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Pumpkin Seeds: They Are so Healthy

The fact that pumpkin seeds are so healthy is due to their valuable ingredients: They are not only a good source of vegetable protein, but also contain important vitamins and minerals. We give you an overview.

Pumpkin seeds are a regional superfood: You get them from local cultivation and they are full of valuable ingredients that promote your health. In this article you will find out what it is about in detail and what also makes the kernels healthy.

Nutritional values ​​of healthy pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds have many important nutrients to offer the body. Here you can find an overview of the nutritional values ​​of the healthy seeds.

Nutritional values ​​per 100 grams:

Calories: 547 kcal
Carbohydrates: 14.7 g
of which sugar: 1.3 g
Fiber: 6.5 g
Fat: 49g
Protein: 29.8 g

Pumpkin seeds can be a healthy source of protein, especially for people who eat a purely plant-based diet. Like other seeds and nuts, pumpkin seeds are also very nutrient dense. Therefore, you should not eat too many of them, even if they are healthy and delicious. The vegan food pyramid recommends consuming between 30 and 60 grams of nuts and seeds every day.

Pumpkin seeds have many important nutrients to offer the body. Here you can find them

Nutritional values ​​per 100 grams:
Calories: 547 kcal
Carbohydrates: 14.7 g
of which sugar: 1.3 g
Fiber: 6.5 g
Fat: 49g
Protein: 29.8 g

Pumpkin seeds can be a healthy source of protein, especially for people who eat a purely plant-based diet. Like other seeds and nuts, pumpkin seeds are also very nutrient dense. Therefore, you should not eat too many of them, even if they are healthy and delicious. The vegan food pyramid recommends consuming between 30 and 60 grams of nuts and seeds every day.

This is what makes pumpkin seeds so healthy

But pumpkin seeds are not only convincing because of their macronutrients – they are particularly healthy thanks to their valuable micronutrients.

beta carotene
B group vitamins
vitamin C
vitamin E
sodium
potassium
iron
copper
zinc
magnesium

The micronutrients contained in pumpkin seeds are important for your muscles, help with recovery after exercise, keep your bones strong and your heart healthy.

Other benefits of healthy pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds also provide other health benefits that are also scientifically proven.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants. These support your body in cell renewal, fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
In addition, pumpkin seeds have antimicrobial properties and thus support your immune system.
They also promote heart health and have a positive effect on blood lipid levels.
Pumpkin seeds contain so-called phytosterols. The substance has a similar effect to the male hormone testosterone and can have a supportive effect on mild prostate problems.

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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.

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Food

Storing Aubergines: This Way They Stay Fresh for a Long Time

If you want to store eggplants, you should consider a few things. In this article you will find out how to recognize fresh aubergines and at what temperature you should store them.

Although aubergines are warm-loving vegetables, they can only be stored for a limited time at room temperature. We explain how to store aubergines correctly and what you should pay attention to.

Aubergines belong to the nightshade family and originally come from India. Also known as eggplant, this vegetable is very common in Mediterranean cuisine. Aubergines come in many different colors and shapes, with the dark purple version being the most well-known in this country.

If possible, use organic aubergines for cooking: They are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides and come from more sustainable agriculture. If you get the aubergines from regional cultivation, you also avoid long, energy-intensive transport routes.

Aubergines are in season in Germany between August and October. You can get unpackaged organic aubergines at farmers’ markets, directly from farmers or in organic boxes.

Storing aubergines: You should pay attention to this

When you buy eggplants, you should pay attention to the quality and degree of ripeness. A ripe eggplant has a shiny skin and is firm. If you press gently, it gives slightly. If the aubergine doesn’t yield to pressure, it’s unripe and tasteless. On the other hand, if it is too soft, it will soon spoil. Aubergines taste best when you prepare them fresh. However, you should not eat eggplants raw.

How to store aubergines correctly:

Store eggplants in a dark, cool place in the pantry or basement. Temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius are well suited. Properly stored aubergines stay fresh for around three to four days.
The fridge is actually too cold for aubergines. If you don’t have a pantry or basement, you can still store the eggplants in the crisper of the refrigerator, which is better than storing them at room temperature. It is best to wrap the eggplants in paper to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, you can place them loosely in the crisper in your fridge. Aubergines stored in the refrigerator quickly become stained and soft. You should process them within a day or two.
Eggplants stored at room temperature are best prepared on the same day or the next day at the latest.
Don’t store eggplants near apples or tomatoes. The escaping ethylene allows the aubergines to ripen more quickly.

Store sliced aubergines

You can store cut aubergines in the fridge until the next day before they spoil.

Place the sliced eggplant in a sealable container.
Keep the container in the fridge and use the leftover eggplant quickly.
Then remove the dried part of the eggplant and wash the fruit thoroughly again.
Aubergine slices turn brown in the air within a short time. It is therefore better to overcook them immediately and not to keep them raw. You can store cooked aubergine dishes in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Store eggplants in the freezer

To store eggplants for a particularly long time, you should freeze them. Eggplants can be frozen for up to nine months.

Wash the eggplants thoroughly.
Cut the vegetables into cubes.
Blanch the eggplant pieces for three minutes.
Immediately cool the vegetables in ice water.
Drain the aubergine pieces well in a hair strainer. Alternatively, you can pat them dry with a tea towel.
Place the blanched cubes in a freezer container. You can also freeze aubergines in jars.
Label the freezer container so you can remember what’s inside later.
Also write the date. This will help you keep track of your freezer.
Frozen aubergines are particularly good for soups, sauces and spreads.

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Food

Storing Cucumbers: This Way They Stay Crisp for a Long Time

If you want to store cucumbers, you should consider a few things. In this article you will learn what you need to know to keep cucumbers fresh for a long time.

Cucumbers consist of 97 percent water and are therefore relatively sensitive. If you store them incorrectly, they are prone to staining and mildew. In this article you will get many tips on how to store cucumbers properly.

Since the micronutrients are concentrated in and under the skin, you should eat cucumbers unpeeled. Therefore, use cucumbers of organic quality: they are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides.

In Germany, cucumbers are in season between June and September. During this time they are available from regional cultivation. Regional products have shorter transport routes and therefore have a smaller CO2 footprint. You can get unpackaged organic cucumbers at farmer’s markets, from direct sellers in your area or in organic boxes. You can find more information about the season of different vegetables in the Utopia Seasonal Calendar.

Storing cucumbers: You should pay attention to this

It is best to buy cucumbers unpackaged. The plastic wrap is meant to protect the cucumber. However, sometimes the cucumber starts to mold faster due to the condensation under the foil because it is packed airtight. However, opinions differ on this. You can also read online that cucumbers wrapped in plastic wrap last longer. From the point of view of environmental protection, however, unpackaged cucumbers are preferable to those sealed in plastic. More about this here: What is more sustainable: organic or unpackaged?

How to store cucumbers correctly:

Store the cucumber in a dark and cool place in the pantry or basement. Cucumbers do well at temperatures between ten and 13 degrees Celsius. Properly stored cucumbers can be kept for up to three weeks.
If you don’t have a pantry or basement, store the cucumber in the crisper of your refrigerator. This is better than storing the cucumber at room temperature. Cucumbers only last four to five days in the fridge.
Stored at room temperature, you should use cucumbers within a day or two.
Avoid storing cucumbers near apples or tomatoes. The cucumbers ripen faster due to the escaping ethylene.
Because of the high water content, you should not freeze cucumbers. The cold destroys the cell structure and the cucumber becomes mushy.

Storing Cucumbers: Store chopped cucumbers

Once you cut the cucumber, you should use it as soon as possible.

Place the sliced cucumber in a sealable container. You can also store small leftover cucumbers in a jar.
Store the container in the refrigerator and use the cucumber within a day or two.
Before the next meal, remove the dried part of the cucumber and wash it thoroughly again.

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Food

Green Beans: They Have These Nutritional Values

With their good nutritional values, green beans are a healthy legume from the region. In this article you will find out which nutrients are in the beans and how healthy they are.

The green bean is also called garden bean or beans and grows as bush or pole beans. Originally from Latin America, it has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. As a legume, it binds nitrogen from the air with the help of bacteria on the roots, which is why it also thrives on nitrogen-poor soils.

As a regional legume, green beans are in season in Germany from July to October. We will explain to you what nutritional values are in the bean and how healthy it is.

Green beans: nutritional values ​​at a glance

Like all legumes, green beans are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber. In addition, the bean contains vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B7 and beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. When it comes to minerals, they contain significant amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. (Source: Apotheken Umschau)

Due to the high proportion of B vitamins, green beans contribute to a healthy metabolism and a strong nervous system. The minerals it contains are important for healthy muscles, bones and teeth. Green beans provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety, but can sometimes lead to flatulence and other digestive problems. Read the next section to find out how to prevent this.

Green beans – nutritional values per 100 grams:

Calories: 33 kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fat: traces
Egg white: 2.5 g
Minerals:

Potassium: 225 mg
Calcium: 65 mg
Magnesium: 25 mg
Phosphate: 35 mg
Beta carotene: 320 mcg
vitamins:

Vitamin B1: 76mcg
Vitamin B2: 111mcg
Vitamin B3: 570mcg
Vitamin B5: 500mcg
Vitamin B6: 264mcg
Vitamin B7: 7mcg
Vitamin B9: 56mcg
Vitamin C: 20 mg

Healthy beans: Important tips for preparation

In addition to the healthy nutritional values, green beans also contain lectins such as the protein phasin. This is difficult to digest and is considered toxic to humans. That’s why you should never eat green beans raw, but always cook or boil them sufficiently: heating destroys the dangerous protein compound. According to the Bavarian Consumer Advice Center, you should cook, boil or blanch green beans for at least ten minutes. Important: pour off the cooking water, as this is also poisonous.

To prevent digestive problems such as flatulence, you can add caraway and/or fennel (seeds) to the dish. Alternatively, you can also prepare a caraway tea or tea made from fennel or aniseed and drink it after the meal.

Recipe ideas: In separate articles we will show you how to prepare bean salad and other green bean recipes.

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Food

Kidney Beans: That’s How Healthy They Are

Kidney beans are a healthy and popular type of bean that can be used in a variety of dishes. Here you can read about the nutrients contained in red beans.

Kidney beans are best known as an ingredient in stews such as Chili sin Carne. Characteristic and eponymous is the shape, reminiscent of a kidney. This type of bean tastes mild, is quite soft and feels slightly floury in the mouth.

The red bean originally comes from Peru and is now cultivated in Africa, America and Asia. Kidney beans can be found in cans or jars in most supermarkets. They are also available as an uncooked, dried version in well-stocked supermarkets, health food stores or bulk shops. However, dried kidney beans must first be soaked for several hours and then boiled before they can be eaten. They are poisonous raw!

We recommend buying organic kidney beans. This way you can be sure that they have been grown free of synthetic chemical pesticides. Organic seals such as those from Bioland, Naturland or Demeter show you which products are certified.

These ingredients make kidney beans so healthy

Thanks to their ingredients, kidney beans are healthy and particularly valuable for various diets and requirements: This applies to vegetarians and vegans, but also to sports enthusiasts and pregnant women. Kidney beans are not only rich in fiber, protein and carbohydrates, they also provide important minerals and vitamins. At the same time, they only have a low fat content.

The nutritional values ​​of dried and pre-cooked kidney beans are slightly different. Since you also have to cook the dried beans before using them, this difference is not significant (see Institute for Nutritional Information). However, the longer you cook the beans, the more nutrients they lose. Keep this in mind with stews, for example, which often need to be simmered for a longer time for a better taste. The average calorie content of cooked kidney beans is about 100 kilocalories per 100 grams.

According to Geo Magazine and Food Data Central, the following minerals and vitamins make kidney beans a healthy food:

Potassium: important for central processes in the body such as heart function, nerve stimuli or the acid-base balance
Magnesium: important for energy metabolism and muscle building
Iron: Central to the transport of oxygen in the blood and the immune system
Vitamin B1: important for energy metabolism
Vitamin B6: important for fat metabolism, the nervous system and the immune system
It also contains significant amounts of biotin (good for skin and hair), folic acid (important for pregnancy) and vitamin B3 (important for various metabolic processes in the body).

All this makes kidney beans healthy. Note, however, that beans, like many other legumes, can cause flatulence. For a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.

Kidney bean recipes

Kidney beans are a healthy basis for a number of varied recipes:

Vegan hamburger
Vegan Meatballs
vegan brownies
Mexican bean paste
Chili sin carne

Mix them into a green salad or prepare a bean salad similar to the kidney bean salad.
If you buy canned kidney beans from a can or jar, you can continue to use the rather thick liquid in which the beans are soaked. If you boil dried beans yourself, you can use the cooking water (not the soaking water!). Bean water is often used as aquafaba to make vegan egg whites or as an egg white substitute.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Peppers: This is How They Stay Delicious

To keep peppers fresh and crisp for a long time, you can freeze the delicious vegetables. Here we explain what you should pay attention to and how to do it without plastic.

Freezing peppers: how it works

Whether as a side dish in a pasta sauce or as a healthy snack in between: paprika can be used in many ways. However, you should use up the crunchy vegetables within a few days. If you want to store peppers longer, you can freeze them.

Prep: Unlike other vegetables, you don’t need to blanch peppers beforehand. You don’t have to skin the peppers either.

This is how easy it is to freeze peppers:

Wash the peppers thoroughly.
Cut them into smaller pieces. For example, you can cut the peppers lengthwise into thin strips and then dice them further.
Put the chunks of pepper in a small tin and store them in the freezer.

Alternatives to plastic

Freezing peppers or other vegetables in plastic bags is often recommended. However, we recommend avoiding plastic as far as possible. There are some greener alternatives to plastic freezer bags:

You can use lunch boxes made of wood or glass several times.
Stainless steel cans are also suitable for freezing vegetables.
You can also freeze peppers in glasses (e.g. washed jam jars).
You can even freeze peppers in cotton or jute bags. You should first pat them as dry as possible with a kitchen towel.
By the way: A great alternative to freezing is to soak peppers in oil or vinegar. This way the vegetables will last longer.

 

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Cooking Tips

Sunflower Seeds: Why They are so Healthy

Sunflower seeds are healthy because they contain many important nutrients. However, you should not eat sunflower seeds in large quantities. The reason: the omega-6 fatty acids.

Sunflower seeds: healthy and crunchy

Sunflower seeds are a real superfood that comes from Germany. Long transport routes and CO2 emissions do not usually arise for them – good for the CO2 footprint. In the supermarket, however, there are often sunflower seeds from abroad. Therefore, take a close look at the package when you buy the cores. They are very healthy because they contain many minerals, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and proteins.

Nutritional values of sunflower seeds per 100g:

Calories: 557 kcal/ 2,334 KJ
Carbohydrates: 11.4 g
of which sugar: 2.9 g
Fiber: 6 g
Fat: 47g
Protein: 19 g
Sunflower seeds are also rich in:

Magnesium (336mg)
Vitamin E (38.8 mg)
Vitamin B1 (1.9mg)
B3 (11.2mg)
B6 (1.3mg). Just 60 grams cover the daily requirement of vitamin B1.
Iron, copper and zinc are also abundant in the cores.

Sunflower seeds: Rich in unsaturated fatty acids

About half of the sunflower seeds consist of fats. However, these are quite healthy fats:

90 percent of the fats contained are unsaturated fatty acids. As a result, the body does not produce harmful LDL cholesterol, which doctors blame for various diseases.
Unsaturated fat can help you lose weight, a 2015 study confirms. Sunflower seeds also have a favorable nutrient ratio: since they contain only a few carbohydrates, the body draws its energy mainly from the proteins and fats it contains.
Tip: So that the sunflower seeds do not go rancid after a while, you should store them in a dark place and seal them airtight. A screw-top jar, for example, is ideal.

Omega-6 fats in sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are rich in omega-6 solids. These are unsaturated fatty acids that are found in many plant and animal products. They’re not inherently unhealthy, but you need to consume them in the right ratio to omega-3 fatty acids. According to one study, a good ratio is between 2:1 and 5:1. However, omega-3 fatty acids are only found in a few foods – for example in fish and flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Omega 6, on the other hand, is contained in many foods – especially in meat or many vegetable oils.

The sunflower seeds increase the amount of omega-6 fatty acids and you should eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids to compensate. You can do this, for example, by mixing flaxseeds in addition to sunflower seeds in your muesli, or by sprinkling linseed oil over the finished muesli. However, it is best if you eat sunflower seeds in small amounts. This way you benefit from the healthy nutrients without consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids.

Use sunflower seeds: 3 ideas

You can use sunflower seeds in many ways, they taste delicious not only in muesli. Here are three ideas on how to incorporate sunflower seeds into your meals:

Homemade Bread: You can mix the sunflower seeds into the batter or sprinkle them over the bread before it goes into the oven.
Salad: Seeds always go well in a green salad. In addition to sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are suitable as a crunchy and healthy topping.
Bread topping: Sunflower seeds are a good base for homemade vegan spreads. For example, try these spread recipes.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Pasta: This is How They Stay Delicious

Freezing pasta is a good solution if you misjudged your cooking. Here you can find out what you should keep in mind so that they still taste good after defrosting.

If you ever have pasta left over after cooking and eating, you don’t have to throw them away. They don’t last long in the fridge either. All the better that you can also simply freeze pasta.

Freezing pasta: This is how you prepare the pasta

Before you freeze pasta, there are a few things you should do to prepare.

Let the leftover pasta cool completely.
Pour into a container suitable for freezing. In order to protect the environment, you should not use single-use plastic utensils. You can easily freeze pasta without plastic using mason jars or stainless steel cans.
A cotton bag is best for freezing noodles: Fill it up and lay it flat in the freezer – this is how you get a noodle sheet. From this you can easily break out the required portions later.
Tip: To prevent the noodles from freezing into a large, indivisible lump, you can toss them in a little oil beforehand. Wet them well and then pour them into the jar.

Freeze and thaw pasta

Then store your pasta in your freezer or freezer.

By the way: If you are still looking for an energy-efficient appliance, take a look at our best list of freezers.

You then have a number of options for defrosting the frozen pasta:

Moisten the noodles with a little water and briefly heat them in the microwave.
Put the frozen noodles in lukewarm water and slowly thaw them.
To keep them tasting freshly cooked, simply place the frozen noodles in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
Tip: You can also freeze leftover sauce in a separate container.

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Cooking Tips

Freezing Currants: This is How They Taste Best

As soon as they are ripe in summer, you can freeze currants in advance. That way you can still have some of the delicious fruit for the rest of the year.

Red, black or white currants grow in many gardens. Among other things, they contain a lot of vitamin C and, with their sour taste, are a great ingredient in sweet pastries. You can just as well use them to make jam or jelly, or add them to your muesli in the morning. Like the other berries, currants are sensitive. Therefore, you should process or freeze them within a few days of picking them.

Cook currants

How to cook the currants for freezing:

Discard unripe or mushy fruit.
Wash the berries. Make sure the water pressure is not too high, as the currants are delicate.
Dry the berries.
Now remove the berries from the panicles. If you do this before washing, the berries will leak juice through the resulting cracks in the skin. You can easily scrape the berries from the panicles with a fork.
Remove any remaining stalks.

Pre-freeze currants

Pre-freeze the berries so that you can thaw them individually later. To do this, place the currants not too close together on a large plate or tray and place it in the freezer for one to two hours. If you don’t have enough space for this, you can also freeze the berries in a jar and shake them carefully after an hour so that they separate.

After pre-freezing, you can put the currants in a freezer box (preferably made of glass) and freeze it. The fruits will keep for up to 12 months.

Defrost currants

Slowly thaw the berries before using them. So they lose little aroma. This works best if you first let the berries thaw in the refrigerator and then thaw them completely at room temperature.

Defrosting the currants will make them a little mushy. You can then no longer use them as well as decoration, for example for cakes. But they are still good for:

Compote, currant jam and currant jelly
currant syrup
Currant cake, in which the berries are baked in the batter
muesli or porridge
milkshakes or smoothies
fruit sauces

Alternative: Freeze currant puree

You can also process the currants into a puree with a little powdered sugar or agave syrup before freezing and freeze it without pre-freezing. Small molds are particularly suitable for this. This way you can defrost the puree in portions.

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