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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

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.

Food

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

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.

Food

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.

Food

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.

Food

Whole Grain: What You Should Know About It

Whole grain is considered to be particularly healthy and is found in many products: bread, rolls, spaghetti and many other products are also available in whole grain versions. We show why whole grain is so much healthier and what makes the difference.

Cereal grains consist of three parts: the germ, the endosperm containing the starchy endosperm and the outer shell. Whether a product consists of wholemeal flour or not depends on the processing of the grain:

For whole grain products, all three parts are ground and only the hard shell (husk) is removed.
In the case of non-whole grain flours (so-called refined flours, recognizable by the flour type), the germ and surface layers are separated.
Food can therefore be produced from grains that have been processed to different extents. “Wholemeal bread must contain at least 90 percent wholemeal flour or wholemeal meal in the flour,” explains the consumer advice center.

The type designation on flour indicates how many milligrams of minerals are contained in 100 grams of flour. Spelled flour type 630 therefore contains 630 milligrams of minerals. Since wholemeal flour contains all parts of the grain, there is no type designation for this wholemeal wheat, rye and spelled flour.

Whole Grain: Why It’s So Healthy

Products made from whole grains – i.e. the whole grain – are considered to be particularly healthy. Because there are many valuable ingredients in the seedling and in the outer layers. As a result, according to Stiftung Warentest, wholemeal pasta with a comparable energy content contains significantly more of the following substances:

fiber
potassium
magnesium
calcium
phosphorus
iron
zinc
Vitamin A
vitamin E
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B6
folic acid
The background is that these substances are mainly found in the surface layers and in the germ and not in the endosperm. The latter contains almost only starch and is used to make white flour. Starch is actually a sugar. So if you mainly eat white flour products, you take in more sugar and increase the risk of obesity and related diseases.

Whole grains are high in fiber and minerals

There are numerous studies showing health benefits of whole grains over highly processed flours. According to the UGB, a 2016 study showed that whole grain products are associated with a lower risk of various diseases. These include cardiovascular diseases, cancer and death as a result of respiratory diseases, infectious diseases or diabetes.

In addition, two studies that the medical journal picks up show that whole grain products can help you lose weight: Whole grain can save calories, which the authors attribute to the high amount of dietary fiber. Because dietary fiber itself has no calories, but binds water and swells up in the stomach as a result. This stimulates digestion and at the same time creates a feeling of satiety. According to the consumer center, whole grains contain about ten percent dietary fiber. The fiber also ensures that digestion takes place more slowly. “As a result, the blood fats only increase slowly and the large intestine is strengthened,” says the NDR. Fiber also helps keep cholesterol levels at normal levels.

But be careful: Just because whole grains contain more calorie-free dietary fibers does not mean that whole grain products contain fewer calories per se. In mixed products such as some muesli or bread rolls, many other ingredients can provide a higher calorie intake. For example, chocolate and dried foods like raisins can add a lot of calories to whole grains.

List of whole grain products

There are many foods that are whole grain:

whole wheat flour
wholemeal spelled flour
wholemeal rye flour
pasta and spaghetti
brown rice
Whole Wheat Bulgur
oatmeal
Amaranth (=whole grain)
Quinoa (=whole grain)
Bulgur (=whole grain)
Millet (=whole grain)
Bread, rolls, toast
Cookies
By the way: Whole grain products are usually a little darker because the outer shell of the grain grains is also darker in colour. Nevertheless, you should take a good look at the list of ingredients of the products, because companies often color their products dark with syrup to make them appear healthier. This is sometimes the case with pumpernickel, for example. Also read: Colored bread: is dark bread automatically healthier?

Whole Grain Nutritional Values

The nutritional values of whole grain differ only slightly depending on the type of grain. Here are the nutritional values of whole wheat:

Energy (kcal): 338 kcal
Fat: 2g
carbohydrates 61 g
Egg white (protein): 13.5 g
Fiber: 11 g

Here are the nutritional values for whole rye grain:

Energy (kcal): 337 kcal
Fat: 1.5g
carbohydrates 63.1 g
Egg white (protein): 10.8 g
Fiber: 14.1 g

Food

Types of Flour – Everything You Always Wanted to Know

Flour 405, 550, 1050 – hardly anyone knows what these types of flour mean. There are big differences in the use of flour types. We explain which flour is suitable for which dough and which is the healthiest.

This is what the numbers of the flour types mean

The numbers of the flour types do not stand for the fineness of the flour, as is often assumed. The numbers indicate the mineral content, i.e. the amount of fiber, vitamins and vegetable protein in milligrams.

To determine this, 100 grams of flour are burned at 900 degrees. The remaining ashes are then weighed. This value gives the type number of the flour.
Lower numbered flour types contain fewer minerals and are also much lighter in color compared to higher numbered flours.
Flour types also differ in how much the grain was previously ground. With the low types, only the inside of the grain was ground, with the high flour types, the healthy shell and the germ were also partially ground. Some types of flour are better suited for certain baked goods than others.

Rule of thumb: Flour types with high numbers are harder to process, but healthier.

Wheat flour – good or bad?

Wheat flour 405 is most commonly used in the kitchen. This particularly fine flour is suitable for baking cakes and biscuits. You can also use it to thicken sauces. This works well because flour types with low numbers have a higher percentage of starch. Bread rolls are baked with wheat flour 550. But pasta and yeast pastries also work well with it. It is a real universal flour.

Wheat flour is often dismissed as unhealthy, but it contains valuable soluble fiber and minerals.

However, wheat flour also causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly and can upset the body’s insulin balance.
The carbohydrate content is very high.
There are also studies that wheat flour products stimulate appetite. This leads to excessive consumption and can ultimately lead to obesity. However, the results are very controversial.
One thing is clear: For a balanced diet, you should not rely solely on wheat flour.

Type 630 – spelled flour for pizza and bread

When it comes to spelled flour, spelled flour 630 corresponds to wheat flour 405. Only the grain used is different. Like wheat flour, spelled flour with its slightly nutty note is suitable for sweet baked goods.

However, spelled flour is also available with a higher number, such as type 1050. Wheat flour with the number 1050 and rye flour with the number 1150 are also popular in the kitchen.

Because these types of flour are darker and have a stronger taste.
They contain more vitamins and trace elements.
You can use them to make mixed bread (e.g. spelled bread) or pizza dough yourself.
Since these types of flour are heavier and less likely to bind, they are not ideal for baking cakes.

Wheat and rye flour type 1700 and 1800

Types of flour with very high digits have a particularly high mineral content and are much coarser and stronger. If you look closely, you can still see pieces of the leftover grain in the flour. Thanks to their strong taste, wheat flour type 1700 and rye flour type 1800 are used for wholemeal breads.

Whole wheat flour is the healthiest

Wholemeal flour does not have a type number, since wholemeal flour contains all the components of the ground grain. It is rich in fibre, minerals and B vitamins – regardless of whether the flour is made from wheat, spelt or rye.

Wholemeal flour keeps us full longer because of the high fiber content, you have less cravings.
Wholemeal flour also stimulates intestinal activity and prevents constipation.
This means that wholemeal flour is considered the healthiest flour – especially if it is freshly ground and processed immediately.
Why is whole wheat flour so healthy?

It contains healthy carbohydrates. Unlike wheat flour, these are long-chained and are only slowly processed in the stomach.
As a result, the blood sugar level does not rise sharply.
Since little insulin is released, fat burning begins.
When baking with wholemeal flour, you should note that more liquid is required than with other types of flour.

Lifestyle

Coffee Dates: Getting to Know Each Other in a Café

A date should take place in a relaxed atmosphere. Singles who date often choose a place that is quiet yet welcoming.

The café is not only a great place to have a chat, it also feels at home and relaxed. It’s the perfect place for a first date – and many more.

You can never go wrong with a coffee date. It is not without reason that the question “Would you like to go for a coffee with me?” is one of the most popular dating questions ever. A casual meeting at a coffee shop, at a normal time of day, is best for strangers who want to get to know each other. Here both dating partners are relaxed and can get involved with each other without pressure.

The search for a partner puts a number of hurdles and obstacles in the way of singles. If not every step is planned and prepared appropriately, getting to know each other can fall through before the first meeting. So which place is perfect for the first date? The environment should not be too private so that nobody feels restricted. Informality and a relaxed atmosphere lighten the spirits and ensure relaxed conversations. In a café you are in public, among people, and yet you have your own little area for private exchange. This environment in particular seems harmless and yet differs greatly from evening meetings in bars or getting to know each other in a strange apartment. However, the coffee date in the coffee shop scores with many other advantages!

Dating in the coffee shop

A pick-me-up and a pleasure drink in one – coffee is a fascinating drink. No wonder that the tasty hot drink should not be missing on the first date. The numerous coffee shops in the streets and on the large squares of our cities invite millions of visitors to relax and feel good every day. It is not uncommon for you to meet one or two singles enjoying a warm cappuccino or latte macchiato with their new potential partner. A coffee shop is a wonderful place to get to know each other – you can “sniff” each other out in a very relaxed manner and see whether you are on the same wavelength. Unlike in the cinema or in a loud bar, you can have a lot of conversation here. In addition, the coffee shop has the advantage that you can say goodbye relatively quickly after a coffee. In the end, you leave your options open.

It’s no secret that most of us love coffee. There is something cliche about the coffee date. Millions of people, including a number of couples, sit together in cafés every day and enjoy a coffee or two together. By the way, if you don’t want to lean too far out of the window on your first date, you have found an extremely cheap and yet stylish dating option with a coffee date!

Coffee is the drink for relaxed dates

Coffee is great for a first date. Not only that most of us are true coffee lovers – the coffee also convinces with an invigorating and euphoric effect. The caffeine in coffee increases our alertness and keeps us alert throughout the conversation. With the enjoyable hot drink, our good mood automatically increases. With a delicious coffee you create the perfect basis for a pleasant get-to-know-you. Of course there are also all kinds of other drinks in a café. But the probability that the other person drinks coffee is usually quite high.

A particular advantage of coffee is the great variety of tastes. In most cases there is something for everyone – whether black, with milk and sugar or as a large milk foam creation. The wishes of coffee lovers are inexhaustible here and are fulfilled anew every day. As a man, however, you naturally take the initiative and ask the lady what she would like a drink to be – this way, misunderstandings are avoided from the start. By the way, if you want to take a spontaneous stroll through the shopping streets or through the park, the coffee is of course also available as a coffee to go. This means that the hot drink can easily be taken with you on the go and enjoyed in a warm mug on the go.

Dating in the cafe

We have found that coffee and dates go perfectly together. Of course, a café is primarily the perfect place for the first date, since getting to know each other is completely informal and free of obligations. Furthermore, the coffee itself convinces with its enjoyable taste and an invigorating effect. If you want to be successful in your partner search, you can’t go wrong with a coffee date.

Food

Agar Agar: What You Need to Know About the Vegetable Gelling Agent

Agar Agar is not only a real alternative to conventional gelling agents for vegans and vegetarians. We explain how to use the purely plant-based gelling agent and how it is made.

Agar Agar gelling agent – what is it?

Agar Agar are carbohydrates found in the cell walls of blue and red algae. Agar Agar is made from dried seaweed. The powder is made from them. Agar agar has been at home in Japanese cuisine since the 17th century. For example as a thickening agent in soups or as a gelling agent in sweets and ice cream.

Unlike gelatin, which contains bones, cartilage and connective tissue from cattle and pigs, it is purely vegetable. You can buy agar agar either in a jar or in small paper packets, similar to baking powder. Most drugstores, health food stores and health food stores have the vegetable gelling agent in their range.

Agar Agar: The Japanese gelatin

Agar agar is mainly produced in East Asia, i.e. in Japan, China and Korea. But it is also made in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The name “agar agar” comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, but is also the proper name there for the food mixed with the algae gelatine.

The problem with the East Asian origin: Before the vegetable gelling agent ends up in our kitchen, it has already traveled a long way. Importing creates additional CO2 emissions. Therefore, you should use agar agar with care.

Also, the algae that make up agar agar are mostly grown in aquaculture. The growing demand for algae consumes a lot of water. Pests can also spread more easily in these algae farms, since the nets with the algae are very close together. Many organic manufacturers therefore pay attention to high water and algae quality. Their aquacultures are mostly located away from towns and villages, so that the drinking water is not contaminated. When buying agar agar, you should therefore pay attention to the corresponding organic seal.

How to use agar agar

You can easily use agar agar for sweet and savory dishes – just like conventional gelatine.

You only have to be careful with the amount and read the package information very carefully. Because agar agar cannot be dosed one-to-one like gelatine.
Agar agar only dissolves in boiling liquids and only solidifies when it cools.
The gelling power of the plant product is six to ten times stronger than that of conventional gelling agents.
However, agar agar reacts differently to each liquid. Acid and fat in particular can weaken the binding capacity. Fruits such as plums and apricots, on the other hand, increase the gelling power.
Tip: If you prefer to be on the safe side, you should do a gelling test.

Place a plate in the freezer for a few minutes.
After you have boiled the liquid with agar agar according to the instructions on the package, put a few spoonfuls of the mixture on the chilled plate.
If it’s still too runny after two to three minutes, you’ll need to add a little more agar-agar powder. If the mass is too firm, more liquid is needed.

How healthy is agar agar?

Since agar agar is a product made from seaweed, it has a high protein content. Other ingredients are:

B vitamins
beta-carotene
vitamin k
Agar agar consists mainly of slow-digesting carbohydrates and protein. You should be careful not to consume too much agar agar. In large quantities, the vegetable gelling agent can have a laxative effect.