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Storing Quinces: That’s How Long They Keep

If you want to store quinces, you should consider a few things. Then you will have something of the versatile regional fruit for a long time if you do not process it directly.

The quince is an old native fruit that you can harvest well into November. The naturopath Hildegard von Bingen even considered it a local medicinal plant. Quinces have lost importance compared to other types of fruit – also because they are comparatively complex to process.

But this effort is worth it. The quince is making a real comeback at the moment. Especially for people who strive for self-sufficiency, it is a good source of vitamins and a refreshing change from typical autumn fruits such as apples. The organic quince farmer Marius Wittur says in an interview that he appreciates the diverse flavors of the fruit, which range from “pomegranate to kiwi to citrus fruits”.

If you store quince properly, you can enjoy the fruit well into winter. In this article you will learn everything about storing quinces.

Storing quinces: when does it make sense?

Quinces are very suitable for jam or jelly as the fruit naturally contains pectin. Pectin ensures that the quince jam does not remain liquid, but gels. If you process your quinces into jam immediately after harvesting, for example, you no longer have to worry about storing them.

There are two possible reasons you might want to store your quinces:

You don’t want or can’t process them right after harvest.
You have a variety of quince that is edible raw and want to have some of the unprocessed fruit for a long time.

Store quinces or process them directly: tips for harvesting

When it comes to quinces, there is no single best time to harvest. Depending on the variety and the weather of the year, the harvest can extend from September to November. However, the most important factor in determining when to harvest is what you plan to do with the quinces.

1. Process quinces directly

If you want to process them directly, you should first let the quinces ripen on the tree and process them immediately after picking. When fully ripe, quinces only keep for a week or two. When harvesting, you should consider the following points:

Fully ripe quinces are golden yellow in color and no longer have soft down.
When your quinces have a very strong, spicy smell, they’re ready to harvest.
They can easily be twisted off the tree.
Cut open a fruit and look at the pips. Quinces are ripe when the pits have turned brown.
However, it is also important that you do not leave the quinces on the tree for too long: it is best to harvest them before the first longer frosts and before they develop brown spots.
Tip: Typical uses of quinces are jam, jelly or quince bread. Quince juice, quince chutney or quince cake are also delicious. In hearty stews, quinces provide sweet-sour notes and exciting aromas.

2. Store quinces

Would you like to store your quinces and not process them immediately? Then you have to consider these points during the harvest:

Harvest quinces before they are fully mature.
It is best to harvest at the point where the color changes from green to yellow.
The fruits slowly begin to lose their fluff. It can still be felt in some places.
Be careful not to bruise your quinces, so harvest them carefully. Bruises could later become rotten spots and significantly reduce storage time.
However, you should not harvest the quinces too early, as they will then not be able to develop their full aroma.
Some quince varieties are better suited to storage than others. For example, the “Franconian house quince” lasts a few months in storage. The “Portuguese pear quince”, on the other hand, should be used up quickly.

Storing quinces: how to keep them for a long time

If you harvest your quinces at the transition point from unripe to ripe, they will keep for another two to three months if stored correctly. An old storage cellar normally meets the necessary criteria – it just must not be damp. More modern cellars are usually too warm. This is the best way to store quinces:

Place the fruit in a single layer next to each other in boxes or boxes.
Wood shavings or newspaper are suitable as a base.
The temperature should be below ten degrees Celsius, zero to two degrees Celsius would be optimal.
It is important that the store is frost-free.
Only undamaged quinces are suitable for storage. If they are already eaten, have a slight bruise or something similar, then it is better to process them directly.
Do not store the fruit with other fruit. They quickly transfer their strong smell to other strains.
In particular, you should not store apples and quinces together. Apples give off the plant hormone ethylene, which accelerates the ripening process.
You should also heed these tips:

Check your stored quinces about once a week and sort out any rotten specimens.
Are very icy nights ahead and you are afraid that your fruit might break? Then protect them from freezing, for example with woolen blankets.
If the storage time is very advanced, your quinces may turn brown on the inside. Now you should process them as quickly as possible.

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Oranges: That’s How Healthy They Are

Oranges are healthy and full of good ingredients. You can find out more about the refreshing vitamin bombs and their health benefits here.

Round, bright colour, sweet and juicy aroma: this is what distinguishes oranges, also called oranges in some regions. But citrus fruits are not only popular because of their taste, but also because of their large portion of nutrients and vitamins: Oranges are very healthy.

The fruits are divided into summer and winter oranges according to when they were harvested. Winter oranges in particular grow in Spain and Italy. The harvest season extends from autumn to March for early varieties and into May for late varieties. Summer oranges have a longer way to get to us, coming primarily from the USA, Israel and South Africa.

If you want to shop as regionally as possible, oranges are not the best choice. At least you can eat fruits from southern Europe in winter. Their transport routes are significantly shorter than those of summer oranges and therefore cause fewer CO2 emissions.

Healthy Oranges: Calories, Vitamins and Nutrients

Oranges are rich in vitamin C – most of you have heard of that. But the healthy oranges also contain other valuable ingredients.

Nutritional values ​​per 100 grams of orange:

Energy: 47 kcal
Protein: 0.94g
Carbohydrates: 11.75 g
Fat: 0.12g
How many calories does an orange have?

A small orange weighs about 130 grams and has 61 kilocalories. So you can eat them as a light snack in between. Since it is very high in fiber and low in calories, it is good for losing weight. However, this does not apply to orange juice, which often contains a lot of sugar.

Vitamins and minerals per 100 grams of orange:

Vitamin C: 53.2 mg
Magnesium: 10 mg
Calcium: 40 mg
Potassium: 181 mg
With two to three oranges a day, you could already cover the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C. Vitamin C is not only important to strengthen your immune system, but also contributes to the maintenance of healthy bones and connective tissue.

Oranges also contain a good portion of magnesium, as well as some calcium. Both minerals ensure dense and stable bones and teeth.

Oranges are also a good source of potassium. Potassium is involved in the regulation of blood pressure, among other things. The World Health Organization recommends that adults with high blood pressure increase their potassium intake because it improves both systolic blood pressure (the pressure in the blood vessels when it is at its highest) and diastolic blood pressure (the pressure in the blood vessels when it is at its lowest). ) sinks.

Oranges: health effects

The juicy flesh of the orange is surrounded by a thin white skin, also called the mesocarp. It is best to eat these as well, because they contain health-promoting secondary plant substances such as flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of antioxidants. Studies suggest they may reduce the risk of some cancers and cardiovascular disease. The white skin also contains fiber. These ensure good digestion.

Positive effect on blood values

A study suggests that an antioxidant complex in oranges called hesperidin can lower not only high blood pressure but also cholesterol levels. As part of a healthy diet, the study concludes, eating oranges can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Oranges are healthy, orange juice is healthier?

A 2015 University of Hohenheim study suggests that orange juice may be healthier than an unprocessed orange. The initiator of the study explains that the body can better absorb and utilize certain ingredients in the orange, including carotenoids and vitamin C, if the orange has been pressed beforehand. Although small amounts of these nutrients are lost during pressing, the improved availability apparently more than compensates for this effect.

However, it is important to buy direct juice from oranges and not to use orange nectar. This consists of orange juice diluted with water to which sugar has been added. In addition, you should only drink orange juice in moderation because, in addition to its healthy ingredients, it also contains a lot of sugar (eight to nine grams per 100 grams of juice).

Tip: It is best to press the orange juice yourself. It is particularly fresh and the vitamin C is retained. You also avoid packaging waste. If you still buy orange juice, look out for the Fairtrade seal.

Buy oranges: organic is better

As healthy as oranges are, something spoils their enjoyment. According to Ökotest, pesticides can be detected in every second orange. This is especially true for conventionally grown oranges. One or more particularly dangerous substances were found in almost all examined oranges from conventional cultivation – for example imazalil, an antifungal agent that is suspected of being carcinogenic. You should therefore wash oranges thoroughly before eating them.

It is even more advisable to use organic oranges when shopping. According to the Ökotest, these are not or only slightly contaminated with pesticides. In addition, organic cultivation protects the environment and does not use any chemical-synthetic pesticides in cultivation.

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Steaming: That’s Why It’s so Healthy

Health, culinary delights and sustainability can be reconciled particularly well with steaming. In this article we will show you exactly what that means.

Steaming is a very gentle technique for preparing foods such as vegetables, mushrooms, fish and meat. The difference to other methods is that the food is in direct contact with a small amount of liquid and the resulting water vapor.

With steam cooking, for example, the food to be cooked is above the liquid and is only cooked by the rising steam. When cooking, on the other hand, the food is completely under water.

The art of steaming and its benefits

Steaming has two advantages:

Firstly, valuable vitamins and minerals, as well as taste and color are better preserved. This is because they are not washed away by the cooking water or destroyed by excessive temperatures.
Secondly, steaming is relatively resource-efficient because you need little or no water, work under low to medium heat and the food can be ready after 3 to 15 minutes.
Basically, steaming has no disadvantages. With this method, it is just not possible for you to create roasted aromas from a taste point of view.

So that you can take advantage of all the advantages of this gentle method, it makes sense that you consume the liquid or use it as a basis for sauces. This is because dissolved nutrients and flavorings are also found in this at the end of the cooking process.

The three variants of steaming

Steam without adding liquid

The food to be cooked generates the liquid and the steam through its own juice. Accordingly, you need foods with a particularly high liquid content such as mushrooms, zucchini or frozen vegetables. A lid that closes well is particularly important here so that the water vapor cannot escape.

Steaming with addition of liquid

For foods with a lower liquid content, you should add some liquid so that your dish does not start to fry or even burn during the actual steaming process. This is especially true for root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and celeriac. You should also add some water to apples, broccoli or corn. In addition to water as a liquid, you can also use vegetable broth, wine, fruit juice or organic or plant-based milk. This will add extra flavor to your food.

Steaming with the addition of fat

Adding fat is another way to refine your food. The fat serves on the one hand as a flavor carrier and on the other hand as a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins. For example, you can use olive oil, organic butter, or vegan margarine. In the case of foods with a lower liquid content, you should make sure to add two to three tablespoons of liquid.

When steaming, you use relatively low temperatures and a lid so that the liquid cannot escape and there is a high level of moisture in the pot. You should also not use too much fat, so that in principle there is more liquid than fat. Overall, it will not be possible for your ingredients to start frying.

This is how you succeed in steaming particularly well

With the following rules of thumb, steaming will be particularly easy for you.

Use a rather wide and shallow pot.
Clean the food in advance and cut it into equal pieces. The smaller you cut your ingredients, the faster they’ll be done.
Do not lift the lid during the cooking time and shake the pot if necessary to mix the contents.
Don’t use extra water for frozen vegetables and don’t thaw them beforehand.
For harder foods, fill the pot with about an inch of liquid. These include vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, kohlrabi, broccoli and pumpkin. For softer foods, one to three tablespoons of water is enough. These include, for example, apples, spinach, kale or tomatoes.
Season your food with dried herbs before steaming. This way you can add more flavor and other health-promoting substances to your meal.
At the end of the cooking time, taste whether the contents are really done. Otherwise, let it simmer for a few more minutes.

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Coffee Tasting – That’s What Matters

What is a coffee tasting? You probably know the term whiskey tasting or wine tasting. Perhaps you have already taken part in one of these tastings? In principle, coffee is no different: a coffee tasting is a professional assessment of the quality of the coffee. And best of all, everyone can in principle do a tasting – you just have to be a coffee lover.

What is coffee cupping?

Look behind the scenes of coffee and learn more about the cultivation and processing of the popular hot drink through a professional coffee tasting. Coffee cupping – that’s what the coffee professional calls the process with which he checks and evaluates the quality of the coffee based on various criteria.

When it comes to coffee cupping, the aromatic scent of the coffee is just as important as its unmistakable taste. Coffee roasters usually conduct coffee tastings in order to compare different roasting profiles and assign a price to the coffee. However, some roasting companies also organize coffee cuppings to give their customers an overview of their coffee varieties and to present different varieties. During a professional coffee tasting you will get to know the subtle differences of the popular hot drink. And you will find out: not all coffee is created equal!

Host coffee cupping at home

You can easily organize a coffee tasting yourself at home. All you need are different types of coffee, coffee drinkers who are of course very willing to take part in the tasting, and our tips. It is important that all coffees that are to be tasted for the coffee cupping are prepared under the same conditions as possible.

That means: the same recipe, the same degree of grinding of the powder, the same water temperature and the same preparation. The ratio between coffee and water must also be consistent when tasting coffee. By the way: Bad coffee beans can significantly affect the end result. So make sure you always brew two different batches of the same coffee beans. The optimum tasting temperature is around 65°C. The coffee is spread gently on the tongue with a spoon and tasted. Can you identify the different aromas and flavors?

One last tip: In order to be able to evaluate neutrally when coffee cupping, it is important to take a break of 1-2 minutes after each round and to rinse your mouth with still water.

We hope you enjoy your coffee tasting!

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Magnesium Deficiency: That’s How Important Magnesium Is

Magnesium fulfills important tasks in the body. Utopia shows what effects it has, how to recognize a magnesium deficiency, why the deficiency is dangerous and which foods contain a lot of magnesium.
Magnesium is a mineral and part of the human body: In adults, the total content in the body is around 25 g. Most of it is found in the bones, muscles and soft tissue (fat, muscle and connective tissue). The human body depends on magnesium as a vital mineral: It is involved in numerous processes in the body. Therefore, it is important to get enough of this mineral in the diet and eat foods rich in magnesium.

What does the body need magnesium for?

Magnesium regulates a large number of biochemical processes in the human body: it is important for muscle contraction, cardiac activity, communication between nerve cells and between nerve and muscle cells. The mineral is also of great importance for fat and carbohydrate metabolism and is involved in the formation of bones and teeth.

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) revised the reference values for intake in 2021: Since there is currently insufficient study data, the DGE no longer specifies values as recommended intake, but estimates for an appropriate intake. For adults, these estimates are 350 mg per day for men and 300 mg per day for women. Lower values apply to children.

Which foods contain a lot of magnesium?

Many common foods contain magnesium. As a simple rule of thumb, whole grain products, nuts and seeds are rich in magnesium.

Contain the most magnesium:

  • Whole grain cereal products such as whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta
  • brown rice
  • Nuts, such as hazelnuts and cashews
  • Seeds and kernels such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed and sesame
  • Legumes such as peas, lentils, beans and soybeans
  • Leafy green vegetables like chard, spinach
  • cocoa powder and dark chocolate

If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and have whole grain products on your menu regularly, you have enough magnesium. Supplementing with food supplements is rarely necessary, since the vast majority of people in Germany are well supplied with magnesium.

What happens when there is a lack of magnesium?

In Germany, the lack of magnesium is most likely to occur in people with alcoholism. People who suffer from diseases of the digestive system (chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or a bile acid deficiency) are also at risk of deficiency: Gastrointestinal disorders such as acute or chronic diarrhea, vomiting, malabsorption or small intestine resections can disrupt the absorption or excretion of magnesium. In older people, medication for dehydration can also lead to increased excretion of magnesium.

The deficiency becomes apparent at very low serum concentrations of less than 0.5 mmol/l. When the body is deficient in magnesium, various symptoms occur:

loss of appetite
nausea
Vomit
Cramps and overstimulation of the muscles
numbness and tingling
drop in body temperature
Tiredness and general weakness
In the long term, a magnesium deficiency can lead to calcification of the blood vessels and kidneys. In addition, the connection between a lack of magnesium and disorders of the cardiovascular system is discussed.

Does Magnesium Help With Muscle Cramps?

Many people take magnesium supplements to prevent or treat muscle cramps, but does it really work? According to the DGE, there are no significant effects of taking magnesium on the severity and duration of nocturnal muscle cramps in adults.

In addition to a lack of magnesium, muscle cramps can have many other causes: It is often due to the muscles being under- or over-strained, for example through sport, a malposition or the wrong shoes. Muscle cramps can also be caused by insufficient fluid intake or electrolyte imbalances. In general, a medical examination is advisable in the case of frequent cramps in order to get to the bottom of the cause.

What happens when there is an oversupply of magnesium?

An oversupply of magnesium through food is very unlikely and no negative effects have been observed so far. However, when taking magnesium supplements, excessive intake of medication or reduced excretion, overdoses with unpleasant consequences can occur: Diarrhea and gastrointestinal complaints can occur from an additional magnesium intake of 300 mg per day. Higher doses can cause nausea, vomiting, and reddening of the skin. Doses of more than 2500 mg per day can lead to very dangerous side effects such as muscle weakness or a drop in blood pressure.

How do magnesium supplements perform in the test?

For complaints such as headaches, menstrual cramps or muscle cramps, many people use magnesium supplements – but that doesn’t really make sense: In a study, the consumer magazine Öko-Test did not rate a single one of the 24 tested preparations as recommendable. Öko-Test names the high dosage of the products as the main point of criticism: 17 of the products exceeded the maximum recommended quantity of 250 milligrams by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.

The lack of important information on intake, such as the lack of warnings, was also criticized. In addition, the study indicates that supplementing with food supplements usually only makes sense for people with an actual deficiency. Before taking magnesium supplements, it is therefore better to seek medical advice and then, if necessary, have an appropriate medication prescribed. As an alternative, Öko-Test also recommends a wholesome and balanced diet.

Does magnesium help against diseases?

Magnesium is associated with a variety of diseases – but what is actually behind it?

Does magnesium help against migraines and headaches?

Migraines and headaches are sometimes associated with magnesium deficiency. There are studies that have examined the connection – but the data is poor. It can definitely be worth a try for migraines, but you shouldn’t expect miracles: in people for whom magnesium helps with migraines, the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks are reduced somewhat – but the symptoms don’t go away.

Magnesium has a preventive effect against kidney stones

Anyone who has ever had kidney stones will never forget the pain! Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals in the kidney. They form when too many minerals get into the urine. They are usually so small that they are easily excreted. However, when they get bigger, they can block the ureter and cause severe pain. A magnesium-rich diet can prevent kidney stones: Magnesium inhibits the growth of calcium oxalate stones.

Magnesium can lower blood pressure

A meta-study examined whether magnesium affects blood pressure: It was shown that supplementation with magnesium has a positive effect on blood pressure – people with high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in particular can benefit from it.

Magnesium can prevent depression

Many people with depressive moods also suffer from nutrient deficiencies. In addition to vital and brain-relevant substances such as essential fatty acids and various vitamins, magnesium is also associated with depression. Deficiencies can promote depression and depressive moods. A balanced and healthy diet is also important for mental health.

Magnesium can help with tinnitus

Magnesium can be helpful against tinnitus: the mineral blocks a specific receptor on the cell membrane, so less calcium flows into the cell. This reduces cell damage to the auditory cells that could otherwise lead to tinnitus. Some tinnitus patients were able to achieve an improvement in this way. Magnesium can also help prevent exposure to noise, such as when going to a concert or shooting.

Magnesium for menstrual cramps

Magnesium can help against symptoms during menstruation: If you have problems with cramps during your period, you should make sure you are getting enough magnesium before you start bleeding. Cocoa powder, sesame, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and legumes should now be on the menu.

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Baking Soda Expired? That’s How Long the Most Important Baking Ingredients Really Have a Shelf Life

Expired baking soda is nothing to worry about because, like some other baking ingredients, you can use it past its sell-by date.

Baking powder expired: what to do?

If your baking powder has expired – according to the best-before date – you can still use it. After all, this date is only a recommendation. As long as food has a shelf life, you should use it. In this way you save garbage and counteract food waste.

Unsealed, dry foods such as baking powder can be kept almost indefinitely. So you can still use it months after the expiry date. However, once you open the packaging of the baking soda, its effects wear off after about a month.

For food of any kind, you can trust your senses. Take a close look at the respective product, smell it or try it. If nothing strikes you as odd, you can eat it. Anything that’s moldy goes in the trash.

Other baking ingredients: This is how long they can be kept

You can use your expired baking powder even after the best-before date has passed. The same applies to other baking ingredients. An overview:

Dry baking ingredients: Flour, baking powder, (vanilla) sugar and other dry baking ingredients can have a much longer shelf life than the best before date. However, one can distinguish again at this point:
Sugar can’t go bad. This is also the reason why it is often used to preserve foods such as jam.
In the case of flour and baking powder, on the other hand, the shelf life depends on the humidity as well as storage and packaging. Also, whole grains spoil faster because of their fat content.
Fresh baking ingredients: Fresh animal foods, such as eggs, are very delicate. Therefore, you should consume or process them as soon as possible. After the best before date has passed, it is advisable to heat the egg through. One method of finding out whether your raw egg is still good is an egg test: you put the egg in a glass of water. If the egg stays on the surface of the water, it is spoiled. You should also consume butter and milk in a timely manner. Tip: Animal baking ingredients often have a shorter shelf life than their plant-based alternatives. So feel free to use vegan margarine, aquafaba as an egg white substitute, and plant drinks as a milk substitute so that you can bake something with it for longer.


Nuts and Almonds: Whole nuts keep longer than grated ones. It is always advisable to smell the nuts and almonds and taste them if necessary. That way you can tell if they’re still good or not.
Chocolate and couverture: Dry and dark storage is important so that both chocolate and couverture last as long as possible. If you open the pack, it can be kept for another ten months, or up to 15 months for dark chocolate.
Spices: Spices should be treated in the same way as nuts and almonds, because whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon sticks or star anise have a longer shelf life than ground spices. Once you open the package of ground spices, you should use them within 6 months. Unopened, they will keep for about three years.

Tip: You can also freeze most fresh baking ingredients, vegan or not, to extend their shelf life.

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Lose Weight with Cinnamon: That’s What the Cinnamon Diet is All About

Lose weight with cinnamon? That’s not so far-fetched, because there are many health-promoting substances in the Christmas spice. But there are also a few things to consider. Learn more about the cinnamon diet here.

When it comes to cinnamon, few people immediately think of losing weight, but rather of Christmas cookies. Cinnamon also gives curries, homemade spice mixtures or chai lattes a special taste. The spice is made from the bark of the cinnamon tree, which belongs to the laurel family. Only two types of cinnamon are important here in Germany: Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon. You can find more information about the types of cinnamon here: Cinnamon: effects, ingredients and differences between the types.

Cinnamon is not only a delicious spice, but is also considered a medicinal plant. It contains many phytochemicals, can help to regulate blood sugar levels and is even said to be able to prevent cancer. Due to its ingredients, cinnamon can also help with weight loss.

How does cinnamon help you lose weight?

The cinnamon diet is touted in many lifestyle magazines. And not without good reason: In fact, there is evidence that cinnamon can help you lose weight – due to its ingredients and in connection with a balanced, healthy diet.

Cinnamon has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. Several studies have demonstrated this effect. Taking cinnamon lowers insulin levels and instead of breaking down sugar in the blood, it breaks down body fat.
Another study suggests that ingesting cinnamon causes the stomach to empty more slowly. As a result, the feeling of fullness lasts longer after meals and you eat less.
Cinnamon is considered a warming spice. The heat development in the body consumes additional energy and accordingly cinnamon could help with weight loss.

What you should consider with the cinnamon diet

Even small amounts of cinnamon (about one gram per day) are enough to maintain the health-promoting effects. The Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) recommends taking a maximum of two grams of cinnamon per day, as the spice contains a lot of the natural flavoring substance coumarin:

The lower-quality, cheaper cassia cinnamon in particular contains a lot of coumarin.
Some people are very sensitive to taking coumarin. Coumarin is also suspected of causing liver damage. The Federal Center for Risk Assessment (BfR) has therefore set a maximum amount of two grams of (cassia) cinnamon per day for adults (with a body weight of around 60 kilos). However, this is a guideline for daily, continuous intake.
If you do not consume cinnamon regularly, according to the BfR, it should be harmless to your health to exceed the amount of two grams. The common household cinnamon is also classified as generally harmless.
If you consume cinnamon regularly (e.g. with the cinnamon diet), the BfZE recommends buying higher-quality Ceylon cinnamon, as it has a lower coumarin content.
Pregnant women in particular are advised not to take too much cinnamon.
If you want to lose weight with cinnamon, we therefore recommend that you use Ceylon cinnamon – and not overdo it with the amounts of the spice.

Lose weight with cinnamon – that’s how it works

The most important thing first: If you want to lose weight with cinnamon, you should only do so in combination with a balanced and healthy diet. You can use the 10 rules for a balanced diet as a guide. In addition, sufficient exercise and sport is just as important.

For the cinnamon diet, you only need to include the spice in your daily menu. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day is enough. Since the spice goes with many dishes and drinks, it is not difficult:

You can mix cinnamon, water, and honey to make a drink that aids in digestion and helps burn fat.
Cinnamon is also a great addition to your morning coffee. By the way: There are also great regional alternatives to coffee.
Whether porridge, fruit salad or smoothie: Most sweet dishes taste great with a pinch of cinnamon. Of course, the spice also goes well with cakes and biscuits.
Cinnamon also goes well with hearty dishes such as a delicious pumpkin curry.
By the way: We at Utopia advise you to question diets. Do you want to lose weight in order to conform to a certain socially propagated ideal of beauty? Then think again. It is important that you feel comfortable in your body.

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Brussels Sprouts are Healthy: That’s Why You Should Eat the Regional Winter Vegetable More Often

What makes Brussels sprouts so healthy is not only plenty of vitamin C. When bought regionally, the winter vegetable is also a sustainable food.

Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous family and have been cultivated in Europe for around 200 years. At that time, farmers in Belgium began to grow the cabbage variety – which is why the florets are also called “Brussels cabbage”.

Brussels sprouts are a particularly digestible variety of cabbage that usually does not cause bloating or abdominal pain. Its strong aromatic flavor becomes milder after the first frost: then the sugar content increases and the cabbage tastes sweeter and less bitter. But whether strong or mild – Brussels sprouts are always healthy.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy thanks to vitamins and minerals

Numerous important vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy (data from the USDA per 100g):

Vitamin C (85 mg) strengthens the body’s defences. 100 grams of Brussels sprouts contain about 85 milligrams of vitamin C.
Vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg) strengthens the immune system, among other things.
Vitamin A (38 micrograms) primarily supports bone formation, the skin and visual performance.
Vitamin K (177 micrograms) regulates cell growth and is important for blood clotting. Attention: Vitamin K inhibits the effect of vitamin K antagonists, which are contained in some medicines. If you are taking such medications, you should not consume too much vitamin K.
Potassium (389 mg) controls the transmission of stimuli in our muscles.
Calcium (42 mg) strengthens our bones and teeth.
Iron (1.4 mg) primarily transports oxygen in the blood.
According to research by the NDR, the vitamin C content in frozen Brussels sprouts is higher than in fresh ones. It depends on what “fresh” means. If you harvest Brussels sprouts in your garden and process them directly, the vitamin C content will be higher than fresh Brussels sprouts that have been stored in the cold store for some time and have been transported.

Brussels sprouts as part of a healthy diet

Not only the high amount of vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy. It also contains other substances that promote our health:

Bitter substances stimulate digestion and soothe the gastric mucosa. They can even relieve mild abdominal pain.
Together with iron and vitamin B, folic acid (folate) promotes healthy blood formation.
Studies indicate that Brussels sprouts may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

With just under four grams of protein and fiber per 100 grams, Brussels sprouts not only provide important energy, but also fill you up in the long term and get your digestion going.

So it pays to include Brussels sprouts in your diet. Especially in winter it is an important supplier of health-promoting substances: it is one of the few regional vegetables that are still growing.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy and sustainable winter vegetables

Healthy Brussels sprouts are in season from November to January. It is a good alternative to vegetables that have to be imported from warmer regions in winter. However, only around 15 percent of the Brussels sprouts in the supermarket come from Germany. The rest comes mainly from the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and France. Regional Brussels sprouts have a low carbon footprint, making them a sustainable food.

Tip: When shopping, pay attention to where the Brussels sprouts come from. At weekly markets or in organic supermarkets you can often find fresh Brussels sprouts on a stick from local farmers and you can shop regionally.

Cook Brussels sprouts properly

Its valuable ingredients make Brussels sprouts so healthy. To preserve them, you should prepare Brussels sprouts as fresh as possible. When buying, make sure that the florets are firm and light green. At room temperature, the florets wilt quickly. They will keep in the fridge for several days if you wrap them in a damp cloth.

Before processing Brussels sprouts, first remove yellow or loose leaves. Then you should clean the Brussels sprouts, remove the stalks and cut them in a cross shape. This way they cook evenly. Then you can prepare the florets:

Blanch Brussels sprouts: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the Brussels sprouts. Leave it in the boiling water for about three minutes. Then drain it and let it cool in ice water for another three minutes. You can freeze blanched Brussels sprouts.
Boil and prepare Brussels sprouts: Place the florets in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and put a lid on the pot. After five to seven minutes the cabbage will be al dente.
You can process the cooked florets as you wish – let yourself be inspired by our healthy Brussels sprouts recipes, for example.

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Boil Carrots: That’s Why It’s Better Than Eating Them Raw

When you cook carrots, you ensure that your body can better utilize the healthy nutrients. Here you can find out what else you should consider when preparing carrots.

Vitamins and nutrients in carrots – It depends on the cooking

Carrots taste wonderful in a salad or as a snack between meals. But did you know that their valuable ingredients can be utilized even better by your body with the right preparation method?

A study conducted in Sweden in 2012 examined how the availability of the healthy, fat-soluble carotene varies depending on how it is prepared. The conclusion was that both adding fat and cooking the carrots made the valuable ingredients easier for the body to utilize. Above all, however, chopping the vegetables has a positive effect on availability, as reported by ZEIT online.

According to the study, around three percent of the carotene in whole or roughly chopped carrots passes into the gastric juice.
By cooking, the amount can be increased to six percent.
By adding additional oil, the value increased to eight percent.
However, if the carrots were strained or grated before consumption, the value increased many times over: the availability of beta-carotene in boiled and grated carrots increased to a full 27 percent. With additional oil, the value even increased to 45 percent.

Boil the carrots or cook them in a sieve

In order to preserve as many of the healthy ingredients in the carrots as possible during cooking, you should cook them as gently as possible. That’s how it’s done:

Using a vegetable brush and water, scrub the carrots thoroughly to free them from soil.
Cut off the base of the leafy greens and the carrot into small pieces – as you need them for the dish.
Just barely cover the vegetables in the pot with water. The carrots don’t have to be completely immersed in water to cook, as the vitamins are lost in large quantities in the cooking water.
Steam cooking with a sieve insert is even gentler. This allows the carrots to lie in the sieve without coming into contact with the cooking water. Vitamins and nutrients are optimally preserved. Make sure to close the pot and sieve insert with a suitable lid. This will ensure that the steam cooks the carrots properly.
The cooking time in the sieve insert is slightly longer than when cooking in water. Depending on the size of the pieces, carrots require between 10 and 15 minutes. Before the time is up, test your carrots for consistency by puncturing them with a sharp knife. Anything you like is allowed! If you prefer your carrots to be soft, let them cook a little longer. If you like them crispier, shorten the time accordingly.


Season the carrots with as little salt as possible. Salt removes water from the carrots and thus the healthy nutrients.
Tip: Use carrots from organic farming. It has been scientifically proven that organic vegetables and fruit contain more vitamins than conventionally farmed vegetables. Enjoy your meal!

 

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Leftover Mulled Wine? That’s How You Use Them

There are a number of ways you can use mulled wine. We’ll give you an overview of how to incorporate the leftovers when cooking and baking and present a quick and easy recipe for mulled wine jelly.

As a seasonal specialty, mulled wine is mainly popular during the cold season. When it gets warmer again, the desire for the hot drink gradually decreases and whole or opened bottles are often left behind. But even after a convivial winter evening, the question can sometimes arise the next day as to how leftover mulled wine can still be used.

Whether the leftovers are whole bottles or just small leftovers, you don’t have to throw them away. Even a few tablespoons can still be useful when baking. Here you can find out what options you have for using mulled wine in the kitchen.

Use mulled wine: Various possibilities

Christmas pastries are particularly good for using up leftover mulled wine. After all, mulled wine contains spices such as cinnamon, cloves or orange peel and therefore goes well with recipes that use similar combinations of spices.

You can add a special touch to a simple frosting by mixing it with mulled wine instead of water. Traditionally, such a mulled wine icing goes well with spice cakes, for example. You can also use it to glaze gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread or other Christmas cookies.
You can also refine the taste of the dough of a spice cake by replacing all or part of the water in the recipe with leftover mulled wine. This also works with other Christmas cake specialties or with classics such as Bundt cake and chocolate cake.
If you prefer to use the mulled wine in liquid form, it is a good basis for homemade sangria or a Christmas punch, for example. By the way: You can also use leftover punch in a similar way to leftover mulled wine by using it to refine pastries or desserts.
Mulled wine is also popular as a base for mousse. For example, in this recipe for gingerbread mousse, you can swap out the kirsch for the same amount of mulled wine. Or you prepare a classic red wine mousse with mulled wine.
Or you can try our simple recipe for mulled wine jelly.

Recipe for using mulled wine: mulled wine jelly

The basis for this recipe is 350 milliliters of mulled wine, i.e. about half a bottle. You can fill four small glasses (200 milliliters) with the finished jelly, for example. If you are working with leftovers, you can of course adjust the quantities and make more or less jelly accordingly.

Ingredients:

350 ml mulled wine
400 ml orange juice
500 g preserving sugar 2:1
1.5 tsp

Directions:

Pour the mulled wine and orange juice into a sufficiently large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
Stir the jam sugar into the boiling liquid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring constantly.
After ten minutes, reduce the heat to zero. The foam that forms during the boil should then collapse, leaving a clear jelly mass. You can skim off the remaining foam if necessary.
Pour the mulled wine jelly into sterilized glasses. Turn the jars upside down and let them cool in this position for at least 4 hours.

Unopened, stored in a cool and dark place, the mulled wine jelly will keep for at least six months. You can eat it pure on bread, but it also goes well with soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert or with strong hard cheeses.

If you want, you can refine the taste with additional Christmas spices. In the second step, for example, let a clove cook in a hanging sieve or add some grated orange zest. Instead of orange juice, you can use apple juice in the jelly.

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