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Food

How Rice Cultivation Works

October 24, 2025

Rice cultivation is increasingly being criticized due to its eco-balance. The high water consumption and the released methane are problematic for the climate. Here you can find out how rice cultivation works and what you should pay attention to when buying.

Southeast Asia: The most important rice-growing region in the world

Rice is a staple food for over 3.5 billion people and, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), it is one of the three most important cereals in the world along with corn and wheat. Rice cultivation thus has far-reaching effects on our climate.

According to the FAO, around 90 percent of the world’s rice harvest comes from South Asia and Southeast Asia, with China and India as the largest rice producers. According to statistics from the OCE (Observatory of Economic Complexity), India and Thailand are the main rice exporters, providing a large part of the world’s traded rice volumes.

Rice is also grown in the USA, Latin America, Africa and Europe. The main European rice producers are Spain, Italy and France. The following types of rice can be found there:

Spain: Bomba rice (for paella)
Italy: Arborio rice, jasmine rice and Venus rice (Piedmont as the main growing region of Italy)
France: Red rice from the Camargue

How does rice cultivation work?

There are various methods of rice cultivation, but the most common is wet rice cultivation. Irrigation is done differently depending on the location. Sometimes the farmers rely on natural flooding, sometimes fields are artificially supplied with water via sophisticated irrigation systems. Around 75 percent of the world’s rice harvest is based on artificial irrigation, as Ferrero and Tinarelli state in the introduction to their book “Pesticide Risk Assessment in Rice Paddies”. The water serves as a natural protection against weeds and pests for the plants.

There is also dry rice cultivation, which is much more laborious and less productive. Weeds and pests are not kept out naturally, which is why more fertilizers and pesticides are needed. An advantage of this cultivation method, however, is that less water is required and less methane is emitted. Due to the meager yields, this cultivation method is still less used.

Wet rice cultivation: How does it work exactly?

Growing rice is very time-consuming and is often still done by hand in Asia.

The rice seeds are sown in the dry field, which is then ploughed.
Later, the seedlings are transplanted into the paddy field by hand or with the help of jigs.
Now the fields have to be constantly under water before they are drained around three weeks before harvest. Depending on site conditions, this occurs through natural flooding or artificial irrigation systems.
In total, the rice plant grows for five to six months before it is harvested.
harvest and processing

Rice can be harvested one to three times a year, depending on the rice variety, site conditions and cultivation method. After harvesting, the rice is threshed and dried. The husks are then removed in a rice mill, leaving the actual grain of rice and the husk – the so-called silver skin. This product is sold as brown rice, whole grain or brown rice. Usually, however, there is a further step in which the silver skin and seedling are removed. What remains is the classic white rice, which has a longer shelf life but is less nutritious.

What are the consequences of rice cultivation for the environment?

Water consumption

According to Öko-fair, 2,000 to 5,000 liters of water are required for one kilogram of rice in wet rice cultivation. If the fields are artificially irrigated, this can lead to a falling groundwater level. This often poses major water supply problems for the cultivation regions, which are often water-scarce anyway. The energy required for the artificial irrigation systems is also high.

Methane emissions

According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), wet rice cultivation is responsible for around ten percent of man-made methane emissions worldwide. Methane is the second most important man-made greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and is 21 times more potent than CO2, according to the Max Planck Society.

The reason for the high emission values are the flooded fields: microorganisms decompose organic substances here in the absence of oxygen, resulting in the formation of methane. How much methane is produced depends on how long the fields are under water. If they are drained regularly, less methane is produced – a simple step that would already make rice production significantly more sustainable. However, for many small farmers in Asia, this additional effort can hardly be implemented. In addition, leftover husks are often burned in the fields after harvesting, which releases CO2.

An overview by the WWF makes the extent of methane emissions in rice cultivation clear. It shows the respective amounts of greenhouse gases that occur during the production of different foods. With 6.2 kilograms of CO2 equivalents per kilogram, rice is significantly higher than potatoes (0.62 kilograms), fresh milk products (1.76 kilograms) or even poultry meat (4.22 kilograms).

Sustainable rice: You should pay attention to this when buying

Fair trade rice: Rice is mainly grown in less developed regions of the world. A Fairtrade certification shows you that the producers receive fair wages and work under good conditions. Many Fairtrade-certified rice suppliers enter into their own small cooperations with individual rice farmers in order to be able to offer ecologically and socially sustainable rice. In this way, cultivation conditions can be clearly traced and made transparent for consumers. You can usually find information about such cooperations on the provider’s website or directly on the product. In general, the more specific the information about origin and growing conditions, the better. It is worth taking a closer look at the products before you buy them.
Organic Rice: When you buy certified organic rice, you not only protect yourself and the environment from synthetic pesticides: Organic farming also protects rice farmers from constant exposure to harmful pesticides at work.

Rice from Europe: In the meantime, you can also find rice from European cultivation in the supermarket or health food store. So you can avoid long transport routes. In addition, the environmental guidelines in Europe are generally higher than in Asia and many European rice farmers value more sustainable rice cultivation.
Rice from dry cultivation: Although not the global solution, dry rice – especially from European cultivation – is often the more environmentally friendly alternative, as the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier shows using the example of the domestic rice producer “ÖsterReis”. Dry rice cultivation releases significantly less methane and uses less water. For example, the Swiss risotto rice branded “Terreni alla Maggia” or the Austrian rice from “SO-Fröhlich” come from the dry cultivation method. In dry cultivation, however, farmers increasingly have to contend with weeds and pests, which is why this method is much more labor-intensive – especially in organic cultivation. In order for rice from dry cultivation to actually be a sustainable alternative, you should only obtain it from organic cultivation. This is because more pesticides are often used in dry cultivation. While organic dry rice is a sustainable option, it is not a real solution on a global scale. Because the harvests in dry cultivation are too small and it can by no means cover the worldwide rice demand.
It doesn’t always have to be rice: there are many regional alternatives to rice that have a much better ecological footprint. For example, German potatoes or local cereals are the more sustainable side dishes. Spelled rice, for example, is a good alternative to rice. According to the WWF, the cultivation of lentils and legumes also emits fewer harmful GHG emissions, although they cannot compete with potatoes or cereals in this respect.

First steps towards sustainable rice cultivation

A step in the right direction is the International Platform for Sustainable Rice (SRP), which has developed a standard for sustainable rice. The project supports Thai rice farmers in making rice cultivation more ecological and campaigns for better local working conditions. Research institutes, large companies such as OLAM and international organizations such as GIZ or the United Nations Environment Program are involved.

According to GIZ, up to 50 percent fewer greenhouse gases are released as a result of the project measures, water consumption falls by a fifth and the farmers get by with fewer pesticides. At the same time, small farmers can increase their profits. The rice is certified accordingly and commercially available. For example, the Uncle Ben’s brand says it sources its rice exclusively from farmers supported by the SRP.

The Thai-German project Thai Rice NAMA also aims to make rice cultivation more sustainable and there is worldwide research on “anti-methane strategies”.

Little climate awareness when it comes to rice

Converting rice cultivation to uniform ecological standards is not that easy. Because there are too many individual small farmers from different countries where different environmental regulations apply. There is also often a lack of ecological awareness in the less developed countries of Asia, and for many small farmers, rice cultivation primarily means securing their survival. So they have no capacity to think about climate issues.

Projects for sustainable rice cultivation, such as those implemented by the SRP, are therefore all the more important. But the topic of sustainability is not only little present on the part of the producers. As consumers, we are also little aware of the poor ecological balance of rice – in contrast to products such as palm oil, avocados or meat, to which we are much more sensitive. It shouldn’t be any different with rice.

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Food

Celery Juice: Effects and How to Make It

October 24, 2025

Celery juice is a well-known “miracle drug” in the fitness world. But does the juice work or is it just a myth? Here you can find out everything you need to know about the effects of celery juice. We also show you how to make it.

Celery is a versatile and healthy vegetable. There is celeriac and celery. For celery juice, use celery sticks, also known as celery sticks, and they are in season from May through November. So you can buy it regionally almost all year round. If you then also pay attention to the organic seal, you have done everything right when shopping.

Effect of Celery Juice

Celery originally comes from the Mediterranean region. Celery juice is extracted from celery. Because of its healthy ingredients, celery is suitable for a healthy and balanced diet. In addition, 100 grams of celery have just 18 kilocalories.

Among other things, celery contains many minerals and vitamins. It is rich in:

potassium
magnesium
sodium
calcium
antioxidants
Vitamin A
vitamin C
vitamin k
Vitamin D
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B6

Since celery juice is obtained from raw, unprocessed celery, the healthy ingredients are retained. The body can absorb them almost completely through the juice.

Why celery juice is healthy

Eating celery raw has the following benefits:

Being low in calories and fat, celery juice can help you lose weight. The fiber also fills your stomach and can prevent cravings.
Due to the essential oils (terpenes), celery is said to have an antibacterial effect.
The oils and the bitter substances they contain are also said to support digestion, calm the stomach and counteract slight stomach pains.
In addition, celery has a slightly draining effect. As a result, taking celery juice can help the body get rid of unwanted fluid buildup.
Important! Not everyone can tolerate celery juice. You should seek medical advice beforehand, especially if you have kidney disease or are pregnant.

Make celery juice yourself: ingredients for the recipe

You can easily make celery juice yourself at home. For a serving of about 350 milliliters of juice you need:

about 400 g fresh celery
a blender/blender/juicer
a strainer and filter cloth or nut milk bag (to strain out the solids after pureeing if you don’t have a juicer)
If you like, you can refine the pure celery juice with other seasonal vegetables or fruit. Just try what you like best. Go very well with celery juice:

Lemons
carrots
Parsley and other green herbs
Beetroot
apples

Making celery juice: The preparation

How to prepare the celery juice:

Remove the stalk.
Peel and trim the celery stalks.
Cut the stalks into pieces about 2 centimeters in size. If you work with a juicer, the pieces can stay longer (depending on the model).
Blend the celery (and optional other ingredients) in the blender on high until fairly runny. Depending on how you feel, you can add about 100 milliliters of water. You can do the same thing when you work with a hand blender. If you have a juicer, skip this and the next step.
Strain the pureed celery through a filter cloth or strainer to get the pure juice.
It is best to drink the fresh celery juice immediately.
If you don’t drink it right away, you can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for about 24 hours.

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Cooking Tips

Dose the Coffee Correctly – This is How Much Coffee Powder is Needed

October 24, 2025

When dosing coffee, you always have to look very closely. Measuring spoons can easily distort the taste. We will show you what you have to be aware of.

The dosage affects the taste

The taste and wholesomeness of a freshly prepared coffee depends on many factors – including the dosage. How much brewing time do I give the coffee and of course what is the quality of the beans used? However, what many coffee lovers like to overlook: The dosage of the coffee powder also has a significant influence on the coffee quality: If there is too little powder, the coffee quickly tastes bland and not aromatic, but too much powder can make it taste bitter and sour. We have therefore put together some tips on how to dose your coffee correctly.

Measuring spoons are too imprecise

If you buy fresh beans for your coffee in a roastery, if you are lucky you will also get a measuring spoon with it. That’s well intentioned, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be an advantage – at least for the taste of our coffee beans. Because here the mistake is in the details: Depending on the type of coffee, the size, structure and density of the beans vary. This means that a scoop of one type of coffee can contain many more grams of coffee powder than the same scoop of another type. So if you want to be on the safe side, you should weigh the coffee powder instead of measuring it with a spoon. Because: When it comes to coffee powder, the volume is unfortunately no help. It can therefore be weighed neither by spoon nor by cup.

Dose coffee correctly: Always pay attention to the weight

So we see that good coffee quality depends, among other things, on weight. The best and most accurate way to determine the coffee powder is with a conventional kitchen scale.

Now, of course, it depends on which type of coffee you have chosen and which method of preparation you prefer – whether filter coffee, stamp jug, coffee from the fully automatic machine or from the coffee machine. Mild coffee also likes to tolerate a stronger dosage in order to develop the full taste with all aromas. Stronger varieties should be dosed rather cautiously at the beginning. However, the rule here is: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. You can find your preferred starch and bean relatively quickly. So nothing stands in the way of perfect coffee enjoyment.

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Cooking Tips

How to Grow Your Own Coffee Plant

October 24, 2025

Become your own coffee expert and start growing coffee plants at home. These tips will help you grow coffee quickly.

The way to your own coffee plant

The coffee bean originated in the highlands of Ethiopia and Sudan. From there she has been traveling the world for three centuries now. Subtropical countries around the globe are now emerging as ideal locations for growing coffee plants. With the help of huge harvest fields, global demand can be met. But what do you do if you are a real coffee lover and want to grow your own coffee plant?
We associate coffee with pure enjoyment and an unimagined variety of tastes. Growing your own coffee plant therefore offers a very special appeal. In this article, we will explain the intricacies of cultivation and help you grow your first coffee plant. Because it is a tropical plant, the coffee plant cannot be grown like a normal houseplant. You have to pay attention to temperature, humidity, nutrient levels and much more. It takes a long time from the individual coffee seed to the fully grown coffee bush. You can expect the first yields after about three years. The harvest path is therefore quite long and should not be underestimated. However, if you enjoy growing coffee and don’t shy away from constant care, after a while you can look forward to a wonderful, home-grown coffee plant.

Tips on cultivation and proper care

By far the most popular type of coffee is Coffea Arabica. Using this coffee plant as an example, you can set up an optimal cultivation and breeding plan. First of all, you need to decide on a starting phase. You can start with simple seeds or buy small seedlings directly from the garden store and grow them further. If you start with a seed, it is best to use a fairly fresh one, which comes from ripe coffee berries. The seed can sometimes still have a hard shell and a silver skin. You can simply detach them. You can then place the seed one centimeter below the ground. Here is the perfect place for him to mature into a seedling. Only one bean should be used per pot. Incidentally, already mature head cuttings can be obtained from a coffee bush and also planted at home in a pot. Whether seeds, seedling or cuttings – all need a warm location to thrive. In this way, the coffee plant grows quickly and benefits optimally from the warm environment.

As soon as the growth process has started, the first roots form within a short time. Your coffee cultivation has now reached a crucial point. It’s time to repot your plant. A larger vessel offers more growth opportunities and has a larger breeding ground. In addition to normal soil, you can now also use substrate. This enables constant moisture, which has a positive effect on the growth of your coffee plant. Another repotting will not be necessary very often and only has to be done every two to three years. By the way, you can use normal rainwater when watering. This is completely sufficient to provide the coffee plant with sufficient nutrients. In addition to caring for the soil, the leaves can also be moistened with water every day. Tropical plants absorb a lot of water through their surfaces and thus grow even faster. Slowly but surely, the seed should develop into a real coffee bush. Incidentally, your coffee plant needs more water in warmer months than in colder ones. However, the humidity should not be too high.

It can take a few years for the coffee plant to finally bloom.

If you want to grow a coffee plant, then you have found the perfect candidate for your home. As a real houseplant, it prefers temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. If it gets a little colder outside, the robust plant can easily withstand low temperatures of up to 12 degrees or colder. A shady place in the sun and little draft ensure optimal growth all around. If your plant has strong growth spurts, you can also prune the coffee bush a little. This does not affect growth. However, it may be a few years before the coffee plant finally blossoms. If you have finally reached your goal, the only thing missing is pollination. You pollinate the flowers of the coffee plant and ensure that red berries develop. Coffee cultivation is now entering the final phase of the ripening period. The first coffee cherries are slowly growing. After 8 to 12 months, these then turn red and can be harvested. The coffee beans contained in it are used to prepare coffee. When you have reached this point, you can proudly say that you have grown your own coffee plant.

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Food

Shelf Life of Tofu: How long does it last?

October 24, 2025

Unopened, tofu has a fairly long shelf life. However, once the package is opened, it is often difficult to judge whether it is still edible. We tell you how long tofu can be kept.

Tofu is a protein-rich food made from soy that is particularly popular with vegans and vegetarians. You can use tofu in a variety of dishes and add flavor to your taste with marinades and spices.

A typical criticism of soy products like tofu is that the soybeans come from rainforest regions. However, organic tofu in particular mostly consists of European, sometimes even German, soybeans. Read more about how to eat vegan regionally at Utopia. Due to the shorter transport distances, you can save CO2 emissions and thus reduce your ecological footprint. Tip: You can also make tofu yourself.

We recommend that you buy organic tofu for other reasons as well. Organic seals such as Bioland, Demeter or Naturland stand for certain standards in cultivation and production, for example they do not allow chemical-synthetic pesticides.

The most important numbers on the shelf life of tofu

Tofu is mostly vacuum packed. This makes it particularly durable. The best before date (MHD) tells you how long the tofu will last. However, if stored properly, tofu can be kept for a long time. A long-term test by the environmental protection organization Greenpeace showed that tofu can still be eaten up to six months after the best-before date.

Once opened, tofu can be kept in the refrigerator for two to three days. You can extend the shelf life of tofu by storing it properly:

Always keep unopened tofu refrigerated. An exception are varieties that were freeze-dried during production and can therefore also be stored at room temperature. As a guide, if the tofu was already refrigerated when you bought it, you should keep it in the fridge as well.
Place opened tofu in an airtight container (such as a box or jar) and place in the refrigerator. It is best if you add some water. The tofu should be at least half covered.
If you freeze tofu, you can extend its shelf life by up to six months – regardless of whether it is still unopened or opened.

Shelf life of tofu: how do you know that tofu is still good?

A first indication of the shelf life of tofu is the best before date. However, as mentioned, unopened tofu lasts far beyond that.

Are you unsure whether your tofu is still edible? If these factors apply, you shouldn’t eat the tofu anymore:

Appearance: greasy, eventually mold
Odor and taste: sour or bitter
In particular, the smell of spoiled tofu can become very strong.

If the pack is still closed, the following also indicates that tofu is no longer edible:

Pack is bloated
The brine that tofu is in is creamy or crumbly

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Cooking Tips

Cocoa – Where Does it Come From & How Healthy is The Bean?

October 24, 2025

Is cocoa found only in chocolate? Is cocoa really unhealthy? What exactly is cocoa?

What exactly is cocoa?

Cocoa describes a variety of things. At the very beginning is the cocoa tree. This ripens particularly in sunny areas and bears the so-called cocoa pods. Once these have matured, they can be opened. Inside are the pulp and seeds. We know the latter in this country as cocoa beans. At the beginning, however, the seeds look very different – rather soft, light and white in colour.
Only the fermentation ensures that these transform into our classic brown cocoa beans. During this fermentation process, certain substances are released that later provide the chocolate flavor we crave when the beans are roasted. After that, a wide range of products such as cocoa drinks, chocolate or even cosmetics can now be manufactured.

Where is cocoa grown?

Similar to the coffee plant, the cocoa tree also needs a very special environment in order to thrive perfectly and blossom fully. The tropical heat around the equator is best suited for this. More than 40 countries around the world are now dedicated to the cultivation of cocoa. There are numerous growing areas, particularly in Asia, Latin America and Africa. However, around 75 percent of the total harvest comes from South Africa. The following countries are among the areas with the strongest cultivation areas:
Peru
Ivory Coast
Indonesia
Nigeria
Nicaragua
Papa New Guinea
Ghana
Brazil
Incidentally, the cocoa tree must never stand in direct sunlight. Therefore, the plants are often grown in the protection of the rainforest or planted together with mixed cultures such as coconut palms or citrus fruits, which cast shadows over the cocoa trees with their leaves.

These types of cocoa exist

Incidentally, there are four major types of cocoa beans, between which a distinction is made:
criollo
Trinity
Forastero
Arriba
The Forastero cocoa is generally considered to be the most well-known variety and is the most cultivated worldwide. But the other cocoas can also be found in the trade and offer various advantages depending on preference and taste. Incidentally, the seeds of the cocoa tree contain a large number of healthy ingredients. However, most of these are lost during drying (fermentation) and subsequent roasting. First of all, however, it should be said that the remaining ingredients also make cocoa a real super food.

How healthy is cocoa now?

As is almost always the case with cocoa, “It depends”. Cocoa can be divided into two categories. On the one hand there is the natural cocoa, which as pure cocoa powder has up to 350 calories per 100 grams. These are caused in particular by the fat content in raw cocoa. On the other side is the industrially produced cocoa. Here the calorie content can vary greatly and depends on the extent to which the powder has been de-oiled and sugared. With a cocoa content of mostly less than 25 percent and a high amount of sugar, this variant often has twice the number of calories as natural cocoa.

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Food

Barley Flour: How to Use It

October 24, 2025

Are you wondering what you can prepare with barley flour in the kitchen? We give you ideas and also show you the properties of barley flour.

When it comes to grain cultivation, wheat in particular is at the forefront in Germany. But there are also other types of grain that can be used in many ways – such as barley.

Barley products such as beer, malt coffee or whiskey are particularly common in the trade. But barley can do much more than just be processed into malt – there is also barley flour, for example. We will show you what is special about barley flour and how you can use it in the kitchen.

Properties of barley flour

Barley probably originated in South Asia and has also been cultivated in Europe since the fifth millennium BC. There are two varieties of barley, spring barley and winter barley. The barley that is grown in winter is used in agriculture for animal feed. The barley grown in summer is suitable for food.

In addition to malt production, spring barley can also be ground into barley flour. This special grain flour is characterized by an aromatic, nutty taste.

Nutritional values of barley flour

Barley flour is one of the whole grain flours. This means it still has all the valuable nutrients in it as it is made from the whole barley grain.

Barley flour is also characterized by the fact that it provides a lot of carbohydrates, but at the same time has a low fat content. Barley flour also contains a lot of fiber. In detail, 100 grams of barley have the following nutritional values:

Energy: 320 kcal
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Water: 11g
Dietary fiber: 10 g
Egg White: 10g
Fat: 2g
also traces of vitamins such as B vitamins and minerals such as calcium and potassium

More facts about barley flour

In addition, barley flour has some other interesting properties:

Barley is the grain with the highest content of the dietary fiber beta-glucan. A study involving scientists from the University of Gothenburg, among others, has shown that barley can lower blood sugar. This means that barley is a good type of flour for diabetics. In addition, barley flour supports the intestinal bacteria, which promote digestion.
But the cholesterol level can also be reduced by the beta-glucan, according to a report by the ARD.
Like other cereal flours, barley flour also contains gluten, reports the Apotheken-Umschau. According to the ARD, however, barley flour contains significantly less adhesive and binding proteins than other types of grain. For this reason, barley was not considered suitable for baking for a long time. When baking with barley flour, other types of flour usually have to be added so that the bread dough succeeds and does not fall apart.

Barley flour is suitable for these dishes

Barley flour can be used in different ways in the kitchen. We give you some suggestions here. If you want to bake, you can basically replace about a fifth of the specified amount of flour with barley flour in the recipe. You benefit from the nutty, aromatic taste of the barley flour and its high proportion of B vitamins. The flour is particularly good in the following baking recipes:

For example, you can use barley flour to bake wholemeal bread.
You can also replace a fifth of the specified amount of flour with barley flour for flatbread. You can find simple instructions for a flatbread recipe here: Flatbread recipe: simple instructions for the classic.
You can also use barley flour by modifying our basic pancake recipe and replacing about 50 grams of wheat flour with 50 grams of barley flour.
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), Lithuanian barley rolls are a particular classic from the Baltic States.

But you can’t only eat barley with barley flour: For example, you can also mix the grain in the form of barley flakes with your muesli or use barley barley as an ingredient for barley soups and stews.

Buying tip: You can find barley flour mainly in health food stores or organic shops. If possible, buy barley flour and all other barley products from regional cultivation in order to support local suppliers and avoid long, climate-damaging transport routes. It is also best to look for an organic seal – this way you can be sure that the product does not contain any chemical-synthetic pesticides.

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Cooking Tips

Caffeine: How it Affects Our Body

October 24, 2025

Many people drink their coffee in the morning not only because it tastes good, but also because of the stimulating effect. This comes from the caffeine. Here we explain exactly what causes this substance in the body and what advantages and disadvantages it has.

What is caffeine?

People like to consume caffeine because it wakes you up and keeps you awake and can help you overcome minor performance dips. It has already been proven that this is not imagination, but true: caffeine stimulates almost the entire body. It is an alkaloid and is one of the psychoactive substances. As a natural ingredient, caffeine (also caffeine) is contained in coffee beans, tea leaves, mate trees, kola nuts and guaraná berries. There are also numerous energy drinks that contain caffeine.

Nowadays, however, caffeine can also be easily produced synthetically. The caffeine tastes bitter, but is otherwise a colorless and odorless powder. The chemical name is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine (molecular formula: C8H10N4O2) – admittedly a somewhat unwieldy name. There are many different terms for caffeine (which are more common than the chemical name) such as caffeine, theine, guaranine, methyl theobromine or trimethyl xanthine. What is meant here is always the same substance.

Who Discovered Caffeine?

One name you probably don’t associate directly with caffeine is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. But the famous poet had a decisive part in the discovery of the substance. Whenever the famous poet had a cup of coffee, like so many others, he felt more awake and energized. He wondered what substance in coffee was responsible for this effect. So he gave the young chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge the impetus to get to the bottom of the cause. After numerous attempts and experiments, Runge finally succeeded in isolating caffeine from coffee beans around 1820.

How does caffeine affect our body?

Caffeine is a psychotropic substance. The human psyche is influenced by this and can raise and lower a person’s state of mind. How much caffeine affects the human body also depends on the amount ingested. Every day, people in Germany consume an average of 200 mg of caffeine – that corresponds to around one to two cups (200 ml) of filter coffee. It takes between 30 and 45 minutes for the caffeine to get into the bloodstream and take effect. It reaches the entire body via the blood and is excreted again after about four hours.

Where is caffeine in?

No surprise: coffee beans contain caffeine. However, the caffeine content varies depending on the type of bean. Because caffeine is heat stable, the roasting process does not affect the caffeine content of the beans. In addition to coffee beans, caffeine is also found in more than 60 other plants, for example in the tea bush, the guaranà plant, the mate tree or the kola nut.

In addition to coffee, other drinks also shine with their caffeine content. The classic pioneering role is taken by the energy drink. This also contains other stimulants such as glucuronolactone, taurine and more. Black and green tea, for example, have a caffeine content of 3 to 3.5 percent. But other drinks and foods such as cola, cocoa or chocolate also contain caffeine in harmless amounts

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Food

10 Common Mistakes When Making Coffee and How to Avoid Them

October 24, 2025

Brewing good coffee is not that easy – there are many factors that can influence the taste. Some of these are common knowledge, others perhaps less well known. We introduce you to ten common mistakes when making coffee.

Coffee is one of the most popular hot drinks in Germany: For many, the daily cup for breakfast and in the afternoon is a matter of course. Coffee is not only an everyday drink, but also a luxury food.

However, the enjoyment quickly becomes clouded if coffee is prepared incorrectly. It then tastes too bitter, too thin or even burnt. This is due to various mistakes that often happen when making coffee. In this article we will show you which coffee mistakes are particularly common – and how you can avoid them.

Store coffee incorrectly

You should always store coffee in a dark, cool and dry place so that it does not lose its taste and quality. Heat, moisture and oxygen damage it. Many people therefore fill the coffee into a container. It is best to leave the coffee in its original packaging, seal it well and also store it in an airtight container. Coffee isn’t in good hands in the refrigerator if air can get in: it quickly absorbs the smells of other foods and changes its taste.

Caution: Even if stored well, coffee loses its aroma over time. So only ever buy as much as you need and use it up within six to eight weeks.

The wrong type of coffee

If you don’t like your coffee, it might not be because of the machine, but because of the type. Because coffee is not just coffee: there are over 100 known types of coffee with different flavors. For example, Arabica beans have a milder and less bitter taste than the robust beans of the Robusta plant. Robusta coffee usually also has a higher caffeine content than Arabica coffee. You can find out what you personally like best by trying it out.

The wrong degree of roast

The type of bean doesn’t taste like it does in your favorite café? This could be because you use a different method of preparation. Depending on whether you brew your coffee with a filter machine, an espresso maker or a French press, different degrees of roasted coffee are recommended.

For filter coffee, you should use beans with a medium or light roast.
A dark roast is recommended for espresso.
If in doubt, seek advice from a specialist retailer or take a look at the coffee packaging. Often you will find additional information there.

Mistake: Buy conventional coffee

When buying coffee, not only pay attention to the type of beans and the degree of roasting, but also keep an eye on the production conditions. Conventional coffee is repeatedly criticized because it is often contaminated with pesticides. This is doubly problematic: On the one hand, chemical-synthetic pesticides that are spread over large areas damage the environment. On the other hand, coffee contaminated with pesticides can also have a negative effect on your own health.

It is therefore best to buy organic coffee. It comes from sustainable cultivation and you avoid harmful residues because chemical-synthetic pesticides are banned in organic farming. Various test results also suggest that organic coffee is better for your health: Oko-Test, for example, took a closer look at 22 espresso roasts and found that many beans contain critical amounts of acrylamide. The substance is produced during roasting and is considered carcinogenic.

Grind coffee beans in advance

You can get coffee either ready-ground or in the form of whole beans. Many coffee lovers swear by the second variant and like to freshly grind their coffee at home. It should then have a more intense and pleasant taste than pre-ground coffee powder.

However, this is only true if you actually grind the beans right before brewing. Grinding a whole pack of coffee beans in advance may be more convenient, but it makes little sense: ground coffee loses its aroma faster than whole coffee beans. Therefore, pre-ground coffee does not differ significantly from conventional coffee powder.

Grind bean coffee with the wrong degree of grinding

When you grind your coffee yourself at home, it’s not only important to do it fresh every time – you should also consider the correct grind size. If the powder is ground too finely, the coffee releases too many bitter substances into the water, resulting in an unpleasantly bitter taste. On the other hand, powder that is too coarse does not release enough aromas into the water – the result is a rather thin coffee with little taste.

Basically, you should use medium-fine ground beans for the filter coffee machine
and use finely ground beans for hand filter coffee.
A coarser grind is recommended for espresso makers and French presses.

Mistake: Buying unfair coffee

In addition to the organic seal, you should also look out for the Fairtrade seal on the coffee pack of your choice. Poor working conditions often prevail on coffee plantations and local coffee farmers are often badly paid by bulk buyers. Fairtrade coffee, on the other hand, is traded and exported under fair conditions: For example, fair trade sets a minimum price for coffee that is not subject to the usual price fluctuations on the world market. This guarantees that the farmers can cover their production costs and their existence is not threatened. Other goals of fair trade are to enable coffee farmers to receive further training, to strengthen their negotiating position with customers and to combat child labor on coffee plantations.

In addition to the social aspect, Fairtrade coffee is usually also more sustainable, because fair trade focuses on environmental protection and bans certain pesticides. In addition, Fairtrade companies are more careful with valuable resources such as water. Our guide gives you an overview of the best places to buy Fairtrade coffee.

Incorrect amount of ground coffee

Coffee often gets too strong or too weak because you use too much or too little powder. For a pleasant taste you can use the following rule of thumb:

You need seven to ten grams of ground coffee per cup of coffee (125 to 150 milliliters). Ten grams is approximately one heaped tablespoon. For a more accurate dosage, you can also use a special teaspoon to help you measure.

Brew coffee with water that is too hot

You should avoid this mistake especially if you brew your coffee with a French press or prepare Turkish coffee. Boiling hot water weakens the aroma of coffee and more bitter substances are released. Ultimately, the finished coffee tastes much more bitter.

It is better to use water with a temperature below 100 degrees Celsius for these types of preparation; 90 to 95 degrees are ideal. If you don’t have a way to measure the water temperature precisely, you can simply let the water cool slightly after boiling before using it to brew the coffee.

Water quality is also important

What many people don’t take into account: It’s not just the coffee powder itself that contributes to the taste of a cup of coffee, but also the quality of the water. Be sure to use fresh and pure water to brew your coffee and pay particular attention to the calcium and magnesium content. If it is particularly high, we speak of hard water – this has an unfavorable effect on the taste of the coffee and can also calcify the coffee machine. Too soft water with very little mineral content is not recommended either. The ideal water hardness is a maximum of 8 °dH.

If you are unsure about the composition, you can have your tap water tested. If it’s high in calcium and magnesium, you can soften it by using a water filter. Alternatively, you can brew your coffee with mineral water. In principle, however, tap water is better for the environment than plastic bottles.

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Food

This is How You Use the Apulian Cabbage

October 24, 2025

Cime di rapa are leafy greens that taste like broccoli. Here you can find out where and when the stem cabbage grows and how you can get it in Germany. We also present a typical Apulian recipe.

Cime di rapa are also known as Italian broccoli, wild broccoli or collards. Literally translated, the term means something like “turnip sprouts” or “turnip tops”. The vegetable has long-stemmed leaves and small inflorescences that look like broccoli florets. The inflorescences are edible if they have not yet blossomed, as are the leaves and stems. While cime di rapa is widespread in Italy and the Mediterranean region in general, they are less common in Germany.

The name “wild broccoli” is not only due to its appearance: it is also similar to conventional broccoli in taste. However, the stalk cabbage has a bitter note and a slight spiciness. If you want to tone down these flavors, you can blanch the vegetables.

Cime di rapa are a popular ingredient, especially in Apulian cuisine. Apulia is a region located in south-eastern Italy. There, for example, stalk cabbage is part of the traditional pasta dish “Orecchiette alle cime di rapa”. We present a recipe for this further down in the article.

Wild broccoli in the kitchen: how to prepare it

There are many ways to prepare cime di rapa.

A simple method is to cook the buds, stalks, and leaves of the kale in the pan. You can stew, steam, stew or roast the vegetables.
Wild broccoli from the pan is a good vegetable side dish for various dishes.
You can also use the kale as a soup ingredient, for example in a minestrone recipe, or add it to pasta dishes and casseroles.
Even if you want to make pesto yourself, Cime di rapa is a good base.

Orecchiette alle cime di rapa: tips & hints

A classic stalk cabbage recipe from Apulia is “Orecchiette alle cime di rapa”. Orecchiette is a special type of pasta named for its ear-like shape. Traditionally, “Orecchiette alle cime di rapa” contain anchovies in addition to vegetables. Here we present a vegan recipe without anchovies. If you want, you can alternatively replace the small fish with salted capers.

Important: When cooking, use ingredients of organic quality whenever possible – you can recognize them by the corresponding certificate. For example, the Demeter seal and the Bioland seal are recommended. They identify ecologically sustainable products that are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

In order to avoid long transport routes with high CO2 emissions, it is also worth buying regionally and seasonally. Unfortunately, this is usually not possible with Cime di rapa. Most of the other ingredients you get in the summer months but from German cultivation.

Apulian recipe: Orecchiette alle cime di rapa

Ingredients:

500 g Cime di rapa
Salt
180 g orecchiette
1 small onion
1 clove(s) garlic
10 dried tomatoes (in oil)
1peperoncino pod (fresh)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Wash the cime di rapa and drain well. Cut off and discard any stems that are hollow, woody, or overly thick.
Cut or pluck the leaves, buds, and thinner stems into small pieces.
Fill a large saucepan with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta.
Follow the time on the package and add the kale to the noodles six minutes before the end of the cooking time.
While the pasta and kale are cooking, you can prepare the rest of the vegetables: Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Wash the tomatoes and the peperoncino and cut them into small pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Fry the onion and garlic briefly and then add the tomatoes and the pepperoncini. Add a little pasta water to the pan and let the vegetables simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Drain the pasta and kale and let them drain well. Then mix them with the vegetables and stock and season with salt and pepper.

When and where does the kale grow?

In Italy, cime di rapa is grown in consecutive batches two to three months apart. They can be harvested almost all year round. Only in midsummer can it be difficult to find the kale on Italian markets at times. In Germany you can buy Cime di rapa between October and April. The goods are mostly imported from Italy.

Because cime di rapa is not very common in German cuisine, it can be difficult to find the “wild broccoli” in this country. The best thing to do is to try your luck at the larger weekly markets or in the Italian delicatessen. Sometimes Turkish specialty shops also offer cime di rapa under the name “Rappa” or “Rapa”.

Plant cime di rapa yourself

If you’re unsuccessful in finding collards, it’s worth considering planting them yourself. So you are not dependent on imported goods and avoid long transport routes.

When: You can sow the seeds outdoors between June and October. In winter, Cime di rapa can also be grown in a greenhouse.
Location: The plants need a sunny to semi-shady location. They do not make any great demands on the soil.
Sowing: Sow the seeds in rows 40 centimeters apart. You should use the seeds themselves at intervals of 20 to 30 centimeters and press them one to two centimeters deep into the soil. After they have germinated, it is best to separate the plantlets four to six centimeters apart.
Care: Cime di rapa are easy to care for – it is enough to water them regularly, especially during dry periods. Also, you can occasionally hoe the soil to loosen it.
Harvest: The kale is ready for harvest five to seven weeks after sowing.
However, it is not easy to get hold of (organic) seeds for Cime di rapa in Germany. The best thing to do is to try it in a well-stocked garden shop or online.

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