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Red Rice: What You Need to Know About Fermented Rice

You can find red rice products in different forms in stores. They are often advertised as natural dietary supplements. But be careful with the fermented rice.

Red rice

Red rice originally comes from China, where it is used as a natural food coloring and medicinal. Processed into powder form, it gives the traditional Peking duck its reddish color. Red rice is also known as “red mold rice”, “red rice” or “fermented rice” and is now also available in the western world in various forms as a dietary supplement. Among other things, you can buy it as red rice flour in stores.

Despite all the health-promoting effects that the package inserts of red rice preparations promise you, you should be more than careful when consuming it.

Production of red rice

Strictly speaking, red rice is not a real rice variety and should therefore not be confused with red-skinned rice varieties.

Red rice does not get its red color naturally, but through a fermentation process. For its production, ordinary white rice is mixed with special molds that stimulate fermentation. This creates the characteristic color and a substance called Monakolin K. It is this substance that drug experts warn about, as the Pharmazeutische Zeitung reports.

It is true that Monakolin K is a natural substance, which explains why products to which it is added can be called “natural dietary supplements”.

It is by no means harmless: Monakolin K is one of the so-called statins. As such, it is almost identical to the lovastatin available in our pharmacies – a prescription drug for high cholesterol levels.

Red rice and its health effects

Statins like lovastatin and monacolin K can cause various side effects. It is true that they can counteract high cholesterol levels. However, a distinction needs to be made here:
First of all, an elevated cholesterol level is not automatically harmful to health. The key here is to differentiate between “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol. Only the latter can lead to long-term problems such as vascular calcification and circulatory disorders if the level is elevated.
Statins, such as those found in red rice, can have significant side effects and should only be used in consultation with a doctor if there is a diagnosis of abnormally high cholesterol, and never for prevention.
For example, statins can cause muscle pain and cramps, trigger sleep disorders and even depression and cause blood sugar to rise, as reported by the Apothekenumschau. As with all medicines, interactions with other substances can also occur.

Red Rice Dietary Supplement

Eaten occasionally as a rice dish, the red rice should not pose any risk to your health. However, it also has no advantages over normal rice. The Federal Institute for Drugs, on the other hand, strongly advises against using it as a dietary supplement. Together with the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, the experts warn in particular against daily doses that exceed 5 milligrams of monacolin K. Red rice supplements are particularly dangerous because they contain the substance in a concentrated form.

Natural remedies with risks

The danger of using red rice is not only the actual side effects, but also the lack of awareness of many people about its composition and effects. Just because you are dealing with a natural and freely available agent does not mean that it can have some serious side effects like a comparable pharmaceutical.

In the case of a pathologically high cholesterol level, you should therefore thoroughly reconsider self-therapy with red rice products. It is better to look for the causes with your doctor and to work out a treatment that is especially suitable for you.

To prevent high cholesterol levels, there are more effective foods that lower cholesterol levels without any harmful side effects.

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Cooking Tips

Buy, Grow, Prepare Edamame: What You Need to Know About Soybeans

Edamame are unripe green soybeans and originally come from Japan. We reveal what you should pay attention to when buying, growing and preparing.

Edamame means “bean on a branch”. The soybean, also known under the name “lucky bean”, is often referred to as a superfood in this country because of its high protein and fiber content. However, the eco-balance is not good due to the long transport routes, among other things.

Nutritional Values ​​of Edamame: Lots of proteins and amino acids

Edamame not only contains many proteins, but also nine important amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

Nutritional values ​​of 100 g edamame:
125 calories
12 grams of protein
13 grams of carbohydrates
4 grams of fat
This makes edamame particularly suitable as a filling supplement and for a low-carb diet.

Growing Edamame: Also possible in your own garden

Even if the soybean is mainly cultivated in Asia, it also grows in the Central European climate. That’s exactly what the Taifun project “1,000 Gardens” found out. As soon as it is above 10 degrees overnight (from around April) and the weather forecast predicts this for at least another week, you can start sowing your soybeans.

According to the project description, you should consider the following when growing:
Make a furrow about 3-4 cm deep.
Put a soybean every 2 cm.
Cover the beans with soil and gently press down.
Water the beans when it doesn’t rain.
It is also recommended to install a protection against birds and rabbits.
Soybeans can be sown until June. You can usually harvest about two months after sowing. Since edamame are immature soybeans, you should take care to harvest them when they are still green and have fine hairs.

Prepare Edamame: As a snack recipe or side dish

Edamame is traditionally eaten as a starter, snack or as a side dish. The preparation is very simple:
The unripe green beans, including the pod, are boiled in salted water for five minutes so that they are still nice and crunchy.
The still moist pods are then sprinkled with coarse sea salt. The pod should still be wet so the salt can stick and form a salt crust.
You can refine edamame by drizzling it with chili and lime juice or with sesame oil and Tabasco. A combination of sesame oil, lime juice and soy sauce also tastes delicious.
The pods are not eaten. Although the whole pod is cooked, only the beans in the pod are edible. At this point, manual work is required and you have to free the beans from the pod by puffing them up. Many also “suck” them out of the pod – one more reason to pay attention to organic quality.

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Food

Rice and Its Nutritional Values: This is What You Should Know About Jasmine Rice and co

Rice has different nutritional values: depending on the variety, the information differs slightly. We show you the different types of rice and their nutrients at a glance.

The nutritional values ​​contained in rice depend on the variety and the growing area. Rice comes in a wide variety of colors and shapes. In addition to long grain, medium grain and short grain rice, there are also black and red rice varieties.

The nutritional values ​​of the grains are as different as their appearance. In our large rice overview you can see all the nutritional values ​​at a glance.

1. Parboiled long grain rice – the nutritional values

Long grain rice is the classic rice variety. This elongated white rice type includes basmati rice and jasmine rice. Long-grain rice is particularly widespread in German cuisine because it is very filling and ideal for rice pans and the like. However, it contains very few nutrients. When buying, you should make sure that the rice was grown under fair working conditions.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 77.3 g
Protein: 7.3 g
Fat: 0.9g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Calories: 347 kcal

2. Nutritional Values ​​of Basmati Rice

Basmati means “fragrant” in Hindi, alluding to the strong aroma of this long-grain rice. Basmati rice originally comes from Afghanistan and is grown there on the edge of the Himalayan mountains.

Nutritional values ​​per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 78 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 0.9g
Fiber: 2.2 g
Calories: 354 kcal

3. Nutritional Values ​​of Patnareis

Patnareis bears the name of the Indian city where it is grown. What is special about it is the relatively hard grain, which is why you can use it primarily for dishes where the rice should have a grainy consistency. The grain is very long and thin, but Patnareis also has relatively few nutrients.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 77.3 g
Protein: 7.3 g
Fat: 0.9g
Fiber: 1g
Calories: 347 kcal

3. Jasmine Rice – the nutritional values

You may also know jasmine rice as fragrant or Siam rice. It is mainly grown in Thailand, but also in Vietnam and Italy. This type of rice smells of jasmine and has a special taste of its own. Because it is slightly sticky, jasmine rice is often used in Thai dishes in particular.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 78.8 g
Protein: 7.0 g
Fat: 0.7g
Fiber: 0.7 g
Calories: 350 calories

4. Nutritional Values ​​of Black Brown Rice

Black brown rice is one of the whole grain rice varieties and has a slightly nutty taste. Today it mainly comes from China and Italy, but black rice is also grown in the Austrian Burgenland.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 67.6 g
Protein: 9.8 g
Fat: 3.1g
Fiber: 1.9 g
Calories: 346 kcal

5. Nutritional values ​​of risotto rice

Essential for creamy risotto: risotto rice, an Italian starchy rice variety. It comes in both short grain and medium grain rice. Its main growing area is in Italy, where it has such euphonious names as Arborio, Vialone or Carnaroli.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 grams:
Carbohydrates: 87.6 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 0.6g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Calories: 362 kcal

6. Nutritional values ​​of rice pudding

Rice pudding is one of the short grain rice varieties. As its name suggests, it is mostly used for sweet milk dishes. It is cooked directly in the milk. The starch dissolves in the milk and thickens it. This is how the pulpy consistency of the rice pudding is created.

Rice nutritional values ​​per 100 grams:
Carbohydrates: 87.6 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 0.6g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Calories: 362 kcal

7. Nutritional Values of Sushi Rice

Sushi rice comes from Japan, where it is called Kome. Small-grained and particularly starchy, it gives sushi the necessary sticky consistency. Apart from that, it is also used for other rice dishes.

Rice nutritional values per 100 g:
Carbohydrates: 78 g
Protein: 6.7 g
Fat: 0.5g
Dietary fiber: 1.4 g
Calories: 345 calories

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Food

Types of Rice and Their Special Features: You Should Know These

With more than 100,000 varieties of rice worldwide, it’s easy to lose track. What are the differences and where do the different varieties come from? And what about the life cycle assessment of rice?

Types of rice: This is how they are roughly differentiated

Rice is the basic food source for more than half of the world’s population. The grain with the Latin generic name “Oryza” has been cultivated in Asia for thousands of years. So it is hardly surprising that countless different varieties exist today.

Roughly two or three main groups are distinguished:
Long Grain Rice: Long, narrow grains of rice that do not stick after cooking.
Short Grain Rice: Shorter, thicker grains that result in very sticky rice.
Medium grain rice can be mentioned as a third possible subspecies. In terms of the length of the rice grains, this lies between long-grain and short-grain rice.
Rice can also be classified according to the degree of processing:

Brown rice (also brown rice or whole grain rice): Apart from removing the husk, the rice was not processed further here. It therefore contains significantly more vitamins, fiber and trace elements than conventional rice. Brown rice is the healthiest option.
White Rice: Here the silver skin has been removed and the grains polished. Although the rice has a longer shelf life, most of the important nutrients are lost.
Parboiled rice: In the parboiling process, the nutrients are pressed from the silver skin into the interior of the rice grains. Some of the vitamins are retained even after polishing; However, the rice no longer has any fiber.

Rice-growing regions: where does our rice come from?

Rice plants grow in tropical and subtropical areas. Above all Southeast Asian countries like China, India or Indonesia are important rice suppliers. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 90 percent of the world’s rice harvest comes from the Asia-Pacific region.

But rice is also grown today in Europe, Australia and parts of North and South America. For example, the Arborio rice used for risotto comes from Italy, but there are also cultivation areas in Portugal, France and Spain.

The most important types of rice at a glance

wild rice
Strictly speaking, wild rice, with its typically dark grains, does not belong to the rice genus, but to the “water rice” genus. The grains of the sweet grasses contain many valuable nutrients and are grown in the USA.
long grain rice
Basmati rice is an aromatic long grain rice and is grown in the Himalayan region. It is mainly used in oriental cuisine.
Thanks to its intense aroma, jasmine rice is also called “fragrant rice”. The slightly sticky long grain rice comes from Thailand, but is also grown in Vietnam and Italy.
Patna is a grainy and firm long grain rice from India. The grains remain very al dente after cooking.
Medium and short grain rice
Risotto rice combines various medium-grain varieties with a high percentage of starch, which gives the dish its typical creamy consistency. Typical varieties are Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone, all grown in Italy.
Japanese rice (or rice pudding) is a very sticky short-grain rice from Japan. There it is also used for hearty dishes. The grains are particularly soft, short and rounded.
Bomba rice is a Spanish short-grain rice with a slightly firmer and grainier consistency due to the lower starch content. It is typically used for paella.
Sushi rice is a particularly sticky rice from Japan with a high starch content. There are several varieties that are considered sushi rice.
Mochi rice is an extremely sticky rice from Japan that is mainly used to prepare desserts (e.g. rice cakes). Today, mochi rice is also grown in the United States.
Brown brown rice grows in Southeast Asia and includes different varieties. It is richer in nutrients and more resilient to cultivation than conventional rice, but also more expensive.
Black brown rice is wholegrain rice with a nutty taste. Originally from China, it is now also cultivated in Europe (Italy and France).

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Monosodium Glutamate: What You Need to Know About The Additive E621

Monosodium glutamate (E621) is a flavor enhancer and is often criticized. The substance is said to be responsible for the nausea that often occurs after visiting a Chinese restaurant.

Monosodium glutamate is one of several salts of L-glutamic acid. There are other glutamates, but monosodium glutamate is the most common in the food industry. It is an isolated substance in its purest form. But there is also natural monosodium glutamate, which is chemically identical to the man-made substance. The natural monosodium glutamate is found, for example, in protein-rich foods such as fish and poultry. The body can easily absorb and fully utilize the substance.

Monosodium glutamate has been criticized as an artificial flavor enhancer in finished products. In such foods, however, it does not provide any of its own, but can only enhance existing flavors. Because monosodium glutamate does not have a taste of its own, explains Professor Ursula Bordewick-Dell from the University of Applied Sciences in Münster.

Monosodium glutamate in food: an overview

Monosodium glutamate is naturally found in many foods:
tomatoes
Cheese
eggs
poultry
legumes
Artificial monosodium glutamate is commonly found in these foods:
Ready meals (frozen products, canned products, instant noodles)
Ready-made sauces (e.g. salad dressing)
crisps
hot dog

Effect of monosodium glutamate on health

Studies have shown that monosodium glutamate increases appetite. Therefore, the substance is often mixed into animal feed to make animals overeat and gain weight faster. This has also been observed in humans. However, scientists now assume that humans would have to consume very large amounts of monosodium glutamate for a noticeable appetite-stimulating effect. So big that the crowd could be deadly.
The Kiel scientist Professor Michael Hermanussen points out that in animal experiments glutamate was able to penetrate into the brain: “Obviously the blood-brain barrier has leaks”. In animal experiments, newborns whose mothers received a high dose of glutamate were also harmed. Although these animal experiments cannot be directly transferred to humans, they do indicate potential dangers.

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Food

Is Beer Vegan? Vegans Should Know That

Is beer vegan? Sure, you might think, but it’s not that simple. We explain what you need to know about beer as a vegan.

Beer consists mainly of water, hops and barley. So it’s purely plant-based and therefore vegan, right?
Unfortunately it’s not that easy. Because many drinks, including some types of beer, contain flavorings or colorings that are of animal origin. For example, they are obtained from scale insects. Some beverages, such as wine, are also clarified with gelatin and casein.

During clarification or fining, clarification agents from beer and wine are used to bind suspended matter that can cloud the liquid and filter it out. The problem here is that clarifying agents are regarded as auxiliary agents and therefore do not have to be on the label. So there is no clear indication of whether the drink is vegan or not.

German beer is mostly vegan

Vegans in Germany can drink local beer with peace of mind, because it does not contain any animal substances. The reason for this is the Purity Law, which stipulates that beer may only be brewed from water, hops, malt and yeast. Yeast is vegan because this unicellular microorganism has no central nervous system and therefore does not feel pain. Therefore, yeast is not assigned to the animal kingdom.

With German beers, you are also on the safe side with the clarification agent: the beers are clarified with kieselguhr and not with animal products. This substance consists mainly of fossil diatoms. Incidentally, naturally cloudy beers or cellar beers are not filtered at all. You can also read about it on the website of the German Brewers’ Association. Only the labels on the bottle may have been attached using glue of animal origin. Then theoretically, depending on the type, not every bottled beer would be vegan.

As a vegan, you can be sure that German beer is vegan, with the exception of the label. However, the situation is different with mixed beer drinks or types of beer from abroad.

Is beer vegan? exceptions

The Purity Law does not apply to beer that is not brewed in Germany. Depending on the manufacturer, these may contain ingredients of animal origin. For example, some beers contain honey to create a more aromatic taste, or they are clarified with the help of animal products. However, a rethink is slowly taking place here as well. For example, Guinness from Ireland no longer uses animal products.

With beer mix drinks like Radler, it always depends on what else is mixed with it. Because lemonades or fruit juices are often clarified with gelatine, they are therefore not vegan. Check with the manufacturer if you’re unsure if your beer is vegan.

Whether vegan beer or not: Enjoy it in moderation. Because even a little alcohol shortens life expectancy.

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health

Asthma and Pregnancy: 4 Things You Should Know

If you have asthma, it is difficult to predict whether your asthma symptoms will change during pregnancy. Your symptoms may improve, stay the same, or get worse. Here are four things that will help you get through pregnancy and childbirth well.

Asthma in pregnancy

As soon as you know you are pregnant, it is a good idea to consult and seek advice from an asthma specialist. Some things change a bit when you are pregnant: for example, you are more likely to suffer from heartburn, which is a condition in which stomach acid rises up to the throat, which can make asthma worse. In general, however, you can continue to stick to the treatment agreed for asthma.

1) Seeking help with changes or seizures

However, if there are clear signs that something is changing, such as using more asthma medication than usual, you should talk to your doctor right away. This also applies if you cough more often and get bad breath, or feel tight in the chest. Such symptoms could be a sign that the asthma is getting worse and it may be necessary to review and perhaps change the medication dosage. Call your doctor or an ambulance immediately if the following applies:

  • You do not have symptoms and the inhaler with you
  • You feel worse after using the inhaler

2) Asthma treatments are safe in pregnancy

Most asthma medications are safe in pregnancy and if your asthma is well controlled there is little to no risk to you or your baby. You should continue to use prescribed asthma medications during pregnancy. Unless your asthma gets worse, your treatment can remain exactly as it was before.

Your symptoms may get worse if you stop taking the medication. This can pose a risk to your own health and increase the risk of your baby being low birth weight. It is safe to continue any asthma treatment while breastfeeding. Even when you’re busy with the baby, it’s important not to neglect your own health and keep your asthma under control!

3) Treatment details

There are a number of things you can do to help control your asthma during pregnancy:

  • Use of a nebulizer, especially when you have a cough or cold: Discuss the details of using nebulizers during pregnancy with your doctor!
  • Avoid smoking! Get tips on how to quit smoking during pregnancy.
  • Avoid anything that triggers an allergic reaction, such as animal fur or certain foods.
  • Combat hay fever with antihistamines: Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about which antihistamines are safe to take during pregnancy
  • Avoid triggers of hay fever, such as mowing the lawn.
  • Keep eating healthy.
  • Ask your doctor if it makes sense to get vaccinated against the flu.
  • Find out about a healthy diet during pregnancy and exercise during pregnancy.

4. Asthma attacks at birth are unlikely

It is very rare for a woman to have an asthma attack during childbirth. If you have asthma symptoms during labor, you can use your inhaler as usual.

Inform the midwife and hospital staff of any allergies you have! Even if you are well, it is very important for your health and that of the baby that you attend all check-up appointments. In the event of certain dangers, such as a rampant infection, the hospitals will ensure your safety during the appointments. Also, note other useful tips on pregnancy and the baby bump.

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Food

Eat Sugar Snap Peas Raw? What You Need to Know

You can eat sugar snap peas raw or boil them: In both variants, the young pea pods are healthy and taste good. You can find out the advantages and disadvantages of raw sugar snap peas here.

Sugar snap peas are also known as snow peas or snow peas. These are pods with flat, thin pods that contain the not yet fully developed pea seeds. Unlike other legumes, sugar snap peas are also edible raw: you can eat both the pod itself and the young peas inside.

Sugar snap peas do not contain phasin. Therefore you can eat them raw. Phasin is a natural toxin that causes red blood cells to clump together and damages intestinal cells. In addition, there is no parchment layer inside the sugar snap pea that would make the pod inedible.

To be able to eat sugar snap peas raw, it is therefore sufficient to cut off the ends of the pod and remove the threads on its sides.

With their fresh, sweet taste, raw sugar snap peas are great in salads or as a topping for soups. You can also serve them as an accompaniment to Asian rice dishes.

Eating sugar snap peas raw: pros and cons

Sugar snap peas are a healthy addition to your diet. On the one hand, they contain a lot of protein, which makes them particularly suitable for a plant-based diet. On the other hand, they are rich in carbohydrates and fiber, which fill you up comfortably and quickly and ensure good digestion. Sugar snap peas also have potassium, phosphorus and many vitamins.

However, some of these healthy ingredients are very sensitive to heat. This means that they are partially lost when cooking, roasting or baking. Vitamin B1, vitamin B5 and vitamin C, for example, are particularly sensitive to heat. Sugar snap peas contain only small amounts of vitamin B1, but plenty of vitamin C. Eating sugar snap peas raw is advantageous if you do not want to reduce the vitamin C content by cooking.

On the other hand, raw peas are less well tolerated than cooked ones due to their indigestible fiber. They can therefore cause problems for people with sensitive stomachs. It is therefore advisable for them to only eat small amounts of sugar snap peas raw and otherwise to cook the vegetables gently, for example with steam. Since the sugar snap pods are still very thin, the cooking time is only a few minutes. You can prepare sugar snap peas in a wok or pan.

Eat sugar snap peas raw: Organic is better

Most snow peas available in Germany come from Kenya, South Africa or Guatemala and often from conventional agriculture. Not only do they cover long transport routes to Europe, but they are often heavily contaminated with pesticides and are also chemically treated to keep them fresh during transport. Especially if you want to eat sugar snap peas raw, you should therefore use untreated vegetables from organic farming. Finally, the pods are not peeled before consumption.

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Food

Invert Sugar: What You Need to Know About The Sweetener

Invert sugar is used in the food industry for the manufacture of various products. Here you can find out what sugar is all about and what you should pay attention to.

What is invert sugar?

In the food industry, invert sugar is added to various products, particularly in the form of syrup. The raw material of the sugar syrup is sucrose or starch. This is broken down to form a mixture of glucose (dextrose) and fructose (fruit sugar).

For this reason, you will also find invert sugar syrup on the list of ingredients under the name “glucose-fructose syrup” or “isoglucose”. It is slightly sweeter than regular table sugar. In contrast to other sweeteners, it also has the advantage that it no longer crystallizes. It gives products a smooth and creamy consistency.

Because of these benefits, invert sugar syrup is hiding in a variety of everyday products. Including especially in various desserts, such as ice cream, sorbets, puddings, rice pudding or yoghurt. But liqueurs, ketchup, sweet drinks, gummy bears, biscuits, cakes, ready-made sauces, bread and rolls are often sweetened with the popular sugar syrup.

Invert sugar: health consequences

Invert sugar contains around 400 calories per 100 grams. At around 99.8 percent, it consists almost entirely of carbohydrates and contains no significant amounts of minerals, fiber or vitamins. Therefore, like the other types of sugar, it is referred to as “empty calories”.

Like all types of sugar, invert sugar does not provide important minerals, but primarily serves to give a product a sweet taste. It is not particularly beneficial to health. However, if you are aware of it and consume it in moderation, it will not do much damage to your health. The WHO recommends consuming no more than six teaspoons of sugar (about 25 grams) per day.

On the other hand, if you consume large amounts of sugar (or invert sugar) every day, this can lead to increased body weight and obesity and the associated health risks.

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Maltitol (E965): What You Need to Know About The Sugar Substitute

Maltitol is a sugar substitute that is processed in many industrial foods. Find out more about maltitol and its special features here.

Maltitol: difference to sweeteners

The group of sweeteners is one of the most widespread sugar alternatives. These include both artificial and natural sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, saccharin, erythritol, sucralose or stevia. Far less well known is the group of sugar substitutes, which include maltitol, xylitol and sorbitol, for example.

The chemical structure of sugar substitutes is similar to that of standard household sugar. That’s why they taste similar: Maltitol, for example, can bind to the sweet receptors on the tongue – just like table sugar.

However, since maltitol has a slightly different structure to table sugar, it does not bind quite as well to the taste receptors. Its sweetening power is around 90 percent of that of conventional table sugar. The sweetening power describes the sweetness of a substance as perceived by test persons compared to table sugar. As a reference, household sugar therefore has a sweetening power of 100 percent. For example, to sweeten a coffee, you need to add 11.1 percent more maltitol than regular sugar to achieve the same sweetening effect.

This is the key difference between sugar substitutes such as maltitol and sweeteners. The sweetener aspartame, for example, has 180 times the sweetening power of sugar, while stevia is 300 times sweeter than the original. Only a small amount of sweeteners is therefore required to achieve the desired sweetness.

How can maltitol be used and in which foods is it found?

Although maltitol is not quite as sweet as table sugar, it has only half as many calories. It is mainly used as a sugar substitute for diabetics because, unlike table sugar, it does not contain glucose.

Maltitol is made on the basis of maltose (or malt sugar). Maltose does not increase insulin levels in our body, so diabetics can consume maltitol without any problems. Typical products in which maltitol is used as a sweetener include sugar-free biscuits and chewing gum.

Maltitol has a high water-binding capacity, which enables industry to use maltitol as a preservative. The addition of maltitol protects baked goods from drying out. It is therefore increasingly found in breads and pastries. In addition, maltitol binds sauces and, as an emulsifier, prevents fat droplets from settling from the aqueous phase. Malite is therefore often included in instant soups, powdered sauces and sauce thickeners.

If a food manufacturer adds maltitol to his product, he must identify it with the number E965 in the list of ingredients.

Why you shouldn’t consume large amounts of maltitol

Maltitol is considered a food additive that is harmless to health. However, you should not consume large amounts of malitite, as this can lead to undesirable side effects.

Maltitol can have a laxative effect and cause diarrhea in high doses. This was the experience of American consumers, for example, who tested the sugar-free gummy bears newly introduced by Haribo. After increased complaints about diarrhea, flatulence and stomach pains, Haribo took the product off the market again. Special care should be taken with confectionery sweetened with maltitol, as these very often contain large amounts of maltitol. In Germany, products that contain more than ten percent maltitol must carry the warning “excessive consumption can have a laxative effect”.

To rule out such undesirable side effects from the outset, you can avoid foods with maltitol. Maltitol is found almost exclusively in processed foods. Eating a balanced diet with fresh, local and unprocessed foods makes it easy to eat maltitol-free. Such a diet is also more environmentally friendly.

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