: Iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc are contained in both cereal flakes, but in higher proportions in oats.

Oatmeal is also a bit healthier in terms of vitamin content: they contain a particularly large amount of vitamins B1, B3 and B5. On the other hand, spelled flakes provide twice as much vitamin B6 as oat flakes. This makes it clear once again why a varied diet is so important.

The bottom line is that both spelled flakes and oat flakes are extremely healthy: We therefore recommend that you neither limit yourself to one nor the other and instead vary them occasionally or mix both types. Variety on the daily menu is an important part of a balanced diet.

Only in the case of gluten intolerance (celiac disease) are spelled flakes eliminated because of their relatively high gluten content. Oats, on the other hand, are gluten-free. But beware: rolled oats and other oat products can be contaminated with wheat residues. Therefore, pay attention to the “gluten-free” packaging note when buying if you suffer from celiac disease.

We also recommend that you buy organic oat and spelled flakes – like other foods. Because: As Öko-Test found out, conventional oatmeal is often contaminated with glyphosate.

By the way: spelled and oat flakes hardly differ in taste either. Both have a slightly nutty taste with an individual touch. You can use the flakes either cold in muesli, cooked as porridge, baked as granola, pureed in a smoothie or for vegan patties and when baking, for example for delicious biscuits.

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Left-Handed or Right-Handed Lactic Acid: Which is Healthier?

Right-handed lactic acid is said to be healthier than left-handed. But, is this really the truth? We explain how the two lactic acids differ and what is behind them.

Lactic acid is found in a wide variety of foods. It is not only found in dairy products, but also in sauerkraut, for example, and as an additive in jams and preserves. Lactic acid is formed in dairy products when lactic acid bacteria convert lactose. The acid ensures that the food does not spoil as quickly and tastes sour. There are two different types of lactic acid: left-handed and right-handed lactic acid. We explain how they differ.

Left-handed and right-handed lactic acid

When scientists want to find out whether they are looking at left- or right-handed lactic acid, they shine light on it. Because the two lactic acids change certain properties of light in different ways: Strictly speaking, light is a wave that oscillates up and down in a certain way. This is called polarization. Left-handed lactic acid turns this polarization (i.e. the direction of oscillation of the light) to the left and right-handed ones to the right.

How can that be? Both types of lactic acid have a slightly different structure. They both contain two bonded carbon atoms, to which one oxygen and one hydrogen atom are attached. In the left-handed lactic acid, both of these little oxygen-hydrogen arms are on the same side, but not in the right-hand one. The right-handed lactic acid is “twisted in on itself”.

Left-handed and right-handed lactic acid: Mixed in nature

Lactic acid is not the only substance that can exist in different forms. Another example is amino acids. What is unique, however, is that both left- and right-handed lactic acid occur in nature. When you eat a food that has lactic acid, it’s usually a mixture of both.

But there are also yoghurts on which the manufacturers advertise that they contain a particularly large amount of dextrorotatory lactic acid. This variant is considered healthier. But is that true?

Is dextrorotatory lactic acid really healthier?

It seems logical that right-handed lactic acid is healthier than left-handed. According to Stiftung Warentest, it is the only one that is a product of human metabolism. In addition, the human body can break down dextrorotary lactic acid more quickly. The body must first convert left-handed lactic acid into right-handed ones in order to metabolize it.

For a long time there was a suspicion that left-handed lactic acid could acidify the blood. However, scientists could not confirm this suspicion. Instead, both variants are considered equally healthy.

Exception: Babies lack the enzyme that converts left-handed into right-handed lactic acid. Therefore they do not tolerate left-turning lactic acid. The Federal Center for Nutrition recommends giving small children sour milk products such as yoghurt only from their first birthday and then only in small quantities. People who are missing part of the intestine sometimes cannot tolerate levorotatory lactic acid either.

Lactic acid for a good intestinal flora

It doesn’t matter whether it’s left-handed or right-handed: lactic acid is healthy.
According to the UGB health platform, lactic acid stimulates digestion, regulates the body’s acid balance and has positive effects on the intestinal mucosa.
In addition, lactic acid occurs together with its producers, the lactic acid bacteria. These support a healthy intestinal flora.

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These Vegetables Are Healthier When Cooked Than Raw

Vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals and other valuable substances. However, you should cook some types of vegetables to really benefit from the nutrients.

Anyone who pays attention to a healthy and balanced diet should eat as much fruit and vegetables as possible. However, how much the body has of the nutrients depends on the preparation. Some vitamins and minerals only become optimally “bioavailable” when heated, i.e. they can be absorbed by our body. These include, for example, vitamin A and vitamin E

1. Carrots

Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene, which is good for the heart, circulation and skin, among other things. However, the body has difficulty absorbing the beta-carotene from raw carrots. It will be easier if the roots are cooked. Cooking causes the cell walls of the carrot to swell, allowing the beta-carotene to dissolve better.

In order to get as many nutrients as possible, you should only wash the carrot and not peel it. The bowl contains a particularly large number of valuable substances. In order for the body to be able to process the beta-carotene, it also needs some fat, for example a drop of olive oil.

2. Pumpkin

The same applies to pumpkins as to carrots. The plants also contain a lot of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body

3. Tomatoes

From a botanical point of view, the tomato is a fruit vegetable – in our kitchen it is mainly used in salads or sauces. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, a carotenoid responsible for the red color. The substance has an anti-inflammatory effect and also has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Thanks to its antioxidant effect, it protects the cells from free radicals.

However, tomatoes have comparatively thick cell walls, making it difficult for the body to get to the lycopene. Cooking breaks down the cellular structures and makes the substance easier to absorb. Although this also reduces vitamin C, lycopene is much more effective than vitamin C, especially as a free radical scavenger.

4. Spinach

Most people eat spinach cooked anyway, but the plant is also often used raw in salads and smoothies. However, spinach contains oxalic acid, which can be harmful in large amounts. Oxalic acid also prevents calcium absorption. The heat from cooking breaks down oxalic acid.

Cook gently

In principle, the following applies to vegetables: it is better to cook them gently so that as many of the sensitive nutrients as possible are preserved. Also, don’t throw away the liquid that’s left over after cooking. It contains some of the vitamins and minerals and can be used well for soups or sauces.

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Soy Milk vs. Cow’s Milk: Which is Healthier, More Sustainable, More Ethical?

Cows are destroying the climate and soy is destroying the rainforest. Cow’s milk makes you fat and soy milk causes allergies. Or? Anyone who wants to consume milk responsibly or is looking for alternatives will encounter many rumours. We did our research: is soy milk healthy, sustainable, animal-friendly compared to cow’s milk and other milk alternatives?

Milk is one of the most common foods and one of the most controversial at the same time – for several reasons. While for decades it was considered essential for our health, today many people doubt the health benefits of milk or are even convinced that it is unhealthy. Others want to do without milk because of their poor climate balance or because they find animal husbandry unacceptable.

But how healthy soy milk (correct: soy drink) is is also the subject of wild debates. The popular milk substitute not only has fans: in addition to possible health side effects, the environmental impact of cultivation and transport and the use of genetic engineering are also criticized.

In the following, we will therefore take a very close look at soy milk and cow’s milk – and also show how healthy soy milk is in comparison to other milk alternatives.

Which is healthier: cow’s milk or soy milk?

From “cow’s milk is important because of the calcium” to “cow’s milk causes allergies” to “soy milk is so healthy that it helps against cancer” – there are tons of claims, rumors and half-truths circulating about the health effects of cow’s milk and soy milk. Some things are true, some aren’t.

Calcium: Is it missing in the soy drink?

Cow’s milk is actually high in calcium (or: calcium). Calcium is a very important substance for building and maintaining our bone mass. A lack of calcium can lead to or worsen osteoporosis. Sufficient calcium intake is particularly important for growing children.

However, we do not depend on milk for this. Calcium can also be obtained from other foods. There is a lot of calcium in green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, rocket, chard and spinach as well as in beans (including soybeans) and some nuts and seeds such as hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and sesame.

Conclusion: Soy milk contains less calcium than cow’s milk. However, there are alternative calcium-fortified soy drinks and other plant-based foods that help meet calcium needs.

Vitamin Content: Is Soy Milk Healthy Enough?

Both cow’s milk and soy milk contain some important vitamins. However, soy milk lacks the important vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost exclusively in foods of animal origin – and is very important for our bodies. A vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious health consequences.

However: Many soy drinks and other plant-based milk alternatives contain the additive vitamin B12 (also found on the labels as cyanocobalamin or cobalamin).

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Old Apple Varieties: That’s Why They’re Healthier

Old apple varieties were long forgotten, but now they are experiencing a renaissance. Because they not only provide more taste variety and biodiversity, but are also healthier – especially for allergy sufferers.

What are old apple varieties?

Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Gala: These three apple varieties are among the “usual suspects” in supermarket fruit displays. There you will find just a small fraction of the estimated 2,000 apple varieties that exist in Germany. Only about 20 varieties are grown in economically significant quantities. The other varieties can only be found in certain regions, for example, in the gardens of hobby gardeners and self-sufficient people or on meadow orchards. These include many so-called “old apple varieties”, such as Berlepsch, Boskoop, Cox Orange or the Gravensteiner.

Old apple varieties have been cultivated in this country for a long time, sometimes for centuries. However, they have not been overbred like many of the most popular apple varieties in the supermarket. In particular, conventional apples are bred in such a way that they are resistant to plant diseases or are easy to store and transport. These breeds are often at the expense of the ingredients and the variety of tastes. Old varieties, on the other hand, have retained their unique taste.

What makes old apple varieties particularly healthy?

In addition to their special aroma, old apple varieties are also interesting because of their health benefits. These were mainly due to the high polyphenol content in old apple varieties.

Polyphenols are aromatic compounds that are mostly found in or just under the apple skin. There is research by the BUND Group Lemgo in cooperation with the allergy center of the Charité Berlin on the polyphenol content in old apple varieties. They have shown that the high amount of polyphenols apparently contributes to the fact that many apple allergy sufferers can tolerate old apple varieties without any problems. And that’s not all: the studies also showed that people who were allergic to apples had fewer problems with hay fever if they regularly consumed the well-tolerated varieties. In adults, hay fever often occurs in combination with an apple allergy.

Polyphenols are found in much larger amounts in old apple varieties because they were bred from new varieties. According to the NDR, polyphenols normally ensure that the pulp turns brown after the apple has been cut. Such breeds no longer have the alleged problem of an unappetizing appearance, but they also lack the health-promoting effect of the polyphenols in the apple.

In addition to positive effects for apple allergy sufferers, polyphenols have also been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-regulating properties.

Why old apple varieties are important

Breeding and crossing of different apple varieties have been taking place for centuries. Over time, a large variety of varieties, flavors, shapes and colors has emerged. But there is not much left of this diversity today. The modern, global economic system focuses on maximizing yield and year-round availability of apples. As a result, apples are mainly only grown in such a way that they are easy to transport, store and resistant.

So far, old apple varieties have not been able to assert themselves against the mass of optimized supermarket apples. But thanks to the increasing interest in sustainability and organic farming, many old apple varieties are being rediscovered. Efforts are being made to conserve or revive these varieties so they don’t die out completely. This promotes variety.

The environment and regional agriculture also benefit from the growing interest in old apple varieties. Some of these strains only thrive in certain regions. Local farmers have less work with apple varieties that are perfectly adapted to the environment. And consumers can be sure that they are shopping in a more environmentally friendly way if they choose seasonal and regional apples.

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