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Eating Zucchini Raw: Benefits and Possible Dangers

Eating zucchini raw is actually very healthy. But is it true that raw zucchini can be poisonous? Here you can find out everything you need to know.

Eating zucchini raw: these are the advantages

Basically, there is nothing wrong with eating zucchini raw, quite the opposite: zucchini eaten raw is considered to be particularly healthy. It contains iron, a lot of vitamin C and vitamin A – if it is heated, many nutrients and vitamins are lost.

Zucchini should also not be peeled, as the peel contains most of the vitamins. If you wash the shell thoroughly, you can eat it without hesitation.

Due to their high water content, zucchinis are also filling and have comparatively few calories. But what about the rumor that you can’t eat zucchini raw?

When not to eat zucchini raw?

The problem with zucchinis are bitter substances called cucurbitacins:

Like other cucurbits, zucchini naturally contains cucurbitacins. In large quantities, these bitter substances can lead to digestive problems or even food poisoning.
Commercially available zucchini are special breeds that do not contain cucurbitacins. You can eat these without hesitation.
Be careful with homegrown zucchini. In your own garden, under certain circumstances, backcrosses can form, which again contain cucurbitacins.
Cucurbitacins are heat resistant and poorly soluble in water. Therefore, they are also preserved during cooking.
You can recognize an inedible zucchini by its strongly bitter taste.
Store-bought zucchini can always be eaten raw. If you grow your own zucchini, do a taste test first. Bitter-tasting zucchini contain poisonous cucurbitacins and should not be eaten raw or cooked.

Not just with raw zucchini: be careful with these fruits too

Legumes like beans and chickpeas contain phasin. This is a protein that is absorbed into the blood via the intestines and, in high doses, can cause the red blood cells to stick together. It can also cause indigestion and vomiting. Boil chickpeas for at least 15 minutes, then the phasin will become harmless.
Raw potatoes that have sprouted or green spots may contain solanine. This alkaloid causes various symptoms of intoxication in high doses. However, if you remove the affected areas of the potato, you can cook and eat it as usual.
Eggplants also naturally contain solanine. Due to targeted breeding, dangerous amounts are rarely contained here, but to be on the safe side you should only eat ripe, dark purple fruits.
Rhubarb is one of the plants that contains a particularly large amount of oxalic acid. In addition to other symptoms of poisoning, this can promote the development of kidney and bladder stones. The leaves of the rhubarb contain the most oxalic acid, you should definitely not eat them. The sticks lose the toxic substance when cooked.
Elderberries contain the toxin sambunigrin, which releases hydrocyanic acid and can cause abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Again, you should only eat ripe fruit that has had the stems, leaves, and seeds removed. The fruits of the elder are only harmless after they have been boiled for at least 20 minutes.
Overall, few types of fruit and vegetables are inherently poisonous. For many, however, it depends on the right maturity and preparation.

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Food

Eating Ginger Raw: Benefits and Possible Side Effects

Many people cannot imagine eating raw ginger. But the spicy root is very healthy and raw you can benefit even more from the nutrients in ginger.

Eat ginger raw – you should pay attention to that

If you want to eat ginger raw, you should remember that conventionally grown ginger has usually been treated with pesticides. In this case, it is important to peel ginger. However, most of the nutrients are hidden directly under the skin. That’s why we definitely advise you to buy the root from controlled organic cultivation or to plant ginger yourself.

Due to its sharpness, raw ginger is not for everyone. But: This effectively protects against an overdose, which could only be achieved with large quantities. Because if you eat too much raw ginger, this can sometimes lead to diarrhea, flatulence or heartburn. In general, you should not eat more than four grams of ginger per day for long periods of time.

Important: Contrary to popular belief, ginger does not thin blood.

Tip: A dried fig or prune goes great with raw ginger and softens the sharp taste.

Eating ginger – the benefits of the miracle tuber

The root, which comes from the Far East, is becoming increasingly popular, mainly because of its health effects. Rightly so: raw ginger in particular can provide valuable nutrients and help with numerous ailments.

Ginger provides magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. In addition, it is rich in vitamin C and healthy essential oils. Gingerol is primarily responsible for the sharp taste.

Many of these nutrients are heat sensitive, so it’s worth trying raw ginger. Vitamin C, for example, is one of the most heat-sensitive vitamins and can be lost significantly at high temperatures. The healthy gingerol is also particularly highly concentrated in raw ginger. Studies have shown this pungent substance to be useful in the fight against cancer cells.

This means that if you eat ginger raw, the fewest nutrients are lost. On the other hand, it is also particularly sharp.

Whether as ginger tea, ginger water or raw ginger: the rhizome has an antibacterial effect and inhibits the multiplication of viruses. It stimulates digestion and is good for the intestinal flora. In addition, ginger can promote blood circulation and stimulates the circulatory system. And since it protects against vomiting, a piece of ginger in your luggage is always a good idea. You can then eat it raw quickly on the train or bus without having to boil water first.

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health

Vegan Diet and Sport: Is That Possible?

Vegan Sports Nutrition: Is It A Good Idea? And if so, what should you pay attention to? Our author gives an overview of what is known on the subject and has answers to the most important questions.

Vegan nutrition has become a real trend in recent years – also among athletes: the list of well-known vegan athletes is getting longer every year. The boxer Mike Tyson, the Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and the runner Ruth Heidrich swear by the vegan diet. Their argument: higher performance could be achieved through the vegan diet. But is that really true? And what should you consider if you eat vegan and do sports?

This is what experts say about sport and vegan nutrition

Individual athletes achieve great success with the vegan diet – but that’s why it’s far from being transferrable to everyone. Because of course athletes differ greatly from each other depending on the sport, training and physical characteristics. If you ask the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) for an assessment of the topic, you end up with a position paper from 2019 that says:

“Whether a vegan diet increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies or is associated with health and/or performance-promoting or inhibiting effects cannot currently be assessed due to the low prevalence of vegan competitive athletes and insufficient studies.”

The DGE therefore finds that we do not yet know enough about it and therefore does not clearly speak out for or against vegan sports nutrition.

The ecotrophologist Uwe Schröder from the Institute for Sports Nutrition takes a similar view: “Whether veganism influences performance in sports – positively or negatively – has not (yet) been clarified from a purely scientific point of view. While some nutrition experts warn against a vegan diet in competitive sports, top athletes who live vegan prove that world-class performances are possible even without animal products.” But he also points out:

“Outstanding results of individual vegans are not proof of the superiority of veganism as a sports nutrition.”

Markus Keller, Head of the Research Institute for Plant-Based Nutrition (IFPE), also agrees with this assessment: In the few studies on the subject, “neither advantages nor disadvantages of a vegan (sports) diet were shown compared to a mixed diet, for example on performance and Regeneration.”

So while, according to experts, there is nothing wrong with eating vegan as an athlete, the increased performance that some athletes report has not yet been scientifically proven. But what are the arguments for or against vegan sports nutrition?

Benefits of vegan sports nutrition

Nutrition – whether vegan or not – is extremely important for all athletes: it influences physical and mental performance. With food we absorb energy from fats and carbohydrates, proteins and important micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. But many foods also contain ingredients that do us more harm than good – in particular (processed) animal products usually do worse than plant-based products. A vegan diet, on the other hand, has health benefits:

The high proportion of plant-based foods can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, elevated LDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, type II diabetes and some types of cancer.
A balanced vegan diet contains a high proportion of antioxidants, vitamins – especially vitamins C and E – and a variety of slowly available carbohydrates. These nutrients can provide performance benefits as they can support training, adaptation and recovery processes.
A vegan diet – especially among athletes – is often also associated with other health-promoting behaviors: Conscious nutrition, non-smoking, low alcohol consumption, higher physical activity.

Disadvantages of vegan sports nutrition

In addition to the advantages of plant-based sports nutrition, there is also a difficulty: “It can be disadvantageous that with a vegan diet in general and also in sports you have to pay more attention to the supply of potentially critical nutrients,” says Donalies. Due to the limited choice of food, vegan athletes have a higher risk of being undersupplied with certain nutrients. Nutrient deficiencies can impair performance and, in the worst case, even endanger your health.

Vegan athletes should therefore keep an eye on their supply of proteins, vitamins B12 and B1, B2 and B3, iron, zinc, calcium, iodine, selenium, vitamin D and the long-chain n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Schröder from the Institute for Sports Nutrition also sees the increased risk of nutrient deficiencies. “Through targeted food selection and combinations, supported by appropriate food supplements, this task can also be easily solved by people who are physically active.”

Fluid intake

The following applies to all athletes: Sufficient drinking is important for health and performance – but the fluid requirement is individual and can vary greatly. Therefore: pay attention to your body.
Tip: Your sense of thirst and the color of your urine are helpful for orientation – if you have a balanced fluid balance, it should be light yellow. In the case of prolonged physical activity (more than 1.5 hours), it is also advisable to use carbohydrate and sodium-containing drinks.

Energy balance in vegan sports nutrition

If you do a lot of sport, you need a lot of energy. However, the individual energy requirement varies: It is influenced by the duration, intensity and phase of training, the type of sport, body size, body weight, body composition and age. That’s why there are no general recommendations – but you can calculate your individual energy requirements.

A negative energy balance can endanger health: in the long term it increases the risk of low bone density, in the medium term the immune system suffers. In addition, there can be a loss of muscle mass and a poorer adaptation to training stimuli. If you want to do sports in a healthy and efficient way, you should definitely ensure that you have an energy supply that is adapted to your own needs.

Vegan athletes in particular should keep an eye on their energy balance. Although plant-based foods have a high nutrient density, they also have a low energy density, and the high fiber content also causes saturation quickly. This can help with weight loss, but for performance-oriented athletes it can have a negative effect on the adaptation processes in everyday training.

Tip: Vegan athletes should make sure to eat small but high-energy meals more frequently during phases with high training loads: foods such as nuts, seeds and high-quality vegetable oils are good sources of energy for in between meals.

Proteins

Proteins are an important and controversial topic among athletes: the body needs proteins to build muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, to regulate metabolic processes and for the endocrine system. An individually adapted protein intake can support the training process and make the body more efficient. However, that doesn’t mean that a lot of protein helps a lot. Rather, it also depends on the quality, the source and the amino acid composition.

In vegan sports nutrition, one of the nutrients they tend to be deficient in is protein. In addition, plant-based protein sources often lack important essential amino acids.

Tip: Vegan athletes should pay attention to the amount and quality of their protein intake: A combination of many different vegetable protein sources – different types of grain, legumes, nuts and seeds – increases the overall chance of achieving a high biological value. Good combinations are, for example, wholemeal bread with peanut butter or chickpea cream and oatmeal with almond milk. However, if the protein intake is not covered by food, vegan athletes can also use protein supplements made from soy, peas, rice or hemp.

Fats

Fats play a rather subordinate role in sports nutrition. Experts recommend that fat intake in athletes should be between 20 and 30 percent of total energy intake. Fat intake is usually slightly lower for vegans, but the same recommendation applies. It can be achieved, for example, by consuming high-quality oils, nuts, and seeds.

The problem, however, is the supply of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): They are mainly found in various types of fish and have a positive effect on the so-called heart rate variability and thus on performance in endurance sports. At the same time, vegans tend to consume too many pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.

Tip: Vegan athletes should consciously avoid omega-6-rich oils such as sunflower and corn oil and increase the consumption of omega-3-rich foods such as flaxseed, walnuts and chia seeds. In addition, the supplementation of microalgae oil is recommended, it is rich in DHA and EPA and, unlike commercially available fish oil products, is vegan.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important sources of energy in sports nutrition. The vegan diet usually contains a lot of high-quality carbohydrates, so that the requirement is well covered. In order to cover the high protein requirement at the same time, vegan athletes should eat legumes and grains every day.

However, you should be careful with the fiber content, as fiber supports the unwanted and long-lasting satiety. In addition, many vegetable carbohydrate suppliers contain substances such as lecithin, resistant starch and indigestible carbohydrates that can lead to gastrointestinal problems.

Tip: For a sufficient intake of carbohydrates, high-carbohydrate and low-fiber meals such as rice, pasta and buckwheat are a good choice. Fruit juices are a good source of liquid carbohydrates.

Minerals and vitamins

For all athletes, an adequate supply of minerals and vitamins is crucial for health and performance. Depending on the type of sport, the intensity and scope of the training, and depending on individual factors, the need and risk of nutrient deficiencies differs. There are some minerals and vitamins in a vegan diet that you should keep in mind:

The main source of vitamin B12 is animal products, so vegans should take vitamin B12 supplements to meet their needs. For athletes, vitamin B12 plays an important role in adaptation and regeneration processes, so it makes sense to have the vitamin B12 level checked and monitored regularly.
Athletes can have a higher need for vitamins B1, B2 and B3 due to the increased energy consumption. Good vegan sources include whole grains, legumes, nutritional yeast, mushrooms, kale, broccoli, or nuts.
Exercise can increase iron requirements. In addition, the supply of vegans with iron can be critical in principle. As a vegan athlete you should make sure you get enough legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and vegetables such as spinach or beetroot – especially as a woman.

Vegans should generally pay attention to their intake of zinc. Athletes may have a higher need. Zinc is involved in protein metabolism, the development and maturation of cells and thus in regeneration. Foods containing zinc include whole grain products, oatmeal, lentils, oilseeds and nuts.
The supply of calcium is on average worse for vegans – which can be particularly problematic for physically active children and adolescents. They have a higher calcium requirement due to growth and at the same time lose calcium through sweat. Vegan sources of calcium include vegetables such as broccoli and kale, nuts, legumes, tofu, and mineral water.
Iodine is involved in the regulation of the entire energy metabolism and is therefore important for athletes. At the same time, iodine is essential for the thyroid gland. However, both too much and too little iodine intake have a negative effect on the thyroid gland. It is therefore important to ensure a balanced iodine balance. Vegans can absorb iodine through iodized salt.
Selenium is important for the immune system and muscle function. It is found in cabbages, onion vegetables, mushrooms, asparagus and legumes.
Like many people, vegan athletes are often not sufficiently supplied with vitamin D. Therefore, supplementing with vitamin D can be useful – but only on medical advice. As a vegan, you should make sure that you choose a vegan dietary supplement.

Conclusion: Vegan diet and sport – an individual decision

There are competitive athletes who are very successful with a vegan diet. However, one cannot assume a general performance advantage (or disadvantage) through the vegan diet. There is not enough scientific research to make a conclusive assessment. A high proportion of plant-based foods is clearly an advantage of vegan (sports) nutrition due to the high nutrient content and a reduction in the risk of certain diseases. At the same time, the vegan diet increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

For this reason, the question of whether a vegan diet is suitable for you as an athlete can only be answered individually. As a vegan athlete, you should definitely inform yourself sufficiently and plan your diet well – if you are unsure, you should seek qualified advice.

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Cooking Tips

Filter Coffee From the Coffee Machine: is That Possible?

A fully automatic coffee machine is the perfect product for anyone who loves the variety of coffee specialties. But can he also prepare a classic filter coffee? We give the answer.

How is coffee prepared in a fully automatic machine?

Coffee is prepared in a fully automatic coffee machine using a pressure brewing system. The coffee powder, which is usually freshly ground for each brewing process, is filtered through a sieve. The method can be compared to the preparation with the portafilter.
The end product, whether espresso or coffee, is influenced by the amount of coffee grounds and water. If little water is pressed through the sieve in relation to the amount of coffee powder, an espresso is created. A normal coffee is also possible, but this is not filter coffee because the preparation works without a filter. If you have a normal coffee prepared from a fully automatic machine, you will receive a drink that can best be compared to coffee from an espresso maker.

There is therefore no classic filter coffee from the fully automatic coffee machine, as these work with a sieve, but there is a “normal coffee”.

What tastes better: coffee from the coffee machine or filter coffee?

There is no general answer as to which method of preparation makes the coffee taste best. That depends in particular on your personal taste. If you want a full and intense coffee taste and like to drink pure coffee without milk anyway, classic filter coffee is probably more recommended. On the other hand, if you love variety and like to grab a latte macchiato or cappuccino, a fully automatic coffee machine is the ideal solution for getting the drink you want quickly.

How good a coffee tastes depends not only on taste preferences, but also on the choice of components such as the beans and the amount used.

How do I get black coffee from the coffee machine?

You can prepare a classic black coffee with almost any fully automatic coffee machine. Even if you use espresso beans in your device, there are various options for this.

Black coffee: Almost every fully automatic coffee machine has a button for black coffee. If possible, set your machine in terms of grinding degree and throughput time so that it tastes good to you.
Espresso Lungo: Behind the Espresso Lungo is an espresso that is brewed with twice the amount of water. As a result, it is extracted significantly more. This means that the water is pressed through the coffee powder for a comparatively long time. This creates a very strong coffee taste.
Americano: An Americano is a double espresso that you dilute with hot water to get the same volume as a regular coffee.

Conclusion

In summary, a filter coffee is not possible due to the construction of a fully automatic coffee machine. Instead of using a filter, pressure and a sieve are used. The extraction time is also different. Nevertheless, a black coffee is one variation among many that a fully automatic machine can prepare. The basic process remains that of an espresso, only the amount of powder and water is changed. Even with this coffee preparation, a normal coffee from the coffee machine tastes aromatic and intense. The decisive factor is always the choice of coffee bean and the right settings. If you don’t value high-quality processed coffee, you shouldn’t expect a wow experience.

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Cooking Tips

Eating Peas Raw: Is That Possible?

Eating peas raw is usually not a problem. We will explain which dishes are suitable and what you should consider when buying the vegetables.

Eating peas raw: That’s why it works

You can eat peas raw or boiled. According to the NDR, the vegetable does not contain any toxic ingredients such as phasin, as is the case with many other legumes. Phasin belongs to the lectins and can be harmful to red blood cells and intestinal cells.

In principle, there are three types: sugar peas, wrinkled peas and pate peas. You can not only eat sugar snap peas raw, but also with their shell. For the other pea varieties, we recommend removing the pod before consumption. Although this is not poisonous, it is inedible due to the existing pigment layer. Young peas taste particularly good because they have a sweet taste.

With their crunchy consistency, you can use raw peas in quick salads or as a topping for soups or sauces. However, you should eat raw peas in moderation. Because of the high proportion of indigestible fiber, raw peas are less well tolerated than cooked peas, especially for people with a sensitive stomach.

You should keep this in mind when buying peas

If you want to eat peas raw, it is worth buying them fresh. Vegetables are in season from June to September. You can find other seasonal times of different types of fruit and vegetables in our Utopia seasonal calendar. When planning your meal, keep in mind that fresh peas can only be kept in the fridge for up to two days and you should therefore eat them promptly. If you want to keep them for a longer period of time, peas can also be frozen well.

The pea has its origins in the oriental region. Nowadays it is mainly grown in Canada, the USA, Russia and Chile. But there are also important growing areas in Europe, for example in Spain, France and Germany. We recommend purchasing peas from German cultivation as seasonally as possible in order to avoid long transport routes and thus high CO2 emissions.

When buying, also pay attention to organic quality if possible. Organic peas come from ecological agriculture that works in a resource-saving manner and avoids chemical-synthetic pesticides.

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Food

Grocery Check: Is It Still Possible or Does It Have To Go?

My yogurt is not old!

It happened to me again recently. A yogurt from almost prehistoric times was hidden in the back of the refrigerator. Since it still looked normal from the outside, I was brave and opened it. Lo and behold: everything is perfect, put it in the breakfast muesli!

But not everyone is that brave. Around 206,000 tonnes of food ends up in the garbage in Austrian households every year, even though it is still edible. Most are thrown away unchecked, simply because they’ve passed their sell-by date.

Greenpeace food check

In a long-term test that began in January 2017, the environmental protection organization Greenpeace, on behalf of the ORF’s “Mother Earth” campaign, found that food has a much longer shelf life than the best-before date (MHD) would have us believe.

Eight foods were examined, including eggs, yogurt, cake, salami, and soy yogurt, which were 14 days past the specified best-before date. The tested yogurt in particular achieved an amazing result: even 26 weeks after the best-before date, it was still perfect and edible! Soy yogurt, smoked tofu, eggs, salami, cake, and cheese also held up surprisingly well. A vegetarian sesame dip was the earliest to give up, but this was still ok two weeks after the best-before date.

Best before date (MHD) is not the same as to use by date

By the way: The MHD is not the expiry date! Only a few perishable foods have a real expiry date (use-by date), e.g. B. Fresh meat and minced meat. The pack then says “Use by…”. In addition, the MHD is given far too short by many manufacturers in order to avoid liability issues.

Determine the shelf life of food

So we rely on common sense and our five senses. An exceeded best-before date is by no means a reason to throw away food. If you smell it, pay attention to the consistency and taste a little of it, it is usually easy to determine whether it is still edible.

Foodless is more

In order not to waste food in general, Greenpeace recommends not to go shopping when hungry, not buying excess food, and, above all, avoiding perishable multipack offers.

Here you will find the best recipes with yogurt (also with expired ones!). If your expired yogurt is still good, why not try this quick yogurt poppy seed cupcake or these fabulous savory pickled yogurt balls.

By the way: Leftovers from cooking also have a right to further use and don’t have to go into the bin uneaten 😉 Even when cooking with leftovers, you can still prepare wonderful meals!

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Food

Bake a Crispy Pizza: This Trick Makes It Possible

If you want to bake pizza properly, you don’t need a stone oven. But there is a crucial trick how the pizza gets really crispy in the oven at home. We’ll tell you.

Baking pizza properly is an art in itself. A traditional Italian pizza has a crispy base and topped with fresh ingredients. The secret behind this is the preparation in the stone oven: a fire burns under the stone, which heats up its surface considerably. The pizza is then baked crispy brown directly on the hot stone.

But you can also imitate how a stone oven works at home. Most modern ovens have a setting where the pizza gets nice and crispy without burning. We’ll show you a simple trick to make pizza like it’s out of the stone oven.

Choose the right setting

In order to bake pizza properly, you should select the appropriate setting on your oven. So first familiarize yourself with the different oven symbols.

The setting, which mimics the brick oven, is convection with bottom heat. You can recognize this setting by the symbol of a fan with a line or a wave underneath it. This setting is perfect for properly baking pizza. It is baked crispy on the bottom, but only gently cooked on top.

Bake your pizza with this setting in the lower third of the oven at maximum temperature. Depending on the recipe, the pizza is ready in ten to twenty minutes.

If your oven does not have this setting, then alternatively bake the pizza at the maximum temperature on top/bottom heat. Place the pizza at the bottom of the oven. In this way, the heat comes directly to the dough and makes it crispy. The baking time also varies with this variant depending on the recipe.

By the way: This setting is also suitable for heating up pizza. The leftovers will still taste good the next day.

Pizza like from the stone oven: ideas for at home

With the right setting on your oven, you can also make a pizza with a crispy crust at home. It tastes especially good if you make the pizza yourself. Both the pizza dough and the pizza sauce are prepared quickly. Then choose your favorite ingredients and top the pizza with peppers, spinach, olives, cheese or fresh rocket, for example. Get inspired by these pizza recipes:

  • Cauliflower Pizza
  • Spinach pizza
  • Pizza Marinara
  • Arugula Pizza

Tip: Pizza as fast food does not have to be unhealthy. You can also bake a healthy pizza without yeast and white flour. We’ll show you how it’s done here: Fast and healthy pizza? It works with this ingredient.

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