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Turnip Greens: Origin, Nutrients and Recipes

Turnip sticks or turnip greens are vegetables that very few people know. Here you can find out all about its distribution, nutrients and which recipes it goes with.

Stick Mushrooms: Vegetables with a long tradition

Turmeric has been cultivated for many centuries, especially in the Rhineland and North Rhine-Westphalia. Since the vegetable grows in many areas of Germany, it does not have to be transported far to be sold. This makes turnips particularly sustainable.

Rübstalk is a type of turnip. In the past, these were planted so close together that the beet fruit could no longer develop. The leaves grew bigger and bigger. Today, turnips can grow up to 25 centimeters in size – the beets remain very small and tender.

Buy seasonally: Season has turnips from spring, around mid-April, through summer, late May to early June. There is a second harvest in October. The best place to buy turnips is at weekly markets or from well-stocked greengrocers.

Grow turnips yourself: If you have a garden or a balcony, you can simply grow turnips yourself. The best way to get organic seed is from an organic farmer near you.

It is best to sow the vegetables in early March or early September. Since turnip butter is very frugal, it grows in practically any location in any soil. You should only water it regularly – then you can harvest the healthy vegetables after about five to seven weeks.

These nutrients make turnips so healthy

Turnip sticks are a real nutrient bomb. It can be integrated particularly well into a conscious diet. Per 100 grams turnip greens contain:
30 calories
0.2 grams of fat
3 grams of protein
3 grams of carbohydrates
2.3 grams of dietary fiber
In addition, turnip butter is rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A). According to the BzfE (Federal Center for Nutrition), it also contains significant amounts of folic acid, calcium, iron and the secondary plant active ingredient mustard oil glycoside.

Health-promoting properties are ascribed to all ingredients: Due to the high vitamin C content, turnip butter is said to promote the immune system and the beta-carotene protects the body’s cells by binding free radicals. Calcium strengthens and builds bones and teeth and mustard oil glycoside even has a slight antibacterial effect.

Preparation and recipes for turnip greens

You can prepare turnips raw, boiled or cooked. In principle, you process it just like Swiss chard. Raw turnip butter goes particularly well with salads. To do this, wash the turnip leaves and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Then serve them with onions and tomatoes, for example.

You can also use turnips as a side dish with fish and poultry and as a soup vegetable.

Tip: If possible, do not use meat from factory farming, but use organic quality products. The DGE recommends consuming a maximum of 300 to 600 grams of meat per week – this also protects the climate. In Greenpeace’s fish guide, you can find out which types of fish are still ecologically justifiable to buy and which ones you should better keep your hands off.

When you cook turnip greens, you should separate the leaves and stalks first, then wash them well. Put the stalks in boiling water first. They take a little longer to finish cooking. If you want to use the leaves as well, just add them 3-4 minutes before the end of the cooking time, depending on the recipe.

Always use fresh turnips. You shouldn’t keep it in the fridge for more than a day or two. Wrapping the veggies in a damp kitchen towel will keep them fresh a little longer.

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Basmati Rice: Nutrients, Origin and Preparation

Basmati rice is present in almost every kitchen today. The Indian fragrant rice goes well with curries and oriental dishes. You can read about the growing conditions and how healthy basmati rice is in our guide.

Basmati rice: The aromatic type of rice from India

Basmati rice is an aromatic fragrant rice grown mainly in India and Pakistan. It is known for its slightly nutty aroma and originally comes from Afghanistan. People there use it mainly in oriental and Indian dishes.

Basmati rice is one of the long grain rice varieties. That is, the rice grains are long and narrow and hardly stick. Therefore, the rice remains fluffy and grainy after cooking.

Like most rice varieties, basmati rice is grown in flooded fields. Regions at the foot of the Himalayas and areas on the banks of the Ganges are particularly suitable for this. The rice fields are supplied with sufficient water by the melt water, the monsoon rains and the water-rich river.

Growing Basmati Rice: How Sustainable is it?

1. Water: Since Basmati rice requires a lot of water to grow, it is referred to as wet rice cultivation. However, the high water requirement of the rice fields is a major problem in many growing areas. If the monsoon rains aren’t that heavy, the farmers have to tap wells or rivers to supply the fields with water. This lowers the groundwater table and exacerbates water shortages.

2. Methane: The cultivation of wet rice harbors another environmental problem: methane is produced because the plant remains are decomposed by small bacteria in the standing water of the rice fields. According to the Max Planck Society, wet rice cultivation is responsible for ten to 25 percent of global methane emissions. Methane makes a significant contribution to the man-made greenhouse effect and, according to the Federal Environment Agency, is 25 times stronger than CO2.

3. Pesticides: Since many farmers use large amounts of pesticides in conventional rice cultivation, you should look for organic quality when buying. Stiftung Warentest has found pesticide residues in many cases in 31 basmati rice products tested. Here you will find an overview of which basmati rice is particularly contaminated. Sprays are not only problematic for the environment and consumers, but above all for small farmers. Because the pesticides get into the drinking water and endanger the health of the local people.

4. Transport route: The ecological balance of rice is poor – also due to the long transport routes to us on the supermarket shelf. How sustainable rice actually is depends largely on the type of cultivation. There are various organizations and initiatives that support organic farming under fair working conditions and wages, such as the “Khaddar” project in northern India or the Indian “Navdanya” foundation. The foundation pays fair wages to the farmers and sells the rice to international buyers at reasonable prices.

Basmati Rice: Nutrients and Health

Rice is a popular accompaniment to various dishes. It is high in carbohydrates and contains little fat. However, there are hardly any vitamins and minerals in basmati rice. Parboiled and brown rice are therefore the healthier alternatives:
In the case of brown rice (also whole grain or brown rice), the grains are still surrounded by the silver skin, which contains most of the vitamins and minerals.
With white rice, this husk is removed by polishing and most of the nutrients are lost.
In the parboiling process, the rice grains cook in steam and are exposed to great pressure. In this way, the valuable ingredients are pressed into the interior of the grain. However, the parboiling process is rarely used for basmati rice.
Here is an overview of the nutritional values ​​of 10 grams of white basmati rice:
Calories: 351 kcal
Carbohydrates: 76 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 0.3g
Fiber: 2.2 g
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements in white basmati rice:
Rice contains vitamins B1, B2 and E, which are mainly found in the silver skin. The grain provides minerals including magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and phosphorus. Wholemeal rice contains significantly more vitamins and minerals, which is why you better reach for it.

Arsenic in Basmati Rice

Rice is known for its comparatively high arsenic content. Inorganic arsenic compounds are highly toxic and carcinogenic. According to the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety, the following maximum levels of arsenic in rice products are set according to the EU regulation of 2016:
max. 200 micrograms per kilo of white rice,
max. 300 micrograms per kilo of rice cakes.
For comparison: The limit value for arsenic in drinking water is 10 micrograms per liter (Federal Environment Agency). Rice absorbs arsenic better than other grains. Therefore, you should ensure a varied diet and not use rice as the only side dish that fills you up.

The arsenic content of basmati rice is extremely low, explains Stiftung Warentest. The experts suspect that this is due to the low arsenic content in the Basmati cultivation area. More information on arsenic in food.

Cooking basmati rice: easy instructions

You can cook basmati rice in a number of ways. If you don’t have a rice cooker available, you can choose between the following methods:
source method:
You need:
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
possibly some salt
Here’s how you do it:
Wash the rice in a colander until the water runs clear. This way the rice will be nice and fluffy after cooking and won’t stick.
Put rice, water and some salt in a saucepan and let the rice soak for ten minutes. Basmati rice has a great aroma on its own, so you can do without salt completely. Spicy sauces go well with it.
Turn the stove to high and let the rice boil. Then immediately switch back to medium to low level. Because basmati rice should not boil, but cook slowly.
As soon as there is no more water in the pot, the rice is ready (after 15-20 minutes). If the grains are still a bit too al dente, you can add a few tablespoons of water and let the rice cook a little longer.
Cook rice like noodles:
You need:
1 cup basmati rice
6 cups of water
possibly some salt
How to cook the basmati rice:
Wash the rice first.
Then add 1 part rice to 6 parts water in a saucepan. How much salt you add is up to you.
Bring the rice to the boil on high, then reduce the heat to low-medium. After about 15 minutes the rice is done.
Drain off the remaining water with a colander. Note, however, that some of the nutrients are lost when the water is poured off. Therefore, the source method is the better alternative.

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Spinach is Healthy: Nutrients and Iron Content

Spinach is very healthy – not only because of its iron content. Here’s everything you need to know about the nutrients in green leafy vegetables.

These nutrients make spinach healthy

Even natural sciences are not infallible. In 1890, the physiologist Gustav von Bunge determined the iron content of spinach to be 35 grams per 100 grams. However, he examined dried spinach. This is how the rumor came about that spinach was extraordinarily rich in iron. Because fresh spinach consists of 90 percent water and therefore only contains 3.5 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. However, this value is still high enough to make spinach an important source of iron. Nevertheless, spinach is very healthy.

According to Ingeborg Münzing-Ruef’s “Healthy Nutrition Course Book”, spinach contains several other vital vitamins in addition to iron, magnesium and zinc.

Spinach is rich in folic acid. This nutrient from the group of B vitamins is essential for cell maturation and cell division processes in your body.
Spinach is also rich in beta-carotene. Your body uses this to produce vitamin A, which is needed for cell renewal in the skin and mucous membranes. Carotenoids also have an antioxidant effect, which means that they protect your cells from free radicals.

Other vitamins in spinach include vitamin C and vitamin K.

healthy spinach: You should pay attention to that

Spinach is high in oxalic acid. This makes it harder for your body to absorb iron and other important nutrients. You can work around this problem with the following two options:
Blanch the spinach before cooking it. This reduces the oxalic acid content.
Calcium binds the oxalic acid in the stomach. That’s why it’s good to eat spinach with calcium-rich foods.
Some people are also critical of the nitrate content of spinach. Nitrate by itself is not particularly harmful to the adult body. However, the substance can convert to nitrite if you store the spinach incorrectly. Large amounts of nitrite are hazardous to health. That’s why some say you shouldn’t reheat spinach that’s already been cooked.

According to the BfR, the advantages of a diet rich in vegetables outweigh possible risks from slightly increased nitrate and nitrite levels. You should not do without spinach, but eat vegetables alternately.

Spinach is healthy

Conclusion: Spinach is healthy if you prepare it properly. And since the vegetables are in season from March to December, you can incorporate fresh spinach into your diet most of the year. Frozen spinach is also rich in healthy nutrients.

When buying, pay attention to organic quality – because conventional spinach is often contaminated with pesticide residues. When you cook spinach, don’t overheat it for too long.

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Spirulina Algae: So Rich in Nutrients – But so Unsustainable…

It’s tiny, blue-green and comes from the sea – we’re talking about the microalgae Spirulina. It is heralded as the new miracle weapon in the fight against aging, lifestyle diseases and unhealthy lifestyles.

Rich in nutrients, the spirulina algae from the tropical and subtropical regions of the world are said to compensate for deficits and help with weight loss and muscle building.

Algae are actually only new as food in our latitudes, in the regions of origin the green organisms from the sea have been an integral part of the menu for centuries. Because spirulina algae are also very undemanding to thrive in salt and brackish water, they are also considered an opportunity in the fight against hunger. And the microalgae are also said to be good for the climate: during their growth, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis. An all-round positive balance, then? We did some research for you.

Up to 35 Spirulina Algae

Spirulina, or actually Arthrospira, belongs to the genus of cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae in German, are tiny spiral-shaped bacteria. A single blue-green algae is only about 0.5 millimeters long and, in addition to the green chlorophyll, also contains blue color pigments, which gave the genus its name. There are up to 35 different types of spirulina algae, the best known and most common being Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima. However, it is disputed whether these are actually different species or simply local adaptations of a single algal species to local conditions.

Like all green plants, microalgae use chlorophyll a for photosynthesis to generate energy. One kilogram of algae can break down around 1.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) and convert it into one kilogram of oxygen. This effect may have led to the formation of today’s earth’s atmosphere billions of years ago.

Spirulina: Occurrence and Cultivation

Spirulina algae love heat and direct sunlight. Because of this, they occur naturally in all tropical and subtropical regions. They are native to saline, alkaline shallow waters such as salt lakes, brackish water or shallow lagoons. There, millions of microalgae form an intense blue-green colored algae carpet. The tiny algae displace other microorganisms and are therefore relatively easy to harvest “sorted”.

Industrial production also takes advantage of this. Cultivation takes place in warm, shallow saltwater pools (water temperature up to 35° Celsius), also in otherwise infertile areas such as deserts or steppes. The direct sunlight and the CO2 introduced into the water ensure faster growth of the algae. The algae are produced in Asia (especially India), South America, Africa, Hawaii, California and now also in Europe, for example in Normandy (here, however, mostly for biogas production, not for consumption).

The ingredients: Is there really that much protein in spirulina algae?

The cyanobacteria, which have existed for billions of years, are true nutritional wonders. They contain around 60 percent protein and are therefore in the top class. The protein from the blue-green algae also contains all the essential amino acids. But the small algae is also very large when it comes to minerals and vitamins (the range of fluctuation results from the difference in the water of the cultivated algae): per 100 grams it contains 400-700 mg calcium, 400-480 mg magnesium, 50-100 mg iron, 100-300 mg selenium and 180 mg beta-carotene. In addition, the content of B vitamins (especially the important vitamin B12) and vitamin E is relatively high. In contrast to other seaweed, spirulina contains little iodine, which makes daily consumption safe.

Spirulina powder or Spirulina tablets?

Whether you choose powder or tablets is literally a matter of taste. The powder has gone through one less processing step and is therefore less likely to lose nutrients. However, it doesn’t taste particularly good, making it difficult to incorporate into your daily diet. It is best drunk as part of a green smoothie with fruit or vegetables, where the taste is masked. Spirulina tablets are compressed and are simply swallowed with some liquid. The taste is hardly disturbing, but valuable ingredients can be lost through the pressing.

Similar, but different: Spirulina and Chlorella

At first glance, spirulina and chlorella look pretty similar. Both are green microalgae. But while spirulina is a multicellular, spiral-shaped bacterium, chlorella is a unicellular organism with an indigestible cell membrane. Harvesting and processing chlorella is therefore much more complex, which is also reflected in the higher price.

Both microalgae are very nutritious, but the blue-green spirulina comes out on top in comparison. However, chlorella has a decisive advantage: Because the single-celled organism is more difficult to cultivate, contamination with other algae is rather unlikely. In the case of spirulina, on the other hand, cases of products contaminated by toxic blue-green algae are known.

Spirulina algae and sustainability?

This is different again in the famine areas of this world. The nutrient-rich algae, which can also be cultivated in otherwise rather infertile areas, helps to compensate for malnutrition. With the high proportion of proteins, beta-carotene and iron, it combats precisely those deficits which, according to the WHO, are particularly problematic in famine areas. And without consuming precious, clean fresh water, it thrives best in salt water. This gives the spirulina algae a lot of plus points from a sustainability point of view.

The strong conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen, which the microalgae cause during their growth, provides further plus points. However, if you include the transport from the countries of origin to Europe, the ecological balance is no longer so impressive. So, the sustainability of spirulina is strongly related to where it is consumed.

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Corn Flour: Nutrients, Application and DIY Recipe

The gluten-free flour can bind not only sauces and dumplings.

Corn Flour – gluten-free flour made from the kernel of corn

Maize flour is obtained from corn in various ways: In this country, the corn grain is usually dried and then ground. In other processes, the dried corn is first roasted before being dried and ground. Maize flour from Mexico is very special: there the corn kernels are first fermented before they are dried and ground. You can find out why this makes the flour healthier below.

Depending on the production method, cornmeal differs in colour, taste and nutrients. In most cases it is characteristically yellow in color, but sometimes it is relatively light to almost white. It usually tastes slightly sweet, sometimes with a nutty note – and the typical corn taste is usually still in the flour.

By the way, cornmeal, cornmeal and polenta are not the same thing: cornmeal is coarser than cornmeal. Polenta, on the other hand, is a porridge made from cornmeal. In a separate article we will show you how to cook polenta and use it to make polenta thalers.

Corn starch also differs from corn flour: For corn starch, the starch is washed out of the grain using a special process. You can read exactly how this works and how you can use cornstarch in our article on cornstarch.

Cornmeal: nutrients and health

If you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, corn flour is an interesting alternative to wheat or spelled flour: corn flour is completely gluten-free. When baking, however, you cannot simply replace wheat flour with corn flour: the latter lacks the binding properties of gluten. More on that later.

Compared to other whole grain flours, corn flour has a relatively low protein content of around seven to nine percent. Instead, cornmeal contains a lot of carbohydrates – mainly in the form of starch. In addition, there are around five percent dietary fiber in corn flour. The exact nutritional values ​​depend heavily on the manufacturing process.

Nutritional values ​​of corn flour per 100 grams:
Energy: 344 kcal
Fat: 0.8g
Carbohydrates: 74 g
Protein: 7.7 g
Fiber: 4.8 g
With over seven percent protein, corn flour cannot compete with wholemeal spelled flour, but it can still serve as a source of vegetable protein.

One problem: corn kernels (like other grains) contain phytic acid, which locks in certain nutrients and makes them inaccessible to humans. If you ferment the corn kernels before grinding, phytic acid is broken down. The traditional Mexican method for this is called “nixtamalization”. It makes the cornmeal from Mexico particularly healthy.

Cornmeal in the kitchen: tips and recipes

Corn flour is particularly popular in Mexican cuisine: Tortillas and nachos are well-known products made from corn flour in this country. In some South American countries, corn cakes are made from corn flour.

You can also thicken soups and sauces with cornmeal and use it as an ingredient in dumplings.

Corn flour does not contain gluten and is an alternative to wheat flour. However, you cannot bake pure corn bread without gluten. Instead, you can combine corn flour with other gluten-containing flours and thus enhance the look and taste of your home-baked bread: You can easily replace about ten percent of the flour with corn flour. This way you can bake delicious cornbread.

You can also make pudding from cornmeal. This is significantly finer than polenta, but not quite as homogeneous as cornstarch pudding.

Make and buy cornmeal yourself

If you have a strong grain mill, you can make corn flour yourself: To do this, you must first dry the corn kernels and then grind them as finely as possible. However, it is said that some grain mills are clogged by the corn and then no longer work properly. The easier option is therefore to buy ready-made corn flour.

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Sesame: Nutrients, Effects and Tips For Preparation

Sesame often hides in baked goods. The small grains have no reason to hide: they are full of healthy ingredients. Here you can find more background on the ingredients of sesame.

Sesame originally comes from South Asia. Today, the oil plant is grown in many tropical and subtropical countries around the world. With us, the white sesame seeds are certainly the best known – but there are also brown and black sesame seeds. The different varieties taste different and the nutrient composition also varies slightly.

Sesame: nutritional values ​​and ingredients

The name oil plant already gives it away: sesame seeds contain a lot of fat. Here are the nutritional values ​​per 100 grams of sesame:
Calories: 567 kcal
Fat: 48g
Proteins: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 26 g
Fiber: 17 g
The fat in sesame seeds consists mostly of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These in turn are composed primarily of oleic acid and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.

Sesame also contains many vitamins and minerals. Sesame seeds are particularly interesting for vegetarians and vegans because they contain a lot of iron and calcium. In addition, sesame provides us with various amino acids, the B vitamins B1, B2 and B6, vitamin E and magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Black sesame contains a little more of most of the nutrients than white sesame.

Sesame in nutrition: how it affects health

Sesame provides vegetarians and vegans with important iron and calcium, but also has other positive properties:
Sesame contains antioxidants, including vitamin E. These substances protect our cells and are said to prevent numerous diseases.
Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid that your body cannot produce itself and must be obtained from food. Among other things, it is important for the skin and animal experiments have shown that it has an antioxidant and anti-cancer effect. However, it is important for the positive effect that omega-6 fatty acids such as linoleic acid in your body are always in the right ratio to omega-3 fatty acids. So make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. They are found, for example, in linseed oil and linseed oil seeds and in walnut oil.
Because sesame is high in fiber and protein, it is very filling.
Caution: Sesame is a strong allergen. If you are allergic to sesame, you should definitely avoid it.

Cooking with sesame: use in the kitchen

In the kitchen, you can use either sesame seeds or sesame oil. You can get the latter cold-pressed or refined. Cold-pressed sesame oil tastes nutty and contains many healthy nutrients. Refined sesame oil, on the other hand, can be heated up and stored for a long time. Since it tastes neutral, you can combine it with many foods.

You can roast sesame seeds very well, which makes them taste stronger. Sesame oil also tastes particularly spicy when it is made from roasted seeds.

How to use sesame seeds or sesame oil in the kitchen:
Cold-pressed sesame oil tastes delicious in a salad dressing. It goes particularly well with Asian food.
You can use refined sesame oil for frying.
If you’re baking bread or rolls, you can add sesame seeds to the dough or sprinkle them over the dough pieces before baking. A mixture of light and dark sesame is particularly nice.
You can also garnish salads and Asian wok dishes with sesame seeds.
When you blend sesame seeds and oil together, you get a creamy paste called tahini. Tahini is a great ingredient for oriental creams like hummus.
You can make delicious, filling sweets from sesame seeds. In the Arab world, people like to eat halva or bars made from sesame and honey.

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Brown Millet: Nutrients and Recipes For The Spelled Grain

Brown millet is still a largely unknown type of grain. In this article you will find out what distinguishes the millet variety and how you use it.

Brown millet: characteristics and ingredients

Brown millet is the red-orange form of the so-called proso millet. Millet has become better known as a healthy grain in recent years: According to the Bavarian consumer advice center, it is rich in minerals and vitamins and contains a particularly large amount of iron, vitamin B6 and silicon. Millet is also gluten-free and therefore also suitable for people with celiac disease.

The better-known golden millet has yellowish seeds. It is peeled before use. Brown millet, on the other hand, is processed with the peel and husk. This preserves important nutrients such as fiber and B vitamins. However, the peeled type of millet is easier to digest and contains fewer pesticides and other problematic substances such as tannins, oxalic acid and phytic acid.

Excessive amounts of these substances in brown millet can have a negative effect on your health: phytic acid impedes the absorption of calcium and iron, among other things. Tannins make protein absorption and starch digestion more difficult. Oxalic acid can also promote the formation of kidney stones, especially in people who already have kidney problems. That doesn’t mean you have to give up brown millet entirely. However, you should consume them in moderation and make sure you eat a balanced diet.

In terms of calories and macronutrient distribution, brown millet does not differ significantly from other types of millet: Govinda organic brown millet, for example, contains around 308 kilocalories per 100 grams. It consists of around 51 percent carbohydrates. About 10 percent is plant-based protein and 4.5 percent is fat. Of these, 3.8 grams are unsaturated fatty acids.

Use and sale of brown millet

You can get brown millet in organic shops and health food stores. Here it is mostly sold in ground form. You can add brown millet flour to muesli, yoghurt and smoothie bowls, for example. You can also stir it into liquids like soups or juices. It is also suitable as an ingredient for bread, cakes and other baked goods. In these cases, however, be careful not to use excessive amounts: brown millet should not be the main ingredient, but only used as a supplement.

You can also sometimes find brown millet as a dietary supplement. Manufacturers advertise the supposedly health-promoting effects of the millet variety. For example, brown millet is said to help against hair loss, nail diseases, arthrosis, tooth decay or osteoporosis.

However, none of these assumptions has been scientifically proven so far, according to the Bavarian consumer advice center. There are also no studies to date on the possible side effects and risks of consuming too much brown millet.

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Golden Millet: Nutrients and Recipes For The Spelled Grain

Golden millet is a subspecies of millet. It gets its golden color from its particularly high proportion of beta-carotene. You can read here what else is in the healthy grain and how you can use it.

A special type of small-grain millet is called golden millet. It owes its name to its yellowish colour, which in turn indicates its high beta-carotene content.

Millet is an important part of the world’s food supply and is one of the oldest cultivated grains. Golden millet is a natural variation among millets.

Even if it prefers to grow in warmer areas, golden millet is also cultivated in Europe, for example in Austria. The grain is robust and resistant to pests. Golden millet is often imported from China, India or Canada. In order to avoid unnecessarily long transport routes, you should make sure when buying that the millet comes from Europe.

You can read here which nutrients the grain contains and what you can prepare from it.

This is what makes golden millet so healthy

The ingredients of millet also differ depending on their color. Golden millet contains a lot of beta-carotene, also known as provitamin A, and is therefore particularly healthy for your eyes. In addition, the grain is rich in iron and vitamin C. In addition, the grain is gluten-free and therefore also suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

You can also benefit from the other nutrients of golden millet per 100 grams:

Carbohydrates: 69 g, of which sugars: 2.20 g
Fat: 3.90 g
Protein: 11 g
Fiber: 3.80 g
The complex carbohydrates and fiber it contains will keep you full for a particularly long time. The high protein content makes millet a valuable vegan source of protein and thus supplies your muscles.

There are about 363 kilocalories in 100 grams of uncooked golden millet. This is roughly comparable to oatmeal. Even if the value may seem high at first glance, millet is definitely suitable for nutrition-conscious people, as the grain keeps you full for a long time, contains hardly any fat and provides you with valuable nutrients.

You should pay attention to this with golden millet

You can get golden millet from organic farming in organic shops or in health food stores. But more and more conventional supermarkets also have the grain in their assortment.

In addition to many healthy ingredients, millet also contains the problematic substance phytic acid. This binds minerals that are no longer available to your body. To avoid this effect, it is best to soak the millet in water overnight before cooking. Change the water before you then boil the golden millet. This is how the substance is released from the grain. According to the consumer advice center, soaking foods with phytic acid overnight can help. If you eat a balanced diet, you don’t have to worry about a nutrient deficiency caused by phytic acid.

Golden millet is dehusked before it is sold. Therefore, it is not a whole grain cereal. However, because the nutrients are distributed throughout the grain, millet is just as nutritious as whole grain products. The millet germ can be damaged when the husks are removed. If this happens, the grain is no longer germinable. In addition, the released germ oil wraps itself around the grain. This oxidizes quickly and can lead to a bitter taste in the grain. To avoid this, wash the golden millet thoroughly with warm water before processing it.

Ideas for recipes with golden millet

Golden millet is an incredibly versatile food that enriches your dishes with its nutty note. You can prepare the grain both savory and sweet.

Sweet recipe ideas with golden millet:

Just like you cook porridge from oatmeal, you can also prepare a delicious breakfast porridge from millet. Just try our recipe for millet porridge.
If you cook the millet longer, you can then puree it and season it with a little cinnamon and applesauce to make a fruity dessert cream.
You can use golden millet flour to make bread or other pastries. You can replace all or part of the flour with millet. However, the flour behaves a little differently and gives a softer and slightly stickier consistency than wheat flour.
The cooked golden millet is also an ideal basis for fruity fruit salads.

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