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According to a recent study, there is a link between regular consumption of goji berries and protection against age-related vision loss. The study results give reason to hope that a cure for the disease is within reach.

170 million people worldwide lose the ability to recognize faces

“AMD affects the central field of vision and can affect the ability to read or recognize faces,” study author Glenn Yiu said in a press release. More than 170 million people worldwide are affected. The research team justifies the relevance of their study.

In their study, the researchers examined the connection between the consumption of 28 grams of goji berries five days a week by participants aged 45 to 65 and the density of the protective pigments in their eyes. If the study is successful, the density must increase. The test series lasted 90 days.

After 90 days, the researchers made positive discoveries. In 13 healthy participants, the density of the protective pigments in their eyes increased. In contrast, no such increase was observed in 14 participants who took a commercially available dietary supplement for eye health during the same period.

Lutein and zeaxanthin from the berries act as sunscreens for the eyes

The team reported that there was an increase in the pigments lutein and zeaxanthin as a result of eating the goji berries because the pigments are contained in high concentrations and were responsible for the beneficial effects. Said pigments filter harmful blue light and provide antioxidant protection. This helps protect the eyes from AMD during aging.

“Lutein and zeaxanthin are like sunscreens for the eyes,” explains study author Xiang Li. “The higher the levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina, the better the protection. Our study found that even in healthy eyes, these optical pigments carry through a small daily serving of goji berries can be increased.”

Unfortunately, the triggers of the disease are not always clear, because many factors are involved in the development of AMD. Therefore, the research team would like to conduct further studies in this area in order to get closer to the prevention and cure of AMD. “Our study shows that goji berries, which are a natural food source, can improve macular pigmentation in healthy participants beyond the intake of high-dose supplements. The next step in our research will be to examine goji berries in patients with early-stage AMD.” , says the study author.

For a long time, eggs were considered unhealthy: Harmful to the body, bad for blood lipid levels – but is that really true? A study has now shown that eggs are much better than their reputation. Here you can find out how healthy they are and what other myths you should know about.

Study from China: One egg a day reduces risk of stroke by a quarter

So far, eggs have had a reputation for promoting diseases such as heart attacks or strokes. They have been blamed for raising cholesterol levels in the body. The study by the researchers led by Liming Li contradicts this picture. Test persons who ate one egg a day had a 26 percent lower risk of suffering a stroke caused by a cerebral hemorrhage. The risk of cardiovascular disease fell by 18 percent in the experiment.

The researchers examined the data of 461,000 study participants. The result of the study contradicts earlier results and thus also the recommendations that the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), for example, adhered to for a long time.

For a long time, it was always advised to keep egg consumption low and eat a maximum of three eggs per week. This did not only mean the breakfast eggs, but any form of eggs, including processed ones, for example in pasta or mayonnaise.

Doubts about egg skepticism: “Currently no upper limit”

The study by the Chinese scientists is one of the more recent studies, all of which raise doubts about egg skepticism. While egg consumption alone has not been proven to reduce the risk of serious illnesses, such as heart attacks, the damage is unlikely to be as great as previously thought.

In the new rules for wholesome nutrition, which were updated in 2019, the DGE experts therefore deleted the egg warning. “Based on current scientific findings in connection with disease risks, no upper limit for egg consumption can currently be derived.

Eaten in moderation, eggs can complement the diet and be part of a wholesome diet,” explains the DGE on its website. If healthy people – for example at Easter – eat several eggs a day, this is probably not a health concern.

Egg Myths: Is Cholesterol Dangerous?

Some foods or their ingredients simply have a bad image – they are considered unhealthy or even harmful. One such substance is cholesterol – it is said to be dangerous. But is that actually true? Not per se, says Prof. Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen, head of the nutritional sciences department at the Medical Clinic for Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Cholesterol is a vital substance that is formed by the body itself. It is used for hormone and vitamin D formation. Cholesterol only becomes a problem when there is too much of it, explains Steinhagen-Thiessen. The recommendation for healthy people is: “No more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day” – that’s about the equivalent of a hen’s egg. The body needs cholesterol. Among other things, it smuggles messenger substances into the cell membrane. This is why the body produces its own cholesterol, especially in the liver.

It becomes problematic “if someone takes in between 600 and 800 milligrams a day”. Eggs, butter, meat or sausage contain a lot of cholesterol: depending on its size, an egg contains around 250 milligrams.

Is egg white made of proteins – and is the color of the yolk important?

Yes, but not exclusively. Because the thin egg white – also known colloquially as albumen – contains 90 percent water. The rest are vitamins, minerals and proteins, which are also often called proteins. However, the protein content in the yolk is even higher than in the egg white.

The color of the yolk ranges from bright yellow to deep orange, depending on what the hen is feeding. However, this does not change anything in terms of taste, freshness, nutritional value or quality. For a dark egg yolk, which is particularly appreciated by consumers, producers sometimes mix natural colorings – so-called carotenoids – into the green fodder.

Why do hens lay white or brown eggs?

This is genetic. Eggs can be white, brown, greenish or reddish – depending on which color pigments are embedded in the calcareous shell. These come from special glands in the chicken that are responsible for shell formation. Red pigments come from the blood, yellow ones from the bile. If they mix, the result is brown.

And no, there is no connection between plumage and egg color. In order to be able to deduce the color of the shell from the appearance of the chickens, you have to take a closer look. Namely on the flaps of skin under the ear, the earlobes.

If these are white in purebred chickens, these are usually their eggs too. If they have red earlobes, the shell is usually brown.

Are brown eggs healthier – and are organic eggs mostly brown?

The variants do not differ in the composition of the nutrients. The fact that there are mainly brown organic eggs is mainly due to consumer habits: they still mostly associate white shells with cage farming.

This assumption is used by the poultry industry, in that mostly brown eggs are sold, while white eggs are more likely to be found in bakeries, canteen kitchens and food processing companies. In general, there are fewer white specimens in Germany anyway – according to the Central Association of the German Poultry Industry, seven out of ten eggs are brown.
It is different in many Scandinavian countries, for example: According to the association, buyers there prefer white eggs.

Good news for egg lovers: hormones make you feel full

One advantage of eggs cannot be denied: They keep you full for longer because the body releases a satiety hormone when you eat eggs.

Eggs usually last past the best before date. How to recognize a fresh egg, how to store it and what to watch out for when processing it.

What you need to know about the shelf life of eggs

According to German regulations, eggs can be kept for at least 28 days. And even then they are often still edible. Because the egg has its own protective mechanism. The shell and yolk membrane protect it from germs. By storing eggs in the refrigerator, they will stay fresh for about two to four weeks longer. From the 18th day at the latest, however, the egg should be cooled to around 7 degrees Celsius. How can I tell if an egg is still good?

As with all food, human senses are the worst enemies of spoiled food. If you crack a bad egg, you will probably notice it right away from the foul smell. If the egg doesn’t smell like anything, it’s still good. But there is another trick to spotting a rotten egg. Place the egg in a bowl of water. Does the egg sink to the bottom? Then everything is fine. If the egg stands up, it should be eaten as soon as possible, if it floats on the surface, it is bad.

If you want to process eggs raw, for example for a delicious tiramisu or a homemade mayonnaise, use fresh eggs to be on the safe side. They should not be older than 18 days. After this time, you can still eat the egg with a clear conscience if it has been boiled or heated. After all, a cake, biscuit or fried eggs are also delicious.

Oatmeal is a true superfood, keeps you full for a long time and can help you lose weight. With this variant you can also boost fat burning.

Oatmeal is considered a superfood – why?

Oatmeal (Avena sativa) is tasty and versatile. As a low-gluten grain, they are also very trendy. They enhance your muesli, add the right bite to patties, can be baked into bread and rolls or provide sweet moments as delicious oatmeal biscuits. Despite their high calorie content, around 350 kilocalories per 100 grams, they can help you lose weight. In addition to the good taste, the crushed cereal grains also contain a lot of healthy nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals.

These healthy ingredients are found in oats
Complex carbohydrates keep you full longer because our body needs more time to digest long-chain carbohydrates. As a result, stomach emptying is much slower and you feel full longer. In addition, the blood sugar level rises only slowly and less insulin is required.
Dietary fibers are largely indigestible food components that swell up in the stomach and bind water. Oatmeal contains about 10 grams of dietary fiber in the form of pectin and cellulose for every 100 grams. These serve as food for the beneficial intestinal bacteria. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends that adults consume at least 30 grams of fiber per day.
Beta-glucan is a soluble dietary fiber that forms a kind of protective film on the stomach and intestinal mucosa. Studies show that beta-glucan has a positive effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The oat diet has also proven to be very effective for controlling blood sugar levels. The health-promoting properties of beta-glucans from oats and barley have been sufficiently proven in studies. Corresponding health claims (health-related information) have been approved by the European Commission and included in the positive list of permitted health-related information.
Minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc, manganese and selenium provide the body with an extra portion of important micronutrients.
Vitamins, of which the high content of B vitamins stands out, support important body processes.

This is how oats become a fat burner

To boost your fat digestion, you should include oat bran in your diet, which consists only of parts of the whole oat grain. Oat bran consists of the oat seedling and the outer layers of the endosperm. It is more like a coarse, coarsely ground flour and has a slightly nutty taste. The benefits of oat bran are:
Oat bran contains 15 grams of fiber per 100 grams, which is 50% more fiber than the pressed whole grain oatmeal.
Oat bran also has fewer calories (240 to 330 kilocalories per 100 grams) than oatmeal.
Oat bran contains less fat than oatmeal.
Oat bran contains more beta-glucan than oatmeal.
Although oat bran doesn’t contain all of the oat grain, it has most of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber of an oat grain, but fewer carbohydrates.
Oat bran is not very tasty on its own. But you can refine your muesli wonderfully with it. To increase the protein content here, it is best to combine oat bran with yoghurt, chia seeds or nuts. This automatically reduces the proportion of carbohydrates and you support fat burning. You can achieve an additional fat burner effect by adding spices such as ginger or cinnamon. If you also mix your oat bran muesli with water instead of milk, you save even more calories. But oat bran is also very valuable as a flour substitute when baking bread or biscuits and stirred into sauces.

Tips on buying and eating oatmeal and oat bran

Prefer organic quality: In addition to the health benefits, oat bran is also a very cheap food. Even in organic quality, oat bran remains affordable and long delivery routes are eliminated due to regional cultivation. The consumer magazine Öko-Test repeatedly finds impurities in oatmeal. In addition to glyphosate, these also include mold toxins, mineral oil and nickel. Among the oat flakes rated “very good” all of the first five places were organic products.
Increase fluid intake: Oat bran swells in the stomach, so it also increases stool volume and stimulates bowel movements. That’s why it’s very important that you drink enough fluids, otherwise constipation or, in the worst case, an intestinal blockage can occur.
Increase the amount slowly: You should also slowly get your body used to the higher fiber content, otherwise digestive problems such as flatulence can occur.
Be careful with digestive problems and allergies: If you suffer from swallowing problems or constrictions in the digestive tract, you should avoid oat bran.
If you are allergic to oats, eating oat bran is also not recommended.
If you suffer from celiac disease (gluten intolerance), you can use non-contaminated, gluten-free oats, which must be marked with the crossed-out ear of corn symbol.

Fruit juices are known to provide you with many healthy nutrients. This also includes the so-called mother juices: They are made from acidic fruit varieties.

Worth knowing about mother juices

In principle, all fruit and not-from-concentrate juices, including mother juice, have a fruit content of 100%. This is even regulated by law: apart from the fruit, there must be no other ingredients in a fruit juice.

This type of juice is called mother juice because it comes from the first pressing. It is therefore often referred to as pure direct juice. The fruits are pressed once and briefly and gently pasteurized so that most of the natural, healthy ingredients are retained. The same applies to fruit juices and other not-from-concentrate juices: These too are only pasteurized gently and briefly, so that the loss of nutrients is minimised.

The advantage of this production method is that you can benefit from all the nutrients and vitamins of the fruit to the maximum. Depending on the variety, the fruits contain numerous antioxidants, secondary plant substances, vitamins A, E, C, B1, B2 and B6 as well as the minerals phosphorus, magnesium and iron. These ingredients strengthen your immune system, can prevent nutrient deficiencies, have an anti-inflammatory effect and protect against free radicals. Currently there are no studies that prove this effect of the mother juices; however, you can be sure of the many healthy ingredients.

Mother Juices – derived from acidic fruit varieties

Mother juices are derived from acidic fruit varieties. These include, for example, cranberries, cranberries, elderberries, pomegranates, sea buckthorn or black currants. Not everyone likes the taste of pure mother juices: They usually taste a bit more sour and bitter than well-known fruit juices. It is a good idea to dilute the juices slightly with water or process them in a smoothie or jelly.

A mother juice is also often the basis for a fruit nectar, often with the addition of water, sugar or honey for a sweeter taste. Due to the positive effect on health, it makes sense to integrate fruit juices and thus also mother juices into your diet and to enjoy them from time to time.

Tip: When buying, you should pay attention to organic quality; This is the only way you can be sure that no chemical plant products were used during cultivation.

Fruitarians are people who follow a fruit-based vegetarian diet. In this article you will learn more about this nutritional concept.

Fruitarian: meaning

Frutarianism is one of many possible diets. “Frutarian” is a made-up word derived from English. “fruit” and “vegetarian” became “fruitarian”, from which the Germanized version “Frutarier” developed. This term was used as early as 1893.

Fruitarians strive to feed themselves only on plant products that have been obtained without damaging the plant. These are mainly fruit, nuts and seeds

Fruitarians: motives and health aspects

Similar to vegetarians, fruitarians are also concerned with preventing non-natural deaths. Vegetarians attribute this right to animals. Fruitarians go one step further and also want to protect plants as far as possible.

Fruits contain an enormous amount of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. However, a purely fruity diet also entails dangers. So you absorb fewer proteins, vitamin B12, iron, iodine and calcium. These are mainly found in animal products such as meat, cheese or eggs. Some voices also warn against too much fructose. Pregnant women, the sick, breastfeeding women, children and competitive athletes in particular are therefore advised against a purely fruit-based diet.

Freezing cherries is a good solution when you have too many left over to eat them all fresh. We’ll show you what you should consider when freezing the sweet fruits.

Freezing cherries – the preparation

Leftover cherries can be easily frozen and stored for more than ten months. Nothing can go wrong if you follow these five steps:

select cherries
In principle, cherries do not ripen after they have been harvested, so you should not choose cherries that are too light or overripe for freezing.

wash cherries
Wash the cherries in a bucket or sink, then drain and dry well.

remove stems
Once the cherries are dry, the stems should be removed. This step is mandatory, but you have the choice of whether or not you also pit the cherries. The fact that they can then be processed further speaks for freezing without a core. However, less juice is lost if you freeze them with stone. If you let them thaw briefly after you take them out of the freezer, the core can still be removed easily.

Freeze cherries: first of all, shock-freeze

shock freezing
Before you completely freeze the cherries, you should definitely do this intermediate step. The shock freezing ensures that the cherries do not later freeze into a large lump. This keeps them crunchy even after thawing. Shock freezing also preserves more vitamins, since the faster freezing forms smaller ice crystals, which are well distributed in the cherry. How it works:

Add the cherries one by one
Then put them in the freezer or in the freezer compartment of your fridge for two hours at the highest level.
Freeze
The last step follows: the actual freezing.
Now fill your cherries in containers and store them in your freezer.
In order to protect the environment, you should not use plastic utensils, especially not disposable plastic (such as freezer bags). Instead, try mason jars or stainless steel cans, for example. Cotton bags are also ideal.

Fresh mushrooms can spoil quickly in the wrong conditions. Here you can find out how to store mushrooms correctly and make them last longer.

Mushrooms are perishable

Mushrooms can be harvested all year round and can be used in a variety of ways – whether in the vegetable pan, on the grill or simply raw. Anyone who has ever bought mushrooms in the usual plastic bowl and put them in the fridge knows their disadvantage: the mushrooms start to mold and smell unpleasant after a short time. They end up in organic waste. With a few simple tricks you can extend the shelf life of the mushrooms.

How to store mushrooms correctly

First you should free the mushrooms from the coarsest dirt. Never wash them under running water, it is better to wipe them off with kitchen paper or a tea towel. You can also clean them with a brush.
Mushrooms keep longer in cooler temperatures, so it’s best to store them in the crisper in the fridge.
Condensation forms quickly in closed plastic bowls or bags, from which the mushrooms become mushy and go moldy more easily. It is therefore better to store the mushrooms in a paper bag or in a dry and clean tea towel – it is important that they get air.
It is advisable not to store the mushrooms next to other odorous foods, as they easily absorb foreign odors and thus lose their typical mushroom taste.
You can tell that mushrooms are spoiled by the open, darkly discolored slats on the underside of the head. Brownish bruises often form and the stem also turns brown.
With these tips, the mushrooms should stay fresh for at least three days. Even after that, they are usually still edible, but they no longer taste as good as the fresh mushrooms.

It is best to buy mushrooms only as needed

If you can’t harvest your own mushrooms, you can often find loose mushrooms at the market or in a health food store. On the one hand, you avoid the plastic packaging and, on the other hand, you can determine the amount of mushrooms yourself. If you do have too many mushrooms left, you can also preserve them by either drying or freezing them and then using them as needed.

Macronutrients from food provide us with energy. We will explain to you which substances are involved, how best to take them and how they work.

What are macronutrients?

The nutrients that humans can consume through food are divided into micro and macro nutrients. The body needs these nutrients to grow and stay healthy.

The macronutrients are the substances that the body absolutely needs for its energy supply. You should therefore make sure that you always consume enough macronutrients. The macronutrients include:
carbohydrates and fiber,
Fats (lipids) and
Proteins (proteins).
Sometimes alcohol is also counted among the macronutrients because the body can also use it to generate energy. However, this does not mean the alcohol that you consume through alcoholic beverages, but the alcohol that is part of some important fatty acids.

Carbohydrates – the body’s most important source of energy

Carbohydrates provide your body with the most energy. They also serve as scaffolding substances for the carbon skeletons needed for amino acids. According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition e.V.), about half of the nutrient intake should consist of carbohydrates. With an average energy requirement of 2000 calories, this corresponds to around 250-360 grams of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are divided into three major groups:
Simple sugars such as glucose
Disaccharides such as lactose
Polysaccharides, such as starch and fiber
Simple sugars are absorbed directly by the body and the blood sugar level rises quickly. Multi-chain carbohydrates (multiple sugars), on the other hand, first have to be broken down again because the body can only use simple sugars directly. This is why polysaccharides in particular serve to provide the body with long-term energy.

The right dosage of carbohydrates

You should primarily consume polychain carbohydrates, i.e. multiple sugars, with your food. The World Health Organization recommends that no more than 10% of carbohydrate intake should be made up of simple sugars.

When too much simple sugar is ingested in the diet, the body cannot process it all at once and stores it in the liver and muscles. If the supply of glucose is too high, it is metabolized into fat.

However, if you eat too few carbohydrates through your diet, it can happen that your body converts protein to carbohydrates instead and then not enough protein is available for the body. You should therefore always ensure a balanced diet.

The best carbohydrate suppliers

Depending on the type of carbohydrates, you can use different foods:
Simple sugars: You can consume simple sugars in the form of fructose and glucose, for example through fruit. A simple sugar in milk sugar, galactose, is found primarily in milk and milk products. From an ecological point of view, you should make sure to shop locally and seasonally. You can also pay attention to organic quality, especially with fruit and milk.
Double sugar: You can find double sugar in common household sugar and all products containing it, as well as e.g. beet sugar in the form of sucrose. It also includes lactose from dairy products and maltose from beer.
Polysaccharides: One of the most important carbohydrates is polychain starch. Examples of starchy foods are cereals, potatoes, vegetables and legumes. These foods also contain a lot of important fiber. Dietary fiber is particularly important for digestion. Meat with a high muscle content also contains polysaccharides in the form of glycogen. When shopping, please make sure that you use sustainable and organic products whenever possible.
The following foods are recommended for the right carbohydrate supply:
fruit and vegetables
Grain
potatoes
legumes
Dairy products

Fats – the all-rounders

Fats serve as a source of energy for your body because they contain the most energy per gram (approx. 9 calories per gram). In addition, fats have a protective function for organs, support the absorption of fat-soluble substances such as vitamins and are a flavor carrier. In addition, fats store energy in the form of fat deposits and serve as a building material for the body’s cells.

According to the DGE, around 25-30% of the energy intake should come from fats. This corresponds to an intake of approx. 65 grams of fat per day with an energy intake of 2000 calories per day.

There are different types of fat that can also be absorbed and processed differently by the body.

Fats include:
animal and vegetable fats
Fats with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids

The different fatty acids

Saturated fats are mainly found in animal foods such as butter and cheese. Your body can produce saturated fatty acids itself, so they don’t have to be ingested in large amounts through food.
Monounsaturated fatty acids are mainly contained in vegetable oils. They can also be produced by your body itself and ensure that the blood lipid level is kept constant.
Polysaturated fatty acids or essential fatty acids cannot be produced by your body itself and must therefore be supplied through food. The omega-3 fatty acids and the omega-6 fatty acids play a particularly important role. The essential fats are largely responsible for the function of your organism. They are found in oils, nuts and leafy vegetables, as well as in meat, butter or egg yolks.
Trans fats are a by-product of fat hardening and are found in margarine, shortenings and products containing them, such as chips, convenience foods or cookies. According to the German Society for Fat Science e.V., an excessive intake of such trans fatty acids increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Chives are one of the most popular kitchen herbs. Here you can find out what you should consider if you want to freeze chives. With our tips, the leeks stay fresh and tasty.

Freezing chives: you should know that

Fresh chives refine many dishes with their slightly spicy note. However, the popular kitchen herb is only in season from April to October. The rest of the year, chives come from greenhouses, which use a lot of energy. In addition, the leek plant usually has long transport routes behind it in the colder months.

To be able to use chives with a clear conscience outside of the season, you can freeze them in the summer. In this way, it retains its characteristic taste and nutrients. Important: Harvest the chives before they bloom. After flowering, the culms tend to be bitter and less aromatic. In this article you will learn how you can easily grow herbs yourself. Alternatively, you can buy organic chives at the weekly market or in the organic shop and freeze them.

How to prepare for freezing:
Wash the chives.
Dry it thoroughly with a tea towel. This is important, otherwise it will clump together when frozen and you won’t be able to use smaller portions.
Cut the chives into small rings. You shouldn’t freeze whole straws, as they may stick together. Use sharp scissors to chop. If you chop the chives with a knife, the stalks will crush and lose their flavor.

Freeze chives without waste: Here’s how

You can use a plastic container or an old plastic bag as a freezer container for freezing chives if you have one at home. Important: In order to avoid the production of new plastic, you should not buy classic freezer bags. In another article you will find out what else you can do to reduce your plastic waste. But plastic cans or bags that you have already used can also be contaminated with pollutants.

It is therefore best if you reuse a disposable screw-top jar for freezing. Glasses that are as round and straight as possible with a wide opening are suitable for this. You can simply fill the chopped chives into the jar and store it screwed on in the freezer. Glass lunch boxes work just as well.

You should consider this if you want to use the frozen chives:
Make sure that you only interrupt the cold chain for a very short time. If the chives are thawing, they will become mushy and clumpy if you refreeze them.
Only use the chives when they are frozen: if the chives are thawed beforehand, the cell walls will burst and they will lose their aroma.