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Fasting Properly: Instructions and Tips for Healthy Fasting

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

Proper fasting: There are these types of fasting

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

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

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

Different types of fasting have become established:

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

When is Lent in 2022?

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

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

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

What does fasting bring?

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

Possible effects are, for example:

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

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

Correct fasting according to Buchinger: the basic rules

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

Proper fasting according to Buchinger includes the following rules:

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

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

This is how intermittent fasting works

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

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

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

8 tips for sustainable fasting

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

Here are eight sustainable suggestions:

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

Proper fasting: It’s in your hands

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

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

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

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Vegan Food Pyramid: How to Eat Healthy

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

What are food pyramids?

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

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

The vegan food pyramid: what makes it special

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

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

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

they consist of

1. liquid,

2. fruits and vegetables,

3. as well as grain and potatoes.

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

4. protein products as well as nuts and seeds,

5. Oils, fats and salt,

6. Sweets, kibble and alcohol.

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

The vegan food pyramid put into practice

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

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

Level 1 (Base): Drinks

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

Level 2: Vegetables and fruits

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

Level 3: grain and potatoes

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

Level 4: Protein products, nuts and seeds

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

Level 5: oils, fats, salt

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

Level 6: Sweets, salty munchies, alcohol

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

Vegan food pyramid: It doesn’t show that

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

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

Vitamin D
iron
iodine
Vitamin B12

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

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Flaxseeds: They Really are That Healthy

Flaxseeds are considered a healthy local superfood. We will show you which nutrients they contain and how you can use and process them.

What are flaxseeds?

Flaxseed is the seed of the flax, also known as common flax. It grows up to a meter high and has blue flowers. It is mainly grown in China, Russia and Ukraine. But it can also be found in Europe, for example in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

You can buy flaxseed whole, ground or as flour. We recommend that you use organic flaxseed and choose a product that comes from regional cultivation. In this way you avoid long transport routes and the associated high consumption of resources as well as chemical-synthetic pesticides in cultivation.

It’s in flaxseed

Flaxseeds contain a lot of fiber, which has a digestive effect. In addition, so-called mucilage is found in the seeds. They form a protective layer in the stomach and ensure that pathogens and other impurities can be transported more easily through the intestine.

Flaxseeds are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which should be an essential part of your diet. They have an anti-inflammatory effect, are important for the metabolism and contribute to a healthy immune system.

In addition to fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseeds contain protein, magnesium, iron and zinc as well as vitamins B1, B6 and vitamin E.

Here’s how you can use flaxseed

Linseed has been used medicinally for thousands of years, also in the form of linseed oil. The seeds are particularly popular as home remedies for gastrointestinal diseases. If you suffer from constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, you can use flaxseed as follows:

Eat 1 tablespoon of whole or ground flaxseeds.
Drink around 250 milliliters of water.
Repeat this two to three times a day.
The flaxseeds take effect after about twelve to 24 hours. Sometimes it takes up to three days for the full effect to take hold.

Linseed in the form of poultices has proven itself for colds, skin inflammation and muscle tension. To put on a flaxseed poultice:

Place 2-3 tablespoons of flaxseed on a cotton towel and tie a knot. Alternatively, you can stuff the flaxseeds into a clean cotton sock.
Pour hot water over the flaxseed poultice and let the flaxseeds soak for about 15 minutes.
Place the compress on the affected area and fix it with a dry cloth.

You should keep this in mind when using flaxseed

Since flaxseed contains cadmium, you should consume a maximum of 20 grams per day.
Flaxseed is said to limit the absorption of drugs from the gut. If you are taking medication, you should only eat flaxseed three to four hours after ingestion.
If you are currently pregnant, you should only use flaxseed after consulting a doctor.
If you eat flaxseed, it is important that you drink a lot – at least 1.5 to two liters per day, preferably water or unsweetened tea. Or you can make yourself a flaxseed tea directly.
Do not use flaxseed poultices on open wounds.
Flaxseeds are not very suitable for children.
If you have severe abdominal pain, an intestinal obstruction or a narrowed esophagus, you should not eat flaxseed. In these cases, seek medical advice and have the symptoms clarified.

Process flaxseed

However, you can not only eat flaxseed when you have symptoms, you can also use it in delicious recipes. In the following recipe, the flaxseeds provide a filling effect and a thicker consistency. For a smoothie you need:

250 g unsweetened soy yoghurt
1 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tsp flaxseed
150 grams of raspberries
2 tbsp almonds

And this is how it works: Put all the ingredients in the blender and puree them until you get a creamy smoothie.

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Water Fasting: How Healthy Is It Really?

Water fasting is the simplest and most radical form of fasting: for a few days, you “live” on water alone. This is intended to cleanse your body of toxins, among other things – but this has not been scientifically proven.

From base fasting to intermittent fasting: there are numerous ways to fast. The simplest and most radical of these is probably water fasting. For several days you don’t eat anything, just drink at least three liters of still water a day.

However, water fasting is a bit more complicated, because there is a preparation and a follow-up.

This is how water fasting works

Water fasting does not start with the first day without food, but three days before: During this time, fasting people should eat less and only easily digestible foods.

For the first day of the fasting cure, it is often recommended to completely empty the bowel, for example with an enema or with Glauber’s salt. Both methods will leave you with severe diarrhea, so drinking several liters of water is recommended.

However, purging can also have side effects such as dehydration, nausea and poor circulation. In general, the water diet and the effect of “detoxification” are controversial – you will find out more about that in a moment.

Water Fasting: Does It Really Make Sense?

As a rule, water fasting lasts up to two weeks – during this time, fasting people should drink at least three liters of water per day. Those who have never fasted before should limit themselves to five days. Many websites recommend that the project be discussed with a doctor.

Whether medical professionals would agree to a water fast is questionable. The diet is similar to full fasting because you do not supply your body with any calories or significant nutrients during the fasting period. This means that your body switches to starvation metabolism and uses up available energy reserves. This will make you lose weight quickly, but you will also lose muscle mass. Fasting people are considered to be very susceptible to the yo-yo effect.

Netdoktor also warns of the first signs of deficiency when fasting. These can lead to poor concentration or cardiovascular problems, among other things. Gout attacks can also occur.

Water fasting as a detox method: do we really need to detox?

Like many other fasting methods, water fasting is designed to rid your body of toxins, especially if you’re initially laxing. However, this so-called “detox” is controversial.

According to the consumer center, there is no scientific evidence that the body needs to be helped to detoxify. The kidneys and liver take care of that. A 2014 review came to the same conclusion. As a result, there are few and inadequate clinical studies to suggest that a detox can detoxify the liver.

Water fasting: There are gentler alternatives

According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), certain fasting cures can have beneficial effects on health. However, it is questionable whether this is also the case with the extreme form of water fasting.

There is no indication that water fasting in particular is supposed to be healthy. Instead, it is associated with some strong side effects. Other fasting methods such as Buchinger fasting, interval fasting, or dinner canceling are less stressful on your body. Also try our alternative fasting plan with unusual ideas.

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Is Soy Sauce Healthy?

Soy sauce is healthy because it consists mostly of natural ingredients. But is that always true? Here you can read how healthy or unhealthy the spicy sauce actually is.

Soy sauce has a long tradition

Traditionally made soy sauce consists mainly of fermented soybeans. During fermentation, the soybeans are mixed with water and salt and enriched with the noble koji mold (Aspergillus Oryzae). They are then stored in wooden barrels where the soybeans begin to ferment (ferment). This procedure can sometimes take years. The soy sauce then slowly collects at the bottom of the wooden barrels.

Fermenting is an ancient method of preserving food. It works with yeast, just like the beer brewing method. Another method is enzymes that, for example, lactic acid ferment white cabbage and turn it into sauerkraut. They also ensure the necessary fermentation in sourdough so that the dough can rise. The soy sauce gets its typical flavor from the fermentation with the yeast fungus.

The making of soy sauce dates back to Buddhist monks in China and Japan. It is not known exactly when and where they first made the soy sauce. It is assumed that soy sauce dates back to ancient China (approx. 1500 BC to 220 AD), came to Japan in the 6th century and was modified into Japanese soy sauce there from the 16th century. The soy sauces known to this day were created:

Tamari soy sauce: This original soy sauce was brewed by the monks from soy, water, salt and koji ferment. It is dark brown to black and somewhat viscous.
Shoyu Soy Sauce: It is made from soybeans and wheat that are fermented together. This mixture results in a lighter and thinner soy sauce.

That’s how healthy traditional soy sauce is

The soy sauce according to the traditional recipe is definitely a healthy condiment:

Vegan: The soy sauces were made by the vegan monks to flavor their dishes.
Natural ingredients: The traditional recipe only uses a few natural ingredients. You can also find soy sauces based on this tradition in German shops.
Soybeans: Soybeans are considered healthy. The Apotheken-Umschau explains that soybeans contain valuable vegetable proteins, vitamins (provitamin A and vitamin B complex) and unsaturated fatty acids (including the healthy omega-3 fatty acid). They are also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron. Studies suggest that a soy-rich diet can alleviate the symptoms of menopause in women. In addition, the soy protein is said to keep the arteries healthy.
Fermentation: The science magazine Spektrum explains that the fermentation process breaks down the indigestible proteins and sugars in the soybeans. This creates umami. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) explains that umami is a taste of its own, like sweet or salty. Food containing protein in particular appeals to the sense of taste in the throat. In this way, they enhance the taste of other foods. The soy sauce can therefore serve as an alternative to glutamate – the controversial flavor enhancers E 621 to E 625.

Not everything about soy sauce is healthy

Soy sauce does not only contain healthy ingredients. Some of their ingredients can be problematic for certain groups of people.

Salt: The salt content in soy sauce can be alarmingly high, depending on the amount consumed. The USDA Food Database states that 100 grams of shoyu soy sauce contains about 5.5 grams of sodium. For tamari sauce, it’s 5.6 grams. These amounts are almost the recommended daily allowance for table salt, which is chemically composed of sodium and chloride, among other things. According to the DGE, the daily recommended value is six grams of salt. This amount is equivalent to about a teaspoon of salt. Too much salt in food affects high blood pressure. This can lead to cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of stroke.
Gluten: The Shoyu soy sauce is made with wheat and therefore also contains traces of gluten. People with gluten intolerance should therefore switch to the gluten-free tamari sauce. Some brands indicate on the condiment bottles whether the sauces are gluten-free.
Sugar: Processed soy sauces can often contain sugar, as the USDA states for tamari soy sauce, for example.
Purines: Purines are natural components of many foods. Soybean products also contain purines. Purines are linked to gout attacks. The Apotheken-Umschau points out that the diet for gout should be as low in purines as possible.

Industrially produced soy sauce: That’s still in it

In the industrial production of soy sauce, things often have to be done quickly. The fermentation process is almost always greatly shortened. Stiftung Warentest reports that even soy sauces that are brewed using traditional methods are only given between three and six months.

Sometimes the companies use the same defatted soybeans. This speeds up the fermentation process. This means that the sauce loses the valuable unsaturated fatty acids.

On the other hand, it only takes a few hours to produce it using chemical agents. These completely replace the fermentation process. Instead of the lengthy procedure of fermented soybeans, the industry simply uses soy flour.

Additives usually have to ensure the consistency and aroma. Stiftung Warentest found flavorings and colorings as well as artificial glutamate in some of the sauces tested. In a taste comparison to the traditionally produced soy sauces, the sauces with additives also performed worse. However, the test dates back to 2005, and no soy sauces have been tested since then.

Conclusion: soy sauce is healthy, right?

Flavoring food with soy sauce is basically healthy. However, note the following points:

The soy sauce should consist of traditional ingredients, i.e. without additives such as sugar and artificial coloring. Also make sure that the sauce is free of genetically modified soy.  Opt for organic soy sauce instead. In our seal guide you can find out about seals that are awarded for organic products.
You should use soy sauce in moderation. Here, too, it depends on the quantity. According to the USDA, one teaspoon with six grams of soy sauce contains about 0.3 grams of salt. Tip: There is now also soy sauce with a reduced salt content.
If you use a teaspoon or two of the Asian seasoning a day, there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it can even help you reduce your salt intake overall. Because soy sauce enhances the taste of your meals with the natural umami of the fermented soybeans.

Another reason why soy sauce is healthy after all: It is ideal for light Asian cuisine, which is based on a wide variety of vegetables. If you also use tofu, tempeh or the green soybeans edamame, then you use the whole healthy potential of soy.

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Turmeric Tea: A Recipe for the Healthy Drink

A warming turmeric tea is the ideal companion for the winter months. Here you can find out how to prepare the strengthening tea and what effect it has.

Turmeric has been considered a superfood for many centuries. The turmeric root originally comes from Southeast Asia. Its resemblance to the ginger root is due to the fact that it also belongs to the ginger family. Chinese and Indian medicinal medicine have been using the root for many centuries – including in the form of turmeric tea. Turmeric is also popular as a kitchen spice in Far Eastern cuisine. The coloring agent curcumin is responsible for the yellow color of “Indian saffron”.

How does turmeric tea work?

“Spice of life” or “magic tuber”: That’s what many call the yellow dye curcumin, which gives turmeric tea its characteristic yellow and is said to help with various ailments. Although the current study situation is not very advanced, some positive effects of curcumin have already been demonstrated:

BR-Wissen speaks of an anti-inflammatory effect that may prevent or reduce cell damage. In this context, the allergist Peter Schnabel mentions above all the potential to alleviate gastrointestinal complaints.
According to BR-Wissen, in animal experiments, turmeric was also able to slow down the rate of division of cancer cells or ensure that they died.
Furthermore, the federal government also mentions in its report on the healing effects of turmeric that curcumin can lower cholesterol levels.
As the federal government continues to write, Alzheimer’s can also be slowed down by the use of turmeric. Since turmeric halts the loss of mitochondrial function, the onset of dementia could progress more slowly.
The Freiburg University Hospital reports an overall positive effect that regular consumption of turmeric products such as turmeric tea would have. For example, in India, where a lot of turmeric is used in cooking, there are fewer cardiovascular diseases or cancers. The mortality rate is also lower compared to western industrialized nations.
Ayurvedic medicine also uses turmeric to treat liver problems. Since turmeric is said to promote the formation of bile, this facilitates fat digestion.
Turmeric tea in particular can also have an expectorant effect and provide relief for respiratory diseases. In addition, the tea warms the body from the inside in winter.
Important: The previous studies are cell or animal studies that can only be transferred to humans to a limited extent. So more clinical studies are needed to better assess the effects of turmeric in general and turmeric tea in particular.

Turmeric tea: How to prepare the strengthening tea

For example, you can take turmeric tea in the morning and at noon. If you have a sensitive stomach, you should not drink the tea just before bed because of its pungent aroma. To prepare a strengthening turmeric tea, you need the following ingredients:

a piece of turmeric (one to two centimeters) or a teaspoon of turmeric powder
a pinch of pepper
250 milliliters of water
if desired: ginger, cinnamon or organic lemon to refine
When preparing turmeric tea, you should do the following:

Boil the water in a saucepan or kettle.
Pour over the powder or root and let the mixture steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
Strain the tea through a sieve.
Infuse your turmeric tea with ginger, cinnamon, or lemon if desired.
Tip: Your body absorbs the water-soluble curcumin best in combination with fat. It is therefore recommended to drink the turmeric tea with or after a high-fat meal or to take it together with a spoonful of fatty plant milk, butter, coconut oil or similar. Alternatively, you can enrich your turmeric tea with warm milk and honey. Milk fat is said to improve the absorption of turmeric. Turmeric and honey mixed together is also known as Golden Honey.

A substance called piperine also helps to increase the biological availability of curcumin. This is contained in abundance in black pepper. A pinch of it can therefore increase the effect. Together with ginger, turmeric is said to have a stronger effect on digestive problems due to the gingerols. You benefit from this, for example, if you mix ginger tea with turmeric. Cinnamon, in turn, is said to regulate blood sugar levels and thereby boost fat burning.

How common is turmeric tea healthy?

You should not drink more than four cups of turmeric tea throughout the day. As the Freiburg University Hospital explains, the WHO recommends around three grams of turmeric powder a day. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment also advises not to permanently exceed the recommended daily intake.

Caution: Some groups of people should only drink a little turmeric tea. Pregnant women, nursing mothers or children can react sensitively to the substances. Because the slightly hot note of turmeric can irritate the gastric mucosa in higher quantities and thus promote cramps, diarrhea or nausea.

You should also note that the active ingredient curcumin causes interactions with certain drugs. Since curcumin interacts with certain enzymes in the liver and these are also responsible for breaking down medicines, there can be an increased or reduced concentration in the blood. Interactions have so far been observed, for example, in connection with anti-cancer drugs. If you take medication regularly, it is better to seek medical advice before drinking turmeric tea regularly.

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Food

Salad Really is That Healthy – with Recipe Ideas

How healthy your salad actually is depends on various factors. In this article, we will show you how to make salad healthy and provide you with suitable recipe suggestions.

Salads consist largely of water and are therefore low in calories. According to the Federal Center for Nutrition, they also contain various health-promoting nutrients. These include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate and fiber as well as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

There are a variety of salad dishes and even more ways to arrange salads individually. Not all salads are created equal. You can influence how healthy your salad will ultimately be.

These factors affect how healthy your salad is

It’s best to add variety to your salad choices because different types of lettuce contain different amounts of nutrients. For example, according to the BzfE, iceberg lettuce is rather low in nutrients, while lamb’s lettuce and endive have a better nutrient composition. Wild herbs are particularly rich in nutrients.

When putting together, you can use seasonal and regional salad varieties as a guide. You can also save on CO2 emissions because long transport routes are no longer necessary. Our seasonal calendar can give you an overview. In addition, we recommend that you buy your salad and all other ingredients in organic quality. In this way, you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

It is healthiest and tastiest if you prepare your salad and dressing yourself. Ready-made salads lose nutrients when cut and stored. In addition, packaged salads are more susceptible to bacteria. This is due to the cut surfaces of the pre-cut lettuce, on which microorganisms can colonize more easily. Ready-made dressings often contain a lot of sugar, salt or oil and can quickly become a calorie bomb. For example, try a classic vinaigrette instead. If you have the opportunity, we recommend that you grow your own lettuce. So you get the freshest salad ever and save plastic at the same time.

If you prepare your salad yourself, you can combine it according to your taste and supplement it with filling ingredients. It is particularly healthy to add protein-rich components to the salad. This can be, for example, legumes, eggs, organic cheese, nuts and seeds or the organic (soy) yoghurt in the dressing. Complex carbohydrates also promote satiety. Add healthy carbohydrates in the form of millet, whole wheat pasta, or sweet potatoes to the salad. You can also integrate fruits, mushrooms or other vegetables. There are no limits to the design of your salad.

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Cooking Tips

11 Tips to Diversify and Simplify Your Healthy Salad Preparation

Salads are a delicious and healthy dish with a huge variety in preparation. However, cooking them often takes a long time. These simple tips can help you save time and add nutritional value to your salad.

  1. MORE COLOR. If you’ve been eating the classic set of iceberg, cherry tomato and feta cheese for a long time, it’s time to change something. Add more colored vegetables or fruits to the salad.
  2. ADD CANNED CHICKPEAS. Firstly, you will save time on cooking regular chickpeas or other ingredients, and secondly, it is delicious! The aroma and flavor of the product can even make you skip the salad dressing.
  3. ADD CEREALS. While many people think that salads should only consist of vegetables or fish, this is not the case. Cereals like quinoa or brown rice will make your salad tastier, fuller, and more fiber-filled.
  4. COOK VEGETABLES IN ADVANCE. If you love eating your favorite salad for dinner, but taking every ingredient out of the refrigerator, washing and cleaning it makes you twitchy, cook the vegetables ahead of time. In your free time, wash and cut them into a container, and when you feel like eating, just take out and mix.
  5. PREPARE SALADS BEFORE. To save even more time, use the previous tip, but do so with the ingredients for several salads so that you have enough for a couple of days.
  6. STORE THE GREENS CORRECTLY. Regardless of whether you buy lettuce and greens from the market or supermarket, proper storage will extend the shelf life of the product. To prevent the leaves from withering or drying, place them in a plastic wrap or container.
  7. FREEZE INGREDIENTS. Sorting and putting food in the freezer in advance will extend their life and save time for yourself. All you need to do is take out and defrost / reheat the food.
  8. MARINATE TOFU. There are tons of easy recipes for pickling tofu. This procedure will add flavor to the salad and shorten the cooking time.
  9. USE A SPECIAL VEGETABLE CLEANER NOT A KNIFE. Firstly, it peels vegetables faster and better, and secondly, if you have a specially shaped cleaner, you will add a little creativity to the salad, even if you get just star-shaped cucumbers.
  10. PREPARE SALAD CONDITIONING YOURSELF. It tastes better and has less calories. The procedure does not take long – choose the ingredients to taste and mix in a blender.
  11. KEEP DRY INGREDIENTS DRY. If your salad includes nuts or croutons, it is best to add them immediately before eating. Dry lettuce leaves in a drier to avoid excessive amounts of water in the lettuce.
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Cooking Tips

10 Tips for Cooking Healthy Pizza

Pizza is considered to be quite high-calorie and not a very healthy dish. But sometimes it is simply impossible to refuse delicious, aromatic Italian pizza! 10 tips to help you make pizza healthy and fit.

  1. Pizza dough is best made from whole grains, which have a beneficial effect on the intestines and rejuvenate the body.
  2. It is advisable to choose low-fat cheese.
  3. Add plenty of fresh tomatoes to your pizza – they are rich in antioxidants and can protect against cancer.
  4. You can make your pizza healthier by garnishing it with fresh basil leaves.
  5. Remember that red pepper speeds up metabolism and burns fats, which will not allow extra centimeters to form at the waist.
  6. For the sauce, use olive oil, which has been praised by nutritionists around the world.
  7. Parsley, spinach, arugula, olives can serve as an excellent healthy addition to a recipe.
  8. Chicken, mushrooms, and seafood are the healthiest pizza toppings. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are rich in sea fish, improve memory, fight back diseases and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
  9. You can season seafood pizza with lemon juice.
  10. Pizza filling made from vegetables, nuts, and goat cheese is delicious and very healthy. It enriches the body with fiber and calcium, the combination of which gives the body every opportunity to find its perfect shape.
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Food

7 Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Get Your Day Off to a Good Start

A healthy breakfast often falls by the wayside due to lack of time. We can help: with our 7 practical breakfast ideas, which are either ready in a flash or can be prepared the evening before.

1. Overnight oats

As the name suggests, oatmeal is soaked in liquid overnight for this healthy breakfast idea. There are no limits to the imagination; everything that tastes good is allowed. Try these overnight oats with chocolate and figs – a real highlight in the morning!

Depending on your preferences, overnight oats can be prepared with normal milk, soy, almond, or rice milk, for example. The addition of cocoa, nut butter, and co. also brings variety to the oatmeal. In the morning, the creamy breakfast is then only refined with fresh fruit and nuts, for example, figs, pistachios, and other delicacies.

2. Granola balls and granola bars

Small granola balls or granola bars are a good choice for anyone who does not have a particularly large appetite in the morning and is looking for breakfast ideas on the go. Because the mix of almonds, dates, nuts, and much more is a kind of “muesli to go” for those in a hurry.

You can prepare the morning snack a few days in advance because the small balls will keep in the refrigerator for some time if they are kept cool. How about, for example, wake-up energy balls or these delicious muesli bars with apricots and flaxseed?

3. Sandwiches

This idea can also be prepared in advance or is ready in no time in the morning. Sandwiches are also great for on the go. The classic sandwiches provide plenty of fiber and give you energy for the day, and the toppings can be varied as you like.

A great idea, for example, is the cream cheese toast with figs – doesn’t that look delicious? You will find many more recipe ideas in the cookbook “Bunt topped sandwiches”.

4. Breakfast smoothie

A good choice for morning grouches: muesli to drink. Fresh fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt or milk are mixed together in just five minutes. If you like, you can refine the filling drink with seasonal fruit or vegetables, for example.

How about a plum and date shake, for example, or a wonderfully green lamb’s lettuce and pear smoothie?

5. Breakfast Muffins

Breakfast muffins with blueberries – Our variant with wholemeal spelled flour, banana, and blueberries can be baked the evening before and will impress the whole family. Alternatively, the version with apple and carrot might be something for you.

6. Chia pudding

The taste of chia pudding is not for everyone. But breakfast is just bursting with nutrients! Another plus: You can soak the small seeds in the evening and simply garnish them with fresh fruit in the morning, such as in our chia pudding with banana or chia pudding with papaya, or nuts – also ideal for taking to the office. A great breakfast idea, right?

7. Profits

To make Proats yourself, simply mix oatmeal with milk, refine everything with spices as you like, add quark, and put everything in the fridge overnight – it couldn’t be easier! Garnish with fruit in the morning and the healthy lightning breakfast is ready. How about, for example, delicious autumnal products or buckwheat profits with apple, blueberries, and cashews?

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