Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

sustainable

Browsing
Food

Soy Milk vs. Cow’s Milk: Which is Healthier, More Sustainable, More Ethical?

Cows are destroying the climate and soy is destroying the rainforest. Cow’s milk makes you fat and soy milk causes allergies. Or? Anyone who wants to consume milk responsibly or is looking for alternatives will encounter many rumours. We did our research: is soy milk healthy, sustainable, animal-friendly compared to cow’s milk and other milk alternatives?

Milk is one of the most common foods and one of the most controversial at the same time – for several reasons. While for decades it was considered essential for our health, today many people doubt the health benefits of milk or are even convinced that it is unhealthy. Others want to do without milk because of their poor climate balance or because they find animal husbandry unacceptable.

But how healthy soy milk (correct: soy drink) is is also the subject of wild debates. The popular milk substitute not only has fans: in addition to possible health side effects, the environmental impact of cultivation and transport and the use of genetic engineering are also criticized.

In the following, we will therefore take a very close look at soy milk and cow’s milk – and also show how healthy soy milk is in comparison to other milk alternatives.

Which is healthier: cow’s milk or soy milk?

From “cow’s milk is important because of the calcium” to “cow’s milk causes allergies” to “soy milk is so healthy that it helps against cancer” – there are tons of claims, rumors and half-truths circulating about the health effects of cow’s milk and soy milk. Some things are true, some aren’t.

Calcium: Is it missing in the soy drink?

Cow’s milk is actually high in calcium (or: calcium). Calcium is a very important substance for building and maintaining our bone mass. A lack of calcium can lead to or worsen osteoporosis. Sufficient calcium intake is particularly important for growing children.

However, we do not depend on milk for this. Calcium can also be obtained from other foods. There is a lot of calcium in green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, rocket, chard and spinach as well as in beans (including soybeans) and some nuts and seeds such as hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and sesame.

Conclusion: Soy milk contains less calcium than cow’s milk. However, there are alternative calcium-fortified soy drinks and other plant-based foods that help meet calcium needs.

Vitamin Content: Is Soy Milk Healthy Enough?

Both cow’s milk and soy milk contain some important vitamins. However, soy milk lacks the important vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost exclusively in foods of animal origin – and is very important for our bodies. A vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious health consequences.

However: Many soy drinks and other plant-based milk alternatives contain the additive vitamin B12 (also found on the labels as cyanocobalamin or cobalamin).

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Sustainable For Nature and Health – The Glass Drinking Bottle

It is important to drink enough when exercising or exercising in the fresh air. The selection of drinking bottles ranges from plastic to aluminum to glass bottles. But which is the most environmentally friendly and healthiest alternative?

Disposable plastic beverage bottles are a major contributor to the flood of plastic waste around the world. Buying a reusable bottle that you can refill over and over again is a good step towards environmental protection.

There is now a huge selection of reusable drinking bottles made of a wide variety of materials. It is best to take a moment to find out about the advantages and disadvantages of the different variants and to find the most sensible, healthiest and most practical solution for you. Because a reusable bottle that only stands in the cupboard because, for example, after filling with orange juice, all subsequent drinks also taste like it, was not a good buy.

Plastic or aluminum drinking bottles

Many manufacturers rely on plastics for reusable bottles because they are light, comparatively solid and easy to clean. At the same time, plastics are cheap to manufacture. But it can contain plasticizers and other harmful substances that are released into the filled liquids over the course of use. In addition, they ultimately create plastic waste again.

In addition to plastic bottles, there are drinking bottles made of aluminum or stainless steel. They usually look high quality, but are controversial. Acidic drinks can attack the material and, if the coating is damaged, leach harmful substances out of the aluminum. In addition, unsightly dents can appear on the drinking bottles if they fall.

Hygienic and sustainable: glass drinking bottles

Glass drinking bottles, on the other hand, are particularly environmentally friendly and sustainable. Glass drinking bottles are non-toxic, 100% recyclable and tasteless. They can also be cleaned hygienically and used in a variety of ways. Since glass bottles do not absorb foreign tastes, you can fill in any drink after cleaning without the taste of the previous drink remaining.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Frozen Pizza: Is it Also Available in Sustainable and Climate-Neutral?

Pizza always works. Many of us love to eat them – albeit with a guilty conscience. Because frozen pizza doesn’t have a good reputation: it’s unhealthy, the ingredients are anything but regional, and frozen pizza is also supposedly bad for the climate. We looked into the question of whether there are “better” pizzas.

Frozen pizzas are all the rage. Every  eats an average of 13 frozen pizzas a year, and the trend is rising. The favorite variety: salami.

Nevertheless, more and more people are asking themselves when buying pizza: Is ready-made pizza from the freezer okay at all? The suspicion: it has a lot of calories, a bad environmental balance, ingredients that have been widely traveled. We investigated whether frozen pizza really is as bad as it’s made out to be.

Is there a “better pizza” at all?

Our research shows: the range in the freezers of supermarkets and discounters is large, but anyone looking for sustainable frozen pizzas beyond the salami and margarita mainstream has a hard time. Nevertheless: There is now a small and fine selection of organic pizzas, vegan frozen pizzas and even climate-neutral pizzas.

How unhealthy is pizza really?

Whether organic or climate-neutral – pizza is not really healthy, at least not in the frozen version. Due to the mostly white flour, it contains a lot of carbohydrates, but hardly any fiber and few vital substances.

Conventional pizza contains many additives

The list of ingredients for 0815 frozen pizzas contains additives such as antioxidants, stabilizers, acidifiers, emulsifiers and other processed ingredients such as extracts, modified starch or up to six different types of sugar, criticizes the consumer advice center.

Each pizza contains up to 14 grams of sugar. Healthy is different.

Pizza = calorie bomb

Pizzas from the freezer are real calorie bombs – a pizza often contains more than 800 calories. Since people tend to eat up what’s on the plate, moderation is difficult here. If you want to take care of your health and figure, it is better to only eat half or two-thirds of the pizza and save the rest for the next day or two. Families can easily share pizzas and save calories.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Nori Algae: They Really are That Healthy and Sustainable

Sushi made them famous: the nori seaweed. Here’s why they’re trending, how they’re grown and what’s behind their reputation as a “superfood”.

Nori seaweed – or just nori for short – is one of the best-known edible seaweeds. As nori sheets, they are an essential part of sushi. But you can also use them for salads and soups – as well as for various Japanese recipes. In addition, there are many cosmetic products with algae, for example masks and creams.

According to the magazine GEO, 400,000 tons of nori seaweed are harvested every year. In total, the harvest of edible algae is over nine million tons. They come primarily from Japan, China, the Philippines and Korea – but algae are also cultivated in Brittany and California. Algae farms are a good alternative to traditional farms, especially in Japan, because there is a lack of agricultural land.

Nori seaweed belongs to the red algae, a class of algae that consists of over 4,000 species and is predominantly found in the sea. Nori algae does not exist in our seas, but there are also close relatives in the North Sea, on Heligoland and on the coasts of Great Britain, according to rbb. (link to audio file)

In addition to nori algae, there are many other edible algae such as green algae. They include, for example, ulva, the so-called sea lettuce – it is considered a delicacy in France. There is also sugar kelp and brown algae like wakame, which are part of the Japanese miso soup. All of these species belong to the macroalgae, i.e. large-leaved algae with many cells. In addition, there are microalgae such as spirulina algae and chlorella, which are often marketed as dietary supplements.

Nutritional values ​​and ingredients of nori seaweed

Nori seaweed is particularly popular with vegans – because it contains vitamin B12, which is otherwise found almost exclusively in animal products. As the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) explains, it has not yet been clarified whether the vitamin in nori algae has a high bioavailability. That means it’s unclear how much of the vitamin in the algae our bodies can utilize. A Finnish study speaks in favor of algae as a source of vitamins: As part of the study, a group of vegans had consumed nori algae and/or chlorella over a longer period of time – they had twice the B12 content in their blood as vegans control group. In addition to vitamin B12, nori seaweed also contains B vitamins such as folic acid and beta-carotene.

On seaweed products you will often see warnings about the high iodine content of seaweed. Iodine is a trace element that our body needs, but which can lead to thyroid problems in excessive amounts. However, according to the Federal Center for Nutrition, nori algae have a rather low and therefore unproblematic iodine content – unlike their relatives, the brown algae. Soaking and rinsing the seaweed in water before eating can further reduce the iodine content.

Note: People with thyroid problems should avoid eating algae or consult their doctor beforehand.

This is how nori seaweed is grown

Nori seaweed is preferred in tanks. In it, the spores are stored on oyster shells for about five months. So-called seeding nets are then hung in the tank and the water is kept moving for 20 to 60 minutes. This stirs up the spores and causes them to get stuck in the web. The farmers then place the nets covered with spores in the sea.

In the first month after sowing, the algae only grow about a centimeter. Then their growth accelerates massively, they can grow up to 15 centimeters longer within two weeks. After fifty days they have reached a length of 15 to 20 centimeters. After harvesting, the nori seaweed is immediately dried and cut into leaves.

How sustainable is nori seaweed?

The nori seaweed that we buy in the supermarket or are served in the restaurant usually comes from Southeast Asia. They usually have a long transport route behind them.

It is best to use a product with an organic seal. According to the Federal Center for Nutrition, the EU organic regulation requires that the organic algae come from bodies of water with a high ecological quality and are managed sustainably. The organic association Naturland has, among other things, even stricter requirements for water quality – social standards are also taken into account. You can find nori algae with an organic seal in health food stores.

According to GEO, algae have a positive effect on the climate: they remove three times as much carbon dioxide from the air as crops – and can thus bind many greenhouse gases. However, they are not without controversy because, according to the spectrum, too many algae can lead to an algal bloom: This describes the mass proliferation of algae in nutrient-rich waters. This algae then dies, sinks to the bottom and is decomposed by bacteria. This is an aerobic process, which means that the bacteria use oxygen. As a result, numerous other creatures that are dependent on the oxygen in the water die. The body of water becomes a dead zone. In addition, gases can form under the algae carpets that are toxic and harmful to the climate. Some algae also produce toxins themselves.

How the cultivation of edible algae affects the climate, positively and negatively, has not yet been researched much. If it is operated sustainably, algae farming can produce regionally grown, climate-friendly and nutrient-rich food. Algae are also being discussed as fuel for cars, as a raw material for clothing and as packaging material.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Thirst Quencher: 5 Sustainable and Delicious Drinks in the Heat

Thirst quenchers get us through the day without thirst in summer temperatures. If you get bored with tap water in the long run, we have tips for refreshing and healthy alternatives.

Thirst quenchers are important

When the temperatures rise day by day, it is important to drink enough. If we neglect this, the lack of liquid can lead to headaches and circulatory problems not only in summer. Between 1.5 and two liters per day is recommended, although personal water requirements vary from person to person. In summer, however, we should try to drink more than usual. Because we sweat more often and lose minerals such as calcium, sodium and magnesium.

The best and most lasting way to quench your thirst is to drink tap water. Since large quantities and in the long run can taste a bit bland, we present refreshing and healthy thirst quenchers for hot summer days. Not only do they taste delicious, they also provide you with the minerals that you lose through sweating.

Refreshing thirst quencher: homemade ice tea

Juice spritzer: A fruity thirst quencher

Tap water cool – infused water as a healthy thirst quencher

Seasonal smoothie as a creamy thirst quencher

Water kefir: Probiotic thirst quencher

Keep Reading
By
Food

Butter or Margarine: What is Sustainable and Healthy?

Butter or margarine – what should you put on your bread? We will introduce you to the advantages and disadvantages of the two spreads and look at the sustainability of butter and margarine.

For years, nutritionists have been grappling with the question of what is healthier – butter or margarine? In fact, the question is not that easy to answer, as both spreads have their advantages and disadvantages.

Butter or margarine: which is healthier?

Butter:

One of the most commonly cited disadvantages of butter is its high cholesterol content. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the arteries and increases the risk of heart and circulatory problems. However, the Federal Center for Nutrition states that the body can counteract excess cholesterol by producing less of its own cholesterol.
In contrast to margarine, butter contains a lot of naturally occurring vitamins A, D, E and vitamin K, which, among other things, strengthens the bones. These vitamins often have to be added artificially to spreadable vegetable fat.
Butter contains a high amount of saturated fat, especially those with medium chains. These are said to increase the level of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body. That is why it recommends covering only up to ten percent of the fat requirement from saturated fatty acids.

Margarine:

The cholesterol content of margarine is much lower than that of butter. However, the vegetable fat is often artificially hardened and therefore contains many unhealthy trans fatty acids, which you should avoid if possible.
Margarine contains less saturated fat and more unsaturated fat. They are said to strengthen the heart and circulation.
When it comes to margarine, you are spoiled for choice: it comes in full-fat and half-fat variants and is based on various vegetable fats.
The plant sterols found in some oils are said to lower cholesterol levels when consumed in a certain amount on a daily basis. Not every margarine naturally contains sterols – if they have been added artificially, this must be stated on the packaging.
Margarine is made from various vegetable oils. It is best to buy products with rapeseed or linseed oil, as these contain a particularly large number of omega-3 fatty acids.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Coconut Chips: How Healthy and Sustainable They Really are

Coconut chips are considered a healthy and filling snack between meals. You can find out here how the tropical fruit actually affects your body and what ecological effects coconut chips have.

Coconut chips: how to buy and use them

You can not only buy coconut chips and snack on them, you can often find them as part of muesli and nut mixtures or bars. They are also a popular ingredient for yoghurt and quark dishes, smoothies and smoothie bowls or creamy desserts.

You can also use the chips as a baking ingredient for cookies, muffins and other desserts. They are suitable as a decorative topping for soups, curries and other wok dishes with coconut milk. When buying, you should use organic coconut chips if possible. In this way you support sustainable agriculture that works without pesticides that are harmful to the environment and health.

Also make sure that the coconut chips do not contain any sulfur dioxide (E 220). This is a preservative that poses no risk as long as the legal limits are observed. However, some conditions, such as asthma, require caution. Sulfur dioxide also destroys vitamin B1. It is therefore forbidden to sulphurize certain products containing vitamin B1.

Some coconut chips also contain sugar syrup or other sweeteners. If you want to avoid this, you should first look at the list of ingredients.

These are the nutritional values of coconut chips

Compared to other nuts, coconut chips are relatively high in calories: Rapunzel coconut chips contain around 700 kilocalories per 100 grams. They each consist of about seven percent carbohydrates and protein and about 14 percent fiber.

Almost all of the rest is fat. So this makes up about two-thirds. Coconut chips consist largely of saturated fatty acids. They contain 64.4 grams of the rather unfavorable fats per 100 grams. Up to a certain amount, saturated fatty acids also play an important role for our body: For example, they are essential for the protection of our organs and for hormone and immune metabolism.

At the same time, however, they also increase the LDL cholesterol level. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the guidelines of the German Society for Nutrition, saturated fatty acids should therefore not make up more than seven to ten percent of the total energy balance. However, this value is often exceeded. That’s why you should only consume coconut products in moderation.

Compared to nuts and seeds, coconut chips are also poorer in micronutrients. They only contain potassium and iron in appreciable amounts. Other minerals or vitamins are contained only to a small extent.

Make coconut chips yourself: Here’s how

If you want to make your own coconut chips from fresh coconut pulp, you can follow these steps:

First, it is best to cut the flesh into thin strips with a vegetable peeler.
Place the strips on an oven rack or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Optionally you can refine them with a little salt or a sweetener of your choice.
The coconut strips are now placed in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about seven to ten minutes. If they are already slightly browned around the edges, you can take them out and let them cool down.

How sustainable are coconut chips?

Coconut palms only grow in tropical regions. The Philippines, Indonesia and India are therefore among the largest coconut producers. Coconuts therefore have to cover long transport routes to Germany. Their life cycle assessment is correspondingly poor.

In addition, it is usually very difficult to trace back the coconut chip chain. For most coconut products, it is unclear under what working conditions and for what wages farmers in the countries of origin had to grow and harvest the fruit.

That’s why you should use Fair Trade certified coconut chips whenever possible. Depending on the type of seal, regular working hours, fair wages, democratic corporate structures and transparent trade routes are among the things that are taken into account.

Another problem is that coconut trees are slow growing and not very productive. If the demand for coconut products increases, this creates pressure in the producing countries. Farmers may then turn to harmful monocultures and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to speed up yields. This is particularly fueled by the increasing demand for inexpensive coconut oil.

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Make the Household Sustainable

In order to reduce the burden on the environment, not only do large companies and governments have to adapt their behavior, but private individuals should also start making their contributions. This starts very practically in the household. Read here about how you can make your household more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Cleaning products

Many cleaning products are made with strong chemicals. By using these in the home, chemicals enter our water system and where possible even our groundwater. There they then poison the soil and the plants and trees growing in it. Often such strong cleaning agents are not necessary. Especially when the dirt is still fresh, natural cleaning agents can be used for cleaning. In some moments, of course, the use of cleaning products cannot be avoided. Then you should try to use the product sparingly. This not only protects the environment but is also easier on your wallet. As a result, the next time you buy cleaning agents, use citric acid-based agents. So keep the remedy as natural as possible.

Electrical appliances

In order to be more environmentally friendly when using your electrical appliances, you can, for example, do without preheating the oven. Most dishes also turn out wonderfully delicious even though the oven has not been preheated. You also do without a wash cycle with a half-loaded washing machine. To be honest, you have enough clothes in your closet to go for at least a week without washing. Before you start your next laundry, you should have enough laundry to fill the washing machine completely. So you wash your clothes less. As a result, it breaks less quickly. Then buy new clothes less often. And that also helps the environment. Please also note clever tips for saving electricity.

Qualitative products

We all know from childhood that quality lasts longer. Of course, quality often means more money. Therefore, many people mostly choose to save money and buy fewer quality products. What is often forgotten is that these products also break down more quickly and that a replacement product has to be bought sooner.

Which in the long run means that the lower quality product costs more money. The purchase of high-quality products is particularly worthwhile in the kitchen, as these are often exposed to high temperatures and are used every day. Cast iron saucepans, such as a Le Creuset roaster, are usually easier to clean and can withstand high temperatures. Cast iron products can therefore be used for a long time, which means that you have to throw away less and then buy again. Such a Le Creuset roaster can also be used for several different purposes, which is why you then generally have to buy fewer pans and pots.

Of course, a household is a big and complex thing in which we make use of many things over which we have no control. Nevertheless, you can start making your household a little more sustainable step by step and thus protect the environment in the household. Don’t take on too much at once. It is enough if you start slowly. All that matters is that you start.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Sustainable Coffee Capsules: What Differentiates “Biodegradable” and “Compostable”

Coffee capsules are super practical: easy to portion and clean to use. For a clear conscience, they are even available in eco-friendly! However, with gradations, because some of these capsules conserve resources more than others. Looking for particularly sustainable coffee capsules? Then you should know the difference between biodegradable and compostable coffee capsules!

What does “biodegradable” mean?

“Biodegradable coffee capsules” – that sounds pretty sustainable. But let’s take a closer look: The expression “biodegradable” generally means that a substance can be decomposed by biological mechanisms, for example by microorganisms or enzymes. The only waste products left with biodegradable materials are water, carbon dioxide and biomass. However, the term “biodegradable” only refers to the chemical structure of the materials used, not to the raw materials used. For example, biodegradable plastics can contain degradable polyester. Their origin, on the other hand, can be bio-based (e.g. wood) or fossil (petroleum).

What does bio-based mean?

Bio-based refers to the raw material from which something is made. A bio-based polymer is made entirely or partially from biomass, i.e. from renewable raw materials such as trees, plants, crops or grasses. In contrast to fossil resources, biomass is a renewable, i.e. sustainable resource. Not all biodegradable plastics are completely bio-based. It is often a matter of mixtures with fossil components, which in turn are not resource-saving.

And even if packaging is also declared as bio-based, that does not mean that it consists exclusively of renewable raw materials. After all, in order to be able to call themselves bio-based, plastics only need to contain at least 40 percent biomass.

Can I dispose of biodegradable coffee capsules in the compost?

Let’s come to the question of disposal. Can you throw biodegradable coffee capsules in the compost or organic waste? The answer is: No! Because even if biodegradable plastic can decompose completely, it sometimes takes several years. Therefore, biodegradable coffee capsules end up in the residual waste after the coffee has been consumed.

Compostable coffee capsules are more sustainable

When it comes to sustainability, so-called compostable coffee capsules are a step further than the “biodegradable” label. But what exactly does compostable mean? In this case: biodegradable under certain conditions and within a certain time. A substance is considered compostable when it decomposes in industrial composting facilities under specified conditions:
within twelve weeks
at around 60 degrees Celsius
at least 90 percent
These conditions cannot normally be achieved on domestic compost. And according to the Organic Waste Ordinance, even compostable coffee capsules are not allowed to be disposed of with organic waste. Therefore, you should also dispose of them in the residual waste.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Whole Foods: A Holistic and Sustainable Nutritional Concept

If you’re already making efforts to eat more sustainably, you may be unknowingly following the concept of whole foods. Organic quality, regional and seasonal food, zero waste and much more come together here.

What is the Whole Food?

Whole food is a comprehensive concept of a diet that is as healthy and sustainable as possible. According to the definition of the founders Karl von Koerber, Thomas Männle and Claus Leitzmann, whole foods (also known as whole food nutrition) are predominantly plant-based diets in which fresh, nutritious and unprocessed foods are preferred. The enjoyment and wholesomeness of the food are also taken into account in the whole food. The main foods used are:

Vegetable fruit,
Potatoes,
Legumes,
whole grain products
and milk and milk products.
Meat, fish and eggs only occur in small amounts in the full diet. Unheated fresh food should make up about half of the amount consumed.

In terms of sustainability, the environmental, economic and social compatibility of the food system is taken into account in addition to health compatibility. This means that in whole foods, primarily regional, seasonal and organic foods are used in environmentally friendly packaging. Such packaging can be, for example, plastic-free alternatives such as paper or reusable glasses. Products, especially from countries outside Europe, should come from fair trade.

Whole foods therefore pursue a variety of goals:

It should promote health
increase the quality of life
do not pollute the environment
promote fair economic relations and social justice worldwide.

Whole Food Nutrition Background

For a long time, nutritionists only considered the health aspect of nutrition, which is still largely the focus today.

Nutritional recommendations often only contain the nutritional-physiological and hygienic-toxicological knowledge – i.e. the knowledge about the effect of the food in the body and the contamination with harmful substances or pathogens. However, other aspects also flow into human nutrition, such as sustainability and social justice. A food can be healthy, but its production can take place under inhumane conditions and be harmful to the environment. In the long run, such production methods can endanger food security in the future. Because only an intact environment can produce healthy and sufficient food for the world population in the long term.

For this reason, nutritional ecology developed as an interdisciplinary field of science. It arose from a student initiative at the University of Giessen in the late 1980s. Nutritional ecology examines and evaluates the complex relationships within the entire food system. This system includes the following sub-areas related to food:

agricultural production
processing
Packaging
transport
trade
consumption
waste disposal
There are five dimensions that play a role in feeding the world’s population. They are considered equal:

Environment (ecological aspects: energy, land and raw material consumption, pollutants, generation of waste)
Economy (economic aspects: trading conditions, wages, livelihood security)
Society (social aspects: fair distribution of food, access to arable land and drinking water, working conditions)
Individual (health aspects: balanced, health-promoting diet, physical well-being, disease prevention)
Culture (cultural aspects: influence our eating style, meaning, values, habits)
The aim of nutritional ecology is to gain insights into the conditions and effects of our handling of food within the five interconnected dimensions. Realizable and sustainable nutrition concepts are to be developed and conscious eating behavior promoted. The diet should be compatible in all dimensions.

The practical implementation of these goals is whole foods as sustainable and contemporary nutrition. Since all dimensions are included, it is a holistic nutritional concept.

The Principles of Whole Foods

In detail, whole foods are based on the following seven principles.

1. Preference for plant foods (mainly lacto-vegetable food)

Most plant foods contain more essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) at fewer calories than animal products. Vegetables are rich in many vitamins, but provide less energy than cheese or sausage, for example. Of course, this does not apply to all foods. Nuts, for example, are plant-based, but very high in calories due to their high fat content. With a mostly plant-based diet, you don’t reach your daily energy requirements as quickly. This point is so important for the founders of whole food nutrition because obesity is steadily increasing worldwide and has health consequences. Health-promoting dietary fiber and secondary plant substances are only found in plant-based foods. On the other hand, foods of animal origin sometimes contain large amounts of components that can become problematic if consumed in excess, such as saturated fatty acids, purines and cholesterol.

2. Organically produced food

It also makes sense from an ecological point of view to significantly reduce the consumption of animal products. If you want to include animal products in your whole food diet, make sure that they come from species-appropriate and ecological animal husbandry. Plant-based foods should also be sourced from organic farms whenever possible. In contrast to conventional farming, organic farming uses less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases. In addition, organic farming improves the soil quality, since it pollutes the soil and groundwater less. All this protects nature as a habitat for animals and insects, which promotes biodiversity. In addition, organic food contains a larger amount of vitamins and other valuable nutrients than food from conventional cultivation. This is already confirmed by a meta-analysis by Newcastle University from 2014. The BZfE also states that organic is healthier. Because fruits and vegetables contain less water, the nutrient density is higher. They also state that animal foods from organic cultivation have a more favorable fatty acid composition.

3. Regional and seasonal products

Thanks to the national range in supermarkets, consumers have gotten used to being able to get everything at any time of the year. However, this advantage has its price: Long transport routes are energy-intensive and resource-intensive. In Germany, non-European groceries account for two thirds of the transport costs, although they only make up four percent of the total volume. If you buy regional groceries, you not only avoid long transport routes. You can also contribute to securing the livelihoods of local farmers and support the agricultural independence of a region. In this country, non-seasonal foods are grown in greenhouses and polytunnels, which entails high energy costs for heating. Fruit and vegetables with a long and therefore resource and energy-intensive transport route are sometimes harvested unripe so that they arrive ripe. This has a negative effect on the nutrients and the taste.

4. Preference for low-processed foods

Whole foods stand in contrast to the widespread convenience food. Although whole foods, unlike raw foods, do not require everything to be eaten raw, raw foods still take precedence over cooked and processed foods. When it comes to whole foods, the daily diet should consist of one to two thirds of fresh, raw foods. The reason for this is that many valuable ingredients can be lost during food processing. Many vitamins and secondary plant substances, for example, are not heat-stable. However, you should definitely cook potatoes and legumes, as they contain toxic ingredients in their raw state. The ecological footprint also decreases the less processed food you eat and the less you process food yourself at home. A current study by several universities was able to show that highly processed foods have a negative impact on the climate balance.

5. Fair Trade Food

The whole food does not completely dispense with well-travelled foods. But then you should choose fair trade products. With Fair Trade certified products you can support producers in developing countries and campaign for better trading conditions and against child labor. Fair pricing aims to cover the costs of production, decent wages and environmental compatibility. But greater attention must also be paid to fair trade within Europe – there are negative examples in Italy and Spain in particular. Also read: 3 bitter truths from the documentary “Europe’s Dirty Harvest”. Orientate yourself on the various seals for fair trade. In addition to the usual fair trade seal, there are others, such as the “fair+” seal from GEPA or the “Fair for Life” seal.

6. Resource-saving housekeeping

This point includes several aspects that make a diet with whole foods more resource-efficient.

Green Electricity: The Whole Foods prefer foods that have been produced using electricity from responsible sources. This point is more to be understood as an ideal target, as it has so far been difficult to implement in practice. Producers are not obliged to indicate the type of electricity used on their products. It would be desirable to have green electricity in your own household. Here you have more room for manoeuvre.
Saving energy: In addition to the use of green electricity, it is important to save energy and therefore money in a diet based on whole foods. You should prioritize more energy-efficient devices and consider which devices you might be able to do without completely.
Shopping routes: A car trip can nullify the positive eco-balance of ecological-regional shopping in terms of CO2 savings. Where possible, you should avoid short trips and make purchases by bus, train, on foot or by bike.
Packaging: The masses of packaging waste pollute people and animals all over the world through recycling plants and direct pollution of the environment, for example through microplastics. For this reason, whole food nutrition stands for unpackaged and plastic-free alternatives.
Food waste: This point is also part of whole food nutrition. According to a WWF study, 2.5 billion tons of food end up in the trash every year. That is around 40 percent of all food produced worldwide.

7. Enjoyable and wholesome food

Whole foods have high ecological, nutritional and social requirements. But the pleasure of eating is just as important in this diet. Whole foods follow the motto “enjoyment takes time” and therefore advocates intuitive eating, which is based on more mindfulness when eating. Digestibility also plays an important role in whole foods. Digestibility, or tolerability, means that your body feels good when digesting, which also has a lasting effect on your well-being. Food that is too greasy, for example, makes digestion difficult.

Implementation of Whole Foods

The principles described above can be translated into a clear compilation of recommendations:

Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, around half fresh.
Prefer whole grain foods to white flour products.
Use legumes and potatoes frequently.
Reduce fat intake to a healthy level and use cold-pressed, vegetable oils instead of animal and hydrogenated fats.
Prefer preferred milk (raw milk), whole milk or pure milk products without additives.
Use eggs, fish, and meat (if desired) sparingly.
Make sure the drinking water is of good quality. Drink herbal or fruit tea in addition to water.
Use salt sparingly and be creative with spices and herbs instead.
Choose fruit, honey or dried fruit for sweetening and avoid isolated sugar.
Buy organic, seasonal, local and fair trade foods.
The principles described above can be translated into a clear compilation of recommendations. Whole food is not a strict concept with prohibitions, but leaves enough room for individual tolerance and needs. Rather, it is a guiding philosophy and requires you to reflect on your eating habits.

Disadvantages and criticisms of whole foods

A point of criticism for some people can be that whole foods do not completely do without milk and other animal products. From an ecological and moral point of view, the criticism is also justified. Whole food nutrition is not designed for vegans, but can still be seen as a basis for them. Milk and milk products, and occasionally fish, meat and eggs, provide the body with essential nutrients that prevent the risk of deficiency symptoms. The supply of vitamin D (in case of lack of sun), B12, as well as calcium and iron occurs mainly or exclusively through animal foods. For this reason, these foods are found in whole foods. The health aspect is not the only focus here. If animal products, then in moderation and from responsible sources. If you would like to take advantage of whole food nutrition and eat vegan at the same time, then use this article as a guide and expand your knowledge of healthy vegan nutrition. For example, using the following article:

Another possible disadvantage of whole foods can be a lack of financial resources and poor local access to good food. Organic food tends to cost more money (and for good reason), which not everyone can fully afford. Not in every region (especially in rural areas) there are organic shops or unpackaged shops.

The transition to whole foods should be done slowly. If your body is not used to the large amount of raw food and increased fiber intake, it can react with digestive problems such as flatulence or constipation. For example, if your digestive power is limited by a disturbed intestinal flora, then raw food can lead to such problems. However, it is possible to rebuild a disturbed intestinal flora.

Conclusion: Whole foods as a sustainable and healthy diet

With the food selection mentioned above and the large proportion of unprocessed fresh food, you supply your body with all vital substances. This good supply strengthens the immune system and makes you less susceptible to diseases. Due to the increased fiber intake and long-chain carbohydrates (whole grain), whole food nutrition helps with weight loss and prevents obesity. The degree of saturation increases and cravings are counteracted.

Whole food can be recommended as a permanent diet for all age groups and offers a great opportunity in a social context to increase sustainability in connection with nutrition at all levels.

Keep Reading
By