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Masala Chai is a mixed drink originally from the Asian area. The Indian word “Masala” can be roughly translated with “spice mixture”, with the “chai” being derived from the Chinese word “Chá” for tea. Masala Chai consists of black tea, sugar or honey, milk and a special spice mixture and is particularly popular because of its stimulating effect. Chai is a good alternative for latte macchiato lovers.

Masala Chai – a special kind of tea drink
Masala Chai is the national drink in India and is also celebrating its trendy in Europe as a trend drink. In addition to self -preparation, the acquisition of tea bags in tea shops and coffee shops, Masala Chai can now also be obtained as a capsule for the Nespresso coffee machines.

Masala Chai – a drink with many recipes

The classic ingredients for the Masala Chai include a strong black tea, which is often brewed from a strong assam, as well as milk, sugar or other sweeteners. However, the special aroma is awarded to the Masala Chai by the spice mix that varies from family to family in India. Traditional spices for the Masala Chai are cloves, cardamom, anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon and ginger that can be found in almost every recipe variation. The spices used, especially as a stimulating mode of action, develop. Cardamom in particular should have a positive effect on life energy and digestion after teaching.

The fact that almost every family has handed over their own recipe for the Masala Chai, peppercorns, Indian laurel leaves and nutmeg can also be considered as seasoning ingredients. Instead of sugar, honey is also used as a sweetener depending on the region and taste.

Traditional preparation of the Masala Chai

For the preparation of a Masala chai, the water is boiled with the milk, sugar or honey and spices. The tea leaves are only added after a cooking time of about a minute. After a drawing time of at least ten minutes, the Masala Chai is piled up and served through a sieve. Here is the recipe:

3/4 cup of water
2-4 green cardamom capsules to smash (comes from the ginger family family)
1-2 thin slices of fresh ginger
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
A pinch of anis
3/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon black tea leaves
Sugar or honey to sweeten

However, before the Masala Chai is drunk in India, he receives its typical creamy consistency by creating several times with a trowel and the foaming. As a rule, you let it pull around 5 minutes in total. Furthermore, tea is generally poured in India from the cup to the saucer to cool and drink the drink. Tip for summer: prepare in large quantities and enjoy it cold.

Cooking Tips

Grow Your Own Coffee – This is How You Can Grow Your Own Coffee Plant

The sowing of a coffee plant is possible all year round. Cultivation works best with fresh seeds, which ideally can be taken from the ripe coffee berries. After they have been separated from their somewhat harder shell and the silver skin that encloses them, they can then be planted about a centimeter deep in the ground. It makes sense to plant each bean in its own pot. Head cuttings can be obtained from a coffee bush and planted directly in soil. A sufficiently warm location is important in both cases. If the plant is large enough and has adequate root development, it can be transplanted into a larger pot.

Now a mixture of soil and substrate is good for you, as constant moisture should be guaranteed. Further repotting is usually required at most every two to three years. Soft rainwater is best for watering. A slightly acidic soil, which favors growth, can be achieved by occasionally adding lemon juice. Tropical and subtropical plants such as the coffee plant from Ethiopia should also be sprayed with water every day if possible, as this allows them to absorb moisture through their leaves. Warm summer rains are good care for the shrub, which otherwise cannot tolerate outdoor temperatures. In the colder months, you should water your Coffea less, but keep the humidity as high as possible.

The coffee plant likes temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees, making it the ideal houseplant. In winter, it also tolerates slightly cooler temperatures of around 12 to 15 degrees. A significantly colder environment or drafts should be avoided. It does well in a light location, not exposed to direct or blazing sun or cramped by other plants. You can prune your coffee plant irregularly if a bushier growth is desired.

It can take a few years for the plant to flower for the first time. A brush can be used to help pollinate the flowers so that pollination occurs evenly. But then coffee cherries, the fruits of the coffee plant, also grow. The green berries turn red within 8 to 12 months and can finally be harvested. If you do not want to roast the coffee beans obtained in this way or if the yield is too low, you can of course use them as new seeds and thus increase your local plantation.

Cooking Tips

Decalate the Coffee Machine With Home Remedies – That’s How it Works!

The cup of coffee is part of the daily morning ritual for many people. But a coffee machine also needs care and should be descaled and cleaned regularly. Because without descaling there is no taste perfect coffee and damp coffee residues are also an ideal breeding ground for mold and other germs.

But how do I know that the coffee machine has to be descaled?

Many coffee machines now show this using a control light. But there are also other signs that the machine has to be descaled:
White deposits are formed
The coffee machine runs slower
The machine is exceptionally loud
The coffee doesn’t get really hot and does not taste good
How often you have to clean your machine depends on how often you use it, how strong the water hardness is and how quickly it calculates. On average, however, a coffee machine should be cleaned every 1-2 months.

Decalate the coffee machine with professional cleaning agents:

A large number of different descalcers are offered in stores. Almost every coffee machine manufacturer also offers suitable descaling agents for their machine. But there are also some brand -independent products.

Basically, you cannot do anything wrong with these descaling agents – simply put the descaler into the machine according to the manufacturer’s specifications and start descaling. After that, the coffee machine is perfectly descaled and ready for further use.

Decalate the coffee machine with home remedies – this is how it works:

However, professional cleaning products from the trade have a big disadvantage: they are quite expensive. But there are also cheaper ways to decalify and clean the coffee machine – for example, some home remedies are perfect for this. This makes the coffee machine cleaning not only cheaper, but also more environmentally friendly.

The classic: coffee machine decalcify with vinegar essence

A very widespread method is to clean the coffee machine with vinegar essence. But how exactly does it work? We show you step by step what you have to do to clean your coffee machine with vinegar essence:
First of all, it is important that the vinegar essence with water is diluted in a ratio of 1: 4. Because undiluted and highly concentrated, it can harm rubber seals and other sensitive parts in the machine.
Once you have diluted the vinegar essence, put it in the water tank of the coffee machine, let it work briefly and start the descaling process according to the specifications of the respective manufacturer.
It is important that you let water run through the machine for 2-3 times after descaling so that the next coffee does not taste like vinegar.
The descaling is ready and the coffee machine is ready to go again.

For particularly environmentally conscious descaling: descaling with citric acid

You don’t have any vinegar essence at home right now? No problem – you can easily clean your coffee machine with a simple lemon. This has the advantage that citric acid is particularly environmentally friendly. And you only have to take the following steps:
Clean the surfaces of the coffee machine:
Halve a lemon and remove the seeds
Squeeze some lemon juice over a sponge. With the sponge you can then wipe over lime deposits, leave the whole thing on for about 30 minutes and then wipe it moist.
Discalate the coffee machine:
To clean the inside of the coffee machine, you have to press the lemon completely.
Then it is important to give the lemon juice through a sieve so that no pulp gets into the machine.
Now you can dilute the juice of a whole lemon with about one liter of water and then put the mixture into the water tank.
Now you can start descaling again according to the manufacturer.
Once the descaling has ended, think about rinsing the coffee machine with water 2-3 times.
You already have a perfectly descaled coffee machine and the coffee tastes great again.

Special caution is required here: descaling coffee machine with amidosulfonic acid

If the coffee machine is once particularly dirty, there is also the possibility to decalcify the coffee machine with amidosulfonic acid. Available, for example in the hardware store.

But here you have to be particularly careful! This acid has a caustic effect. Therefore, you should wear mouth protection and safety glasses with the application.

This is how it works: Mix ten grams of amidosulfonic acid with one liter of water and then start descaling as usual.

It is particularly important here that the machine is washed through water several times after cleaning.

Baking powder – descale the miracle cure for the coffee machine

There are many home remedies that are suitable for descaling. Baking powder is also ideal for cleaning. Simply dissolve baking powder in one liter of water and then let this solution run through the coffee machine. The machine is clean again and the coffee tastes flawless again. The descaling is so easy with baking powder.

The descaling with home remedies is therefore not only significantly cheaper than decalcifying with buyable solutions, but also more environmentally friendly.

How can I protect my coffee machine against lime?

Unfortunately, the formation of lime cannot be completely avoided. You can take some preventive measures, but these will not completely prevent lime formation. One way to restrict the formation of lime to do without tap water. Instead, use still water from bottles (i.e. water without carbon dioxide), this is far from the water from the tap. It may be enough if you descalate the coffee machine every 6 – 12 months.

health

Coffee Enjoyment – How Much of The Quard is Healthy?

None of us want to do without coffee. But how much coffee is healthy and what kind of damage occurs with excessive consumption?

Many myths rank about the effect of coffee on our health. Reason enough to take a closer look

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. With us in Germany, too, every German citizen drinks an average of around 149 liters of coffee a year. With such a high consumption, the questions quickly arise how much coffee is healthy and whether any health problems can arise. To do this, the coffee must be checked for its ingredients and their effects have to be looked at more closely. Since most of us drink several cups of coffee during the day, the result should be more than interesting.

The favorite drink of par excellence: the coffee! With over 800 aroma fabrics in just one coffee bean, it convinces with a real variety of flavors and great properties. In addition to the coffee acid and numerous bitter substances, there are unmistakable beverage variations, which give every coffee lover unique moments of pleasure. It is not surprising that most of us reach for the first cup of coffee in the morning. The person contained in the coffee quickly displaces any morning tiredness and keeps us fit for the rest of the day. Above all, the well -known afternoon depth is combated with the help of the guard. In addition to classic black coffee, many also drink milk creations such as a latte macchiato or cappuccino. The selection is almost infinite – but how much coffee is healthy for us? As so often, many factors play a role here. In addition to the ingredients and coffee variation, it is mainly important to the mass of the coffee we recorded.

Coffee: sick maker or power donor?

Whether coffee is healthy or unhealthy, the spirits often differ. It is clear that it is a popular drink worldwide, which is taken several times a day by many people. The ingredients of the pleasure drink are very versatile. With more than 800 aroma substances, acids, caffeine (alkaloids), minerals, protein and much more, coffee provides our body plenty of input. Most of these ingredients are absolutely harmless to us and also convince with valuable nutrients. It only becomes problematic with an increased supply of caffeine or with too many bitter substances. But how much coffee is healthy in the end? In particular, we take a closer look at the caffeine content.

For most, caffeine is the must-have in coffee. It ensures that after a short time we feel awake and cheer, can think and work more efficiently and help us through daily morning fatigue as well as the afternoon depth. Unfortunately, it is the caffeine that can harm our body. Medical studies set a limit of 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. As long as this value is not exceeded, the guard is absolutely harmless to us. Converted into coffee, this corresponds to about four cups of filter coffee. Around 71.3 percent of all Germans move within this limit and remain below the four cups mentioned.

So the question is less how much coffee, but much more how much caffeine is healthy. Since we also take other foods and drinks in addition to the daily coffee, we have to keep an eye on the caffeine intake throughout the day. In addition to filter coffee, for example, a cup of espresso with 50-60 mg caffeine, a 0.33 liter dose of cola with 10 mg caffeine, a dark chocolate with up to 115 mg caffeine and a 250 ml energy drink with 80 mg caffeine. In addition, you have to take a closer look at all kinds of coffee creations. Not every coffee contains the same amount of caffeine. If additives are used, they can bring an extra caffeine into play.

If you do not exceed the daily maximum dose of 400 milligrams of caffeine, you don’t need to worry about health consequences. With a larger intake, over a longer period of time, however, there is getting used to in the brain. The consequences can be insomnia and concentration disorders. Coffee and the associated caffeine are completely harmless in moderation. Anyone who does not exaggerate it with daily consumption can calmly indulge in the enjoyable taste of the coffee bean and does not have to worry about any health risks. If the desire for coffee gets a little larger, it is advisable to grab for decaffeinated coffee – this is usually offered in all shops and cafés and offers a great alternative to caffeinated coffee.

Attention risk groups!

The border of 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is usually a good clue for all coffee lovers. However, there are some risk groups that react a little more to coffee and have to hold back accordingly. Especially people with high blood pressure or those who suffer from insomnia must be careful with daily caffeine. Even pregnant women can have problems with excessive coffee consumption. Their organism is directly connected to that of their babies and passes on the caffeine unfiltered. Incidentally, this also happens when breastfeeding small children! Nobody has to do without coffee. A few cups of the pleasure drink per week are perfectly fine and should not cause health problems.

Cooking Tips

How Many Types of Coffee and Coffee Are There?

For many people, coffee from everyday life is indispensable – whether in the morning as a guardian, in between to enjoy or at work.

There are 103 types of coffee and much more types of coffee. But how exactly does this great variety of coffee drinks arise?

For every coffee lover, daily pleasure plays a different role, but one thing has to decide for themselves: Which variety is the right one? In order to get closer to the answer, various aspects of the manufacturing process are examined in more detail.

The coffee manufacturers have taken advantage of the fact that the coffee drink is now indispensable for many people and developed countlessly many different types of coffee: the range ranges from refreshingly cold ice coffee for a hot summer day to caffeinated coffee for evening hours to environmentally friendly and fair traded Organic coffee-the list seems to extend endlessly. Since it is still easy to keep an overview. Of course, the taste also plays an important role. Every type of coffee carries its own flavors through the way of cultivation and its special workmanship. Some hardly differ from each other, others very strong. And trying out yourself through all possible varieties to find the ideal taste can take an eternity. Therefore, a small helpful overview is created here, on which you can orient yourself.

Coffee types and their growing areas

If you haven’t thought about it yet, you would perhaps understand the two terms coffee types and types of coffee in a synonym. But even if it may not seem that way at first glance, these are two terms that cannot be equated with each other. A biological distinction is set up in the term coffee type. This means that the individual types of coffee feel comfortable in a different climate and are best to grow there. There are a total of 103 different types of coffee and of these 103 different types of coffee are surprisingly mainly used for the countless types of coffee that we know from the shops: the Coffea Arabica and the Robusta. The latter is also a sub -genus of Coffea Canhora. Around 70 % of the coffee market are filled by all sorts of varieties of the Arabica bean and about 30 % make up the robusta. In addition to the two species, the Coffea art Liberica and the intersection of Maragogype, which is a variety of the Coffea Arabica, share the remaining percentage of the coffee market. However, this is only approximate estimates, a clear statement cannot be made. But why are these two species in the world of coffee so strongly represented? What makes it so special?

The Arabica coffee fairs require a cool and stable climate with a temperature between 18 and 22 degrees. They can be found in altitude regions from 1000 meters. Due to the cooler temperature conditions, the Arabica bean with a curved scar on the flat side needs a lot of time to ripen and can therefore develop the diverse aroma. This enables a wide range of coffee types. In contrast, the robusta can be found in warmer growing areas in the flat country. It also withstands higher temperature fluctuations, which explains its name. The rich, earthy but low -acid taste is characteristic, which leads to a somewhat lower variety. The bean is somewhat smaller than the Arabica and has a straight scar. In contrast, the Liberica bean is juicer, harder and contains little sugar, but a lot of caffeine. Accordingly, this can be the reason why it is not so strongly represented on the market.

What distinguishes the types of coffee?

The whole thing now looks a little more complex with all the types of coffee, which can ultimately be found on shelves of supermarkets. The distinction between the type of coffee is no longer sufficient here. Because the diversity of the types of coffee already starts during cultivation. But how exactly do more than two types of coffee become so many types of coffee?

The climate significantly determines the direction in which the quality of the coffee will go. By cultivation on plantations in the highland mountains-as with the Arabica bean-the coffee bean enables a longer ripening process. As a result, the bean can develop much more in terms of taste, which leads to a greater variety and high quality. Many plantations are now being grown in monocultures, i.e. without other plant species, although the coffee plant prefers shadow regions with other plants and trees because it can thrive in them better. The organic coffee, for example,-like the originally natural environment of the coffee plant-is grown in mixed forests and, in addition to the shadow, also has a higher nutrient content in the soil. In addition, the pest infestation is not as high as in monocultures, which means that pesticides and fertilizers only have to be used in small quantities. A mixed culture thus obviously creates many advantages for the environment, which also speaks for a high -quality coffee bean than with monocultures.

Immediately after the harvest, there are other differences in the preparation of the coffee beans: Now there are many different ways to produce certain flavors from the coffee bean. On the one hand, the coffee beans can be placed on the floor or special “Dry Beds” for drying. During this drying process, the coffee bean pulls the sweet aroma out of the pulp and absorbs it. On the other hand, they can also be processed directly wet. The pulp is removed from the beans and the coffee beans are fermented in a subsequent fermentation process. If water is added, this can still significantly influence the taste. Air cleaning then removes foreign bodies such as wood and bowls.

After this preparation of the coffee bean, the roasting is pending, which decides whether it is the final product of coffee or espresso. The duration of the roasting is crucial for this. If the beans are roasted between 5 and 13 minutes, it is coffee beans for filter coffee. Espresso needs a pussy time of up to 20 minutes. Each coffee bean is equally suitable for both roasting processes.

Countless many types of coffee

Ultimately, the countless types of coffee arise from the mixtures of different types of coffee that grow in different climate regions. These mixtures are also called blends. Due to the right mixture, delicious aromatic and harmoniously adapted flavors can lead to a complete pleasure. On the other hand, high -quality and expensive coffee can be mixed with poorer coffee in order to make the expensive coffee accessible to less money. There are also a few companies that offer the so -called single origins: this is a coffee that consists of only one coffee type of only one growing region.

From the choice of the growing area to roasting, before the type of coffee comes alone or mixed with other species in the machines, there are many components that play an important role in the final taste of the type of coffee. However, the variety of drinking coffee drinks does not stop at the coffee beans, because in addition to the coffee beans, other ingredients such as milk and sugar can be mixed in. And most of them are based on only the two types of coffee Arabica and Robusta. It only says: try it out and enjoy, but you can definitely define a rough direction.

Food

Coconut Chips: How Healthy and Sustainable They Really are

Coconut chips are considered a healthy and filling snack between meals. You can find out here how the tropical fruit actually affects your body and what ecological effects coconut chips have.

Coconut chips: how to buy and use them

You can not only buy coconut chips and snack on them, you can often find them as part of muesli and nut mixtures or bars. They are also a popular ingredient for yoghurt and quark dishes, smoothies and smoothie bowls or creamy desserts.

You can also use the chips as a baking ingredient for cookies, muffins and other desserts. They are suitable as a decorative topping for soups, curries and other wok dishes with coconut milk. When buying, you should use organic coconut chips if possible. In this way you support sustainable agriculture that works without pesticides that are harmful to the environment and health.

Also make sure that the coconut chips do not contain any sulfur dioxide (E 220). This is a preservative that poses no risk as long as the legal limits are observed. However, some conditions, such as asthma, require caution. Sulfur dioxide also destroys vitamin B1. It is therefore forbidden to sulphurize certain products containing vitamin B1.

Some coconut chips also contain sugar syrup or other sweeteners. If you want to avoid this, you should first look at the list of ingredients.

These are the nutritional values of coconut chips

Compared to other nuts, coconut chips are relatively high in calories: Rapunzel coconut chips contain around 700 kilocalories per 100 grams. They each consist of about seven percent carbohydrates and protein and about 14 percent fiber.

Almost all of the rest is fat. So this makes up about two-thirds. Coconut chips consist largely of saturated fatty acids. They contain 64.4 grams of the rather unfavorable fats per 100 grams. Up to a certain amount, saturated fatty acids also play an important role for our body: For example, they are essential for the protection of our organs and for hormone and immune metabolism.

At the same time, however, they also increase the LDL cholesterol level. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the guidelines of the German Society for Nutrition, saturated fatty acids should therefore not make up more than seven to ten percent of the total energy balance. However, this value is often exceeded. That’s why you should only consume coconut products in moderation.

Compared to nuts and seeds, coconut chips are also poorer in micronutrients. They only contain potassium and iron in appreciable amounts. Other minerals or vitamins are contained only to a small extent.

Make coconut chips yourself: Here’s how

If you want to make your own coconut chips from fresh coconut pulp, you can follow these steps:

First, it is best to cut the flesh into thin strips with a vegetable peeler.
Place the strips on an oven rack or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Optionally you can refine them with a little salt or a sweetener of your choice.
The coconut strips are now placed in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about seven to ten minutes. If they are already slightly browned around the edges, you can take them out and let them cool down.

How sustainable are coconut chips?

Coconut palms only grow in tropical regions. The Philippines, Indonesia and India are therefore among the largest coconut producers. Coconuts therefore have to cover long transport routes to Germany. Their life cycle assessment is correspondingly poor.

In addition, it is usually very difficult to trace back the coconut chip chain. For most coconut products, it is unclear under what working conditions and for what wages farmers in the countries of origin had to grow and harvest the fruit.

That’s why you should use Fair Trade certified coconut chips whenever possible. Depending on the type of seal, regular working hours, fair wages, democratic corporate structures and transparent trade routes are among the things that are taken into account.

Another problem is that coconut trees are slow growing and not very productive. If the demand for coconut products increases, this creates pressure in the producing countries. Farmers may then turn to harmful monocultures and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to speed up yields. This is particularly fueled by the increasing demand for inexpensive coconut oil.

Food

Lavender Tea: Effect and How to Make It Yourself

Lavender tea is a versatile and proven remedy. It has a calming effect on the nervous system and can help with various ailments. Here you can find out how to make lavender tea yourself and what you should consider when preparing it.

Lavender tea has an intense aroma and a delicate scent. In addition, lavender tea is a good way to benefit from the versatile healing properties of the plant. Even the ancient Romans used lavender as a medicinal plant and as a bath additive. And the colorful blossoms are still very much appreciated in monastery gardens to this day.

Lavender flowers are used to make lavender tea. You can find out how to make the tea yourself below. If you want to buy lavender tea, you should definitely use organic quality flowers. Öko-Test found increased residues of pesticides and other pollutants in conventional teas.

This is how lavender tea works

Lavender can not only enrich your garden, the medicinal plant also has a wide range of health effects. The valuable ingredients of the flower are responsible for this. These include, among others:

essential oils
tannins
bitter substances
flavonoids
saponins
Lavender has been extensively studied in both animal and human studies. A study from 2013 dealt extensively with the effects of lavender, especially on the nervous system. The following properties of lavender were proven:

antibacterial
antiviral
anti-inflammatory
calming
pain relieving
anxiolytic
mood-enhancing
antispasmodic
circulation-enhancing
You can use lavender tea for various ailments:

Insomnia: Lavender tea can calm and help you fall asleep better. The tea is even said to intensify sleep. The best way to do this is to drink a cup of lavender tea before bed. Even if you suffer from jet lag, you can use lavender tea.
Depressive moods and anxiety: Lavender can have a calming effect on our nervous system and relieves anxiety. In addition, it brightens your mood. It is best to drink two to three cups throughout the day.
Indigestion: Its calming effect also helps with indigestion and can relieve abdominal cramps. It is important that you only let the tea steep for a short time. The highly concentrated essential oils could also irritate your mucous membranes.
Menstrual cramps: Lavender tea can relieve abdominal cramps and has a physically and mentally calming effect.
Respiratory diseases: Lavender can relax the airways and helps against viruses and bacteria, especially in the case of coughs and diseases of the bronchi.
Blemishes and acne: You can use lavender tea as a bath additive for external use on blemishes and acne. To do this, boil a liter of lavender tea and add the tea to your bath.
Lavender tea is generally well tolerated and also suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women. A 2015 study looked at the positive effects of lavender tea on new mothers. The participants felt less exhausted and depressed, and lavender tea had a positive effect on mother-child bonding.

In addition to tea, lavender is also often used as lavender oil for medicinal purposes. Here, the content of essential oils is significantly higher, so the effect is different.

Make your own lavender tea

Only the colorful blossoms are used for homemade lavender tea.

At best, lavender grows in your garden. You should make sure that it is real lavender “Lavandula angustifolia” so that you can benefit from the healing effect.

How to make lavender tea yourself:

Harvest lavender:

Depending on the weather conditions, lavender starts blooming between June and August. As soon as the first buds open, but not all have started blooming, you should harvest them.
The best time is midday on a sunny day. Then the dew evaporated.
Cut off the buds with their stalks, this will make drying them easier.
Dry lavender:

Tie the harvested buds together by their stems into bunches and hang them upside down.
Make sure the buds are not exposed to direct sunlight or heat while drying.
After a week or two, the lavender flowers are completely dry. Then you can easily rub them with your fingers.
Use a knife or sharp scissors to separate the buds from the stems and place in a jar.
Store the dried flowers in a dry and light-protected place.
Preparation of the tea:

For one cup (250 milliliters) of lavender tea you need about two teaspoons of dried lavender flowers.
Boil the water first and then let it cool down to about 80 degrees. The effective essential oils are very sensitive to heat and should therefore not be boiled.
Let the tea steep for 8-10 minutes before removing the flowers.
If the intense aroma of lavender tea doesn’t suit your taste, you can tone it down with a little milk or honey.
Lavender is also great for tea blends. To increase the effect, you can mix the tea with St. John’s wort or valerian. In terms of taste, lavender harmonizes particularly well with:

chamomile
licorice
Linden Blossoms
rose petals

Cooking Tips

Drying Rose Hips: This is How You Can Preserve Them

If you dry rose hips, you can also enjoy the delicious vitamin bombs out of season. We will show you some methods and also tell you what is important when collecting rose hips.

Collecting rosehips: That’s what matters

Before you can dry rosehips, you must first collect them; The fresh fruit is usually not available for purchase. You can harvest rose hips from October. At this point, the small fruits are ripe enough and you can dry them easily. They will not lose quality in the coming weeks either. However, from December they can begin to ferment.

You can collect rose hips either in your garden or in nature. To be on the safe side, you should wear gloves when harvesting. You may remember school pranks and the itch a crushed rosehip leaves on your skin. With gloves you are on the safe side. Also, to avoid stains, don’t wear your best clothes.

Depending on where you collect the rose hips, you can also make sure to pick closer to the top of the bush. The lower berries are significantly more dirt and exposed to the odd dog. Never pick all the rosehips from a bush, as they are an important food source for birds in winter.

You should wash the collected rose hips thoroughly. If you like, you can cut the berries lengthways and scrape out the seeds. But that is not absolutely necessary: rosehip seeds also provide many vitamins as well as valuable omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Drying rose hips: In the oven or in the dehydrator

You can dry rose hips either in the oven or in the dehydrator. This is the best way to go about it:

Place the washed rose hips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a rack in the dehydrator. Make sure that the berries are not too close together: otherwise they will only give off the moisture to each other and it cannot escape properly. If you plan to dry a large batch of rose hips, it’s better to use multiple trays.
Set the oven or dehydrator to 40 degrees Celsius. If you’re drying the rose hips in the oven, you should also place a wooden spoon between the oven door and the oven. This will remove the moisture from the oven.
Once in the oven or dehydrator, the rose hips take about eight to twelve hours to dry, depending on their size. This time is reduced if you have already air-dried them a little beforehand.
The following applies to this method: the hotter, the faster. However, if you set the devices to more than 40 degrees Celsius, the rose hips lose valuable vitamins during drying.

Unfortunately, the energy consumption is very high due to the long time in the oven or in the vending machine. It is more sustainable to dry the fruit in the sun or on a heater. So you don’t use any additional electricity when drying. This method is also gentler on the rose hips, which means you retain more vitamins.

Drying rose hips: In the sun or on a heater

If you dry rosehips in the sun, you should choose a sheltered place – otherwise birds may snatch the fruit. You can place a fine sieve or discarded curtain over the hips to protect them, or place a fruit bonnet over them.

If you store rose hips on the heater, you have a lot less to worry about. During the autumn rosehip season, your heating is probably on anyway – and birds won’t get in your way in the apartment either. If you have pets, you should still be careful and maybe choose a high-level heater for drying. While rose hips are not harmful to dogs and cats, you want some of the fruit yourself. A nice side effect of this method is the fruity scent that develops when the rose hips dry.

Rose hips dry without an oven: Further information

If you want to air dry rose hips, it is best to place them on some newspaper or a kitchen towel on an oven rack. In this way, warm air also reaches the berries from below. With the heating method, it is sufficient if you dry the rose hips on newspaper or a cloth. The same applies here: it is better to leave a little more space between the fruits so that the moisture can really escape. Also, if the fruit touches, mold can form in those places.

The rose hips need several days to dry both on the heater and in the sun. You should turn them regularly so that they dry evenly on all sides. If in doubt, it is better to dry the rose hips a little longer. This reduces the risk of them still being damp on the inside and mold forming later.

After drying, it is best to store the rose hips in an airtight container. Store the jar in a cool, dark place, for example in a storage room or in the basement. The dried rose hips will keep for several months.

Use of dried rose hips

You can enjoy dried rose hips, for example, as a tea, as a topping for muesli or as a small snack in between. You can also make rosehip powder yourself from the dried fruit. In addition, dried rose hips are suitable as a special ingredient for smoothies or sauces. They add a great fruity component to savory dishes in particular.

In small amounts, dried rose hips are also suitable as an addition to dog food and provide your four-legged friend with important vitamins. And of course you can also simply use dried rose hips to decorate autumn or winter arrangements, Advent wreaths and the like.

Food

Ethoxyquin: How the Pesticide Gets Into Fish

Ethoxyquin is a chemical that shouldn’t be used on food. Here you can read why it is still an issue, especially when it comes to fish.

Ethoxyquin is a man-made antioxidant. For example, it prevents fats from spoiling quickly due to the oxygen in the air.

In animal feed such as fishmeal, ethoxyquin is still a common additive (E324).

Greenpeace explains that the additive stabilizes the fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins in the feed. The fishmeal survives long transport and storage times without any problems.
Fishmeal also has the property of easily igniting itself – ethoxyquin also protects against this.
Commercial fish farms often use feed based on fishmeal in their aquacultures. The WWF reports that about 90 percent of the salmon in our supermarkets comes from such facilities.

The addition of ethoxyquin to fish feed is controversial. The antioxidant and its breakdown products can accumulate in the flesh of the edible fish. Thus, the chemical gets into the food. Research indicates that ethoxyquin can cause cancer and damage the liver.

So questionable is ethoxyquin for health

Some researchers believe that ethoxyquin in animal feed poses a health risk. However, the exact extent has not yet been conclusively researched.

Cancer and liver damage: According to Greenpeace, study results indicate that ethoxyquin can affect liver metabolism or cause cancer.
Kidney and thyroid damage: According to Greenpeace, animal studies suggest that ethoxyquin could also affect kidney and thyroid function.
How ethoxyquin changes the genome of humans or animals is still a matter of debate.
The metabolism of the animals partially digests the ethoxyquin, but various breakdown products remain. These substances and ethoxyquin itself can be detected in the meat of the animals. If a person takes these animals as food, he also takes in these substances.

Researchers are investigating whether only individual breakdown products are harmful to health or whether the whole group, i.e. ethoxyquin and its breakdown products.

A scientific expert commissioned by Greenpeace comes to the conclusion that long-term exposure to high concentrations of ethoxyquin in food can also endanger human health. A carcinogenic effect cannot be ruled out either.
The studies by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) only indicate that the breakdown product ethoxyquin-quinoneimine is harmful. The study could not provide any evidence for the risks of ethoxyquin itself.

Ethoxyquin and aquaculture

Studies show that edible fish often have a worryingly high level of exposure to ethoxyquin. The studies use the limit value for ethoxyquin in meat. Whether this also makes sense for fish has not been clarified. Studies also critically evaluate the breakdown products of ethoxyquin, which can be deposited in the muscle meat of the fish. Greenpeace warns that reference values are also necessary for the degradation products.

Greenpeace warned of ethoxyquin in aquaculture salmon back in 2016. Fish from conventional aquaculture were particularly often contaminated – probably because they were fed with fishmeal.

32 out of 38 fish samples from conventional aquaculture were well above the permissible EU limit value for meat. A sample of salmon exceeded it by more than 17 times.
With one exception, all organic products were below the limit.

Ethoxyquin in fish food – a legal loophole

Ethoxyquin has long been considered a health concern. There is a ban on antioxidants in food. This means that ethoxyquin must not come into direct contact with food. However, food contaminated with ethoxyquin can still end up on the table indirectly – via animal feed. The regulations for animal feed are not clear in this respect.

2012 – The EU classified ethoxyquin as a dangerous chemical and banned its use as a pesticide.
2014 – The EU set a benchmark for ethoxyquin in a number of foods. This residue limit of 50 micrograms per kilogram indicates the concentration of ethoxyquin per kilogram of meat. Up to this value, the amount is considered harmless for humans. However, fish is not on this list and therefore there is no binding guideline for edible fish.
2015 – The European health organization EFSA examined the health risks that can emanate from ethoxyquin in animal feed. However, the available data were not sufficient to make a conclusive assessment.
2017 – As a precaution, the EU suspended the existing approval for ethoxyquin in animal feed. However, there was a transitional period until March 2020, which means that animal feed containing the substance could still be sold until then.
2020 – Actually, the ban should come into force in 2020. But according to MEP Klaus Bucher, it will be checked again because of a study made by the food industry.

How to avoid ethoxyquin

Fish is considered healthier than meat, but you shouldn’t eat it too often. Greenpeace sees no significant health risk if you eat fish once or twice a week. With wild-caught fish such as wild salmon or organically farmed fish, you further reduce the risk. Out of consideration for fish stocks, wild fish such as wild salmon should not be on your menu every week.

The consumer center recommends fish with an organic seal, such as the EU organic seal or those of Naturland and Bioland. Naturland, for example, limits the amount of fishmeal in organic aquaculture. A total of up to 30 percent fishmeal and fish oil in the feed is only permitted for salmon or trout, which do not get along well with plant-based alternatives.

With its fish guide, Greenpeace gives you tips for buying fish sustainably. The traffic light colors indicate whether a fish is generally recommended. You will also receive information about the countries of origin and fishing methods.

The possible health risks of ethoxyquin are just one more reason why you should buy fish from conventional aquaculture as little as possible. Other reasons are also important:

The WWF reports that the lack of space in the cages is stressing the fish. They are susceptible to disease or parasites. That is why the feed is mixed with chemicals and antibiotics.
Greenpeace adds that leftover food or fish excretions sink through the cage nets to the sea floor. This means that the substances can get into the oceans and the environment.
In the expertise, Greenpeace points out that fish meals cannot be the only source of ethoxyquin. Other animal products such as fish oil or animal fats may contain residues of ethoxyquin. There is also an exception for paprika and chili powder in the EU. The spices can be treated with the antioxidant. This also applies to apples and pears. Ethoxyquin is allowed to protect the shells from putrefactive bacteria. Each may contain harmless amounts. However, if you eat such foods frequently, the amounts can add up.

Food

Storing Mangoes: How to Store Them Properly

Mangoes taste fruity and sweet. You can read in this article how to store mangoes correctly and how they are in terms of sustainability.

Mangoes are a popular southern fruit. Not only do they taste good, but mangoes are also healthy. It’s important to store mangoes properly so they stay fresh for as long as possible before you eat them. Throwing away mangoes would be a particularly bad thing, as they mainly grow in the tropics and subtropics and are exported from there to Germany. Mangoes therefore cause quite a bit of CO2 emissions. Especially mangoes that are imported by plane pollute the environment. Many supermarkets label fruit that has been transported in this way.

Because of its tropical origin, you should try not to eat mangoes too often. If you’re looking for a local alternative to mangoes, you can use peaches or nectarines. These do not taste identical, but the taste and appearance of the pulp are similar. Take a look at our seasonal calendar for more regional alternatives. You can plant a leftover mango seed, but in our latitudes it is difficult for fruit to grow on the tree and if so, only after several years.

Basically, we recommend buying organic food. Then they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides. With the exotic mangoes, a fair trade seal indicates fair trade.

Factors affecting how mangoes are stored

The best way to preserve and store a mango depends on several factors:

Ripeness: Above all, the fact whether your mango is already ripe or not yet has an effect on storage and storage. You can recognize a ripe mango by the fact that it smells intensely and gives slightly when you (lightly) press the peel. Note that color is not an indicator of ripeness, as there are varieties that remain completely green. If the skin has brown speckles, the fruit is usually ripe.
Bruises: If the mango has bruises, you should cut them away immediately. Bruises promote the formation of mold, which can quickly spread to the whole fruit.
Whole fruit or (partly) cut: The storage also changes whether your mango is still whole or whether you have already cut it.

You should keep this in mind when storing a mango

Basically, it can take a few days to a week for a purchased, unripe mango to be ripe. Ripe mangoes only last a few days.

Store loosely: You can store a mango in a fruit bowl or similar. It should lie loosely so that there are no pressure points. Therefore, do not put heavy fruit on top of the mango or even jam it in the peel or bowl.
Neighboring fruits: To speed up the ripening process, you can put the mango in the sun or keep it with apples, tomatoes or bananas. These give off ripening gases that can affect neighboring fruit and vegetables. You can read more about this in the article Store fruit and vegetables together – or separately? read. If your mango is already ripe, it is better to keep it away from direct sunlight and the fruits and vegetables mentioned.
Temperature: Store mangoes at room temperature. Neither unripe nor ripe mangoes should be kept in the refrigerator. On the one hand, the cool temperature slows down the ripening process. There is a risk that the unripe mango will spoil rather than ripen. On the other hand, because it can lose its taste there. You should only put a (partly) cut mango in the fridge. But then consume or process them promptly.

This way you can keep mangoes longer

Freeze a mango by slicing it into chunks and placing in a sealable freezer-safe container. This makes sense if you realize your mango is already ripe and you can’t process or eat it in time, or if you have some of your mango left over. It keeps frozen for a few months.

You can also enjoy a mango as dried fruit. To do this, cut them into pieces and dry them in the sun, in the oven or in a dehydrator. Dried mango can be kept for up to a year.

Cooked mangoes in the form of mango chutney or as jam or marmalade will keep for about a year if unopened. This is also suitable as a gift or souvenir.

Of course, it’s best if you only buy as much mango as you can use in time. Mangoes go well with many dishes. For example, you can give your salad or curry an exotic touch. It is a sweet highlight in fruit salad, smoothie or yoghurt. Add them to desserts like cake or ice cream.