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Star chef Gordon Ramsay has a hot insider tip for your next visit to a restaurant: You should always reserve an extra seat. That’s really what’s behind it.

That’s how often go out to eat on average

The eating habits of are changing radically: Less and less people are cooking and eating at home. Convenience products, fast food and to-go shops in particular are becoming increasingly popular, since young adults aged between 20 and 34 place great value on convenience and low prices.

Nevertheless, nothing beats a pleasant evening in the restaurant with an inviting ambience and delicious dishes that you can’t buy anywhere else. “Besides, it’s much more about the atmosphere, the passion of the chefs, good service and the bar with tasty drinks,” says star chef Ramsay in an interview from Dubai.

Gordon James Ramsay is a radio and long-distance British chef, restaurateur, TV chef and cookbook author. The Gordon Ramsay Group operates 35 restaurants worldwide, including 15 in London. Four of the restaurants in operation have been awarded stars by the Michelin Guide (as of 2019).

In 2019, a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov showed that around 20 percent of people eat out two to three times a month, ten percent once a week – or even more often. And especially in times of Corona, going to restaurants is valued more again due to closures, reopenings and the 2G regulation, since it is not a matter of course for everyone to spontaneously go out to eat in a good restaurant.

Insider tip from the star chef: Why always reserve one more seat?

Especially if you want a cozy meal for two, it is a great advantage to reserve one more seat. Not only because at a table for two you can quickly end up in an uncomfortable place in the restaurant, but because a larger table is much more pleasant.

If you have reserved an additional seat, another person can spontaneously come along without having to change the reservation. This makes sense especially on birthdays when the number of people is still unclear. If there are actually fewer people than indicated, you have the better table – if more people come than reserved seats, the restaurant could already be full or you have to sit at different tables.

Another big advantage is that you have more space when eating to spread out food and drinks and there is no lack of space at the table for two.

The downside of only reserving for two

As romantic as the idea is: a candlelight dinner for just two people, with candlelight, good food and a good wine. A table that is only suitable for two people is usually quite small and fills the awkward corners of a restaurant.

A table for two is often in a cold corner seat, next to the toilets, or you are moved directly at the bar. Many restaurant owners want to save space in this way and give the better tables to larger groups – which of course makes perfect sense, but can quickly become uncomfortable for the guests at the table for two.

Tip: Take star chef Gordon Ramsay’s suggestion seriously – never reserve a table for just two people again. This saves you uncomfortable restaurant visits and you can spontaneously take one more person with you.

Low-carb diets are trending. But not only the kilos disappear with the diet, but also the life expectancy. In a study, US researchers found that people on the low-carbohydrate diet die up to four years earlier.

Diet: Carbohydrates are not the problem

The result of the study: It is not the few carbohydrates that lead to increased mortality, but the alternative diet and the resulting increased consumption of animal proteins and fats. So if you eat them instead of pasta, bread and potatoes, you can die up to four years earlier.

But low-carb can also be positive: If you eat more vegetable fats and proteins than animal fats, mortality falls. You live longer. According to the researchers from Boston, the amount of carbohydrates is also decisive for life expectancy: “Our results show a relationship between life expectancy and carbohydrate intake. Life expectancy is greatest in people with 50 to 55 percent carbohydrate intake,” the scientists conclude.

The use of masks, peelings and creams is by far not the only thing you can do good for your skin. The saying “true beauty comes from within” can be taken literally in this case. The dermatologist Yael Adler reveals important tips for healthy and clear skin.

Foods for more beautiful skin: These nutrients are important for the complexion of the skin

According to the consumer center, vitamin E is mainly found in vegetable oils and nuts and contributes to a healthier complexion. It reduces the formation of scars and age spots on the skin and is responsible for the fat and moisture balance.

Vitamin C protects the skin from so-called free radicals. These are aggressive oxygen compounds that damage the cells. Vitamin C is found in fresh fruit and vegetables. Ideally, it should be eaten raw and with the skin thoroughly washed.

Vitamin A is responsible for the increased production of collagen in the skin and prevents its breakdown. Basically, collagen is responsible for the elasticity and tension of the skin. It is found in animal products such as fish, egg yolk, liver or milk.

Be careful with milk

However, according to dermatologist Yael Adler, milk should be consumed with caution: “It’s made for calves and stimulates growth hormones, which can lead to blemishes and acne.” Fermented milk products such as kefir, yoghurt and buttermilk are better. They also contain probiotic bacteria that protect the intestinal flora. Adler explains: “If the intestinal flora is strong, the skin is doing really well.”

Although it may sound strange at first, healthy skin also needs fats. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body and should be ingested from oily fish, avocado, or flaxseed.

But biotin, vitamin B3, the trace element zinc, silicic acid and potassium are also important for all-round healthy skin.

Vegetable foods in particular are important for healthy skin

You should also eat carrots regularly: they contain provitamin A, beta-carotene. This has an anti-inflammatory effect and strengthens the skin’s own UV protection.

For the smokers among you, Yael Adler also has a tip: tomato paste, watermelon and rose hips could be good antidotes: They contain lycopene, an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the skin that are caused by sun exposure and smoking, for example.

Vegetable foods such as Jerusalem artichokes, artichokes, radishes, rocket, asparagus, chicory and salsify are also important for healthy skin. They contain fiber and bitter substances that promote the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria and improve nutrient absorption and protection against toxins.

While it may sound pretty overwhelming trying to get all of these nutrients through your daily diet. Mainly because the content composition of individual foods is very complex and not only the type of preparation plays a role here, but also the composition of the foods with each other. But it really isn’t as difficult as it sounds.

These foods are harmful to the skin

The most important thing is that you eat a healthy and balanced diet. Red meat, refined sugar, white flour and heavily processed foods should be avoided as far as possible. The menu should consist of the foods mentioned above, whole grain products and legumes.

It is also important not to raise blood sugar levels radically. Dermatologist Yael Adler says: “High blood sugar levels stimulate the sebaceous glands, make the skin oily, promote acne, promote inflammation and make the skin age faster.” Therefore, as mentioned above, you should avoid simple carbohydrates such as white flour and sugar and prefer complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and once cooled potatoes.

Eating the right foods is one thing, but the best way to transport nutrients around the body is to eat the right foods. You should drink at least one and a half to two liters of water or unsweetened tea a day.

Another sensible step for the skin is to avoid alcohol and tobacco. It has been proven that the longer a person has been a smoker, the faster their skin ages. The German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg (DKFZ) issued this warning. Smoking inhibits blood circulation and ensures that the connective tissue protein collagen is broken down more quickly and rebuilt more slowly. Tobacco consumption increases the risk of developing neurodermatitis, acne, skin cancer or psoriasis due to its negative effect on the immune system.

Skin changes as a sign of Covid-19 disease

Anyone who is already struggling with impure skin in general should avoid any food that causes the blood sugar level to rise rapidly and fuels the release of insulin: dairy products, white bread and fast food. The consequences of their consumption on the skin are inflammation of the sebaceous glands, which lead to pimples.

If you have recently noticed a negative change in the appearance of your skin in the form of pustules, blisters or itchy skin areas, it would be advisable to consult a doctor. These symptoms can be proven to be signs of a Covid-19 infection. Cases have been reported where the effects on the skin were the only symptom, other people they were only ancillary symptoms.

A warm roll from the bakery can sweeten the morning for many. But experts now advise caution, because the white flour rolls that many of us like to eat are not healthy for us in the long run. We explain what the concerns about the white flour diet are all about.

Higher blood pressure from white flour

According to the analysis, people who ate more than 350 grams of white flour products per day had a 27 percent higher risk of premature death than those who ate less than 50 grams of refined grains per day. Higher refined grain intake was also consistently associated with higher blood pressure.

Although white rice is also a refined grain, the researchers could not find any increased risk here.

Even in the group with the highest consumption of more than 450 grams per day, there was no increased risk of premature mortality or a heart attack.

Replace white flour products with whole grain products

The study only demonstrated an association but did not examine the underlying causes of the association. For this reason, the analysis provides only indications, but no definitive causality. However, there are good possible reasons for this association.

The researchers advise replacing white flour products with whole grain cereals. With whole grain products, the whole grain is processed, making the products more nutritious. They are richer in protein, fiber, B vitamins, and many other nutrients that may help lower blood pressure, reduce gum disease, boost the immune system, and help manage weight.

White flour products contain mostly simple carbohydrates and are very starchy. After consumption, blood sugar rises rapidly and leads to high glucose concentrations in the blood. Over time, these fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to weight gain and, in the worst case, diabetes.