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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.

Food

Decaffeinated Coffee: You Should Know That

Coffee in the morning serves as a classic “wake-up” for most people. But if you can’t tolerate the caffeine in your favorite hot drink, decaffeinated coffee can help so that nobody has to forego coffee enjoyment.

Beginning of the 20th century: A man from Bremen invents decaffeinated coffee

Ludwig Roselius, the founder of the well-known coffee brand “Kaffee HAG” produced decaffeinated coffee for the first time in 1903. The reason was extremely sad: his father had died shortly before and Roselius attributed this not least to his father’s immense coffee and caffeine consumption. However, the first decaffeinated coffee was not necessarily good for your health. Because after the coffee beans had swollen in salt water, Roselius removed the caffeine from them with the help of benzene. However, benzene is a substance that is now considered carcinogenic, so the so-called Roselius method is no longer used today.

The Swiss water process: A process without chemicals

The Swiss water process works without any harmful chemicals, but has other disadvantages. This process works on the principle of saturation: First, the coffee beans are placed in water until all soluble components have passed into the water. This water mixture is then passed through a special filter to separate the caffeine dissolved in the water from the rest. The decaffeinated water will now continue to be used. In the next step, coffee beans are again added to the water, which now contains all coffee components apart from the caffeine, and allowed to swell in it. Now the principle of saturation comes into play: Since the water contains all the components of the bean, just not the caffeine, only the caffeine can be released into the water. So the caffeine is removed from the beans by the water and they are decaffeinated in this way. However, this method is very time-consuming and also extremely wasteful, since you need a lot of coffee beans to saturate the water, which you then simply throw away. This method is therefore rarely used today.

Decaffeinated coffee thanks to solvents

One of today’s most popular methods of decaffeinating coffee relies on solvents. Here, too, the first step is to let the coffee beans swell to make them ready for the solvents. If these are then used, patience is required: the coffee beans usually have to be treated with solvents for at least ten hours in order to release their caffeine. But the use of solvents is not without controversy. To date, it has not been conclusively clarified whether the substances used are dangerous to health or not. Indeed, there seems to be evidence that at least one solvent, dichloromethane, is potentially carcinogenic.

health

Healthy Inca Grain? 9 Things You Need to Know About Quinoa

Suddenly everyone is eating quinoa, organic stores sell it, veggie burgers are based on it. Utopia took a closer look at the hype grain and discovered a lot of positive things about Andean millet – but also a downside.

In the Andes region of South America, quinoa has been considered a nutrient- and energy-rich staple food for about 6000 years. The Spanish conquerors regarded the “Inca wheat” as cheap poor people’s food, and in some cases they banned it. Unlike corn, the plant was therefore practically unknown in Europe until a few decades ago.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that quinoa was rediscovered as a food here: the nutrient-rich grains were particularly popular in health food stores and alternative cuisine. In 2013, the plant was even voted “Plant of the Year”, and today it is considered a gluten-free superfood. But the hype surrounding quinoa also causes problems.

Quinoa: what is it anyway?

Quinoa is an ancient annual crop and, like amaranth, belongs to the foxtail family. You can eat the young sprouts and leaves of quinoa, but you mainly use the seeds by simply cooking them like rice (see 8. Recipes).

White quinoa is the most common, and usually a little cheaper. It is the lowest in fat and has a nutty taste. The cooking time is 10 to 15 minutes.
Black quinoa doesn’t really taste any different, but it is a bit harder, and takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook.
Red quinoa takes a little longer to cook than black quinoa. Because it keeps its shape and looks pretty, it’s a popular choice for salads.
Puffed quinoa is, so to speak, the popcorn of the Incas and, like quinoa flakes, is mainly used as an ingredient in muesli.
Quinoa blends with two or three colors are also common. Because the Inca grain, unlike rye or wheat, is not a sweet grass, the seeds are gluten-free. The plant is therefore also referred to as a “pseudo grain”, since in practice there is hardly any difference to grain.

The quinoa plant is undemanding: it is sown on loose soil that is as weed-free as possible; Fertilizing and watering is practically not necessary and can even reduce the yield. However, cultivation is now leading to social and economic problems in the growing countries – see point 9: Sustainability.

Nutrition facts: is quinoa healthy?

The Incas revered quinoa as a miracle plant – and rightly so: its nutritional values make the pseudo-cereal extremely healthy. Quinoa is an excellent source of essential amino acids such as lysine, tryptophan or cystine and provides polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, quinoa has a high content of minerals – including magnesium (approx. 300 mg), iron (approx. 8 mg), potassium (approx. 800 mg) and calcium (approx. 120 mg), but also manganese.

This made quinoa interesting as a healthy source of protein for vegans, but also caused a certain amount of hype for conventional healthy diets. However, just because you eat quinoa doesn’t make you “healthier”. And with a balanced diet with regional fruit, vegetables and grains, you can do without the Inca food in this country, the procurement of which is associated with sustainability problems.

Quinoa and carbohydrates: is the trend suitable for the low-carb diet?

Eating quinoa as a grain substitute as part of a low-carb diet does not make sense. The pseudo-grain is very high in energy (depending on the variety, around 400 kilocalories per 100 grams). It also supplies this energy via the fats it contains (mainly unsaturated), but mainly from carbohydrates.

After all, these are rather complex carbohydrates that have to be broken down before they can be used by the body. In contrast to normal cereals, quinoa keeps you full for longer and avoids food cravings. But if you want to avoid carbohydrates, you should look for alternatives.

Ingredients: Is quinoa unhealthy?

As with all foods, there are components in quinoa that are not particularly digestible. To protect against pests, the shell of the seeds contains the bitter saponins, which can damage the intestinal mucosa and blood cells. In the unpeeled state, the seeds are therefore not suitable for consumption. Even when peeled, the grains should always be rinsed well or boiled to remove the remaining saponins as much as possible.

Particular caution is required for people with diseases of the intestine or for small children up to about two years of age: In both cases, the intestinal mucosa is not robust enough, the saponins can get into the blood and attack the red blood cells in particular. Seeds available in Germany are already hulled. You should wash them again though.

No gluten – ideal grain substitute

Since the plant is not a sweet grass, quinoa does not contain any gluten. This makes the seeds an interesting alternative as a side dish, especially for people with celiac disease or a milder form of gluten intolerance.

When baking, however, the “gold of the Incas” is not an alternative: the gluten protein ensures that dough for bread or cakes becomes fluffy and airy during baking. Since quinoa lacks gluten, baking with quinoa flour alone is difficult; however, you can substitute some of the regular flour with it to lower the gluten content of the pastry. There are also gluten-free pasta varieties with the pseudo-grain quinoa.

But here, too, the following applies: Eating the gluten-free pseudo-grain “as a preventive measure” without a specific need, in the hope that it is somehow healthier, is rather nonsensical in view of the sustainability problems. Gluten-free cereal substitutes only make sense if you have actually received a medical diagnosis for celiac disease, i.e. real gluten intolerance. Gluten-free pasta often contains more cornmeal and rice flour than quinoa.

Is quinoa suitable for a diet?

Quinoa is healthy, contains many nutrients and is gluten-free. However, the pseudo-grain also contains a lot of energy, which at first glance makes it unsuitable for a diet. At second glance, it is noticeable that the ratio of energy to nutritional value is significantly higher here than with conventional grain.

In this respect, the Inca wheat can be easily integrated into a balanced nutrition plan, since more nutrients can be absorbed with a smaller amount and the total calorie intake can be reduced. Instead of going on a diet, it makes more sense to fundamentally change your diet – and that can also be done with regional products.

Buying quinoa: what is important?

Because quinoa is part of the superfood hype, you can now buy it in many places – unfortunately only rarely as a fair trade product. Even discounters have the seeds in their program again and again. The prices for the pseudo-grain vary between around five and twelve euros per kilogram for peeled, natural quinoa seeds. Puffed grains or flakes are slightly more expensive because they have been further processed.

The easiest way to obtain the products is through health food stores, natural food and organic shops, but also supermarkets, drugstores with a food department and organic supermarkets.

When buying quinoa, in addition to processing, it is particularly important to look for organic seals or symbols and the Fairtrade seal on the packaging. This is the only way for farmers in the Andes in Peru and Bolivia to benefit from their work with the cultivation of the grain substitute.

Quinoa recipes and tips

Although the pseudocereal can be enjoyed in many ways, the most popular variant is still as a side dish, cooked like rice.

Put the quinoa grains in a saucepan with twice the amount of cold water and bring to the boil.
Then the grains should simmer for about 10 minutes on a low flame and then swell for another 10 minutes with the stove off.
Refined with a little salt and butter or olive oil before serving, the nutty taste of quinoa comes into its own.

Alternatively, quinoa can be enjoyed fresh and summery as a tasty quinoa salad with avocado, mango and onions, perfect for a bit of the exotic in cloudy German summers. For lovers of fiery, South American delicacies, there is a chili con quinoa, where the meat is replaced with the seeds. The versatile grains set virtually no limits to the imagination when preparing them.

Sustainability: Downsides of the quinoa boom

When it comes to sustainability, there is a lot to be said against Inca wheat. Because quinoa is only rarely cultivated in Europe and Germany, the pseudo-grain grows almost exclusively in its region of origin in the Andes.

About 95 percent of the total world production is grown in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The transport routes from the fields in South America to Europe are extremely long (similar to rice), which means that, given the current level of transport, there is a high level of climate pollution from fossil fuels.

Cooking Tips

The Espresso: You Need to Know That

Coffee lovers who appreciate strong, authentic coffee enjoyment prefer an espresso. We will show you which preparation method is used to make espresso and provide further information about the little wake-up caller.

What is an espresso?

An espresso is a specialty coffee that can be described as a type of concentrated coffee. Hot water is pressed through finely ground coffee powder under high pressure. The amount of coffee powder corresponds to that of a coffee with 125 ml, but only 25 ml of water are used for espresso. The taste of the espresso is strong and is characterized by a full aroma. The pressure creates an aromatic, hazelnut-brown foam layer – the crema. The espresso comes from Milan and was created around 1900. It can be enjoyed neat or serves as the basis for other coffee specialties, such as latte macchiato.

Espresso: There are these types of preparation

Coffee lovers can also prepare a delicious espresso at home. There are these types of preparation:

Espresso from a portafilter machine

Distribute seven to nine grams of freshly ground, very fine ground coffee evenly in the portafilter. With the so-called tamper, press the ground coffee evenly into the ground. As a result, the water meets the same resistance everywhere on the coffee. A constant extraction is ensured without water being able to run past the coffee. The filled portafilter is now placed in the portafilter machine. One more push of a button and the machine does the rest. The water is pressed through the espresso powder at a pressure of 9 bar and the finished espresso drips out with a nice crema.

Espresso from a fully automatic coffee machine

Before using it for the first time, the fully automatic coffee machine must first be set according to your taste preferences. The amount of water, the pressure and the water temperature can be adjusted as desired. The classic settings are around 25 ml of water, a pressure of 9 bar and a water temperature of around 92 degrees. At the push of a button, the fully automatic coffee machine freshly grinds the beans and then brews the espresso. You can then draw an espresso as often as you like at the push of a button, without any further action. This is quick and does not require as much specialist knowledge as with the portafilter machine.

Strong coffee from the espresso maker

Although the name associates it differently, you cannot use the espresso maker to make espresso. Only the preparation of very strong coffee is possible with it. If you don’t have anything else on hand, you can use this as a weakened espresso substitute.

This is how it works: heat the water separately and then put it in the espresso maker.
Caution: The safety valve must not be covered with water. Fill the funnel of the pot completely with freshly ground, fine espresso powder. Be careful not to press it down. Place the filled cooker on the stove and heat the contents until you hear the characteristic “gurgling”. Once the color of the espresso is nut brown, it’s perfect.

The espresso bean – the most important thing about espresso

For an espresso, the beans are roasted longer and darker than the beans for a classic filter coffee. Because of the roasting, espresso beans have a fuller flavor. Longer roasting breaks down acids, but also builds up bitter substances. Espresso is more digestible mainly because the extraction time is significantly shorter than with filter coffee. Both the well-known Arabica beans and the Robusta beans are used for espresso roasting. If the proportion of Robusta coffee beans is increased, this gives the drink the typically strong coffee taste. This mixture is highlighted by a special roasting as well as a special way of preparation.

Cooking Tips

Baobab Products: What You Should Know About the Baobab Tree

Baobab products are considered very healthy and are said to have healing effects. But is the hype about the baobab tree justified? And how sustainable are baobab products? We give you an overview.

Baobab products are considered to be particularly beneficial to health and are now also known in Europe. The products of the baobab trees in Africa have long been used in a wide variety of ways and numerous myths have grown up around the mighty deciduous trees. In Africa, the tree is also known as the tree of life and has religious significance in many regions.

Where do baobabs grow?

Baobab trees are native to the (sub)tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and Australia. The best-known representative is the African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata), which grows in tropical Africa – more precisely in the dry savannah south of the Sahara and in the south-east of the continent.

Baobabs stand out because of their striking appearance. Characteristic is their thick trunk, which is often several meters wide and can store large amounts of water. Baobabs can live up to 2,000 years and are important water reservoirs for humans and animals. There are eight different species of the baobab tree worldwide, with almost exclusively the products of the African baobab being sold commercially.

Traditional use of the baobab tree

The local population uses almost all parts of the African baobab tree – fruit, leaves, wood and bark serve a variety of purposes. For example, the baobab tree plays an important role in traditional nutrition and provides valuable building material.

The baobab fruit:

The large egg-shaped fruits of the baobab are part of the basic diet in many parts of Africa. They are surrounded by a hard shell and house dry, spongy flesh. The flesh contains up to 150 brownish seeds, one to two centimeters in size, from which baobab oil can be extracted. The large fruits hang from the branches on long stalks and fall down when ripe. The dried pulp is consumed unprocessed or processed into juices, desserts, sauces or porridge. Mixed with milk or water, it is also popular as a drink. It contains a lot of vitamin C and therefore tastes slightly sour. The taste is often described as sweet and sour with a hint of citrus. In Sudan, fermented baobab fruits form the basis for a traditional drink called “Tabaldi”.

Leaves and seeds:

The leaves are also edible and are eaten raw or dried in Africa. Dried and ground to a fine powder, they are used as a spice for soups and sauces. In Nigeria, the traditional “Kuka soup” is prepared from the baobab leaves. The already mentioned baobab oil, which is consumed as cooking oil in Africa, can be extracted from the high-fat seeds. In Europe, the oil is mainly used in natural cosmetics.

Roots, wood and bark:

In addition to the fruits and leaves, the wood, bark and roots of the tree can also be used. In times of food shortage, the roots are eaten cooked. In East Africa, the roots are also used as a source of red dye. Cords, ropes, nets, boxes, mats, baskets, clothing or even strings for musical instruments can be made from the fibers of wood and bark. The bark is also used as a roofing material. A simple glue can be made from the pollen mixed with a little water. The light wood is also suitable for the construction of canoes and wooden panels. The ash from bark and fruit is useful in soap making thanks to its high potash content. Hollow tree trunks of dead baobabs are traditionally used as toilets, small stables or graves.

Baobab products and their health effects

The baobab fruit is said to have numerous healing effects. In Africa, the pulp is considered an effective remedy for fever, dysentery, smallpox, measles and diarrhea. The seeds or the oil obtained from them are traditionally used for heart diseases, toothache, liver infections and malaria. The leaves are said to help alleviate gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea. In Tanzania, the baobab is therefore also known as the “apothecary tree” – however, these effects have not been scientifically proven.

On the other hand, it is generally accepted that baobab fruits are extremely healthy. As an article published in 2021 on the ingredients of the baobab fruit explains, it is rich in valuable minerals and vitamins. For example, it contains a lot of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C and is rich in fiber, which can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels.

But: Similar ingredients can also be found in other types of fruit and vegetables. Citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, rose hips, peppers or broccoli also contain a lot of vitamin C. There are also plenty of local foods with lots of fiber. Here you will find an overview of regional alternatives to superfoods.

Commercial use: Baobab products in Europe

The baobab tree is not used commercially in Africa. Sweet treats and baskets for foreign tourists are sometimes offered for sale.

After the healthy ingredients of the baobab fruit became known to us, baobab products are now also available in Europe. The dried fruits in particular are available online in the form of baobab powder (dried and ground pulp). You can stir the powder into muesli, yoghurt, juice, milk or water, for example. Baobab oil can also be found in Germany – mainly in natural cosmetics, for example as a basis for shampoo. The whole fruit, on the other hand, is not very common here.

How sustainable are baobab products?

Baobab stocks are endangered

Six of the eight baobab species are on the Red List of Threatened Species (however, the most common and commercially most important species “Andansonia digitata” is not yet listed). In certain parts of Africa, large elephant populations are partly responsible for the extinction of baobab species. The reason for this is the popular moist wood that the elephants break out with their tusks.

Since baobab trees only produce fruit after around 20 years, they are rarely cultivated on a large scale. Baobab products therefore mostly come from wild stocks. The growing demand for baobab products basically contributes to the preservation of baobab trees, because the trees now also have great financial value. On the other hand, baobabs have always been prized and rarely felled because they do not provide valuable wood and cutting down is very tedious. The trees often remain standing in the middle of agricultural land. However, the increasing agricultural use of land definitely poses a threat to the stocks. Wild animals, which are rarely found on intensively used land, are needed to disperse the seeds.

Should I buy baobab products?

Although international trade tends to strengthen the preservation of the baobab tree population, baobab products should still be viewed critically from an ecological point of view. The reason for this is the long transport routes, which are associated with high greenhouse gas emissions.

It is important that you always pay attention to fair trade when buying baobab products. This is the only way to ensure that the local population benefits from the sale of the products.

Our conclusion: Baobab products are actually not needed in our supermarket. You can also find the healthy ingredients in other regional products. Fair cooperation can have a positive effect on the African economy and for some local people trading in baobab products may represent an opportunity. From an ecological point of view, however, you should better avoid the new food and cosmetics trend.

Buying baobab products: you should pay attention to this

If you still don’t want to do without baobab products, you should definitely pay attention to organic and fair trade certification. So far, baobab products have mainly been available online, but with a bit of luck you will also find them in well-stocked organic markets or health food stores. Here are some companies that offer fair trade, organic baobab products:

Baobab Social Business gGmbH: The non-profit GmbH sells baobab products with fair trade and organic certification. The range includes baobab oil, baobab powder, baobab confectionery and soap based on baobab oil.
Berlin Organics: The company offers baobab powder in organic quality and has the “Certified B Corporation” label, which stands for sustainable and responsible management. The products are available online and in selected supermarkets.
The Essence of Africa (africrops! GmbH): The company sells a wide variety of organic products from African cultivation. The products are not Fairtrade certified. However, the company itself states on its website that it trades the products fairly and works on an equal footing with African producers. Baobab oil, powder and pellets are available online.

Food

Preparing Espresso: Do You Know the Four M-Rules?

You want to prepare the perfect espresso: full-bodied and with a fine crema. But how do you manage that? Do as the Italians do – and stick to the four M-rules. We tell you what is behind it and how to make espresso so that it tastes like in Bella Italia.

Espresso: elixir of life and science

Espresso is not only the elixir of life for the Italians, but also a science in itself. In the motherland of the “caffè”, the little black dress, which is popular all over the world, even got its own institute: the Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano has a firm eye on the quality of typical Italian coffee and even has a formula for how the perfect espresso works. These are the ideal conditions:

6.5 to 7.5 g espresso powder
20 to 30 ml of water
86 to 90 degrees Celsius temperature
9 bar pressure
25 to 30 seconds brewing process
Apart from that, it depends on the following four M:

La Miscela – The Mixture
La Macinatura – The Grinding
La Macchina – The Machine
La Mano – The Hand

1. La Miscela – The Mixture

The quality of the espresso stands and falls with the bean. Lovers of a balanced, aromatic taste prefer a high proportion of Arabica beans. Robusta beans are the ultimate for friends of a strong espresso. This intense little black dress is particularly popular in southern Italy. In any case, the fresher the beans, the tastier the coffee. So it is better to buy small quantities and more often than to have large stocks at home.
An espresso bean is roasted more intensively and longer than a normal coffee bean. Therefore, it is typically very dark brown and has a soft sheen. The reason: when roasting for a long time, the aromatic oils escape. This also makes the bean more intense in taste.

2. La Macinatura – The Grinding

Would you like to grind the beans for your espresso yourself? A good idea: Because it doesn’t get any fresher! In order to achieve the best possible result, it is best to afford an espresso grinder with a disc grinder or conical grinder. Both produce homogeneous powder. Specimens with fly knives are less suitable, they chop the beans too unevenly, and the aroma is wasted.
In addition to the right grinder, the degree of grinding is important. It largely determines the taste of the little black dress. If the beans are ground too coarsely, the espresso will be too watery. If the degree of grinding is set too fine, it will become very dark and bitter. Just play around with the different options until you are satisfied with the result. If you are unsure, you can of course use already ground espresso beans.

3. La Macchina – The Machine

First of all, if you want to prepare real espresso, you need a portafilter machine. Because only it brews with the ideal water pressure of 9 bar. These machines are now available in all price ranges. You should pay particular attention to two things when buying: On the one hand, the machine must offer constant pressure and a constant water temperature. In addition, it should be easy to clean. Because old, rotten powder is a taste killer and also not harmless to health.
Tip: You should throw away the first two to three cups from a cleaned machine, they are pretty much undrinkable. The more coffee that runs through the machine, the better it gets. That’s why espresso tastes so good in Italian workers’ bars: a few hundred cups are served there every day.
Even if it is often confused: the Italian term “espresso” does not mean “fast”. There are two explanations. On the one hand the meaning “specifically” or “expressly”. In its early years, the little black beer was only brewed in a few bars and upon express request. The wake-up call, originally called “caffè espresso”, was a coffee “expressly or specially prepared” for the guest. Another explanation relates to the then new preparation with steam and brings espresso in connection with steam locomotives – also known as express trains at the time.

Incidentally, espresso was invented around 1900 in Milan. Incidentally, the Italians themselves usually simply call the pick-me-up “caffè”.

4. La Mano – The Hand

The quality of the beans and the equipment used is of course important. But the final touches of your perfect espresso are in your hands – and that should be taken literally. Take enough time to prepare the espresso. Warm the cup. Put the ground espresso powder in the portafilter and press it into the brewing sieve with the tamper, a kind of stamp. Feeling is called for here: if you press too hard, the water will flow too slowly when brewing. If you press too lightly, it will flow too quickly. It is ideal if the espresso first dribbles into the cup and the subsequent jet is reminiscent of a mouse’s tail.

The perfect espresso: balanced and with a fine crema

What characteristics should the perfect espresso have? Its aroma should be balanced and leave a pleasant aftertaste after drinking. The crema is also clearly a quality criterion. It should be between three and four millimeters thick, light brown in color and stable for three to four minutes. After dipping the spoon, it should close slightly again.