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Are Raisins Healthy? Ingredients of The Dried Grapes

Raisins are ubiquitous in muesli and trail mix – but are they healthy?

Raisins are nothing more than dried grapes: the grapes are harvested when ripe and hung up to dry until they hardly contain any water. There are different varieties, from the light sultanas to the small, dark currants.

Rock fruits like raisins are often recommended as healthy snack alternatives to sweets. In the following sections you will learn whether raisins are really healthy.

Are Raisins Healthy? These are their ingredients

Like all dried fruits, raisins mainly contain: Sugar – a full 60 percent. Therefore, it is already clear that raisins are only healthy as long as you eat them in moderation. The advantage over other sweets, however, is that the sugar from raisins does not get into your blood as quickly because raisins contain a lot of fiber (four to five percent). That means: raisins fill you up longer than other sweet snacks and make you less prone to cravings.

Above all, raisins are healthy because they contain valuable minerals and vitamins. The proportion of these nutrients is particularly high:
B vitamins: The B vitamins from B1 to B12 are irreplaceable in our body, especially for the numerous metabolic processes. Raisins contain several B vitamins, specifically B1, B3, B5, and B6.
Potassium: This mineral is especially important for muscles. Raisins contain 780 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams, which is about 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance.
Iron: Iron fulfills important tasks in the body, in particular it ensures that the cells are sufficiently supplied with oxygen. We need to consume around ten to 15 milligrams of iron every day – 100 grams of raisins already contain around 20 percent of this. Important: Your body can only absorb this large amount of iron together with vitamin C. Since raisins contain very little vitamin C, you should eat them with something containing vitamin C. How about a delicious couscous salad with peppers, raisins and a lemon dressing, for example?
By the way: Unlike fresh grapes or wine, raisins contain hardly any of the notorious secondary plant substance resveratrol, which is found in grapes and is said to have a cell-protecting effect in our body, among other things.

Are Raisins Healthy? Quality matters

Raisins have a long shelf life thanks to their sugar content – but sultanas in particular are often sulphurised. The sulphurisation should make them even more durable and ensure that the raisins do not discolour.

Attention: A sulphurization must only be declared on the packaging as soon as ten milligrams of sulphites or more are used for one kilo of raisins. You can only completely avoid sulphites if you explicitly buy unsulphured fruit. But what is the problem with sulfites? On the one hand some people do not tolerate them well, on the other hand they reduce the vitamin B1 content of the raisins.

With organic raisins, you have the best chance that they are unsulphured. By choosing to use raisins made from organically grown grapes, you also avoid using pesticides. Since grapes are susceptible to many germs and fungi, they are often heavily treated with pesticides in conventional cultivation.

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Pistachios: They Really Are That Healthy

Pistachios are a healthy and tasty snack between meals. The delicious nuts contain many healthy ingredients. We’ll show you which ones.

Pistachios are healthy: the ingredients

Pistachios are delicious and have a long list of healthy nutrients. This includes:
Potassium (with 1005 mg vs. 393 mg almost three times as much as bananas!)
phosphorus
beta-carotene
Vitamin B6
thiamine
magnesium
These and other ingredients contribute to the fact that pistachios are very healthy:
Because pistachios have high bioavailability, the nutrients in the nuts are very easily absorbed in your stomach.
Pistachios have a lot of antioxidants and are therefore particularly anti-inflammatory. The nuts increase the level of the important antioxidant lutein in the human body, which is why they are also extremely good for your eye health.
The polyphenols and tocopherols in the small green seeds are even said to prevent cancer and heart disease.
If you want to lose weight, pistachios are an ideal snack for you: they have a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, amino acids and proteins, which has been proven to fill you up faster and help with weight loss. In one study, they significantly helped some overweight subjects with their diet.
But keep in mind that pistachios are very nutritious: 100 grams contain over 600 kilocalories. Therefore, you should not overdo it with them and rather consume them in smaller amounts if you want to lose weight.
Pistachios help with diabetes: they reduce triglycerides in the body, which are usually very high in diabetic patients. Intestinal bacteria, which are directly associated with type 2 diabetes, are said to be regulated by pistachios. Another study was even able to demonstrate a positive effect on blood sugar levels.
In general, pistachios have a good influence on your intestinal microbes. The short-chain fatty acid butyrate produced by the bacteria can not only prevent indigestion, but also prevent colon cancer.
Pistachios are high in healthy fats. The unsaturated fatty acids in nuts not only help you lose weight, they are also good for your heart and cholesterol levels. They have been shown to lower the unhealthy LDL cholesterol in your blood. Even young men who were already following a healthy Mediterranean diet were particularly good at pistachios: they also noticeably lowered their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Pistachios and their risks

Although pistachios do not have any particularly harmful ingredients, they can become downright toxic if stored incorrectly: the investigative Swiss television program for consumer protection “Kassensturz” tested pistachios together with the sister station “À Bon Entendeur”. They discovered a high level of aflatoxins in half of the 14 different pistachio packs.

If pistachios are not stored dry, they can be attacked by mold. These convert into the dangerous, hepatoxic mold toxin aflatoxin. It can severely damage the liver and even lead to lung cancer.

Since pistachios are only dried slowly in the sun in Iran, for example, the risk of mold is high. The gentle process preserves the nutrients better and intensifies the taste, but unfortunately the moisture also makes the nuts more susceptible to mold. Of course, this can also happen in industrial production as soon as they are not stored dry enough.

In addition, the consumer protection magazines report that pesticides were also found in the tested products. For the most part, however, they are below the legal limit values ​​– with the exception of two products: one Ültje product exceeded the legal values ​​by a full 200%. However, Ültje blames this infestation on uneven distribution in the load. High levels of both aflatoxins and pesticides were also found in a Geneva market product.

Even if the products from the market often help small farmers or importers, they often mean less control than with large food manufacturers.

Background information on healthy pistachios

We know the pistachio as a tasty, green nut with a hard shell and a crunchy core. However, this nut is the stone fruit of the pistachio tree. More than 10,000 years ago, pistachios were cultivated in the Middle East, especially in Syria. There they are still a delicacy today, part of the long cultural history of many countries throughout the area:

For a long time, the pistachio was considered an exclusively royal delicacy that was withheld from the “common people”. But over time, it spread among travelers, merchants, and common folk. Because of its long shelf life and high nutritional value, it was popular with everyone. Over the years they conquered the entire world and came to us during the Middle Ages. The largest cultivation areas are found today in Iran, the USA, Turkey and China.

With us, the pistachios are mostly roasted and salted and eaten directly as a snack. In the Middle East, Asia and the Balkans, it is processed into a wide variety of delicious sweets: halva, baklava, maamoul or kunafah. These sinful pastries are usually created and processed with lots of sugar, honey, syrup and rose water. The pistachio serves both as a basic ingredient and for refinement. You can find many of these in oriental grocery stores.

But pistachios are also processed into various sweet specialties in Italy: the addition of pistachios gives the Sicilian almond pastry Pasta di Mandola an incredibly intense taste. Amaretti, cantuccini and cannoli are also often refined with pistachios.

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Olives: That’s How Healthy They Are

Olives are not only very tasty, but also healthy. We explain why you should eat more of it and what you need to consider when buying.

If you are a lover of Mediterranean food, then the olive should not be missing from the dining table. The fleshy stone fruit of the olive tree with the intense flavor is usually eaten pickled with Italian, Spanish and Arabic dishes, served as tapas or sprinkled on pizza. For the most part (90 percent), however, olives are processed into olive oil.

You can buy both black and green olives. Black olives have a more intense and aromatic flavor than green ones, since they are ripe and green are unripe. Both varieties contain important vitamins and minerals. Since fresh olives are very bitter, they are usually preserved in oil or brine, which flushes out the bitter substances and makes the olives edible.

The olive tree (Latin: Olea europaea) is an evergreen tree and belongs to the olive tree family. In Europe alone there are more than a thousand different species of olive tree. An olive tree takes up to seven years to bear fruit. Only after 20 years does an olive tree become really productive. A single tree can live for several hundred years.

The ingredients of healthy olives

In addition to many minerals and trace elements, olives contain between 15 and 45 percent fat. Black olives have a higher percentage of fat than green ones. The fat is mostly oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. This is said to have some health benefits:
Reduced levels of inflammation in the body
reduced risk of heart disease.
Prevention and control of cancer
Olives are also good for friends of the low-carb diet: They only have four to six percent carbohydrates. This is mostly dietary fiber.

Since the green olives are the unripe fruits, the black olives contain more of the healthy ingredients. So if you like to eat olives, at least try to reach for the darker fruits from time to time.

You will find the following minerals and vitamins in the healthy olives:
sodium
calcium
phosphorus
iron
Vitamin A
vitamin E
folic acid
In addition to the minerals, there are also secondary plant substances in the healthy fruits.

Fermented olives are also said to have a potential probiotic effect, meaning they help keep the digestive tract healthy.

In addition, olives increase the levels of the valuable antioxidant glutathione in the body. This is a very powerful antioxidant that studies have shown may help or prevent diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cystic fibrosis, liver disease, HIV and diabetes.

Topic sustainability: What you should consider when buying healthy olives

If you would like to buy high-quality healthy olives, it is best to make sure that they are organic olives. When buying black olives, there is also one thing to be careful about: Make sure they are not blackened green olives.

Because the ripening process takes a long time, the unripe green olives are often sold colored to keep costs down. “Colorings” or additives such as E 579 (iron gluconate) and E 585 (iron lactate) are used for this. Although these are harmless, it is still a case of deceiving consumers. So always make sure that the packaging or the jar on the back just says “black olives” and not “blackened”. If you want to be on the safe side, look at the additives.

Olive trees grow best in Mediterranean climates and can withstand a lot of heat. The majority of olives – and olive oil – are grown and produced in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy. Their share of the world market is 80 percent. Although olives are planted all over the world, in Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt or Morocco, in South Africa, South America, California, Australia and Japan, European farmers still dominate. If possible, buy olives that you know come from Europe.

In northern Europe, too, the cultivation was tried again and again on a large scale, but failed. Because although it is now warmer here too, olive trees only barely survive frost. The northernmost cultivation is now in Cologne, but the cultivation is not as productive as in southern countries.

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Sauerkraut: The Vitamin Bomb is so Healthy

Sauerkraut is not only healthy because it contains so many vitamins: it also provides many different minerals. It also promotes a healthy intestinal flora and digestion.

Sauerkraut is made by fermenting white cabbage with lactic acid. During the fermentation process, the sugar in the cabbage is converted into lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria. This gives the cabbage its characteristic sour taste and preserves it. Last but not least, this lactic acid fermentation makes sauerkraut so healthy.

Sauerkraut: These nutritional values ​​make it so healthy

With less than 20 kilocalories and 0.4 grams of fat per 100 grams, sauerkraut is ideal if you want to watch your figure. But there are also plenty of reasons to reach for fermented white cabbage more often. For example, it provides the following vitamins:
Vitamin C: Sauerkraut contains vitamin C, but not in high amounts.
Beta carotene: Sauerkraut is rich in beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. It contributes to healthy skin and eyes, supports bone formation and strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for healthy bones and blood clotting.
Folic Acid: Folic acid is a B vitamin. The body needs it to form cells and blood.
Vitamin B12: Sauerkraut contains vitamin B12, but only traces of it. Therefore, it is not enough for vegans to reach the recommended daily value.
Sauerkraut contains many minerals, in particular:
Sodium – important for the brain and muscles
Potassium – important for the heart and muscles, as well as cell growth and blood pressure
Magnesium – important for the heart, muscles and bones
Calcium – important for nerves, muscles and hormone balance
In addition, there are also some amino acids and about two to three grams of fiber per 100 grams of sauerkraut.

A healthy intestinal flora with sauerkraut

Even if many people think of indigestion, especially flatulence, when they think of cabbage, sauerkraut is actually very healthy for our digestive system.

On the one hand, sauerkraut is easier to digest than unfermented cabbage because the microorganisms also digest the cellulose during lactic acid fermentation.

Even more important to our gut itself are the lactic acid bacteria: these multiply in abundance during the fermentation process, making sauerkraut an excellent probiotic food. The fermented herb thus contributes to a healthy intestinal flora, which is particularly damaged after antibiotic therapy

By the way: Even if the term “lactic acid” sounds a bit misleading, you don’t need to worry. The lactic acid in sauerkraut is vegan.

Only raw sauerkraut is really healthy

The mildly sour-tasting fermented cabbage is so healthy because it is rich in minerals, vitamins and lactic acid bacteria. It is therefore particularly important that you eat the sauerkraut raw. When it is heated, not only are many vitamins lost, but also the particularly beneficial lactic acid bacteria.

But sauerkraut packaged in cans and jars from the supermarket is almost always pasteurized. Although this still contains lactic acid, the metabolic product of the lactic acid bacteria, it no longer contains living lactic acid bacteria. Such sauerkraut is therefore not probiotically effective and therefore does not contribute to a healthy intestinal flora.

Organic shops and health food stores sometimes sell raw but also often pasteurized sauerkraut. That’s why you should definitely read the packaging or, to be on the safe side, ask in the store whether the sauerkraut is raw, untreated.

But you can also make sauerkraut yourself: All you need is a suitable container, white cabbage and salt – and a few weeks for the fermentation process.

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Broccoli is Healthy – Thanks to These Nutritional Values

Broccoli is very healthy thanks to its nutritional values. Here you can find out which nutrients cabbage contains and what they mean for your health.

Broccoli is very healthy – the vegetable is considered a local superfood. In addition to a particularly large amount of vitamin C and calcium, it also contains beta-carotene, minerals and mustard oil glycosides. Broccoli only contains about 30 kilocalories per 100 grams. It can therefore be easily integrated into a healthy diet.

Vitamin bomb: Broccoli is so healthy

Vitamins support almost all functions of your body. They are essential: that is, the body cannot produce them itself. That’s why you need to get enough from your diet.

Broccoli contains the following healthy vitamins:
94 mg/100g vitamin C: Vitamin C supports the metabolism, has an antioxidant effect and even helps with digestion. According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition e.V.), the vitamin C requirement of adults is between 95 and 110 milligrams per day. 100 grams of (raw) broccoli are almost enough to cover your entire daily vitamin C requirement.
179 µg/100g Vitamin K : Vitamin K supports bone growth and blood clotting. If you cook a dish with broccoli, you can easily get 60-80 micrograms of vitamin K to meet your needs.
0.8 mg/100g beta-carotene: As a precursor of vitamin A, beta-carotene is important for many areas of the body: For example, it supports the function of the eyes and helps to build up the skin. According to the DGE, the daily requirement for beta-carotene is 0.8-1.0 milligrams per day.
1.29 mg/100g vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid contributes significantly to the functioning of the energy metabolism in the body. The DGE recommends an intake of six milligrams per day.

Broccoli contains many healthy minerals, plant compounds and amino acids

Like vitamins, minerals are important for your body. You also have to get these nutrients through food – for example through broccoli.

Among other things, 100 grams of broccoli contain:
58 mg calcium: Calcium is probably the most important mineral for humans. Your body needs it to build bones, for example. In addition, the substance stabilizes the cell walls and is involved in digestion and the transmission of stimuli. The recommended daily amount is 1000 milligrams.
256 mg Potassium: Potassium keeps muscles working properly. A deficiency can cause muscle cramps. Adults should consume about 4000 milligrams of potassium per day to meet their needs.
18 mg magnesium: This nutrient also supports muscle function and strengthens bones. Magnesium is also important for human hearing. The DGE recommends an intake of 300 to 350 milligrams per day.
63 mg Phosphorus: Like calcium, phosphorus is important for your bones. The daily requirement for adults is 700 milligrams per day. Since phosphates are often found as additives in food, Germans usually consume more than enough phosphorus.
The daily requirement of minerals cannot be covered by broccoli alone. Other good sources of minerals are nuts or other green vegetables such as spinach or kale.

The healthy vegetables also contain the secondary plant substances glucosinolates (mustard oil glycosides). These have an antioxidant and immune-boosting effect. The substances are also attributed antibacterial and anti-carcinogenic properties.

Large amounts of different amino acids such as arginine or cysteine ​​also make broccoli so healthy. The essential amino acid tryptophan forms the precursors of vitamin B3 – it is therefore important for carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Amino acids take on many other functions in metabolic processes and serve as building blocks for proteins.

How to properly prepare broccoli

In order to preserve as many of the valuable ingredients as possible when cooking, you should follow the following tips:
Heat broccoli very briefly.
Blanch it, for example: You can do this by putting the broccoli in boiling salted water for a minute or two and then briefly shocking it in ice water.
You can also eat broccoli raw.
Note: In order to get all the ingredients, you should prepare the broccoli as freshly as possible. You can also store it in the vegetable drawer of the fridge for a day or two. You should process the vegetables at the latest when the broccoli florets begin to turn yellowish.

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Resistant Starch: These Are its Benefits For a Healthy Diet

Resistant starch has been the subject of increased research since the 1980s and is said to bring some benefits to a healthy diet. Here you can find out what resistant starch is and why it is healthy.

What is Resistant Strength?

Resistant starches (RS) are subspecies of normal cornstarch. Due to their chemical composition, resistant starches are not, or only partially, digested in the small intestine. It therefore has the properties of dietary fiber. Dietary fibers are not digested, but they ensure that your digestion functions smoothly. They also regulate blood sugar levels.

The benefits of resistant starch

Resistant starch enters the large intestine undigested. There it is fermented by bacteria. This process produces a particularly large amount of butyrate, a bacterial metabolite that supports healthy intestinal flora and protects the intestinal wall and its cell walls.

According to some studies, for example by Cummings et al (1996), the consumption of resistant starches has been shown to support intestinal functions and lead to a healthy metabolism.
In addition to the effect on the intestinal flora, resistant starch is also said to help regulate blood sugar levels. According to some studies, it can help keep blood sugar levels low and improve insulin sensitivity.

Which foods contain resistant starch?

There are some foods that naturally contain resistant starch. These include, for example:
whole grain products
bananas
potatoes
legumes
beans
rice
Corn
With a balanced diet, you consume between three and six grams of resistant starch per day. The more processed the foods and the fewer raw fruits and vegetables you eat, the less resistant starch you get from the diet.

However, many studies on the health-promoting effects of resistant starch have been carried out with a daily intake of up to 40 grams of RS per day. Researchers are currently interested in developing processes to add resistant starch to everyday foods.

Special cooking methods to produce resistant starch

According to the BZfE, a study carried out by scientists in Sri Lanka found that the proportion of resistant starch in rice increased tenfold when it was cooked in a certain way.

For this, the rice was cooked with a spoonful of coconut oil for 20 to 25 minutes.
Then the rice should be kept in the refrigerator for twelve hours.
This process converts normal starch into resistant starch. In addition, the calorie content of rice decreases by more than half.
The results of the study suggest that other starchy foods, such as pasta or potatoes, can be manipulated to make them healthier for us through certain cooking methods.

Uses of resistant starch

Scientists and food experts are currently working on the production of foods that contain a lot of resistant starch without special cooking methods. For example, it would be possible to enrich many foods that are actually considered unhealthy with RS, such as:
White bread
breakfast cereals
cookies or cakes.

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Raspberries are Healthy: Calories and Nutritional Values of The Berry Fruit

Raspberries not only taste good, they are also very healthy. The sweet and sour berry contains many vitamins. Here you can find out more about the nutritional values ​​​​and nutrients of raspberries.

It was first cultivated in the monastery gardens in the Middle Ages. Even then, it was not only considered a sweet and sour fruit, but above all a medicinal plant. Today, the raspberry is even said to have an anti-carcinogenic effect – it is said to be able to help prevent cancer.

Raspberries are rich in vitamins, trace elements and phytochemicals that strengthen the body’s defense mechanisms and immune system. Their nutritional values ​​also make them a healthy treat.

Raspberries: nutritional values ​​at a glance

For 100 grams of raspberries:
Calories: 34 calories
Protein: 1g
Fat: 0.3g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 7g
With just 34 calories per 100 grams of the fruit, raspberries are a very figure-conscious snack. In addition, the sugar content (4.8 grams) is low because of the high fruit acidity of raspberries. Therefore, they are also suitable for diabetics.

However, you should not eat more than 200 grams of fresh raspberries a day. Because a large amount of the fruit can lead to diarrhea.

Nutrients in raspberries: vitamins, minerals, trace elements

Raspberries are rightly considered fruits with the health bonus. They have a range of different vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances. Vitamin C in particular is plentiful. On the other hand, the raspberry is hardly suitable as a supplier of minerals.

vitamins:
Vitamin C: 150 grams of raspberries a day cover 38 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement.
Provitamin A: Raspberries contain a lot of beta-carotene, a vegetable pigment that is one of the provitamins A. Provitamins A are first converted to vitamin A in the body.
B vitamins: They ensure our general well-being and our vitality because they are involved in all phases and forms of energy production in the metabolism.
Minerals and trace elements:
Potassium (100 grams cover 4.3 percent of the daily requirement): Potassium is important for good heart, nerve and muscle function.
Phosphorus (100 grams cover 6.4 percent of the daily requirement): Phosphorus is involved in energy production.
Calcium (100 grams cover 4 percent of the daily requirement): Calcium is an important component of our bones and teeth.
Magnesium (100 grams cover 8.6 percent of the daily requirement): Healthy bones and teeth also need magnesium.
Iron (100 grams cover 8 percent of the daily requirement): Iron is essential for blood purification and formation. Together with the high content of vitamin C in raspberries, the iron can be utilized particularly well.

These additional nutrients are contained in raspberries

Also included:
Tannins: Tannins help the body break down harmful substances.
Fruit acids: Citric acid in particular is contained in raspberries, which in combination with potassium has a draining effect and can therefore help with urinary tract infections.
Secondary plant substances: These mainly include flavonoids, e.g. quercetin, anthocyanins and camphor oil. They protect against free radicals, which, among other things, can promote cancer.

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Tomatoes: The Popular Vegetable is so Healthy

Tomatoes are not only delicious, but also extremely healthy. We’ll show you what’s in them and what you should look out for when buying.

Tomatoes (also known as “paradeiser” in Austria) are omnipresent in our diet. That’s why we rarely think about how healthy they actually are. Because tomatoes are small all-round talents that support our skin and our heart and are even said to prevent some types of cancer.

Ingredients and effect: This makes tomatoes healthy

Tomatoes are 95 percent water and 4 percent carbohydrates. Most of these are simple sugars like glucose and fructose. Nevertheless, they are particularly low in calories with 18 kilocalories per 100 grams.

Among other things, tomatoes have the following vitamins:
vitamin C
potassium
Vitamin K1
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
In addition to the healthy vitamins, tomatoes are also rich in the following substances:
Lycopene (a carotenoid)
Beta Carotene (Pro-Vitamin A)
Naringenin (flavonoid, bitter substance)
chlorogenic acid
These different carotenoids, flavonoids and acids are responsible for the special healthy effects of tomatoes. You can support your health in many ways:
Sun and UV protection: Carotenoids and flavonoids are already responsible in the plant for offering protection from the sun’s harmful radiation. But they can also develop this effect in humans through the right diet: Beta-carotene and lycopene in particular have been proven to protect your skin from UV radiation and sunburn.
Obesity: Tomatoes reduce the side effects of morbid obesity: According to a study in which various overweight patients were given tomato powder, various symptoms were drastically reduced: metabolic problems decreased, fat deposits in the organs were reduced and inflammation in the fatty tissue decreased.
Diabetes: The lycopenes in tomatoes were also shown to reduce insulin resistance and inflammation levels in mice tested. Both lycopene and chlorogenic acid reduce blood triglycerides, which can be responsible for the development of diabetes. They are dietary fats that are regularly converted into energy in healthy people. If the intake is too high or if there are metabolic disorders such as diabetes or obesity, they can become a problem.
Prevents cancer: According to an analysis of various studies, lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer in older male patients. This is thought to be due to its antioxidant abilities. Furthermore, the substance has a supporting effect in the therapy of lung cancer.
Heart Health: Lycopenes reduce bad LDL cholesterol in the blood while also reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, all of which are detrimental to your heart’s aging and performance. The tomato substance also protects the cell walls and prevents deposits in your arteries.

Healthy tomatoes and their ripening process

Tomatoes produce a hormone gas called ethylene during their natural ripening process. However, as food producers want to get fresh tomatoes into stores, the vegetables are harvested green and sprayed with ethylene en route. This allows them to ripen just before they are sold and end up in the supermarket bright red.

As the tomatoes do not have time for their natural ripening process, the development of the natural taste and aroma of the berries is suppressed. This is also the reason why cheap tomatoes often taste watery and “like nothing”.

That’s why you should always use seasonal and local tomatoes. These do not have to travel long distances, so they can mature naturally and develop their full aroma.

You should also keep this in mind: The ripening hormone ethylene is also responsible for the fact that other fruits and vegetables near the healthy tomatoes ripen faster. That’s why you should always keep them away from other sensitive foods unless you want to speed up their ripening process (like avocados, for example).

Tomato allergy and intolerance

If you suffer from a pollen allergy, you are more likely to also suffer from certain food intolerances. This can include various types of fruit and vegetables, but also animal products such as chicken or eggs. One vegetable that is particularly affected is the tomato. So if you often have colds in spring and summer, you may not tolerate tomatoes.

This is because some fruits and vegetables contain proteins similar to those found in grass pollen. Your immune system then tries to fight them in a similar way, which can result in typical allergy symptoms, so if you experience symptoms such as itchy mouth and throat, breakouts, stomach pain and digestive problems, you may want to get tested by a doctor beforehand you order the next pizza.

In addition to pollen, there is another, rather unexpected allergy associated with the healthy vegetable: If you are allergic to latex, you may have a tomato allergy or intolerance. In the case of the so-called “latex-fruit syndrome”, it is also the defense proteins in the various fruits and the natural natural rubber that are very similar and are similarly warded off by the body.

Tomatoes: origin and botanical classification

Tomatoes are prepared in many different ways around the world. We mainly use them in salads or make tomato sauce for spaghetti and pizza. The vegetable only found its way to us in the 16th century:
Around 1500, Christopher Columbus brought the tomato from South America to Europe. Their name goes back to their original name in the Aztec language “Nahuatl”: “tomatl”. Europeans only started to actually eat them towards the end of the 16th century – before that, the tomato was seen more as a poisonous ornamental plant. Only towards the end of the First World War did the Germans start eating tomatoes regularly. Today they are an integral part of the local cuisine.

Tomatoes grow annually on shrubs and belong to the nightshade family. They come in different shapes and varieties: from the small, round cherry tomatoes to the oblong, firm roma tomatoes to the large, juicy beefsteak tomatoes. Botanically, however, tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are not vegetables at all, but berries. Nevertheless, they are traditionally used for culinary purposes like vegetables.

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Are Bananas Healthy? Vitamins, Carbohydrates and Other Nutritional Values

Bananas are considered healthy and are therefore suitable as a snack in between. But how many vitamins are actually contained in the banana? Everything about carbohydrates, calories and other nutritional values ​​​​of bananas can be found on this page.

Athletes like to grab a banana before training – after all, it’s so healthy. But what healthy qualities are actually found in it?

It is striking that the banana contains significantly more carbohydrates and fructose than other fruits. Nevertheless, it is not fattening – on the contrary: fructose is a quick source of energy and therefore popular with athletes. The body quickly burns the carbohydrates again during exercise.

The banana is also suitable as a snack without doing sport afterwards: bananas are very filling and are therefore even recommended for losing weight.

Healthy bananas: nutritional values ​​at a glance

Bananas are real fillers. The exact amount of each nutrient depends very much on how ripe the banana is. For example, particularly ripe bananas contain more sugar than green bananas and are also easier to digest. However, the amount of carbohydrates does not change.

Nutritional table for bananas per 100 grams:
Energy: 96 kcal / 402.0 kJ
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
of which sugar: 17.2 g
Protein 1.1g
Dietary fiber: 2 g

Vitamins in Bananas

Like most fruits, the banana is also rich in vitamins. The amount of vitamin B6 is particularly high. A banana covers about a third of the daily requirement. However, vitamin B6 is not rare, but is found in numerous foods.

Vitamins per 100 grams of banana:
Vitamin A: 10 mcg
Vitamin B1: 40 mcg
Vitamin B2: 60 mcg
Vitamin B6: 0.36 mg
Vitamin C: 12 mg
Vitamin E: 0.27 mg
Vitamin K: 10 mcg
Bananas are also high in manganese, copper, potassium and magnesium. Just one banana covers more than 10 percent of the daily requirement of these four substances.

Bananas for cancer?

According to various studies, bananas and banana peels can reduce the risk of cancer:
A study from 2015, for example, suggests that bananas can reduce the risk of cancer. It showed that the fruit has antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. According to the scientists, bananas can also strengthen the immune system.
In a 2013 study, Japanese researchers pointed out that ripe bananas contain many antioxidants. Among other things, they work against free radicals in the body and strengthen the immune system up to eight times more than green bananas.
Bananas are also said to be able to prevent the risk of arteriosclerosis and stomach ulcers

A Matter of Color: Are Green Bananas Healthy?

During the ripening process, the banana converts starch into sugar. So a green banana contains a lot of starch and little sugar, while a yellow banana is exactly the opposite. With yellow bananas, the body no longer has to convert the starch into sugar itself. Instead, the energy from the sugar is immediately available and the blood sugar level rises immediately after eating the yellow banana.

It’s different with the green banana: Here the body has to convert a lot of starch into sugar itself. Therefore, the blood sugar level does not rise immediately and you are full longer. However, green bananas also contain a lot of cellulose. The intestines cannot digest these very well, which can result in abdominal pain.

Conclusion: Green bananas are the better choice for diabetics, everyone else is better off reaching for ripe yellow bananas.

Tip: If the bananas are very ripe and already have brown spots, you should definitely not throw them away. They are great for banana milk, banana smoothie and banana bread.

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Food

Watermelon: The Summer Fruit Really is That Healthy

Watermelons are not only refreshing on hot summer days, but are also very healthy. In terms of sustainability, however, things are not looking so rosy for the watermelon.

Watermelon: The Healthiest Nutrients

Plenty of water and nothing else? The name “watermelon” leads to a small fallacy. It is true that watermelons consist largely of water – namely up to 95 percent. But that doesn’t mean the fruit has nothing to offer nutritionally. On the contrary, the watermelon is a very healthy snack that also contains some important nutrients such as minerals and vitamins.

These key nutrients make watermelons healthy:
Lycopene: This phytochemical is an antioxidant that supports the immune system. As such, lycopene destroys free radicals that can cause cancer. It can also prevent cells from changing unnaturally. Watermelons contain a lot of lycopene with 4532 micrograms per 100 grams. For example, other fruits such as pineapple and apple do not contain this substance at all. The riper the watermelon, the more lycopene it contains.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A is found in watermelon in the form of carotenoids. Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for the yellow, red, or dark green color of food. Vitamin A is important for keeping eyes healthy, skin regenerating and hair growing. There are 245 micrograms of beta-carotene in 100 grams of watermelon. The apple cannot keep up with its 27 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 grams of fruit.
Citrulline: Nutrients are not only found in the red flesh of the fruit, but also in the white flesh under the skin. This is considered the source of the amino acid citrulline. In the body, citrulline is converted into the amino acid arginine, which causes the blood vessels to dilate and blood flow is facilitated. This is good for heart and vascular health. US researchers have also found that arginine also has a potency-enhancing effect on men. Watermelon is one of the richest sources of citrulline.
Potassium: Potassium is important to transmit stimuli that muscles and heart send out. The mineral is also involved in regulating cell growth, blood pressure and the acid-base balance. Potassium also influences the release of certain hormones (e.g. insulin) and is important for carbohydrate utilization and protein synthesis. There are 112 milligrams of potassium in 100 grams of watermelon, which is rather low in comparison. 100 grams of apple also have a similar potassium content.
Caution: If you have a very sensitive stomach, watermelon should not be consumed in large quantities. Because the pulp contains bitter substances that could possibly lead to stomach problems. On the other hand, bitter substances are also very healthy

More than just water: nutritional values ​​of watermelon

Because they contain so much water, watermelons are considered particularly figure-friendly.

These are the nutritional values ​​of 100 grams of watermelon:
Calories: 31
Protein: 0.5 grams
Fat: 0.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 6.3 grams
Despite its sweetness, the watermelon contains relatively little sugar, namely around 6 grams. In comparison, bananas have a very high sugar content with 17 grams of sugar per 100 grams of fruit.

Please do not throw away: watermelon skin and seeds

Even the inconspicuous parts of the watermelon are healthy:
Peel: The peel of the watermelon is edible and contains a lot of dietary fiber that makes you feel full. It also contains amino acids that help the body build muscle, as well as some vitamins. You can simply nibble the peel or grate it and add it to the salad, pickle it, or use it to make smoothies. If you want to eat the peel, you should use watermelons from controlled organic cultivation.
Kernels: The kernels contain vitamins A, B and C, as well as unsaturated fatty acids and iron, magnesium and calcium. You can of course simply eat them or dry them first and then grind them and stir them into smoothies or yoghurt as a powder. Reddened, the seeds make a crunchy topping for the salad.

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