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Smart people’s brains fare better in the modern world. But a study proved that the intelligent people in the focus are more likely to lead an unhealthy lifestyle with alcohol.

Smart people drink more alcohol and exercise less. what’s up

Sufficient exercise and a healthy diet play a major role when it comes to health. One might think that a person’s intelligence indicates a healthy lifestyle. After all, intelligent people are more conscious and should know better. Or?

In addition, there is ample evidence that proves that there is a connection between high intelligence and long life expectancy. It involves these factors:

Higher intelligence offers opportunities for higher education, which can bring a healthier environment and higher social status.
Intelligent people live healthier lives overall, exercise more, smoke and drink less, which increases life expectancy.
A high IQ score can indicate overall good physical condition. This means that it can cope better with environmental stresses, which also increases life expectancy.
However, according to the study by psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics and Political Science, intelligent people very often have rather unhealthy lifestyles. They tend to sleep late and have more drinks than less intelligent people. In addition, they often lack exercise.

result of the study?

In the study, the psychologist presents the savannah theory: According to the studies, the brains of intelligent people cope better with the developments and requirements of the modern world. People with a lower IQ would not do as well with urban life or the media. Alcohol, the internet and television played no role in the Stone Age. Therefore, according to this theory, less intelligent people tend to have less of a tendency to get high from drugs such as alcohol or cigarettes because their brains have not evolved as much as those of intelligent people.

The psychologist is less concerned with inferring intelligence from lifestyle. Rather, he would like to examine how people deal with the values ​​and options of the modern world.

Is this healthy?

Of course not. Because the more unhealthy the lifestyle, the higher the risk of disease, regardless of a person’s intelligence. If you don’t exercise and eat unhealthily, you risk cardiovascular problems, depression, dementia or even cancer.

No matter how high the intelligence quotient is: In order to stay fit and healthy, sport, healthy nutrition and avoiding unhealthy consumer goods should play a major role and be taken seriously.

Probably everyone knows the phenomenon of the “eaten” sock in the washing machine. But why do so many socks actually disappear when washing – and what can I do about it?

Why do socks disappear in the washing machine?

Sometimes we blame the washing machine even though we misplaced the sock ourselves or it disappeared among the other clothes we were washing. In fact, the machine is often really the culprit. The so-called bellows are responsible for this, i.e. the rubber seal between the laundry drum and the washing machine door. This actually prevents liquids from leaking out during the washing process. When the drum is spun at around 1000 revolutions per minute, high forces are generated. To prevent water, detergent or foam from getting into the housing, there is a rubber ring between the moving drum and the front of the washing machine.

If the washing machine is too full, the laundry cannot move freely when turning and small items of clothing, such as socks, are pushed through the gap between the rubber and the drum. Larger items can also get caught there, but they pull the rest of the laundry back into the drum.

The swallowed sock, on the other hand, now wanders through the inside of the machine. Should she reach the bottom of the case, she will wait there until the washing machine is unscrewed for inspection and the missing items of clothing are collected. But when the sock gets to the heating element, it usually gets caught there and actually dissolves over time. The only strange thing is that usually only one sock is “eaten” by the machine and the corresponding counterpart reappears between the rest of the laundry.

Tip: how to never lose your socks again in the wash

By the way: Old washing machines are more susceptible to the phenomenon than newer models. But you don’t have to buy a new machine straight away. It would be helpful to put a new rubber seal between the door and the drum.

An easy-to-implement trick is to always pay attention to the correct filling quantity when loading in order to avoid the drum being too full. You can also tie the socks together before washing so that you end up with a complete pair.

To be on the safe side, a laundry bag in which you can pack your clothes is ideal. This is also recommended for bras, by the way, to prevent them from getting caught in the machine. Alternatively, there are sock clips or holders that make the tiresome sock drama a thing of the past.

Dandelion is not only beautiful to look at, but also edible. It’s healthy and even tasty. We explain what the plant has to offer and how you can eat it.

In order to find dandelions, it is often enough to go into your own garden. It is known for its yellow flowers and sticky, white sap that often turns fingers brown when touched. But have you ever thought about eating the plant?

How does dandelion affect the body?

Dandelion grows in many places: Whether in gardens, at the edge of the forest or on the street – you can find the plant almost everywhere. At the end of April/beginning of May the lion’s number blooms, but you can see it until autumn.

The plant not only looks beautiful, you can also eat the dandelion. It is even particularly healthy and can be a tasty addition to many dishes. There are many different uses for the plant.

The bitter substances it contains also stimulate the metabolism and promote digestion as well as kidney and bladder activity. The dandelion is also used because of its digestive properties, as the plant reaches the large intestine undigested.

How healthy are dandelions?

The dandelion is not poisonous, you can eat leaves, flowers and roots
The milky sap contained in the flower stalk is also non-toxic. However, the juice can leave unsightly stains on clothing that are difficult to remove.

The root of the plant in particular contains many healthy ingredients such as inulin, vitamins B, C and E and many carotenoids. The flowers and leaves are very rich in minerals such as potassium, zinc and copper. This makes dandelion a valuable dietary supplement.

How to cook dandelion

The bitter substances contained in dandelion ensure that the leaves have a slightly bitter taste. The flowers, on the other hand, are even slightly sweet.

The leaves can be cooked or used raw. They are particularly suitable as an addition to a green salad, but they also enrich a pesto. If the leaves are to be cooked, they must first be washed. Then you can put them in boiling water for ten minutes.

If you roast the roots in a pan, they can be ground up well. Then you can even make a kind of coffee out of it.

Conclusion

Dandelion is healthy and can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. The next time you see the plant, pluck it off and try one of the preparation methods.

Many people also remove the white from their tangerines and oranges, considering it poisonous. But there is more to the white threads than initially assumed.

Can you eat the white part of tangerines or oranges?

The white skin between the skin and the flesh is called the mesocarp or albedo. That means something like “middle fruit”.

Fans of tangerines and oranges can be divided into two distinct groups: some thoroughly remove the white strands until only the flesh is left, while others simply eat the white part.

You don’t need to worry under any circumstances: the white threads are not only edible, they are also really healthy.

What’s in it?

The intermediate layer is therefore by no means toxic, but even contains a number of vitamins and phytochemicals. The mesocarp provides us with lots of vitamin C and flavonoids, which support the immune system with important antioxidants.

In addition, the flavonoids also appear to prevent cardiovascular disease. Some of them are also said to have antibacterial or antiviral effects.

The white threads consist of indigestible fiber that stays in the digestive tract for a long time and ensures that we don’t get hungry again so quickly.

Conclusion

The bitter taste of the white layer does not mean that it should not be eaten. The white threads even contain as much vitamin C as the pulp.

Therefore, the white can be eaten without hesitation, you don’t have to worry about your health.

The white layer consists mainly of fiber, which gives you a longer feeling of satiety.

Losing weight with ginger is just one of the many effects that the healthy root is said to have. We have summarized for you what is involved and the results of studies.

Various foods are said to help you lose weight – including ginger. The hot tuber is known for its healthy effect on the human organism. The influence on our digestion is also not new. In traditional Ayurvedic nutrition, ginger is said to stimulate the digestive fire (Agni).

In this article you will find out whether losing weight with ginger works, how the tuber affects our metabolism and what you should pay attention to.

Losing weight with ginger: the study situation

Numerous studies have looked at the effects of ginger on our digestion and metabolism to find out if losing weight with ginger is possible. The pungent substances contained are primarily responsible for the effect on our digestion. We have compiled the results of the studies for you:
A superordinate study from 2019 evaluated data from previous studies with overweight participants and came to the following conclusions:
Ginger can successfully help reduce body weight and has had a positive effect on the waist-to-hip ratio.
Ginger also lowers blood sugar levels. As a result, the body uses the fat reserves more quickly to generate energy.
In addition, the tuber increased the healthy HDL cholesterol in the blood.
However, not all studies come to the same conclusion. Another study from 2012 found no significant effect of ginger on body weight. On the other hand, ginger was able to reduce the appetite of the participants.
A pilot study of overweight men also found that ginger curbs appetite and increases satiety.
Another study in 24 healthy volunteers found that taking ginger before a meal stimulates digestion and causes food to be digested faster. This effect also relieves digestive problems, such as bloating.
Examination of the blood lipid levels of a double-blind clinical study with 85 subjects showed that the LDL cholesterol levels of the participants treated with ginger decreased significantly.
This effect could be valuable for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the future. A 2017 study involving 45 diabetic patients showed that ginger has a positive effect on blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Losing weight with ginger: our conclusion

Losing weight with ginger alone is not possible. For this, ginger would either have to prevent nutrient absorption or significantly increase consumption. However, there is no scientific evidence for this. The healthy tuber cannot replace a balanced diet and sufficient exercise. However, the effects of ginger can help you lose weight.

So you can definitely benefit from the healthy effects of ginger. You don’t have to eat a lot of the spicy tuber for this. In the studies mentioned, one to three grams of ginger were used daily for several weeks.

It is also worth including ginger in your diet because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. You have countless options:
To get your metabolism going in the morning, you can prepare ginger water or ginger tea. This way you don’t take in any extra calories.
Golden milk, a popular drink from Ayurvedic nutrition, is also a great way to eat fresh ginger.
You can also use ginger to flavor your dishes. The spicy note of ginger refines soups, stews or curries. How about carrot and ginger soup, for example?
Tip: Other herbal remedies such as cinnamon, cumin or apple cider vinegar can also help you lose weight.

Have you ever had two yolks in your egg? Here you can find out how the so-called double yolk occurs and whether it has an effect on your egg.

How is an egg with two yolks formed?

Double yolks develop naturally: In general, every hen has two ovaries. However, the right ovary regresses fairly quickly and the eggs then mature in the left ovary. Through the storage of nutrients in the ovary, yolk balls develop from the egg cells over time. You will then find these yolk balls in your egg and theoretically a chick can also develop from them.

A double yolk can develop in different ways.

For one, it may have something to do with the age of the hen. It is mostly young animals that are affected, as the egg formation process first has to settle down hormonally. This means that sometimes two instead of one yolk ball migrate from the ovary into the fallopian tube and are then packed into an egg there. In fact, it can also happen that up to four yolk balls end up in an egg.
In addition to age, the breed of chicken can also have an influence on the formation of a double yolk. Especially large chicken breeds with a high dead weight also tend to produce double yolks. In addition, these eggs are often those of sizes L and XL. That’s why you often find such eggs at the weekly market or from a farmer of your choice: Here they are not sorted out industrially.

Can I still eat the egg with two yolks without hesitation?

Yes, you can eat double-yolk eggs without hesitation. They differ from other eggs in nothing except the number of yolks. Because they are often larger than the eggs, which only have one yolk, you actually have a little more egg and more protein.

You can also often find organic eggs at markets or farms that are larger than the norm or even advertise that they likely contain a double yolk. Since all of these eggs are not pre-sorted industrially, this is also more sustainable because the eggs are not disposed of because they deviate from the norm. So the next time you go shopping, maybe even deliberately choose eggs with a double yolk.

Responsible farmers also refrain from the so-called chick shredding: The male chicks are killed immediately because they cannot produce any eggs later. So you can contribute to animal welfare by paying attention – no matter how many egg yolks.

Up to 50 million liters of mulled wine are drunk every year during the Christmas season. Read here why it is better to fill your cups with organic mulled wine – and where you can buy it.

Mulled wine almost always consists of red wine, more rarely white wine, it is mixed with various spices and is sweetened to a greater or lesser extent depending on the manufacturer. For industrially produced mulled wines, mass-produced wines of inferior quality are often added to the mix. In order to conceal the lack of quality, extra strong sweetening is usually used.

Such inferior mulled wines are typically offered cheaply in large bottles or 1-liter beverage cartons in supermarkets and discounters.

Organic mulled wine or your own recipe

You get better quality if you make your own mulled wine at home or use organic mulled wine. In the case of organic mulled wines, the industrial sugar is usually replaced by raw cane sugar, honey or agave syrup and dosed much more cautiously. In principle, the further down the sugar is mentioned in the list of ingredients, the better. Because this mulled wine contains much less sugar and is therefore of higher quality.

As far as alcohol is concerned: the law stipulates a minimum alcohol content of seven percent, but many products contain up to twelve percent. That means almost 20 grams of pure alcohol in one cup. And the higher the sugar content, the faster the alcohol gets into the blood.

In addition to cinnamon, mulled wine also includes other spices, especially cloves and cardamom – preferably in organic quality. Because these are not irradiated, grown without chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Ideally, they even come from fair trade. In addition, organic manufacturers do without artificial flavors and other additives in ready-made spice mixtures.

For the benefit! But whose?

In addition to the typical (organic) spices, many mulled wine compositions also include juices, for example grape, apple, orange or elderberry juice. However, since the fruits used for industrial variants often come from huge monocultures (such as oranges from Brazil), they often also contain large amounts of residues such as insecticides, fungicides and growth regulators.

Mulled wine: Watch out, it gets spicy here!

Coumarin made headlines in 2005/06. The flavoring substance from cinnamon (cassia cinnamon) was found in cinnamon rolls and other foods containing cinnamon in a dose that far exceeded the permissible limit. Some alcohol-free mulled wines also contained quite high proportions. Coumarin can damage the liver and be harmful to young children – provided it is consumed regularly and in large amounts. But cinnamon is not just cinnamon: in contrast to cassia cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon contains hardly any coumarin.

If you prepare mulled wine yourself, it is better to use Ceylon cinnamon. However, since cassia cinnamon is cheaper, the industry often resorts to it. Which type of cinnamon the finished mulled wine mixture contains is usually not stated on the label. If you want to be on the safe side, you should check with the manufacturer of the organic mulled wine or the conventional product.

Sauteing is the preparation of vegetables using the pan frying method. We explain what you have to consider when sautéing and present you with a delicious recipe.

Sauté comes from the French language (sauter) and can be translated as jumping. It refers to the bouncing motion of the ingredients as they are tossed in the pan. With the cooking method, you cook vegetables, or traditionally meat or fish, for a short time at high heat.

Sautéing: That’s behind it

When sautéing, you sear your food with constant tossing. Temperatures of 160 to 240 degrees Celsius ensure that the ingredients are cooked quickly.

With classic sautéing, you don’t add any liquid. You only use a little fat in the form of butter, oil or margarine.

Sautéing has a number of advantages over traditional searing:

Thanks to the rapid cooking, the ingredients neither burn nor overcook.
Vegetables retain their freshness and a crunchy consistency.
You use less fat.
Tasty roasted aromas are created.
By the way: The traditional preparation of Chinese dishes from the wok is also a form of sautéing.

What is suitable for sautéing?

If you want to sauté, make sure you choose the right ingredients.

In addition to fish and meat, many types of vegetables and meat substitutes such as tofu, tempeh or seitan are also suitable for sautéing. Pay attention to the quality and freshness of your ingredients. It is also advisable to cut larger vegetables into small pieces beforehand so that they are cooked even with the short roasting time. The following types of vegetables are particularly suitable for sautéing:

Leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, or lettuce
Cabbage, such as bok choy or Chinese cabbage
crunchy vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, peas, beans
Make sure your ingredients are organic if possible. Organically grown foods are free from chemical-synthetic pesticides and are therefore gentler on health and the environment. When it comes to meat and fish, you should pay attention to particularly strict seals that guarantee species-appropriate animal husbandry. In general, we recommend avoiding meat and fish as much as possible and only eating them in moderation. In this way you not only avoid animal suffering, but also overfishing and a lot of CO2 emissions.

Tip: sautéing is also useful for reheating pre-cooked dishes without losing their freshness. To do this, toss your ingredients in the hot oil for three to five minutes.

Sauté with the right utensils

The best way to sauté is with the right tools. Choose a suitable pan, a good oil and prepare the ingredients accordingly.

You should keep these three things in mind:

Choosing the right pan: Traditionally, sautéing is done in a pan (sauteuse). This is not absolutely necessary. The pan should only offer enough space to turn and swivel. Therefore, choose a pan with a handle and a high rim (e.g. a wok).
Use Good Oil: When sautéing, you fry the ingredients without adding any liquid. Just use a little oil. Oils that can be heated to high temperatures, such as rapeseed oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil, are suitable for this. Caution: extra virgin olive oil is not suitable for frying at high temperatures, as this can lose its flavor and many health-promoting substances. And no matter which oil you use for frying, do not heat it above the smoking point. As soon as the oil smokes, the toxic acrolein is produced and you have to dispose of the oil. With extra virgin olive oil, this is the case at around 180 degrees Celsius. Refined olive oil, on the other hand, has a higher smoke point and, according to ÖkoTest, is also suitable for hot searing.
Prepare ingredients: Wash and peel your vegetables, pat dry meat substitutes or fish substitutes. Cut large pieces into small, bite-sized cubes or strips.
Tip: Be careful not to overcrowd the pan so you can continue tossing all the ingredients.

Recipe: Broccoli Tofu Skillet

Ingredients:

1 piece of red onion
150 g carrots
300 g broccoli
150 g smoked tofu
150 gbean sprouts
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 pinch(s) of salt
50 g roasted cashew nuts/regional nuts
1 handful coriander, chopped

Directions:

Peel the onion. Wash and dry the remaining vegetables.
Cut the onion into fine rings, the carrot into sticks and the broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
Pat the tofu dry. Cut it into small cubes.
Heat the peanut oil in a pan or wok on high. Tip: The refined version of peanut oil is also better for frying, even if it contains fewer health-promoting substances when raw.
When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and tofu to the pan. Cook the ingredients in the pan for 10 to 12 minutes. Give them a good stir regularly. You can also use a spatula for this.
Remove the pan from the heat when the broccoli is still slightly al dente.
Season the vegetables with soy sauce and salt.
Serve the broccoli tofu pan with roasted cashew nuts or regional nuts and fresh coriander.