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Saving Calories: It’s Really That Good For The Intestines

Calorie saving during a diet apparently significantly changes the gut microbiome, as a recent study shows. A “hungry microbiome” develops, which has a lasting effect on the absorption of food in the intestine and thus on the human energy balance.

Charité study: This is what saves calories with the intestines

For more than 16 weeks, the working group examined the effects of a diet on a total of 80 women who were slightly to severely overweight. In addition, all of them were already in the menopause. During these four months, the women either lost weight through a formula diet under medical supervision or kept their weight constant. The formula diet was implemented using ready-made drinks with less than 800 kilocalories per day. The subjects’ stool was analyzed regularly. These analyzes showed that the diet reduced the number of microorganisms in the intestine and changed the composition of the intestinal flora. dr Reiner Jumpertz von Schwartzenberg explains in a Charité press release: “We were able to observe how the bacteria change their metabolism in order to absorb more sugar compounds, which are then no longer available to humans. One can say that a “hungry microbiome develops. “

The scientists then transferred the stool samples before and after the diet to mice without their own intestinal flora. Within two days, the mice that received the post-diet stool lost more than 10 percent of their body mass. The mice that received the pre-diet stool, on the other hand, had no effect.

According to the Charité press release, these results could lead to possible therapy options for metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The team is now investigating how intestinal bacteria can be influenced in order to have beneficial effects on metabolism and body weight in humans.

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Food

Green Tea From The Himalayas: That’s Why It’s so Healthy

The positive effects of green tea on health are undisputed and are backed up by countless studies. Green tea from the Himalayas is of particularly high quality. We’ll tell you why Himalayan tea is so extraordinary and why green tea is generally so healthy and should be drunk every day.

Green tea from the Himalayas: That’s why it’s so healthy

Green tea from the Himalayas: At 800 to 2,500 meters, dry air alternates constantly with humid air, and it is both cool and hot (due to the strong sunshine). In addition, there is a lot of precipitation here during the monsoon, which together with the fog ensures high humidity. The southern slopes of the Himalayas offer ideal, albeit unusual, conditions for tea cultivation.

Green Tea: Numerous Health Benefits

As the German Green Cross explains, the consumption of
Furthermore, regular consumption of green tea can lower cholesterol levels. In addition, the good cholesterol, the HDL, is strengthened by reducing the bad cholesterol, the LDL. And also at

There is even suspicion that green tea may help with liver transplantation due to its antioxidant properties. Also who under one

Green Tea: Protects the heart and prolongs life

Those who drink green tea regularly may be able to prevent cardiovascular diseases and strokes – this is the conclusion reached by scientists from the Peking Union Medical College in a long-term study published in the European Journal for Preventive Cardiology. The European Union’s Community Research and Development Information Service CORDIS also reported on the results. According to this, consuming green tea at least three times a week should help you live longer and be healthier. The long-term study by the Chinese researchers examined more than 100,000 Chinese over a period of seven years, who were divided into two groups – regular tea drinkers and those who rarely consume tea.

The regular tea drinkers were, on average, 20 percent less likely to develop heart disease or stroke, and they were also 15 percent more likely to survive diseases that have been the death sentence for non-tea drinkers. On average, regular tea consumption can extend life by 1.26 years, and tea drinkers develop heart disease or a stroke about 1.5 years later

What the researchers also noticed is that the positive effects of tea on men’s health were particularly evident. Only slight improvements in health were seen in women. One reason for this could be that the proportion of tea-drinking men in the study was significantly higher than that of tea-drinking women. The scientists hold polyphenols in the tea leaves primarily responsible for the life-prolonging effects of green tea*. These are able to reduce inflammation and at the same time act as antioxidants

Green Tea: Can It Protect Against Cancer?

There is also evidence that green tea can protect against cancer. In an overview study authored by researchers from the Cochrane Collaboration, the scientists looked at a total of 142 studies on the effect of green tea on the prevention of colon, lung, breast, prostate and other types of cancer. However, the results are mixed.

In some studies, there appears to be a link between reducing the risk of developing cancer and consuming green tea. The scientists blame the antioxidants found in the substance epigallocatechin gallate contained in tea for this. These antioxidants inhibit free radicals in the body that have harmful effects. This means that oxidative stress is avoided, which damages the cells and thus causes cancer cells to develop.

Weight Loss: Lose weight with green tea

Regular consumption of green tea* can also have a positive effect on weight. A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry links green tea drinking to modest weight gain.

In the animal experiment, mice were given particularly high-fat food for eight weeks, which made the animals overweight. The control group continued to receive normal food. The highlight: Half of the mice in each of the two groups were given two percent green tea extract

The surprising result: the mice that had the green tea extract in their food gained an average of 20 percent less weight than the mice that did not consume any green tea. They were also shown to have lower insulin resistance. Green tea also had a positive effect on the intestines: the intestinal wall was less permeable, which increased the health of the microbes in the intestine. Since the study is an animal experiment, the results cannot be extrapolated to humans without further ado, so further studies must be carried out.

Beauty: Green tea’s positive effects on the skin

As reported by the Saarland University Hospital, the flavonoid epigallocatechin gallate contained in green tea is able to have a positive effect on skin damage caused by UV radiation. Green tea also proves to be a tried and tested remedy for some skin diseases, especially if they result in vasodilatation and reddened areas of the skin.

Furthermore, green tea can also counteract the natural aging of the skin if it is processed in creams. Studies have shown, among other things, that green tea can increase the thickness of the skin in older people when used locally. An increase in keratinocytes in the skin could be proven, which play a role in inflammation, the immune system and the self-healing of the skin – and also in the self-protection of the skin from harmful UV radiation.

Another study concludes that green tea may help with acne. For example, the administration of green tea extract reduced inflammation on the nose, forehead and chin. However, according to the researchers, further studies are needed to make precise statements about the effect of green tea on acne.

How to recognize high-quality green tea

You can tell whether green tea is of high quality by looking at a few characteristics. If these aspects are given, it is most likely a high-quality green tea, according to the eco-magazine Waschbär*. It is important, among other things, the cultivation

What makes green tea so striking is its so-called “noble bitter note” and at the same time a fresh taste, which is caused by the tannins it contains and the secondary plant substances catechins. At the same time, green tea should always taste sweet, which is caused by the polysaccharides and amino acids it contains. Furthermore, minerals, essential oils and the flavor umami also play a role, which is considered the fifth flavor. Umami is described as hearty and aromatic and has a weakening effect on the bitter substances in green tea, making it more digestible in terms of taste. If one considers the aspect of green tea, the best quality tea is fetched from the tea fields with the so-called “first flush”, which is the first harvest after the winter. After that, the tea is harvested about five more times in the same year, but it no longer comes close to the taste quality of the first harvest. If a tea is labeled “Blend”, it is a mixture of leaves from different harvests.

After harvesting, the tea leaves are processed and go through a number of work steps: after the leaves have withered, they are heated, for example steamed or roasted. Heating stops the fermentation and seals the leaves so the flavor and healthy ingredients don’t escape. The leaves are then rolled so that the tea tastes more aromatic when brewed. When processing, it is important for the quality if as many work steps as possible are carried out by hand, as they are more careful than if the tea leaves are processed exclusively by machines. If the tea is processed manually, this is usually stated on the package, as this is an absolute sign of quality. Finally, it is also important that the tea is as fresh as possible. If the leaves are stored for a long time, they lose both flavor and healthy ingredients. However, there are a few types of tea that only become really high-quality through long storage.

Conclusion: Green tea from the Himalayas has many health benefits

Green tea has countless health benefits that have been confirmed in many studies. Green tea from the slopes of the Himalayas is particularly recommended, as it is considered to be of particularly high quality and tasty due to the external conditions.

In order to get green tea of impeccable quality, you can consider a few aspects of green tea production. Among other things, you should consider cultivation, taste, harvest, processing and freshness. You can ask about these aspects on the packaging or directly from your tea retailer – tea that is organically certified is generally recommended. Green tea can contribute a lot to our health – the miracle tea has a positive effect on this, among other things:

lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels
helps the liver
protects the heart and against strokes
can prolong life
can protect against cancer
helps with weight loss
can have a positive effect on the skin

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Food

Does The Universal Root Ginseng Live Up to Its Promises?

Ginseng is probably the best-known medicinal plant from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It has the reputation of being able to practically stop aging and at least alleviate almost all age-related problems.

As a tea, extract or powder, the ginseng root is said to strengthen the immune system, help against Alzheimer’s and increase mental performance. In addition, it is said to drive away fatigue, accelerate convalescence after serious illnesses or operations and have a potency-enhancing effect.

With this impressive list of applications, it is no wonder that ginseng is also referred to as the “all-healing root”. But are all of these claims really true, or is it all just a possibility that hasn’t been proven? That’s what we wanted to find out and during our research we came across a completely different, negative aspect of the alleged miracle root.

Typology and botanical properties of true Korean ginseng

The term ginseng is colloquially used for several Asian roots, all of which contain the so-called ginsenosides. With Panax Ginseng, the real ginseng from Korea, the concentration and thus the effect is the highest. Other names for real ginseng are Korean or Asian ginseng.

The herbaceous plant, whose roots are considered a natural medicine, originally came from the deciduous and mixed forests of Korea. There were also a few small occurrences of wild ginseng in north-eastern China. In the meantime, however, there are hardly any wild plants left, today’s ginseng comes from plantations. However, the ginseng root is still harvested and cultivated by hand because it requires a lot of care. Incidentally, the name “ginseng” comes from the Chinese and roughly translates to “human root”.

Ginseng is a very slow-growing plant, the roots can only be harvested after at least four, preferably six to eight years.

What is the effect of the ginseng root?

In TCM and in Korea, ginseng has a long tradition as a medicinal plant; the ground root has been used there for over 2000 years. The plant has been known in Europe since the 17th century. It was not recognized as a medicinal plant in this country until the 20th century. The active ingredients contained in the root, the ginsenosides, have been repeatedly examined for their effect in traditional areas of application.

The ginseng root is valued above all as an invigorating agent that stimulates the metabolism, makes you lively and strengthens the immune system. The all-healing root should at least have a supportive effect on almost every type of illness and accelerate convalescence. For the same reason, ginseng is also said to have an anti-aging effect, the ginsenosides are also said to act as free radical scavengers and antioxidants. This in turn should lead to better cognitive and motor performance, especially in older people, but not only. In addition, several studies in American clinics indicate that ginseng can reduce stress, inflammation and the risk of cancer.

The ginseng root is also a hot candidate as a remedy for Alzheimer’s. The miracle root has another important range of effects: it is said to promote potency and libido in men and help women with menopausal symptoms.

So is the ginseng root really a universal healing root?

Because the ginseng root was recognized as a herbal remedy a long time ago, there are a number of studies on the various areas of application. They all suggest that ginseng may actually have the claimed effects. But (and there is always a “but” with such alleged miracle cures): That’s not entirely true. If you take a closer look at the studies, you will discover that they were only carried out in vitro (i.e. in the test tube) or on mice and rats. And even if there were experiments with human subjects, the random samples were only small or the experimental setup was not suitable for excluding other influencing factors. The advertising promises of the manufacturers about the allegedly scientifically proven effect are therefore not correct. The available results provide indications, but nothing more.

On the other hand, the root is quite effective as a pick-me-up and invigorating agent in times of increased stress. The ginsenosides have a similar effect as caffeine. Ginseng therefore has some side effects that must be taken into account. The invigorating effect can lead to high blood pressure and tachycardia; it also enhances the effects of caffeine. Furthermore, ginseng increases the tendency to bleed and is therefore particularly dangerous in combination with ASA (active ingredient in aspirin) and coumarins (anticoagulants). Diabetics, people with high blood pressure and anyone taking the above medications should therefore speak to their doctor before taking them.

The intake: ginseng tea, capsules and tablets

Radix ginseng, the ginseng root, is processed in two ways: the white ginseng is only dried and ground into ginseng powder, the red ginseng is boiled before drying and gets its color in the process. The red variant is said to be more effective. The pure powder is rarely taken, and it is not used for cooking or baking. It is either concentrated in capsules or pressed into tablets, or it is drunk as ginseng tea. In addition, the universal root is also sold in the form of extracts or tonics.

For ginseng tea, pour 150 milliliters of hot water over about three grams of ginseng powder and let the brew steep for five to ten minutes; then you strain the tea and enjoy it. Ginseng capsules and tablets should be dosed according to the information on the package. It should be used daily for at least four weeks, as the effect does not start immediately. Doctors recommend taking a break of several months after three months, as there are no studies on the long-term effects of the universal root. After that, ginseng can be used again for three months.

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Cooking Tips

Peeling Kohlrabi: It’s Really Easy

Kohlrabi tastes delicious, is healthy and grows on our doorstep. We will show you if and how you should peel kohlrabi and how you can reuse the leaves.

Raw or cooked, kohlrabi is popular

Kohlrabi is very popular with us because of its mild taste. It tastes not only raw, but also cooked as a vegetable side dish. It is also very healthy: the tuber contains many nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, selenium and some vitamins.

You can buy kohlrabi all year round. But you can only get it particularly fresh and from the region in summer. In the winter time it is imported from the Mediterranean countries.

To peel or not to peel kohlrabi?

When buying kohlrabi, you should pay particular attention to the long green leaves. If the leaves are crisp and green, then the kohlrabi is fresh. Then it also tastes particularly mild raw. Many also tend to reach for the largest tubers. But be careful: the large tubers often have many woody parts. Then he should be peeled.

The small kohlrabi tuber usually has a more delicate skin and fewer woody parts. Here it is sufficient to cut off the roots and the leaves. Otherwise, you don’t need to peel the kohlrabi. But wash it off thoroughly with water. If you want to eat the kohlrabi unpeeled, it is best to buy it in organic quality.

Peeling kohlrabi made easy

However, it is better to peel a large kohlrabi:
To do this, remove the roots and leaves with a sharp knife.
Now peel either from the root base in a circle, or from the root base towards the leaves. Be sure to cut off woody and fibrous areas.
Then you can cook the kohlrabi.
Our tip: Use a vegetable peeler, then you only cut off what is absolutely necessary. However, you should completely remove all woody areas.

Kohlrabi leaves: too bad for the garbage

The long green kohlrabi leaves are often removed in the supermarket or end up in the garbage. That’s a pity, because the fresh and crunchy leaves contain other important vitamins. Here’s how you can put the sheets to good use:
When the leaves are young, green and crisp, you can chop them up and use them as a salad topping.
You can refine cooked kohlrabi with the finely chopped leaves.
Add kohlrabi leaves to your smoothie for an extra green kick!
Or you can leave the leaves whole and use them as a substitute for aluminum foil at the next barbecue. The large leaves in particular are ideal for wrapping grilled cheese and grilled vegetables.

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Food

Eating Spinach Raw: When it’s Healthy and When It’s Dangerous

Many people know spinach primarily as a warm, creamy vegetable, but it is also delicious raw in a salad. Here you can find out when you can eat spinach raw and when you should be careful.

In addition to many healthy nutrients, spinach also contains oxalic acid. This binds calcium, iron and magnesium. Your body can therefore absorb less of the substances you eat if you have consumed oxalic acid. If you suffer from a deficiency of the substances mentioned or suffer from kidney stones, you should be careful with raw spinach.

Eat spinach raw to avoid oxalic acid

In particular, long-ripened, strong spinach leaves with a wavy structure contain a lot of oxalic acid. When cooking, some of the acid is released into the cooking water. If you drain the cooking water, the amount of acid will be reduced. However, nutrients also dissolve in the water, which are then also lost.

Young spinach leaves contain less oxalic acid. You can use them raw in salads or in smoothies. So no nutrients are lost. In addition, the consistency of the delicate, smooth leaves is more pleasant than that of the somewhat coarser, long-ripened leaves.

Nitrate in raw spinach

Spinach can be high in nitrates, especially during the darker months. This substance reacts in the body to form nitrite. Nitrite can turn into carcinogenic nitrosamines. In addition, nitrite inhibits oxygen uptake. The intake of nitrite can therefore be life-threatening, especially for children.

Nitrate is primarily contained in the stems and larger leaf veins as well as the outer leaves. When you remove these plant parts, you remove some of the nitrates. You should also eat spinach when it is still very fresh. This not only tastes better, but also ensures that microorganisms have less time to form nitrite.

Be sure to buy organic spinach, as organic farming doesn’t use nitrate fertilizer. Therefore, organic spinach usually contains less nitrate.

Healthy combinations with spinach

Since oxalic acid binds calcium, among other things, it is worth combining spinach with foods containing calcium. How about a delicious yoghurt dressing for the spinach salad? This not only tastes good, but also ensures that you don’t lose too much calcium.

To mitigate the risks of nitrate, for example, add lemon juice to the dressing and drink freshly squeezed orange juice. This is how you absorb vitamin C, which limits the formation of nitrosamines.

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Cooking Tips

To Peel Potatoes or Not? It’s Really Easy With This Trick

Some say potatoes should be peeled, others advise against it. We reveal what’s really true and show a trick you can use to peel potatoes in a flash.

You can conjure up many delicious dishes from potatoes: baked potatoes, potato gratin or simple boiled potatoes. The tuber is versatile, tasty and healthy. When preparing the potatoes, many people ask themselves: should I rather peel the potatoes or can I eat them with the skin on?

Toxins in the potato peel

In addition to nutrients and roughage, the potato peel also contains toxic glycoalkaloids: a-solanine and a-chaconine. These toxins occur naturally in the potato. They are mainly concentrated in the skin and in the germ. Inside the potato, on the other hand, there are significantly fewer toxins.

Glycoalkaloids are heat stable but water soluble. This means: High temperatures do not affect the toxins. If, on the other hand, you cook the potatoes in boiling water, the substances are removed from the skin.

Our commercially available potato varieties naturally do not contain any concentrations of these toxic substances that are harmful to health. The actual content of these substances is additionally influenced by several factors:
Unripe potatoes contain more toxins than ripe potatoes
Damage (e.g. during transport) and light favor the formation of toxins
If potatoes are stored too warm or too cold, more toxins are also formed
So if your potatoes are ripe, undamaged and stored properly, you don’t have to worry about the glycoalkaloids.

Potato peel protects the nutrients and flavors

Potatoes contain a lot of vitamins B and C. However, some of these vitamins are lost during cooking. The potato skin acts as a barrier when cooking: If you cook your potatoes with the skin, fewer flavors and nutrients are released into the water. This means that more of these valuable substances remain in the potato.

To peel or not to peel potatoes?

Although there is a significant amount of glycoalkaloids in the skin, you don’t necessarily have to peel potatoes. The Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection confirms that potatoes can be eaten with their skins without hesitation as long as they are of “normal quality”.

If you still want to peel the potatoes, we recommend that you only peel them after cooking. In this way, the potatoes retain as many nutrients and flavors as possible. Make sure, however, that you use the potatoes soon after cooking so that you don’t lose any more flavor and nutrients unnecessarily.

Green spots are an indication of increased levels of toxins. Therefore, cut out the green areas generously. Very green potatoes should be discarded entirely.

Trick: peeling potatoes made easy

You can easily peel potatoes with the following instructions:
Wash the potatoes and score the skin all over with a sharp knife.
Boil the potatoes until they are done. Make sure that the potatoes are not overcooked, otherwise they may fall apart when you peel them.
Place the cooked potatoes in ice water and chill for at least 10 seconds.
You can then simply peel off the peel either with your fingers or with a knife.
You can actually peel potatoes quite easily using this method. However, this isn’t magic either, and the peel won’t always come off “in one go”. Especially if the potato is a bit misshapen or has small “spots”, you will definitely have to touch up some areas.

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Food

Vitamin C: What it Does, When It’s Missing, Where It’s in

The water-soluble vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is known to everyone and experiences a revival every year when the weather is bad. But why vitamin C at all? “It helps against a cold,” is the popular opinion. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Vitamin C strengthens the immune system. However, it has not been scientifically proven that it really has a preventive or healing effect on colds. And if the cold is already there, it comes, stays and goes (as a rule of thumb) for three days each – with or without the administration of ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C: effect

However, vitamin C not only helps the immune system, it can do much more:
As a radical scavenger and antioxidant, it protects cells from premature aging processes
necessary for the formation of collagen (component of connective tissue, teeth, skin, hair and nails)
important for cholesterol metabolism
important for fat metabolism
important for optimal absorption of iron
can increase sperm count
inhibits the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines during digestion
it helps in the formation of messenger substances and hormones

Vitamin C: deficiency

We humans cannot produce ascorbic acid ourselves and therefore have to get it from food. If our body doesn’t get enough of it, it can even lead to a disease: This is how scurvy occurs due to a vitamin C deficiency. Scurvy used to be the leading cause of death among seafarers who lacked access to fresh food at sea. Even today, scurvy still occurs wherever people eat too little C-containing food. If infants are affected, the disease is called “Möller-Barlow syndrome”, but the cause is the same.

Vitamin C deficiency manifests itself as follows:
bleeding gums
susceptibility to infection
poor wound healing
Joint and bone pain due to bleeding under the periosteum
Bleeding of the skin and mucous membranes, organs, muscles
tooth loss
Fatigue, dizziness and exhaustion
muscular dystrophy
joint inflammation
severe diarrhea
cardiac insufficiency
depressions
However, these symptoms can also have other causes.

Vitamin C: overdose

If you take too much vitamin C, you will get digestive problems such as diarrhea from about three to four grams per day. However, such a high intake can only occur through incorrect dosing of food supplements and cannot be achieved with natural foods. To clarify the amount: a heaped teaspoon of powder corresponds to about one gram.

People who are prone to kidney stones or have damaged kidneys should be particularly careful not to overdo it with ascorbic acid-containing remedies. After all, even a dose of one gram per day can lead to side effects.

Vitamin C: the daily requirement

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) revised the reference values ​​in 2015, so that other information can be found in older literature. The DGE differentiates between the requirements for men and women, since the daily requirement also depends on body weight. According to the new guidelines, women should take in 95 mg and men 110 mg of vitamin C with food per day. The requirement increases to 105 mg for pregnant women and 125 mg of vitamin C per day for breastfeeding women. Smokers and also passive smokers have a significantly higher daily requirement of 135 mg (women) or 155 mg (men) per day.

Vitamin C: in which foods?

When it comes to vitamin C, everyone immediately thinks of citrus fruits. But even before lemons, oranges and tangerines ended up in our fruit basket, it was possible to have enough of them all year round. There are many locally grown fruits and vegetables that we can use to meet our daily needs.

The star among the local vitamin C bombs is the sea buckthorn. It originally comes from Central Asia, such as Mongolia. To this day, he ensures that people in barren, hostile regions are always well supplied with it. With 450 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, sea buckthorn is a local superfood that is only surpassed by the almost twice as high C content (1250 mg/100 g) of fresh rose hips and makes acerola superfluous.

Citrus fruits come a long way behind with only around 50 mg/100 g. Far better performers: blackcurrants (189 mg/100 g), peppers (139 mg/100 g), kale and Brussels sprouts (105-110 mg/100 g) or strawberries (63 mg/100 mg).

Unfortunately, much of the vitamin content of food is lost during preparation and storage. So make sure you buy food as fresh as possible – preferably directly from the producer – only store it for a short time and wash it undivided. Only cut fruit and vegetables just before eating to get the largest possible portion. Because ascorbic acid is heat sensitive, make sure you keep cooking times as short as possible.

By the way: It is also added to food as a preservative under the E numbers E300 to E304, E315 and E316. Manufacturers use this to protect, for example, apple juice from oxidation and browning; Cooked sausages can be made appetizingly reddish with it. It is also sometimes added to flour to improve its baking properties.

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Lifestyle

The Water Bubbler and its Advantages

The advantages of the sparkling water maker at a glance. Instead of lugging around those water bottles forever. If you want to eat healthily, you also need to drink plenty of water. It should be at least 1.5 liters of fluid a day, and if you sweat a lot, then you should drink even more.

The problem of daily water

It’s important to pay attention to what you’re drinking on a daily basis. Because the body must be supplied with sufficient liquid. Sugary sodas won’t quench your thirst, nor are they healthy. Since they are real calorie bombs, they destroy all good diet plans. Therefore, it is best to drink pure water. At least 1.5 – 3 liters daily are recommended. But for most people, this is not satisfactory.

As a result, many buy sparkling mineral water. And that’s a lot better. But hauling liters of water into the apartment is very exhausting. After all, the average German drinks more than 130 liters of mineral and sparkling water per year. Taking away the returnable bottles is just as annoying. If you feel the same way, the solution is a sparkling water maker.

What is a water bubbler?

A water bubbler ensures more environmental protection in the household. These devices direct carbon dioxide from a CO2 cartridge into a connected water bottle, which is filled with tap water. The best known in Germany are the Sodastream brand water bubblers, but of course, there are also devices from other manufacturers. They enable the rapid production of sparkling water. As a result, you save yourself the hassle of lugging around and taking the deposit away. Consequently, one of many good tips is to avoid heavy crates of drinks. And now there are also flavor additives with which you can enrich the water for even more variety.

Advantages and disadvantages of the water bubbler

If you like drinking sparkling water, you should consider getting a bubbler for your home. Because such a water bubbler offers many advantages. On the other hand, the disadvantages are minor. The mineral water comparison by Stiftung Warentest shows that mineral water is not always free of pollutants. Tap water offers advantages here. Because it is better controlled and contains more nutrients than mineral water.

The best sparkling water makers from the internet

So one thing is certain: if you drink a lot of sparkling water, you should buy a sparkling water maker. If there is too much lime in the tap water, you can decalcify it. Because in the long run, you will benefit from the homemade sparkling water. In addition, there are now beautiful and clever devices. When buying a soda maker, you should pay attention to sufficiently large bottles. For many, one liter is not enough because it is drunk quickly. It is also advantageous if the bottles are dishwasher-safe or easy to clean.

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Cooking Tips

Peeling Mangoes: It’s That Easy

Mangoes can be peeled very easily with a few tricks. We show you three simple variants for different serving or eating options.

1. Peel mangoes with glass

In order for your mango to be easy to peel, it should be really ready to eat. This is especially true for this method of peeling mangoes. If the mango is well ripened, it has a red-yellow skin with a few green spots and can be easily pressed in with a finger.

Since the mango fruit is a tropical plant and usually has to travel long distances before it reaches our stores, you should rarely treat yourself to it. When buying, make sure that the mangoes come from southern Europe if possible and go to a shop near you to avoid additional transport routes.

And this is how you peel mangoes with a water glass:
Cut off both sides of your mango along the pit, which is a narrow disc in the middle. When you get to the core with the knife, just change direction a bit.
Pull the two cut halves over the rim of a glass. Press the rim of the glass between the skin and the flesh to detach the mango half from the skin.
What remains is the narrow core, which you can now simply peel with a vegetable peeler and separate the remaining flesh from the core with a knife.

2. Peel uncut mangoes

You can also easily peel and eat uncut mangoes.
If you leave a small grip area on both sides, mangoes are easy to peel with a good vegetable peeler.
You can then simply use a knife to cut off the parts of the shell that you left out to hold.
With this method, however, it is a bit more difficult to cut the mango into small pieces afterwards, since the mango is very slippery without the skin.

3. Fillet the mangoes

Depending on how you want to serve the mango, you can also fillet it. You proceed in a similar way to an orange:
Cut off a small piece of the mango at the top and bottom so that the mango has a base and you have a starting point for cutting at the top.
Place the mango vertically on a cutting board, with the heavier and larger part at the bottom.
Now carefully separate the skin from the flesh in narrow strips. Then you can cut the pulp from the stone. The standing area is also very helpful here.

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Food

Eating a Kiwi With Its Skin on: Recommended, But Not Always

Most kiwis are peeled or spooned. You can also eat kiwis with the skin on and benefit from the most valuable nutrients. We explain what you should pay attention to.

Eat the kiwi peel too – it takes a little getting used to at first

Eating kiwis with the skin on is very healthy. Wash the kiwi well, remove the stalk and then cut into strips or cubes. The taste of the peel is a bit peculiar, but it complements the sweet flesh of the kiwi very well. The rough, hairy structure of the kiwi skin in particular might take some getting used to at first. Just try it a few times – and you’ll quickly get used to the special consistency. For starters, you can also try the golden kiwis, which have a noticeably thinner and smoother skin.

Tip: If you puree the kiwi with the peel in a smoothie, you will hardly notice the difference.
Important: When buying, you should make sure that you choose organically grown kiwis. In conventional cultivation, chemicals such as pesticides are often used, which are then mainly found on the skin. In this case, it’s best not to eat the peel. To be on the safe side, you should also wash organic kiwifruit thoroughly beforehand.

Eat the kiwi with the skin on – that’s why it’s so healthy

Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A, and also provide potassium and magnesium. As with most fruits, most of the nutrients are just under the skin. If you peel or spoon out kiwis, you often miss out on some of these important vitamins and trace elements.

In addition, the peel itself is rich in antioxidants and provides additional fiber.
For these reasons, it is generally highly recommended to eat kiwis with the skin on: This way you get the full health boost that this tasty and healthy fruit provides.

Kiwi without pangs of conscience – avoid long transport routes

Therefore, when shopping, you should pay more attention to the country of origin of the delicious fruit in order to minimize your ecological footprint. In Europe, France, Italy, Spain and Greece are among the most important producers. In these countries, the kiwi is in season from September. During the summer months, however, you should better avoid kiwis – then they usually come from the southern hemisphere.

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