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Cashews: What You Should Know About Cashews

As healthy and tasty as cashew nuts are, there are good reasons why you should take a close look when buying the healthy nuts. You can find out everything you need to know here.

Cashews: No nuts, but kernels

From a botanical point of view, cashew nuts are not nuts: they are the kernels of the cashew tree fruit. This tree, up to 15 meters high, forms pear-shaped, thickened fruit stalks, which are referred to as cashew apples, but are only pseudofruit. Because unlike all other fruits, they do not carry their seeds inside. Instead, the actual fruits of the tree, the kidney-shaped cashew nuts, grow at the lower end of these fruit stalks. Botanically, they belong to stone fruit. The cashew nut, which is about two to three centimeters in size, is then located in the wooden shell of the stone fruit.

The cashew tree belongs to the sumac family and originally comes from Brazil. In the meantime, however, it is also at home in India, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. There the cashew apples are traditionally processed into juice, jam or schnapps for the domestic market, while the cashew nuts in particular are prepared for export all over the world.

Small kernels with a lot of power: cashews are so healthy

Cashew nuts are not only popular because of their mild, nutty, slightly buttery aroma and their pleasantly soft yet crunchy consistency. They are also rich in vital substances and nutrients:

Cashew nuts contain a lot of high-quality vegetable protein. There are 18 grams of protein in 100 grams of seeds. Cashew nuts are a very good source of protein, especially for people who do not eat animal proteins.
They contain many unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and can help regulate high cholesterol levels. Compared to other nuts, however, cashew nuts are relatively low in fat and therefore have fewer calories.
Cashews are very good sources of magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium and phosphorus are important minerals for our muscles, nerves, heart, teeth and bones.
They contain a lot of tryptophan. This is an amino acid from which the body produces the messenger substance serotonin, which is also known colloquially as the happiness hormone. Among other things, it has antidepressant, mood-enhancing, relaxing and sleep-inducing effects.
Cashew nuts have many B vitamins. A lack of B vitamins can result in tiredness, exhaustion and difficulty concentrating.

From the tree to the ready-to-eat cashew nut: a complex process

Cashew nuts are more expensive than many other types of nuts and kernels. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that only one core is formed per cashew apple. On the other hand, harvesting and processing are very complex:

Harvest: When the cashew apples are ripe, they fall to the ground by themselves. However, many cashew farmers do not wait for the ripening time because the fruit that falls from the tree can spoil very quickly. Instead, the cashew apples are picked unripe from the tree. This means that the cashew nuts are also unripe on the market, which affects the quality.
Drying: After harvesting, the cashew nuts are removed from the cashew apples and then dried first. Traditionally, they are laid out in the sun for a few days, but now the majority are mechanically dried at high temperatures.
Roasting: When the cashew nuts are dried, their shell must be cracked open and removed as they contain a toxic oil. The nuts are roasted, which affects the quality depending on the process. Sometimes they are gently dissolved under steam, but mostly exposed to temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius in roasting kettles, which reduces the quality. Cashew nuts in raw food quality are very rare because the processing is much more complex and special.

More than a snack: You can make this with cashews

In view of the problematic background and the poor ecological balance, you should buy cashew nuts as rarely as possible, but then buy them fairly traded and in organic quality. Then cashews are not only a pleasure as a snack between meals, as a topping for salads and as an ingredient in curries:

Vegan cream or milk: To do this, the seeds must first be soaked in water for at least an hour and then mixed or pureed. Depending on how thick you want the result to be, you add more water for a milk alternative and less water for a cream. Of course, the latter cannot be opened, but it is still ideal for garnishing cakes and desserts. You can use the milk to bake, cook or prepare your muesli.
Raw cakes: You can mix or puree a cream from soaked cashew nuts (without the soaking water) and season with lime and liquid sweetness. The cream can be spread on a cake base consisting of a mixture of ground nuts, seeds or seeds and chopped dried fruit. In the tart tin, this cake needs to be frozen in the freezer and thawed before eating. This is how a semi-frozen cashew cake is made.
Vegan cashew cheese or yoghurt: In the supermarket you can now find vegan cheese and yoghurt alternatives that do not contain soy and are based on cashews. This is of course a welcome development for those who do not eat milk or soy. Tip: To reduce waste, you can also make vegan cashew cheese yourself.

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Iron-Rich Foods: 5 Foods You Should Know Aabout

We present five foods containing iron, because: If you want to prevent iron deficiency, you do not necessarily have to resort to chemical preparations.

Iron deficiency can occur, especially during pregnancy and with a vegan or vegetarian diet. However, there are a few foods that are particularly high in iron that can make taking supplements unnecessary.

If you suffer from histamine intolerance, see the last paragraph for some iron-rich foods that are low in histamine.

Foods with a particularly high iron content: legumes

For a long time, legumes were wrongly considered unattractive “poor man’s food”, because they are not only vegan protein suppliers, but also contain a lot of iron.

Whether beans, peas or lentils: there is an immense number of legumes that can be used to conjure up a variety of delicious dishes – for example soups, salads, side dishes or even vegan spreads.

However, since they can also inhibit iron absorption, it is important to take them in an acidic environment or together with vitamin C – for example in combination with vinegar or lemon juice.

Iron-rich breakfast with oatmeal

You can already do something good for your body at breakfast with muesli or breakfast porridge, because oatmeal is also one of the iron-rich foods (according to the US Department of Agriculture: 4.25 milligrams per 100 grams). You can increase the iron content even more if you supplement your muesli with sugar beet syrup or nuts.

Please be careful here too: coffee or black tea inhibit iron absorption. The calcium in milk also makes it difficult for your body to absorb the iron. A glass of orange juice, on the other hand, promotes iron absorption because of the vitamin C it contains. For your iron-rich muesli, this means that you could eat it with orange juice or oat milk.

Nuts and Oilseeds: Foods high in iron

Pumpkin seeds, sesame, pistachios, flaxseed and sunflower seeds are a suitable addition to salads and mueslis – or even on their own as a snack in between. They have the highest iron content of the foods presented here.

Green vegetables – iron-rich food and rich in vitamins

Spinach, broccoli, lamb’s lettuce or arugula provide slightly less iron than the other foods presented. However, they can be absorbed particularly well by the body thanks to the vitamin C contained in the vegetables themselves. In addition, you can eat vegetables in larger quantities without any problems. And finally, it contains many other vitamins and ingredients (e.g. fiber) that are good for your health.

Sugar beet syrup – a sweet source of iron

The dark, viscous sugar beet syrup – also known as molasses – is ideal for baking, as a vegan alternative to honey in muesli or on bread rolls. Just one or two teaspoons have a great effect. Of course you should not overdo it, because too much sugar is not healthy. But as a tasty supplement, this iron-rich food comes highly recommended.

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Recognizing, Picking and Using Miracle Leeks: You Should Know That

Miracle garlic is a relative of wild garlic. He convinces with his strong taste and a healing effect. Here you can find out what you need to look out for and how you can use magic leeks in cold dishes.

Recognizing miracle onions correctly

Miracle garlic, also known as Berlin wild garlic, is a relative of wild garlic. The plant originally comes from the Caucasus region and has spread across Central Europe over the centuries. You can recognize the herb above all by its intense smell, which is strongly reminiscent of onions or garlic.

Visually, the plant is characterized by green, narrow leaves – similar to grass – and white flowers. The leaves have no stalk and grow straight out of the bulb. Overall, the magic onion can grow up to 30 centimeters high. You can tell the herb from wild garlic by its narrow leaves, while real wild garlic has broad leaves.

Caution: Do not confuse the magic leek with the poisonous lily of the valley. In the latter, the leaves grow from a stem. In addition, the strong leek smell is missing.

Finding, gathering and processing Miracle Onions

Miracle leeks bloom from April to May and you can find the plant mainly in river meadows, forests and parks. You can gather the herb in forests. On the other hand, you should leave it near sprayed fields and where there are many dogs and cats.

By the way: You should not cultivate miracle onions in the garden, as the herb can spread quickly and uncontrollably. So it is an invasive neophyte.

Miracle leeks are ideal for cold dishes. The entire plant is edible, i.e. the leaves as well as the flower buds and bulb. You should not heat the plant, otherwise its aroma will be lost. If you can’t use the magic leeks fresh, you can simply freeze them.

Wunderlauch tastes similar to chives or wild garlic, but has a much milder aroma. It is therefore ideal for pesto, herb butter or cream cheese and quark preparations.

Ingredients and healing effects

Miracle leek has many positive effects: It is rich in allicin, essential oils, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial flavonoids and vitamin C. The herb thus has an appetite-stimulating, blood pressure-lowering, cholesterol-lowering and immune-boosting effect.

The herb is also often used to treat digestive problems. Whether raw or processed – the miracle leek has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. The sulfur compound allicin, which is also contained in garlic, kills intestinal fungi, among other things. So far there have been no scientific studies on the medical effects of miracle leeks, but the herb probably does no harm.

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Lupine Coffee: What You Need to Know About The Regional Coffee Alternative

Lupine coffee is one of the best regional coffee alternatives. But can it keep up in taste? We’ll show you the benefits of the decaffeinated drink.

Lupine coffee is a regional alternative to traditional coffee beans made from lupine seeds. Lupins are also called “wolf beans” and belong to the legume family.

Why lupine coffee? Environmentally friendly and regional

Lupine coffee could become coffee specialty because: lupins are grown in Germany, for example in Bavaria. Unlike coffee beans, they don’t have to travel long distances to be transported. In addition, stricter occupational health and safety guidelines apply in Germany – regional lupine coffee is therefore usually produced under fair conditions.

According to the MDR, the legumes are considered soil improvers. The so-called “nodule bacteria” on the deep roots of the lupins store nitrogen, which serves as fertilizer for future plants. In addition, lupins have a strong main root, which can also penetrate and loosen compacted soil.

Lupins also have advantages when roasting: According to the MDR, they store heat four times longer than coffee beans and hardly lose any volume in the drum. In addition, you only need half as much coffee powder to prepare lupine coffee, as lupines taste very intense.

Prepare lupine coffee and make it yourself

If you bought coffee from debittered cultivated lupins, you can prepare it without hesitation. We advise you to use an organic product because it was grown without chemical-synthetic pesticides. The price is similar to that of normal organic coffee.

Lupine coffee is visually reminiscent of cocoa powder, but does not exude the typical coffee smell. It tastes strongly of roasted aromas. The MDR expert describes the taste as “malty and smelling of chocolate and popcorn”.

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You Should Know These Types of Tea: From Jasmine to Peppermint

Many types of tea can relieve colds or strengthen the immune system. Here you can find out how to prepare the most popular types of tea and how they work.

Tea is considered healthy, warms on cold days and tastes great as iced tea even in summer. No wonder he’s popular all over the world. Over time, countless types of tea have emerged: tea was served either as a traditional drink or as medicine. Ginger, rosehip and many other plants have a beneficial effect.

But most tea comes from the tea plant: Depending on how the tea leaves are processed, we get green, white or black tea.

Many types of tea – many problems

Tea is the ideal drink for a healthy diet: if you don’t sweeten it with sugar or honey, it contains almost no calories. Many parents give their babies unsweetened tea as it is healthier than (fructose) juices.

However, you should find out exactly where your tea comes from. Fair trade tea is rarely available in many supermarkets.

Fair: On many tea plantations, the workers are exploited and receive wages below the subsistence level. Abuse and discrimination are commonplace.
Pesticides: On large tea plantations, synthetic chemical agents are sprayed to kill pests and maximize yields. The soil, the water and the health of the workers suffer from the chemicals. In the end, pesticides are always found in the finished tea.
Toxic Herbs: Many herbal teas are contaminated with weeds. The plants are often accidentally picked at the harvest. Often these are poisonous herbs that are potentially carcinogenic.

Teas with a clear conscience

Jasmine Tea: Good for the immune system
Green tea: A particularly healthy type of tea
Lime blossom tea: Good for colds
Ginger tea: Type of tea against nausea and colds
White tea: Traditional fine tea from gentle production
White tea: Traditional premium tea from gentle productionCaraway tea: Tea against flatulence
Rosehip tea strengthens the immune system
Black tea is popular and has an invigorating effect
Chamomile Tea: For drinking and inhaling
Peppermint tea: remedy for stomach problems

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Food

Is Sugar Vegan? You Have to Know That

It actually seems clear that sugar is vegan – it is obtained from plants such as sugar beet or sugar cane. In some cases, however, sugar is refined with animal substances. We explain when sugar is vegan – and when not.

Sugar is often hidden in processed foods in particular. But the sweetener is also often used in your own kitchen, when baking or for coffee or tea. Even vegans do not do without sugar, since the food itself is purely vegetable. A closer look reveals, however, that this is not always entirely true. In some cases, animal substances are used in production.

Sugar is vegan – but not always

Sugar is usually obtained from sugar beets or sugar cane and is therefore a plant-based food. Animal charcoal is sometimes used to make refined sugar.

Refined sugar is a particularly white, pure sugar that is almost 100 percent sugar and contains no trace elements or by-products. In order to obtain this, the sugar is also filtered and decolorized in addition to various other processing steps. Various substances and means can be used for this process – including animal charcoal.

Animal charcoal, also known as carbo animalis, is an activated charcoal made from animal products such as bones, blood, or skin. Since these occur in large quantities as slaughterhouse waste products, animal charcoal is a particularly cheap filter material.  Alternatively, sugar is refined with activated carbon from other raw materials or kieselguhr.

Recognizing vegan sugar: you need to know that

Animal charcoal does not have to be specified on the packaging as a production aid. It is therefore not clear by what means the sugar was processed and refined.
To be on the safe side, you have two options:

Ask the sugar producer directly whether or not they use animal products in their production.
Skip refined sugar and buy whole cane sugar instead.

Whole cane sugar has even more advantages over refined sugar: Since the molasses with its valuable minerals and vitamins remains in the sugar, it is considered the healthiest type of sugar.

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Vegetables With Lots of Protein: All Vegans Should Know These

As a source of protein, vegetables with a lot of protein should not be missing in any vegan diet, along with tofu, cereals and nuts. We show you the varieties that can easily cover your daily needs.

To cover their protein requirements, most vegans use nuts or grains such as oats or amaranth and seeds such as flaxseed or pumpkin seeds. Various legumes are also very popular. But there are also other vegetables with a lot of protein.

If you do a lot of sport, it is important to consume enough protein. This is the only way your muscles can regenerate well after extensive training. We show you a summary of the best vegetable protein sources and what else is healthy in them.

Beans and Peas: The ultimate high-protein veggies

The following legumes are vegetables with a lot of protein (unless otherwise stated, the information applies to fresh beans):

Soybeans: 36 g
Pinto beans: 21 g
Chickpeas (dried): 19 g
Edamame (unripe soybean): 12 g
Broad beans: 11 g
Peas (frozen): 6.6 g
Mung bean sprouts: 4-5 g
Snow peas 4 g

Cabbages and green vegetables with lots of protein

Green vegetables with lots of protein:

Kale: 4.5 g
Cress: 4.2 g
Brussels sprouts: 4 g
Broccoli: 3.6g
Artichoke: 3.3 g
Spinach: 2.9 g
Savoy cabbage: 2.8 g

Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms: 3.5 g
Mushrooms: 3.1 g
Shiitake mushroom: 2.2 g

More veggies with lots of protein

For a balanced diet with lots of plant proteins, it is also worth including the following vegetables with lots of protein in your diet:

Fresh corn: 3.4 g
Sweetcorn (canned): 3.2 g
Parsley root: 2.9 g
Potatoes: 2 g

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Food

Citrus Fruits: Important Varieties, Effects and What You Should Know

Citrus fruits are popular types of fruit, they taste fresh and are also healthy. In this article you will find out what you should know about lemon, orange and co.

Citrus fruits are among the most commonly grown fruits in the world, according to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN).

Historically, people first enjoyed the scent and appearance of citrus plants and fruits. For example, in the fourth century BC, at the time of Alexander the Great, essential oils were used as fragrances and medicines. Christopher Columbus also had the fruit, which was not yet edible at the time, in his luggage for America. In the 16th century in Germany, aristocrats and the wealthy had so-called orangeries built, special gardens or greenhouses for citrus plants. The first edible citrus fruits were not cultivated until the 17th century. Due to their high vitamin content, the fruits were particularly popular with seafarers.

What are citrus fruits anyway?

Citrus fruits taste fresh, intense and also contain plenty of water and few calories. They grow on evergreen trees or large shrubs. The growth height of the plants is between five and 25 meters. The flowers of the citrus plants are usually white, the ripe fruits are green, yellow or orange. The size of the fruit also varies depending on the variety and can be between one and 30 centimeters. By the way: From a biological point of view, citrus fruits are a special form of berries (endocarp berries).

Citrus fruits are coated in a layer of wax that primarily serves as protection. The shell consists of two layers: a yellowish to orange and a whitish tissue layer. The outer layer (exocarp) contains essential oils. These give the fruit and the leaves their typically intense smell. The whitish layer (mesocarp) contains pectin, a substance used as a vegetable gelling agent. The pulp inside is divided into columns and covered by thin membranes. These fruit compartments contain juice sacs and seeds.

Citrus fruits are real vitamin C bombs. Vitamin C helps, among other things, to strengthen the immune system and stimulate the metabolism. For example, oranges contain 53 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit, a lemon 50 milligrams. As a guideline: The German Society for Nutrition sets the daily vitamin C requirement of an adult at 95 to 110 milligrams. Other vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, potassium, calcium or magnesium can also be found in citrus fruits, albeit in small amounts.

Important varieties of citrus fruits

There are said to be around 1,600 types of citrus fruits worldwide. A reference list for citrus varieties drawn up by the UN Economic Commission (UNECE) (with supplements from the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food) provides an overview of numerous varieties on the market. The taste ranges from bitter to sweet to sour. There are different ways of categorizing citrus fruits. One comes from US citrus expert Walter Tennyson Swingle:

Kumquats: Kumquats are small, orange fruits. They taste sweet and sour and are edible with the skin.
Limes: Limes are green, round fruits. They taste sour. Lime juice is often part of mixed drinks.
Tangerines: Tangerines are considered the ultimate winter fruit. They taste sweet and fresh. The mandarin family includes clementines and satsumas. Mandarins have many seeds, clementines almost none.
Oranges: Oranges are big, round and – as the name suggests – orange. They are extremely juicy and sweet. The orange juice squeezed from it is popular. The term orange is common in Northern Germany. The varieties bitter orange or bergamot are also included. The latter is very acidic and is rarely eaten, but rather used as a fragrance.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit are large, usually pear-shaped to rounded fruits. This variety includes pomelo, grapefruit, and pomelos, all of which taste slightly bitter. Incidentally, the pomelo is considered the archetype of many citrus fruits: the orange came from the pomelo and mandarine, and the grapefruit from the pomelo and orange.
Lemons: Lemons can be used in many ways and refine numerous dishes and drinks. They taste refreshingly sour.
Citron: This variety is considered the first citrus plant to be brought to Europe. It tastes rather bitter and is rich in fragrances. When used, the middle skin layer (mesocarp) is mostly used to flavor dishes.

How to use citrus fruits

You can use citrus fruits in many ways. They are mostly eaten raw. You can use both the juice and the peel. Be sure to use organic quality here due to the pesticide contamination. Some uses are:

Zest for refining cakes and pastries
Juice as an addition to water or cocktails
Juice as a refinement for dishes such as soups, cakes, sauces, rice or vegetables
pectin as a gelling agent
Peel and juice as a cleaner: Halved citrus fruit for removing limescale and dirt, such as cleaning stainless steel pots. It is best to do this with half of the fruit that has already been squeezed out so that you do not waste food unnecessarily.

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Palmito: This is What You Should Know About Hearts of Palms

Palmito is a tropical and healthy delicacy. In this guide you will find out exactly what is behind the exotic palm hearts and how healthy and sustainable they really are.

Palmito (also known as hearts of palm) is the edible pith found at the top of the palm tree. This so-called vegetation cone forms the base for the palm fronds. The heart of a mature palm can weigh up to two kilograms. The taste of Palmito is reminiscent of a mixture of asparagus and artichokes.

Palm hearts can be harvested from different types of palm trees, e.g. from Assai, Peach or Babassú palms. All palm trees require a tropical climate and grow primarily on the banks of rivers. In 2019, Ecuador was the largest palmito producer. They were followed by Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia and Guyana.

Palmito: General characteristics of the hearts of palms

Harvesters have to chop down the palm trees to obtain Palmito. They then remove the leaf sheaths that surround the heart. A sustainable harvest is not possible with most palm varieties. The vegetation cone usually does not grow back and the palm trees cannot continue to live. There are only exceptions for special species, such as the peach palm. Here some hearts can be harvested without damaging the palm tree. It is usually not clear to customers which palm species the Palmito comes from.

Palm trees are often not grown separately and controlled for Palmito. Instead, the hearts are obtained, for example, from dead palm trees after a jungle clearing. On the Atlantic coast of Brazil, people often illegally enter forests and harvest palm hearts.

Nutrients and Uses of Palmito

Palmito is a low-calorie and very low-fat vegetable: It contains just 28 kilocalories per 100 grams. 100 grams of palm hearts contain:

2.5g protein
4.6g carbohydrates
2.4g fiber
0.6g fat
Palmito is also rich in iron: just 200 grams of Palmito cover one to two thirds of your daily needs. Other micronutrients are magnesium, manganese, zinc, vitamin C and folic acid.

You can use Palmito raw or cooked in the kitchen. They have an aromatic, nutty taste and are suitable, for example, as an ingredient for salads, soups and wok dishes. You can also simply serve them raw with a light vinaigrette as a starter. Since they are slightly sweet, you can also use them pureed for cakes and desserts.

How sustainable are hearts of palm?

In Europe you can almost exclusively buy canned palmito in well-stocked grocery stores. As a rule, no more detailed information can be found about the growing conditions. It is also extremely difficult to get organic or FairTrade quality palm hearts. Even in online shops there is hardly any choice. Due to the lack of seals and transparency regarding social and ecological aspects in cultivation and trade, you should only use palm hearts in moderation, if at all. Because there is definitely criticism:

The environmental protection organization WWF is trying to introduce palmito in Argentina as an alternative to soy monocultures. To this end, the organization works with various small farmers. In Ecuador, however, the organization World Rainforest Movement criticizes that cultivation has led to a loss of biodiversity and more soil erosion and water pollution.
Another disadvantage is Palmito’s poor eco-balance: since they are imported from Central and South America, Palmito have to travel long distances to Germany. This causes a lot of CO2 emissions.

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Heather Honey: Taste, Effect and What You Need to Know

Heather honey is a particular specialty. It not only tastes intense, but is also quite complex to harvest. As far as certain active ingredients are concerned, it can be compared to Manuka honey. Learn more about heather honey here.

What is special about heather honey?

Heather honey is a very special honey specialty. On the one hand, this is due to its almost jelly-like consistency, the red-brownish color and its intense taste. On the other hand, the place of its origin plays an important role: heather honey comes from the Lüneburg Heath, a unique and valuable heath landscape. In addition to the famous heather meadows, many animal and insect species are native here, including bees.

Production of heather honey

During the heather blossom in late summer, the bees collect the nectar of the common heather. This is the plant for the heather honey, i.e. the type of heather preferred by the bees. The bees fill the honeycomb of their hive with the nectar.

For the heathland beekeepers, the time-consuming work of harvesting honey then begins. Due to its jelly-like consistency, which is due to certain proteins in honey, heather honey is not easy to harvest. The beekeepers cannot spin the honey out of the combs as easily as ordinary honey because it is too tough. Therefore, heather honey is often offered in honeycomb pieces. Alternatively, the beekeepers first heat the honey in the honeycomb to 25 degrees and then puncture the honeycomb with a roller. The heather honey becomes temporarily more liquid through this process and can then be extracted.

Another special feature of heather honey is the keeping conditions for the bees: Some heather beekeepers still keep their bees in traditional woven beehives. Others move as migratory beekeepers with their bee colonies through the extensive heathland.

Taste of heather honey

So both bees and humans put in tremendous labor to produce heather honey. Nevertheless, not everyone enjoys this honey specialty. This is due to the intense, unique taste of heather honey: it ranges from very spicy to distinctively tart.

The health benefits of heather honey

General health effects of honey

Honey consists mainly of different types of sugar, namely 40 percent fruit sugar (fructose) and 30 percent grape sugar (glucose). You should therefore only enjoy it in moderation. Unlike white sugar, honey contains a number of additional nutrients. These include, for example, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and some vitamins. However, you would have to eat a large amount of honey to meet your vitamin needs.

Scientific studies have nevertheless proven that honey can have a health-promoting effect. For example, honey should:

have an antioxidant effect and protect the body from free radicals
fight inflammation
delay the development of cancer and cardiovascular diseases
have a probiotic and antibacterial effect.
Health effects of heather honey

In a recent study from Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, a research team looked at Irish heather honey. The researchers found out that this type of heather honey is said to be particularly healthy. They blame the high content of certain antioxidants, the so-called phenolic compounds. There are about as many phenolic compounds in heather honey as in manuka honey, which is also considered to be extremely beneficial to health. Phenolic compounds are phytochemicals that include flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins.

Flavonoids reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and boost the immune system.
Phenolic acids have an antibacterial effect.
Among other things, tannins have an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and sometimes anti-cancer effect. They also lower blood sugar levels.
However, it is unclear to what extent the results of the Irish study can be transferred to heather honey from the Lüneburg Heath. For specific findings, the German heather honey would also have to be examined more closely. In addition, the findings from the study are based on a laboratory analysis of the heather honey – how it works in the human body can only be derived to a limited extent.

Buy heather honey

It is best to buy heather honey directly from beekeepers in Lüneburg Heath. With the purchase of this regional honey you support the local beekeepers. Some of them still practice a traditional form of beekeeping, which also contributes to the preservation of biodiversity. In addition, the transport routes for German honey are shorter than for imported goods – regional heather honey therefore has a better CO2 balance. You can find out which other regional types of honey are recommended in the Utopia honey guide.

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