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WHO HBSC study: girls often think they are overweight, and boys are more likely to be obese. Both, the eating and health behavior is strongly dependent on the parental home.

25 percent of all 15-year-old girls go on a diet or try to lose weight in some other way.

This is the conclusion of the World Health Organization’s Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which is updated every four years.

According to the study, girls consider themselves too fat more often than boys: 43 percent of all 15-year-olds say they have too much on their ribs. Even 11-year-old girls think 26 percent are too fat. It is boys who tend to be overweight and obese: according to the survey, 7.8% of girls and 10.1% of boys are overweight or obese. On the other hand, 17.8% of girls and 12.6% of boys are classified as underweight.

The close connection between wealth and body weight

The study shows that the conditions in the parental home have a decisive effect on body weight: the higher the family wealth, the fewer young people are overweight or obese. The downside: Boys and girls with a high family wealth are also more likely to be underweight than children who grow up in households with lower wealth.

According to the study, where healthy eating culture is practiced, mature and healthy children grow up. However, the eating habits of many children and young people give cause for concern: only 29 percent of all 15-year-old boys eat fruit every day (37 percent for girls), and 22 percent of boys drink soft drinks every day. Vegetables are on the daily menu for 30.6% of girls and only 19.5% of boys.

It also looks modest when it comes to exercise: While eleven-year-olds still get 25 percent of the daily recommended exercise, it is only 16 percent for 15-year-olds. On average, girls move less than boys.

The international coordinator of the HBSC study and senior editor of the report, Dr. Jo Inchley, said: “Many aspects of health follow social patterns. Young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds not only have fewer health-promoting behaviors and poorer health outcomes, but they also have fewer social assets, such as support from family and friends.”

After all, the number of young people who smoke or consume alcohol has fallen significantly since 2010.

The market for milk alternatives is growing all the time. This makes it difficult for many people to keep track and remember which plant-based milk is suitable for what.

Everything you need to know about plant milk

There are many different milk alternatives on the market today. This includes milk made from nuts, grains, legumes or oilseeds. Basically, the production of a plant milk is not as complicated as one might think: the selected ingredient is watered or soaked, then ground dry or wet and finally mixed with water. Depending on the ingredient you choose, the drink is then boiled or fermented. Solids are filtered out. In order to refine the taste of the drink, additional oils, sweeteners and/or salt are added to individual solutions.

If you decide to buy a product from the trade, you should definitely pay attention to possible preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers. One way to avoid this and have control over the ingredients is to make your own dairy alternative. Materials you need for this are usually just a cheesecloth and a good blender. It is best to choose regional oats to make your oat milk. Soak about 100g whole oats in water for 12 hours. Then you sieve the water, add a liter of water to the grains and puree everything very finely. Now use a funnel and cheesecloth to help you pour the liquid directly into bottles. If you like the milk a bit more flavorful, you can also add salt, vanilla, cinnamon, honey or dates before mixing.

If you choose a milk alternative, you can bring variety into your everyday life on the one hand, but you can also consciously integrate certain nutrients into your diet on the other. There are also other reasons for using milk alternatives: if you make your own milk, you can use regional ingredients. In addition, when buying industrially produced milk, there are mainly regional, fair and organic offers, so that you can also do something good for the environment. According to the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, plant-based milk is more convincing than cow’s milk in terms of the ecological balance: The emission of greenhouse gases in relation to the production of milk alternatives is far below the value in cow’s milk production. Land consumption is also significantly lower. Furthermore, one can take action against animal suffering in the dairy industry: Cows in dairy farms are usually exposed to extreme physical and psychological stress. If you want to prevent this, it can be a good step against animal suffering to use plant milk.

The most well-known milk alternatives

One of the best-known milk alternatives is soy milk. It is considered to be particularly versatile and can be used for baking, for example, but also for making smoothies, in muesli or in coffee. Soy has a very high protein content, which is why it is often chosen by athletes to support muscle building. Milk contains valuable potassium and magnesium, but also iron, zinc and many B vitamins. Depending on what you want to use the drink for, you can fall back on one of the different variants on the market: There is unsweetened and sweetened soy milk, some with vanilla, chocolate or banana flavor and mixed forms with rice or oat milk. If you choose a soy drink with added chia or linseed oil, you can add valuable omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, for example.

According to surveys, oat milk is the most popular milk substitute. It convinces above all with its richness in potassium and phosphorus; The fiber also has a stimulating effect on your digestion. Characteristic of oat drinks is the light and natural sweetness, so that no sugar is usually added. Compared to whole milk, oat milk is richer in unsaturated fatty acids. Oat milk is particularly popular in coffee, but can also be used in muesli, porridge or for baking.

The almond drink is particularly well-known: it is ideal for people who suffer from celiac disease, lactose or soy intolerance. One downside that milk brings is that many of the almond’s minerals are lost during soaking and filtering; however, 100 ml of almond milk contains approximately one to seven grams of unsaturated fatty acids, up to two grams of protein and traces of fiber. In order to increase the mineral content of this milk alternative again, artificial calcium or other minerals are usually added. Almond milk is mainly used to make drinks, dips, puddings or other desserts, as well as for daily muesli.

You should also know these drinks

If you like it a little more exotic, the coconut drink can be a great alternative for you: the coconut flavor is particularly popular in smoothies, cocktails and mueslis. The natural sweetness of the coconut drink can not only be used in sweet dishes, but also in savory dishes: you can use it to cook an exotic curry, for example. On the market, however, there is also the possibility to buy a drink with a slightly more subtle coconut flavor: There are, for example, mixed drinks with rice or almonds.

Among other things, the rice drink is rather unknown; nevertheless, it should not be ignored. Due to the fermentation during the manufacturing process, the rice drink has a slightly sweet taste: this means that the milk can be used in a variety of ways. The milk is particularly suitable for people who cannot use nut or soy milk due to allergies. The rice drink is also lactose- and gluten-free.

Pea drinks are currently not very common on the market, but they also have an increasingly high market potential. The advantages that the peas provide are the high protein content and relatively few calories. The protein content of around 8 to 10 grams per glass makes the milk alternative particularly interesting for athletes. The drink provides calcium and magnesium, added rapeseed oil supplies the body with omega-3 fatty acids. There are also different options for this milk: the original, the unsweetened and the barista milk, which is particularly suitable for frothing. Pea drinks can be used in muesli, but also in porridge, smoothies or coffee.

The only way to find out which milk substitute is best for you is to try it; However, the range is now so diverse that you can test a wide variety of products.

Oko-Test tested 20 olive oils and the result is shocking. Mineral oil residues were found in every second oil. We have summarized all the important information and which oil you can confidently buy here for you.

Oko-Test tested 20 olive oils of the “extra virgin” quality class and came to a shocking conclusion: the testers found mineral oil in every second olive oil, the oils tasted rancid, did not correspond to their quality class, or contained plasticizers. Only two oils are recommended. Taste and smell were also tested.

Mineral oils in every second olive oil

The particularly questionable aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) were found in half of the oils. They should not only be carcinogenic but also damage the genetic material. In addition, saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH/POSH) were discovered in every second oil, which accumulates in the human body and can damage our organs.

With these results, the question naturally arises as to how mineral oil residues get into the olive oil. During the olive harvest and during production, the fruits come into contact with MOAH, which is contained in the form of lubricating oil on harvesters or conveyor belts, among other things.

Which olive oil can you buy?

Only two olive oils came out as test winners with the rating “good” and met the criteria in terms of taste and smell to be called “extra virgin”. These are the following products:

  • Rapunzel Crete Virgin Olive Oil for 9.99 euros per 500 milliliters
  • Primoli I.G.P. Toscano Olio for 12.99 euros

More than half of the organic olive oils were rated “poor” and “unsatisfactory”. They tasted rancid, plasticizers, MOSH/POSH compounds, and MOAH residues were found.

At the moment there are only guidelines. Based on the test results, Öko-Test is now demanding limit values ​​for mineral oils in food.

When is an olive oil “extra virgin”?

Normally, as a buyer, you trust the description of a product, especially when it comes to a branded product. So if you as a buyer buy oil that says “extra virgin”, you also expect that the oil is “extra virgin”.

But what does “extra native” actually mean? This is the highest level of quality. It is pressed cold and therefore particularly gently and must not have any off-taste. The typical taste of olive oil is fruity, slightly hot, and bitter. Of course, the chemical quality of the oil must also be right. Olive oil can only be called “extra virgin” when all of these criteria are met.

According to the test results of the recognized olive oil panel, four of the olive oils tested were not allowed to use this designation because they tasted rancid or pungent.

In a study, the most boring person in the world was symbolically searched for. In the following we present the criteria for this and you may also find yourself in them.

What was examined in the study?

A team of British researchers went in search of boredom. Research was carried out into characteristics that lead to people being perceived as boring. To do this, researchers from the University of Essex conducted various tests and surveys involving over 500 people.

It was possible to find out which hobbies and jobs most people find boring. The results were recently published in the psychological journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

However, the study was mainly about the perception of different jobs and hobbies and not about specific character traits. Whether the person behind the facade is really boring is of course always to be judged individually.

Who is boring – according to the study?

A person who works in accounting, likes to sleep in and watch TV, lives in a small town and is religious is perceived as the most boring. According to the study, such a person is a symbol of a stereotypical bore.

In particular, jobs in data analysis, taxes/insurance or in cleaning and banking are perceived as particularly boring. If these jobs are combined with leisure activities such as sleeping, religion, watching TV, watching animals or mathematics, then one is quickly considered boring.

In addition, people who do not live in a village or in a small town are more interesting. As a result, boring people are less likely to be liked and more likely to be avoided, according to study leader Dr. Wijnand van Tilburg.

On the other hand, who is interesting and why?

Because of the way you shape your own life, it can happen that other people find you boring. Without them really knowing the people behind it. Other people spend less time with these people and the conversations are also more superficial. Then boredom actually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

On the other hand, these jobs are perceived as particularly interesting:
artistic or performing professions
Jobs in the scientific field
Journalism professions
Medical Professions
the activity as a teacher.
The paradox is that jobs that are perceived as boring are often very important and these people have a lot of power within society.

Coffee is the most popular hot drink. But many make a critical mistake when they pour themselves that first cup of the caffeinated beverage early in the morning. We explain the risks of drinking coffee to you.

Coffee before breakfast: Even one cup has negative effects

In an experiment, researchers from the University of Bath examined the blood sugar regulation of a total of 29 healthy men and women. To do this, they went through different scenarios on three consecutive nights to find out whether the coffee that is drunk before the first meal has a negative effect on the metabolism.

During the investigations, in which the test subjects had one night of normal sleep and were awakened every hour on two nights, the test subjects’ blood sugar levels were continuously measured. The scientists realized that just one cup of coffee with about 300 milligrams of caffeine is enough to produce an increase in blood sugar.
The increase is particularly strong after the restless nights.

Conclusion: Coffee should only be drunk after breakfast

A high blood sugar level caused by drinking coffee in the morning can be avoided if the hot drink is only drunk after breakfast. Five cups of the caffeinated drink are therefore considered harmless so far, provided they

For many, cola is a cult drink that is not only drunk as a cool refreshment, but also as a mixed drink at parties. But what effect does cola actually have on you? This is what happens after just one glass in your body.

Shocking news for all cola fans: this really happens in your body after just one glass

After all, cola is one of the most popular soft drinks, especially among children and young people. It’s no wonder, because the manufacturers’ advertising strategies seem to be working. On average, everyone drinks over 33 liters of cola a year (as of 2020). If you add the light versions, it is even more than 45 liters. Around 1.5 billion bottles are sold every day.

But what exactly is in the drink? What is it made of? The exact composition is closely guarded by the manufacturers.

But the main components are well known. These are water, carbon dioxide, flavors, colors, phosphoric acid, caffeine and sugar. And there is more than enough of the latter. A 0.2 liter glass of the dark fizz contains over 21 grams of it. And that’s more than 90% of the WHO recommended daily dose. And the light or zero version? There are artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, and a relatively large amount of phosphoric acid. Incidentally, the caffeine content is between 10 and 25 milligrams per 100 milliliters, depending on the manufacturer.

How unhealthy is cola really?

A nice ice cold cola. The taste on the tongue, the tingling of the carbonic acid. Who thinks at that moment what is happening in the body now? But maybe you should think about it a bit.

Let’s say you drink a 0.33 liter can. You’re immediately ingesting the equivalent of seven teaspoons of sugar. That’s already more than the World Health Organization recommends, which recommends six teaspoons. After 20 minutes, the blood sugar level reaches its peak. This causes insulin to be released, which prompts the liver to convert the sugar into fat. After 40 minutes, the caffeine intake is complete and the liver releases even more sugar. Blood pressure rises, the pupils dilate. In the brain, the adenosine receptors are blocked, which prevents sleepiness. After 45 minutes, the messenger substance dopamine is increasingly released. This ensures that we feel happiness and well-being. After an hour, the phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in the lower digestive tract, which boosts metabolism. This effect is amplified by the high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which drives the excretion of calcium in the urine.

After more than 60 minutes, caffeine’s diuretic properties kick in – you need to pee. And with it, calcium, magnesium and zinc, which, among other things, were intended for the bones, are excreted. Other electrolytes and of course water also leave the body. Now comes the sugar crash. You become nervous, irritable, sluggish, or all of them together. After a few hours, the caffeine crash follows. All the liquid you took in with the cola is gone. And with that, important nutrients that the body needs have literally ended up in the toilet.

Cola as a thirst quencher? These alternatives exist

If you now consider the effects that cola has on the body, what happens if you consume a lot of it over a longer period of time? Due to the yo-yo effect when it comes to sugar, the body demands more and more of it. You want to feel good, savor the happiness that dopamine brings about. And this is where the danger lurks. Too much sugar consumption can lead to obesity, diabetes and the associated damage.

The amount of 3 milligrams per day and kilogram of body weight should not be exceeded in children and adolescents. Together with the sugar consumed in large quantities, cola is therefore more than just questionable for young people.

Conclusion: Cola is not suitable as a thirst quencher. Along with fruit juices, cola is one of the luxury drinks and should therefore be enjoyed in moderation. Alternatives are spritzers or water, which you can enjoy with fruits or other ingredients as “infused water”. Homemade unsweetened iced tea can also be considered as an alternative. This turns thirst quenching into indulgence with no regrets.

Forest and blossom honeys are indispensable in many households. But how are the two different? Is forest honey healthier?

Overall, both blossom and forest honeys are considered healthy. But forest honey is said to be even healthier due to its sucrose content and its higher content of minerals, trace elements and essential oils. what’s up

Forest honey and blossom honey in comparison

Honey is a popular and valuable product that can be found in many homes. Honey is not only used as a sugar substitute, but can also be used for diseases such as liver diseases. Forest honey in particular should also be able to counteract infectious diseases.

Forest honey consists mainly of honeydew that bees collect from deciduous and coniferous trees, for example from insect secretions. It is therefore one of the so-called honeydew honeys – just like fir, leaf and spruce honey – and its color is more in the dark range. The color can range from brown or greenish-brown to almost black. These characteristics distinguish it from flower honeys, which include, for example, lime and acacia honey. These generally come from the nectar of flowers and are colored in the light range – from yellow to brown. They are usually a little sweeter and have a finer taste than forest honeys, which usually have a strong, malt-spicy aroma and, despite their firmer consistency, remain liquid longer than blossom honey.

Important: Since honey loses many enzymes when heated, it is advisable not to add it to hot drinks or use it in baking. It then loses its effectiveness. That is why high-quality honey is usually obtained by cold centrifuging.

Forest honey: is it the healthier alternative?

Overall, honey is considered healthy. It is said to have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and anti-allergic effects. Compared to blossom honey, forest honey is considered healthier because it contains less glucose and fructose than blossom honey. It should also contain more minerals, trace elements and essential oils and have a strong antibacterial effect.

Info: Even if forest honey is considered to be healthier, an Austrian study from 2007 showed that blossom honey has a better effect on free radicals, i.e. harmful metabolic products, compared to forest honey. This is probably due to the higher flavonoid content in honey.

Attention: Although honey is generally considered healthy, one should not forget that it consists of approx. 70% fructose and glucose and contains approx. 77 kcal per portion (25 g) and is therefore also critically discussed as a sweetener or sugar substitute . Diabetics in particular should be careful when consuming honey, as it, like table sugar, leads to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. It is also important for people with fructose intolerance and with an immune deficiency to be careful when consuming honey. Honey is generally not recommended for babies and small children.

Conclusion: the quality of the honey is crucial

A distinction is made between blossom and forest honeys. Flower honeys are obtained from the nectar by the bees, while for forest honeys the bees collect plant secretions and secretions from insects that feed on plant sap. Due to its higher fructose than glucose content and higher content of minerals, trace elements and essential oils, forest honey is considered healthier than blossom honey. However, blossom honey is said to be more effective against harmful free radicals.

Due to the sugar content, honey – regardless of the variety – should only be consumed in moderation. Overall, both types, both forest and blossom honey, are considered healthy and anti-inflammatory.

Coffee is the most popular hot beverage. But many make a critical mistake when they pour themselves that first cup of the caffeinated beverage early in the morning. We explain the risks of drinking coffee to you.

Coffee before breakfast: Even one cup has negative effects

In an experiment, researchers from the University of Bath examined the blood sugar regulation of a total of 29 healthy men and women. To do this, they ran through different scenarios on three consecutive nights to find out whether the coffee that is drunk before the first meal is negative

During the investigations, in which the test subjects had one night of normal sleep and were awakened every hour on two nights, the test subjects’ blood sugar levels were continuously measured. The scientists realized that just one cup of coffee with about 300 milligrams of caffeine is enough to produce an increase in blood sugar.
The increase is particularly strong after the restless nights.

Conclusion: Coffee should only be drunk after breakfast

Although a high blood sugar level is not initially a serious symptom of the disease, if it rises regularly, it can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to the researchers.

A high blood sugar level caused by drinking coffee in the morning can be avoided if the hot drink is only drunk after breakfast. So far, five cups of the caffeinated beverage have been considered safe, provided they are not drunk too hot, on an empty stomach, or after too short a night’s sleep.

Blue potatoes are not new from the lab, they are old varieties. You can read here what makes blue potatoes so special and what varieties there are.

The dark skin and the bluish-purple flesh may seem strange at first, but blue potatoes are old varieties. There are also purple and red potatoes.

After potatoes made their way to Europe from South America in the 16th century, blue varieties were widespread. Only when more resistant and higher-yielding varieties were bred in the 19th century did the yellow varieties replace the blue potatoes.

When you buy blue potatoes, you help preserve diversity on our fields and plates. There are a number of associations and organic farmers who have made it their task to preserve old types of vegetables. There you can buy old varieties, such as blue potatoes, and seeds.

Here you can find out what makes blue potatoes so special and what varieties there are.

This is what makes blue potatoes special

According to the world, blue potatoes lower blood pressure. They owe this to the secondary plant substance anthocyanin. Not only is it responsible for the blue color, but it also has various health benefits.

In 2017, the specialist journal Food and Nutrition Research extensively examined anthocyanin for its health effects. She was able to demonstrate the following properties of the vegetable dye in isolated form:
antioxidant
anti-cancerous
antimicrobial
prevents cardiovascular diseases
has a balancing effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels
In cultivation, the blue tubers hardly differ from conventional potatoes. However, they are often less robust and productive. They also need more care. As a result, farmers rarely grow blue potatoes on a large scale.

Blue potato varieties

There are several varieties of blue potatoes that you can plant in your garden. They differ in their color and shape as well as in their use and taste.

Blue potato varieties include:
Blue Anneliese: The variety has a smooth skin and dark blue to purple flesh. It is predominantly waxy and is suitable for potato salad and baked potatoes. Its taste is characterized by its creamy consistency and a nutty aroma.
Blue Star: Above all, the pulp makes this variety so special. It is marbled dark blue and white. It is mainly waxy and suitable for potato salad and fried potatoes.
Blue Swede: The flesh of the variety is dark blue and purple marbled. The waxy variety is particularly suitable for boiled potatoes, tastes like chestnuts and has a sweet note.
Blauer St. Galler: The potatoes are oval and have a dark skin with violet flesh, only after cooking do they appear bluish. Due to their creamy consistency, they are well suited for puree or potato soup.
Salad Blue: This variety has a blue-purple flesh surrounded by a thin white outer layer. It keeps its color even after cooking. The waxy variety with the slightly nutty note is suitable for potato salad, fried potatoes or potato casserole.

Tips for preparing blue potatoes

Basically, you can prepare blue potatoes in the same way as regular potatoes. According to a study, the content of the vegetable pigment anthocyanin changes depending on the temperature and pH value. In addition, the substance is water-soluble, which is why the color often fades somewhat after cooking.

The following tips will help you preserve the color:
Cook the blue potatoes with a little water. Cook them whole to keep the color in the potato.
Use non-water cooking methods. You can prepare blue potatoes in the oven or as roast potatoes without pre-cooking.
Steam cooking is also a suitable method for preparing the colorful tubers. With this gentle method, the dye and nutrients are well preserved.

One component in coffee preparation is often used: the filter. We will show you where it comes from, what different sizes and types of filters there are. As well as alternatives in case you don’t have a filter handy.

What is a coffee filter and what does it filter?

With a coffee filter you can make hand-brewed and machine-brewed filter coffee. However, the name is a bit vague. The coffee filter itself is actually the attachment that is placed on a pot or cup. A filter bag/paper filter is usually placed in the attachment before the filtering process in order to get the best possible result. However, the filter bag is also often referred to as a coffee filter.
A coffee filter can be both the filter holder and the paper filter.
The filter bags not only ensure that no coffee grounds end up in the drink, but are also responsible for other things: the oils and fats dissolved in the coffee powder are filtered out, giving the coffee a clearer taste. Even sediment does not get into the coffee through the filter. He also looks clearer.

Who invented the coffee filter?

In earlier times, the preparation of coffee was more complicated. Ground coffee was placed in a pot or similar vessel, then hot water was poured over it. After it had steeped for some time, the coffee was poured over a strainer when served to catch the coffee grounds. Pretty cumbersome, and there was almost always a little “Prütt” in the cup afterwards.

In 1908, Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz from Dresden was so annoyed by the annoying coffee grounds that she thought of a solution. The first approach: She took a tin can, nailed holes in the bottom and lined it with blotting paper. A good idea, but very labor intensive in the long run. So she developed a prefabricated coffee filter as a holder with filter paper cut to fit, which she finally patented.

The holders were initially made of aluminum or sheet metal, but the filters were replaced by porcelain and ceramic filters in the 1930s. Bentz then founded the Melitta company, which is still known today and is named after her.

What types of coffee filters are there?

Nowadays there are many types of coffee filters or filter bags. We introduce them to you:

disposable filter

The disposable filter (filter bag) is placed in a filter holder made of porcelain, plastic or stainless steel. The filter paper consists of cellulose fibers that form very small pores. The paper should be bleached without chlorine and using the TCF process, since unbleached filter paper can distort the taste of the coffee. If no other is at hand, it can be rinsed out a few times beforehand. After use, the paper (if it is bleached) is disposed of in the residual waste, the coffee grounds can be put in the organic bin or on the compost. The filter holder can of course be used again. The disposable filter bag is used when preparing with the pour-over method and in conventional coffee machines.

permanent filter

Permanent filters are usually made of plastic, porcelain, cotton, copper or stainless steel. Which material you choose is entirely up to you. However, porcelain, stainless steel and copper filters are more durable than plastic filters. Due to the larger pores, permanent filters retain significantly less fat and oil than disposable filters. Here is a selection of permanent filters:

Porcelain filters often have a base with up to three holes through which the coffee is filtered. However, it only filters optimally if a filter bag is also inserted, otherwise coffee grounds will run through the holes when the coffee is brewed.
Copper filters are characterized by easy cleaning and it is also an antibacterial material.
Stainless steel filters do not deform and can be put in the dishwasher without any problems.
Cotton filters are very environmentally conscious and ensure a very authentic coffee taste.

micro filter

If you prepare your coffee with the AeroPress, a so-called micro-filter is used. This is a small round, bleached paper filter that is placed in front of the AeroPress screen. It ensures a still clear coffee taste without coffee grounds. Here, too, there is the alternative of replacing the paper filter with a metallic permanent filter.

What do the coffee filter size numbers mean?

The forest of names for coffee filter bags is confusing and opaque. Basically, the numbers only indicate the different sizes of the filters. The name also goes back to Melitta Bentz. Her company originally made the filters in seven sizes, numbered between 100 and 106. It was not until the 1960s that Melitta introduced a new numbering system that is still used today.

The idea behind it: 1×2, 1×4, 1×6 should indicate how many cups of hand-filtered coffee the filter is intended for. So 1×4 should be for four cups, 1×6 for six cups, etc. The 100 series was about different standards for different coffee machines.

Important: The 102 size is not the same as the 1×2 size. 102 is more like 1×4. For commercially available filter holders and coffee machines (which can boil up to ten cups), the 1×4 filter bags are usually used, which other brands often only have “4” or “No. are called 4”. With these, cans with a capacity of more than 800 ml can be filled.

What pore size should a coffee filter have?

The taste of the coffee is influenced by the pore size of a coffee filter. The Melitta patent states that the optimal filter has a pore size of 5 to 20 µm, which corresponds to around 0.005 to 0.02 mm. The pores are therefore hardly visible to the naked eye. The pores should not be smaller, otherwise the brewing process will take too long, which will make the coffee bitter. However, much larger is not good either. This would cause the liquid to run through the filter too quickly, which would deny a full-bodied taste.

How much coffee powder does the coffee filter need?

Optimal coffee enjoyment only occurs when the right amount of coffee powder meets the right amount of water. However, tastes differ. Some like the coffee rather strong, others rather mild. In addition, the type of roasting and the degree of grinding of the beans are decisive for the taste. The Special Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) gives a guideline of around 60 grams of coffee for one liter of water. Converted to a normal cup of coffee with about 200 ml, this results in 12 grams of coffee powder. Would you like to learn more about the preparation of filter coffee? Then click on our article Prepare filter coffee.

What pore size should a coffee filter have?

The taste of the coffee is influenced by the pore size of a coffee filter. The Melitta patent states that the optimal filter has a pore size of 5 to 20 µm, which corresponds to around 0.005 to 0.02 mm. The pores are therefore hardly visible to the naked eye. The pores should not be smaller, otherwise the brewing process will take too long, which will make the coffee bitter. However, much larger is not good either. This would cause the liquid to run through the filter too quickly, which would deny a full-bodied taste.

How much coffee powder does the coffee filter need?

Optimal coffee enjoyment only occurs when the right amount of coffee powder meets the right amount of water. However, tastes differ. Some like the coffee rather strong, others rather mild. In addition, the type of roasting and the degree of grinding of the beans are decisive for the taste. The Special Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) gives a guideline of around 60 grams of coffee for one liter of water. Converted to a normal cup of coffee with about 200 ml, this results in 12 grams of coffee powder. Would you like to learn more about the preparation of filter coffee? Then click on our article Prepare filter coffee.

How to properly dispose of coffee filters

After the coffee has been prepared, the paper filter can no longer be used. In general, kitchen waste of this type can be composted, but be careful: Only coffee filters that are unbleached can be safely composted. If it is bleached, you should only put the coffee grounds on the compost, the filter itself has to go in the residual waste. If you put unbleached coffee filters on the compost, you should make sure that the filter is no longer too wet. Otherwise it can easily mold.