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New Beauty Trend 2022: How Acid Should Care For Your Hair

Long and healthy hair is still the ideal of beauty for many women and men. But conventional shampoos often do not bring the desired success, which is why alternatives are worth a look.

Hair shampoos in the test – that says Stiftung Warentest

Stiftung Warentest regularly examines several shampoos and compares them in terms of effectiveness, the cost factor and the environmental aspect. In 2020, 18 shampoos and hair soaps were tested, including seven natural cosmetics. A total of 14 performed well, three were satisfactory and one was just sufficient. Big price differences were still noticeable, the products cost between 1 and 38 cents per hair wash. A shampoo, on the other hand, turned out to be a sham.

A new trend is currently noticeable, so-called “hair soaps*” made from oils or fats “saponified” from lye are becoming increasingly popular. In principle, such solid shampoos work no differently than liquid shampoos, they have only been deprived of water and then formed. Most liquid shampoos performed well across the board, while hair soaps performed slightly worse. The problem, however, is that these can form whitish residues when washing. The result is swelling hair that is difficult to comb. A rinse made of vinegar and water, also known as an “acidic rinse”, helps against this so-called “lime soap”. This form of hair washing has been propagated, among other things, since 2014 as the so-called “No poo” movement, which originated in the USA and today has numerous followers and groups worldwide. There are several forms of exercise, one of the most popular being washing your hair with vinegar.

But how healthy is acetic acid for hair and scalp? Does it even damage the hair in the long run and what can you do about the acidic smell?

Beautiful hair: the “no poo” movement

“No poo” simply means to wash your hair without shampoo. Shampoos are said to damage the hair, and the substances and chemicals they contain can potentially make you sick. There is also concern that conventional shampoos remove the scalp’s natural oils, thereby drying out the hair and scalp.

The movement emerged in 2014 and today there are various forms of it. One group rejects any means for the hair and only cleans it with water. Another group uses baking soda in place of shampoo and apple cider vinegar as a supplemental conditioner. The third group consists of self-mixed remedies, for example made from rye flour, eggs, clay or beer.

Since the current beauty trend in terms of hair care products is propagating apple cider vinegar, this technique is briefly presented below. Because the scalp is naturally slightly acidic (hair pH is around 5.5, well in the mid-range), acidifying hair is all about lowering the pH of the scalp and hair. This care treatment is intended to give the hair strands more shine and smoothness and to prevent the hair from charging by closing the cuticle layer and smoothing the hair structure. Numerous external influences can also negatively affect the natural pH value of the scalp and hair, which is why it is advisable to avoid using products with a basic pH value such as children’s shampoos, industrial hair masks and conditioners, cleaning shampoos and hair coloring products and to use natural products instead . What is meant here is above all the “sour rinse” (rinse = English for conditioner), which is used like a conventional hair conditioner

Preparation of the “sour rinse”

The preparation of the conditioner is simple and uncomplicated. The first treatment can also start with a tablespoon of vinegar. For this purpose, the hair is washed with normal shampoo beforehand, whereby a hair care product made from organic and natural ingredients should promise more success, since the chemicals contained in normal shampoos are said to damage the structure. After washing the hair, the acidic rinse is poured over the hair, which does not have to be rinsed out again. Once the hair dries, the vinegar smell will dissipate. If the smell is too strong, a few drops of essential oils can help. In addition to apple cider vinegar, other types of vinegar such as balsamic vinegar, herbal vinegar and lemon juice or citric acid can also be used. Be careful with citric acid, half a teaspoon is enough.

Another non-chemical, vinegar-based hair treatment is a combination of baking soda and vinegar. The shampoo is made from the apple cider vinegar and water, and the neutralizing solution is made from the baking soda and water. Instead of the shampoo, the hair is washed with a baking soda solution to neutralize the scalp and to loosen the oil from the scalp. The sodium hydroxide solution makes the skin alkaline, which then has to be balanced out with the acetic acid.

Even if this procedure is simple and good for the hair, the smell is a disadvantage. In terms of combability, the vinegar treatment is not necessarily recommended for all hair types and is particularly suitable for straight hair. In the case of hair with natural frizz and curls, however, combing it out afterwards is very painful. Another glaring problem with using baking soda is that baking soda can actively damage the scalp and hair. Also, the natural pH level could be compromised by the highly alkaline baking soda, which can lead to scalp and hair damage over time.

problem

So one of the most popular “No Poo” methods is acidifying your hair with a vinegar solution. As mentioned, there are pros and cons here. Anyone who likes to use natural care products and can handle them well should rely on a conditioner with vinegar. However, there is not enough evidence of how beneficial this procedure is for the entire hair structure in the long term. The effectiveness of other forms of care such as egg or beer rinses against problems such as dandruff, itching and dryness has not yet been successfully confirmed.

Although there was a time in Europe when body odors were highly regarded and even encouraged by a lack of personal hygiene, most people are now used to noticing pleasant smells in their counterparts. The natural body odor is less socially acceptable today and is suppressed or covered up with all conceivable methods. Without sufficient care, the hair also begins to smell unpleasantly after a few weeks, since the scalp sebum smells like rancid butter after a while. Some people are very prone to greasy dandruff and irritated scalps, which are made worse by winter and stress. If such a predisposition is present, it is even necessary to use a medicinal shampoo with an antifungal substance. This can prevent certain organic germs from growing. If you fail to do this or if you don’t wash your hair at all instead, it can develop into a massively itchy scalp surface covered with a shell-like crust of scales, from which more and more hair gradually falls out.

Some popular “no poo” methods have been shown to actually damage and irritate the hair and scalp. The oil residue on the scalp can change and oxidize, causing the oil to break down into foul-smelling by-products and causing an itchy and flaky scalp. In fact, pH is not the only reason for hair health, while some problems such as skin irritations, dandruff or allergies can be treated with a pH-adjusted shampoo, it is not the solution to all hair problems. Dermatologists continue to give the all-clear when it comes to naming the body’s own fat production on the scalp as a reason for not shampooing, because the body produces the same amount of scalp fat relatively constantly, regardless of how often and intensively the hair is treated with a conventional shampoo to wash.

Conclusion

Dermatologists are concerned that nowadays hair is washed too often and products with inappropriate ingredients are often used. In particular, allergy sufferers and people with a sensitive scalp should avoid certain ingredients (such as dyes and preservatives, cocamidopropyl betaine, parabens or silicones). Although silicones make the hair shiny and supple, there is a risk of clogging the open scalp pores and follicle openings, so that a reasonable exchange of substances through the scalp can no longer take place.

Hair specialists recommend using a mild shampoo* to wash your head every 2-3 days. In addition, the water should not be too hot, lukewarm is fine. A moderate heat should also be used when blow-drying. The use of organic products can be added as a supplement, for example in the form of a night cap with olive oil to strengthen dry or flaky scalps.

The best remedy for clean hair and a well-groomed scalp is still a good shampoo and conditioner. Modern shampoos are designed to remove scalp oils and dirt without attacking the natural layer of moisture. That is why it is even important for the scalp and hair to get rid of excess oil regularly.

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health

Walking Barefoot: Healthier Than Shoes? The Trend Brings These Benefits

Is running barefoot really healthier than wearing athletic shoes made specifically for running? And what are the advantages of walking barefoot anyway?

Walking barefoot is healthy – say experts

For example, “In Form” describes that walking barefoot would strengthen the foot muscles. The explanation: Since the human foot is designed in such a way that the entire body weight is cushioned with every step, more foot muscles are trained. In shoes, on the other hand, freedom of movement is significantly restricted, which means that fewer muscles can be stressed. Daniel Bürkner, master orthopedic shoemaker from Berlin and Vice President of the Central Association of Orthopedic Shoe Technology (ZVOS) sees it similarly. “The foot is trained and kept in its original form. Because humans are barefoot walkers,” he explains.

However, there is still insufficient scientific evidence for this. For example, a study by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) in 2013 examined the differences between runners who did sport for eight weeks with shoes and eight weeks without them. However, the result was “not statistically significant”. This means: A clear advantage or disadvantage of walking barefoot could neither be confirmed nor disproved. Nevertheless, the scientists conclude, this does not mean that walking barefoot cannot bring health benefits. Rather, they assume that “it may take months or years to see changes.” Therefore, the short course of this study may not be sufficient.

A study by the scientist “Tony Lin-Wei Chena” and his team, consisting of experts from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the “Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation” at Harvard Medical School and Harvard, gives a little more information about the actual effect University. They measured “intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscle volume using MRI scans” at the beginning and end of the six-month trial. It was tested on a total of 38 study participants. And the results are quite promising: In runners who had switched from their conventional shoes to either very light shoes or no shoes at all, the volume of the leg and foot muscles increased.

Train the sense of touch of the feet – and relieve the back at the same time

The expert Daniel Bürkner explains these advantages to Womens Health as follows: “If you walk with rigid soles under your feet, you put your foot flat with your heel, the muscles of the forefoot and midfoot are hardly challenged. When walking barefoot, on the other hand, the front one springs Part of the foot absorbs the impact, reducing stress on the joints from the toe, ankle, knee, hip and back.”

In addition, the sense of touch of the feet should be able to be trained when walking without shoes. That describes “In Shape”. “The sensory feedback when walking barefoot encourages the feet to land more carefully in order to reduce the impact forces,” explains Thomas Hahn’s editorial team. This changes the running style almost automatically. So, instead of just the heel, put the whole foot on the ground. Bürkner explains: “Ideally, with every step you consciously roll off your heel onto the ball of your foot. Similar to a marionette that is pulled up by its head with strings.”

Barefoot walking has other positive aspects to offer. This is how you can protect yourself from infections when walking barefoot. Among other things, foot or nail fungus diseases. They occur because there is almost no exchange of air in the warm, humid environment of sturdy shoes. If you walk barefoot more often, your feet can dry better. In addition, regular barefoot walking should improve blood circulation in the feet. This also counteracts a potential fungal disease.

Barefoot walkers injured less often? Study creates clarity

Barefoot walkers are also said to have a lower risk of injury. However, the studies have not been clear on this so far. The British journal of sports medicine has researched this alleged benefit. For a year they accompanied 201 athletes. 107 barefoot runners and 94 runners with shoes. Fewer diagnosed injuries to the musculoskeletal system of the runners were found in the barefoot group – however, the injury rates did not differ statistically significantly between the groups examined. The researchers found that the barefoot group ran fewer miles than the runners in shoes. They also suffered a higher number of sole injuries.

The researchers also found that there was a greater number of calf injuries but a lower number of knee and hip injuries in the barefoot group. There were also significantly fewer cases of plantar fasciitis (painful inflammation of the soles of the feet) among the barefoot runners than among the group with shoes.

The doctor Oliver Tobolski from Sporthomedic Cologne sees the benefits of walking barefoot as extremely profitable, but also warns against too much euphoria. Because practicing barefoot walking takes time. The foot muscles first have to get used to new forms of stress slowly. In addition, the foot muscles do not develop overnight. “Please start very gently, initially only short distances and only on soft, natural surfaces,” advises Tobolski to FitforFun.

This also applies to experienced runners. According to the expert, they have to be particularly careful because the actually positive effect could be reversed by the different running habit. According to Tobolski, runners who run more than three times a week should only run barefoot once. Ideally, you should regularly alternate between walking barefoot and wearing shoes. This is the best way to train the inner foot muscles.

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Lifestyle

Lose Weight With Hula Hoops: This is How The Pounds Melt Off Thanks to The Trend Sport

One fitness device for at home is particularly popular: the hula hoop. We reveal how you can train and lose weight effectively with “Hooping”.

More than just weight loss: That’s how effective training with the tire is

Many people who do sports do not only train to cover their weekly recommended active time, but are looking for a solution to lose weight quickly and sustainably. On her website, Haschke points out that many of her clients and Huller enthusiasts have already used the hoop to get fitter. To do this, she documents before and after pictures on the website – as living proof that this sport can really be used effectively to lose weight – coupled with the right diet.

How fast and how much you lose weight is individual. But what is safe to say is that you can burn between 400 and 600 calories in an hour of hooping. It’s about the same as jogging or other endurance sports. However, hulling can be the more varied sport, since the workouts can be more varied than a jogging session. That’s why hulling is a good alternative, especially for people who don’t like running.

Another study on this subject came to a similarly positive conclusion. The researchers also found out that training with the tire not only strengthens the stomach – it also trains the back, buttocks, thighs and pelvic floor. Precisely because of the strengthening of the pelvic floor, midwives recommend hulling to mothers in the recovery phase. But the hula hoop is also useful for a straight posture and more body tension.

Improving posture: Sport not only trains the abdomen

“Not only the lower back is trained, but also the back extensors, and that makes the entire posture more upright. A stable center is important for our well-being and our mental fitness,” says hula hoop trainer Elli Haschke in a telephone interview with the world .

As with any sport, hulling releases endorphins, relieves tension and puts you in a good mood. Finding your own flow can also be a great exercise to clear your head, says the hula hoop trainer. She herself does it everywhere, when shopping online, reading, watching TV and even when playing with her children. Also, many tires are collapsible and portable – making them more convenient than rigid gym equipment. This is exactly what makes the trend so appealing: You can incorporate it into your daily routine at any time. And best of all: There are no maintenance costs or monthly fees.

Anyone who wants to try this trend is faced with the following questions: What do I have to pay attention to when training after I have bought a tire? And: How do you distinguish a good hula hoop from a bad one? “Unfortunately, there is a lot of junk being offered at the moment because all dealers want to ride with the wave. But an unstable, wobbly tire is difficult to keep up, so motivation is quickly lost. Good manufacturers are, for example, Swingfit, Proiron or Resultsport – but currently they are often sold out “, says Haschke. The expert recommends waiting until a high-quality tire is available again rather than buying another of inferior quality.

Fitness trend: This is something to look out for when buying a hula hoop

For adults, hoops with diameters of 90 to 110 centimeters are common – the hula hoops from the toy store for children are not a good option here. For the average adult, these are too light and almost impossible to hold on the waist due to the small diameter. The rule of thumb for the perfect hoop is: the diameter of the hoop should correspond to the distance between your toes and your navel.

As far as weight is concerned, it is important not to use tires that are too heavy. For beginners, the effort is still too great to keep the sports equipment up for the entire duration of the training – without losing form and technique. However, the hoop must not be too light either, because the weight determines how strong the centrifugal forces are – the higher the centrifugal forces, the easier it is to hold the hoop up. The expert recommends using a 1.2 kg tire for beginners under 80 kg. With a body weight between 80 and 100 kilograms, one that weighs 1.5 kilograms and heavier people should then use a tire with 2 kilograms.

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Food

Bubble Tea: Harmless Trend Drink or Dangerous Calorie Bomb?

The colorful drink from 2010 is back: bubble tea. Experts have re-examined the drink on this occasion – and warn of the consequences for health.

Carcinogenic substances? That’s what the experts say

Although it has long been very widespread in Asia and regularly consumed with meals there, the hype first came to us in 2010. The drink was very popular at the time, but quickly fell into disrepute due to rumors about harmful ingredients. The turning point shortly before the pandemic: Bubble tea celebrated its comeback and is more popular than ever. One more reason for researchers to take a closer look at the drink.

As the portal Mimikama mentions, the allegations regarding the harmful ingredients are said to have been refuted beyond a doubt. Deutschlandfunk also writes that no carcinogenic substances were found when the ingredients were examined more closely. Nevertheless, both agree that the drink should be enjoyed with caution, because the drink is one thing above all: sweet.

Although the investigations did not find any direct dangerous ingredients, it was found that a large part of the drink consists of sugar and sweeteners. The sweetener acesulfame was also found, although this was often not specified.

Sugar, sugar, sugar and sweetener on top

So why you shouldn’t overdo it with bubble teas is the enormous number of calories that the “drink” brings with it. These quickly range from 300 to 500 calories, replacing a full meal. It is therefore better for people who are overweight or have previous health problems to avoid it. Nevertheless, with a general balanced diet, it shouldn’t be a problem to drink a bubble tea from time to time. Nevertheless, consumer protection warns against children consuming Asian tea. Because with a sugar content of 180 grams per liter, a risk of addiction cannot be ruled out.

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Food

Lectin: A Real Threat or a Trend?

Does lectin in vegetables make you sick? A new diet describes almost all types of vegetables as harmful because they contain the protein substance. We took a closer look at the nutrition trend.

Lectin – the indigestible protective shield of plants

Lectins are protein compounds found in pretty much all plants and animals. Their tasks are very different – however, some plants have developed special lectins that are supposed to protect them from predators: If humans or animals eat these plants, the indigestible proteins enter the body via the intestine. The effects vary greatly depending on the type of lectin: most often they cause headaches, vomiting, or diarrhea – others can even be fatal. They can also influence our metabolism, for example by encouraging the body to store more fat in the cells.

Nevertheless, the plant substance does not have to be dangerous: In an MDR report, nutritionists give the all-clear – most lectins break down when exposed to heat. So they are harmless in cooked vegetables.

The American heart surgeon Dr. However, Steven Guntry believes the lectin in our food is the root cause of many diseases. He sees a connection between the substances and obesity, heart attacks, diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.

Lectin-free diet: These foods are both forbidden and allowed

What’s left is a short list of lectin-free foods:
The basis is a lot of lettuce, green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils. Cabbage, fennel, asparagus or seaweed are also permitted.
Some seasonal fruit is allowed for a change. dr Guntry recommends buying fruit only when it is in season, because that is when the most naturally ripe fruit is sold. He takes a critical view of airborne goods: Here the fruit is often harvested too early and then ripened with chemicals – as he writes in his book. The lectin content is therefore higher.
Meat, poultry or fish, on the other hand, should only be eaten rarely. dr Gundry recommends wild animals or animals that are not fed concentrates. The additional feed often consists of soybean oilseed and contains lectin, which should also accumulate in the meat of the animal.
Compared to the permitted foods, the prohibited list is much longer and includes, among other things:
Many cereals, rice, soy or potatoes
Beans, peas and lentils
Lots of vegetables including tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers
Most types of nuts

Lectin in Vegetables: Does it Really Make You Sick?

Extensive research reports on lectin in food have existed for decades. However, we have known for a long time how to deal with the substances: Traditional recipes explain how to prepare vegetables in a healthy way – this way we can easily render lectins and other food toxins harmless.

One example, which MDR also reports, are red runner beans: like all legumes, including peas and soybeans, they contain the lectin phasin. This substance causes our blood to clot – so just a few fire beans can be deadly. Cooked well, however, they are completely harmless. The one from Dr. So Guntry’s forbidden vegetables are easy to detoxify.

So why the strict ban?

dr Guntry sees lectin as a trigger for autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, asthma, rheumatism, celiac disease and Alzheimer’s. He assumes that residues that we ingest with food thicken our blood and accumulate in various places in our body. Whether his thesis is correct is disputed. Some studies support his views that lectins can be harmful to the human body and suggest a link to rheumatism. Other results seem to prove the opposite: they show how vegetables can be used to treat diseases such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes and also help to reduce weight. In addition, according to the German Society for Nutrition, vitamins and fiber in vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.

It has also been proven that a change in diet or a diet in which only very few foods are allowed for a short time is good for the body. It represents one of the foundations of Indian Ayurveda or traditional Chinese medicine (TMC), which is also supported by current researchers at the Imanuel Clinic in Berlin and the Karl and Veronika Carstens Foundation.

But beware: These restrictive diets are therapies for diseases and should not be permanent nutritional recommendations.

This is also the conclusion of the experts in the MDR report: As long as you don’t have any symptoms, eat as much fruit and vegetables as you want and what you like. Just pay attention to the correct preparation and the organic quality of the products.

Special case: lectin in wheat

dr Guntry tested how his body reacts when he eats whole grain cereals, lots of fruit and vegetables. According to his own statements, he soon gained weight, his cholesterol level and high blood pressure rose.

How can that be? In the MDR, the experts emphasize that everyone has an individual metabolism and therefore reacts differently to food. Research on wheat lectin is also contradictory: US researchers examined the effect of wheat lectin on metabolism. They report that lectin promotes increased fat storage in the cells via the insulin receptors – but the British Medical Journal reports on the health benefits of whole grains – and that it protects against obesity, among other things.

So should you eat whole grains, right? Perhaps it helps to know that not all whole grain products contain the same amount of lectin: MDR experts admit that large quantities of incorrectly processed whole grain can be harmful. The heat in the oven cannot harm the wheat lectin, only the usual fermentation in old bread recipes decomposes the lectin. Thus, traditionally made bread should contain less lectin than industrially manufactured baked goods.

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Food

Coconut Water: 5 Unpleasant Facts About The Trend Drink

Coconut water is the new in drink for athletes, figure-conscious people and friends of healthy eating. But what about the new super drink, is coconut water really that healthy? A fact check.

Stars and starlets are seen with the new fitness drink and supposedly can no longer do without coconut water when exercising. The super drink appears as a natural variant of isotonic sports drinks full of minerals, does not contain many calories and has a long tradition as a regionally available soft drink in the countries of origin of the coconut.

What sounds very good at first glance has a few small snags at second glance.

1. Coconut water doesn’t taste like coconut.

Coconut water should not be confused with coconut milk, which has long been known in this country. This is very fatty, is obtained from the flesh of ripe coconuts and plays a central role in Asian and Caribbean cuisine.

In contrast, coconut water is obtained from the unripe, still green coconut. To do this, a hole is drilled into the nut and the liquid in it, i.e. the coconut water, is sucked out. In Southeast Asia or the Caribbean, often just a straw is put through the opening and the coconut liquid is drunk directly from the green fruit.

Like water, coconut water is also a clear to slightly cloudy liquid that tastes only very slightly half-sour, half-sweet – but without the typical coconut note. As is well known, one can argue about taste, but I bet: ginger water or homemade lemonades taste better.

2. Nutritional values ​​& calories: Coconut water does not make you slim.

The drink made from the coconut is said to be better than any sports drink in terms of mineral content.

Well, that’s not entirely true. In fact, coconut water is very high in potassium, which is heavily lost through sweating and needs to be replaced. And the sodium, calcium and magnesium content is also considerable and roughly corresponds to that of mineral water.

Proteins and vitamins, on the other hand, are hardly included. As an untreated natural product, the energy content of coconut water fluctuates between 15 and 20 kcal per 100 ml – for a sports drink it makes sense to supply energy while you are exercising. It makes less sense as a wellness drink if you don’t really do sports.

Because of its calorie content, the coconut drink is only suitable as a slimming product to a limited extent: one liter of the liquid corresponds to 200 kcal. Lost electrolytes can be replaced with good mineral water to save calories.

It has not yet been possible to prove that coconut water stimulates the metabolism. Coconut water is not a “slimming agent”. A 2016 study found no significant differences for measured physiological variables, including rehydration during exercise.

3. Health: Coconut water is overhyped.

There are many claims about the health-promoting effects of water.

Coconut water is said to stimulate the metabolism,
help with detoxification
promote cell renewal
calm the stomach and
help against high blood pressure and heart disease.
However, these claims are not or not sufficiently supported by studies. A positive effect on health may exist, but it has not been proven.

However, the very digestible coconut water is not directly harmful, not even for small children. And compared to an artificially concocted “isotonic drink,” it may be a better choice, especially if it’s organic. However, coconut water does harm us indirectly – through its ecological footprint (see 5.).

4. Buy: Coconut water is very expensive.

Thanks to the hype, coconut water is now available on practically every corner. Whether in the supermarket, health food store, health food store, drugstore, discounter, online shop or Asian store – water can almost always be found on the shelves in different flavors. You should only ever buy organic products.

However, the natural thirst quencher is quite expensive: you pay around 1.80 euros for around 300 ml. In view of the low health effects (see above) and the problems of sustainability (see below), however, one should think twice about simply spending the money on regional and seasonal fruit and vegetables. Contains just as many nutrients, but costs less – and creates less waste.

5. The life cycle assessment of coconut water: not great

Coconuts only grow in distant regions of the world. They therefore have long transport routes behind them when they arrive in Germany, leaving a large ecological footprint. If you first transport the nuts to the factories to obtain the coconut water and then to Germany as a finished product, the balance is even worse. Each tetrapak of coconut water not only comes with a tetrapak to throw away, but also a gas bill for shipping.

In other words, coconut water is a fairly superfluous wellness product.

The fact that it is sold almost everywhere as an organic product does not change that. Yes: Organic is the content. But the small plastic bottles and tetra packs, mostly with a content of only about 300 ml, cause the mountains of rubbish to grow, with or without organic, and it doesn’t help the environment that organic goods have to be carted here from the other end of the world (as long as we don’t do consistently with regenerative energies).

We don’t want to spoil anyone’s occasional enjoyment of a coconut drink. However, coconut water is only ecologically harmless in one way: sipped directly from the tree from the nut. In our latitudes, however, it is nonsensical to the point of being environmentally harmful to buy and drink the coconut drink – even if it is organic.

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Sirtfood: How Useful is The Trend Diet?

Stay slim and young with Sirtfood: That is what a new and very popular diet promises – the Sirt diet. Here’s what’s behind the claims.

The principle of the sirt diet sounds simple: Eat sirt food, i.e. foods that activate so-called sirtuins in the body. Among other things, these proteins are supposed to stimulate the metabolism and help the body to build muscles. In addition, sirtuins are said to be involved in numerous protective and repair mechanisms of the body. That’s why Sirtfood not only makes you slimmer, but also healthier – at least that’s the promise.

What is sirt food?

Sirtfood is food that contains molecules that are thought to activate the body’s production of sirtuins. Scientists have identified 20 such molecules so far. These include, for example, resveratrol, a secondary plant substance that is found in red wine, among other things. In an experiment on cell cultures, scientists have managed to activate the sirtuin Sirt1 with the help of resveratrol.

Here is a selection of foods that contain possible sirtfood activators:
Vegetables: Greens, cabbage, legumes, radishes, onions, garlic
Fruit: citrus fruits, apples, apricots, cherries, plums, grapes, berries
Spices: Chili, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Tonka Bean, Licorice
Cashews
black, white and green tea, coffee
red wine
cocoa
Basically, the diet consists of eating as many of these foods as possible – but of course not mainly red wine and chocolate.

This is how the Sirt diet works

There are several guides that suggest slightly different variations of the Sirt diet. This is how the diet works:
For the first three days, you’re only consuming 1,000 calories a day. You divide this into a meal rich in sirt food and three juices or green smoothies, which you mix together from the vegetables and fruits from the list.
For the remaining four days of the first week, increase your calorie intake to 1500 calories per day (exactly how much varies from guide to guide). You are now allowed to eat two meals rich in sirt food and drink two smoothies.
The guides then recommend continuing to eat a lot of sirt food and incorporating one or two juices a day. There are different statements as to whether you should further restrict your calorie requirements or not. Ultimately, that depends on how much weight you want to lose.

Sirtfood – the key to happiness?

This question has to be answered step by step. First of all, it is questionable whether the molecules that are supposed to activate sirtuins actually do so. Previous studies have been carried out on mice, yeast and cell cultures – it is not yet clear whether Sirtfood can also activate the sirtuins in the human body.

In addition, we know little about how the sirtuins – seven different ones have been identified in the human body – influence each other and whether there are “better” and “worse” sirtuins.
This leads to the second part of the question: How do sirtuins actually affect our body?
Sirtuins cleave certain chemical groups from some proteins: the acetyl groups. This is a signal to the body to boost metabolism. In this way, sirtuins are said to help with weight loss. In addition, scientists from the Max Planck Society have found, among other things, that increased activity of Sirt1 in mice causes them to break down fat.
A team of Japanese scientists has discovered that the sirtuin Sirt2 regulates glucose metabolism. It could therefore play an important role in diabetes therapies.
In general, sirtuins are said to be involved in numerous protective and repair mechanisms in the body and in this way reduce the risk of many diseases and even increase life expectancy. However, a lot of research still needs to be done in this area.
So there are many hopeful reports on sirtuins – but also a lot of research is still needed.

Is the Sirt diet recommended?

Sirtuins appear to be important to our bodies and they may actually be activated by sirt food. The basic concept of the Sirt diet sounds sensible at first. However, many nutrition experts advise against the diet. These are the reasons:

Eating only 1000 calories for three days is very difficult for most people and can quickly become yo-yo. The diet promises that you can lose up to seven pounds of fat in a week, but experts believe that the lack of calories causes the body to lose a lot of water.
It is said that sirtuins can be used to build muscle without exercising. There are explanations as to how sirtuins can boost muscle growth, but no evidence. On the contrary, the scientific consensus is that you can’t build muscle without exercising.
The foods on the sirt food list are certainly healthy in general, but you can’t eat a balanced diet from them alone. So the Sirt diet is not a diet that you can practice permanently.
In general, short-term diets aimed at losing weight quickly are rarely successful. Instead, you should eat a balanced diet overall and eat lots of seasonal fruit and vegetables. There will certainly be one or the other sirt food.

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Food

Black Garlic: What’s Behind The “Black Garlic” Trend

Black garlic is touted as the culinary delicacy in some delicatessens. In addition to the unique taste, “Black Garlic” is also said to be extremely healthy. We’ll tell you what’s up.

Black garlic – what is it?

Black garlic is not a separate plant species, but ordinary white garlic (Allium sativum). The bulb gets its black color from a special fermentation process.

To produce black garlic, it is exposed to a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees for several weeks at a high humidity of 80 to 90 percent. This fermentation process is often used in food production and is responsible for turning garlic black.

Incidentally, black garlic has long been popular in Asian cuisine. Now he is penetrating more and more into the European market.

Taste and uses of Black Garlic

Black garlic is mainly advertised because of its extraordinary taste: in terms of taste, it has very little to do with ordinary garlic. Instead, the Black Garlic comes up with sweet and sour nuances of liquorice, balsamic vinegar and plum compote. The consistency is soft, almost jelly-like.

You can use the black garlic in many different ways: it goes well with pasta and rice dishes, dishes with meat and fish, but also various salads. It is also well suited for marinades. Thanks to its unusual appearance, Black Garlic is also a great garnish.

The big advantage: Black garlic does not produce the typical garlic-like bad breath and – unlike fresh garlic – does not have a pungent taste.

Black garlic is so healthy

It seems like a marketing gimmick that the industry wants to sell us the Black Garlic as even more healing. But actually: numerous studies have now researched how and why black garlic is so healthy.

The health-important ingredient allicin is hardly present in black garlic, as it has been converted into antioxidant compounds by fermentation. These include bioactive alkaloids and flavanoids.
The antioxidant effect of black garlic is significantly higher than that of normal garlic.
In addition, black garlic is considered anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-allergic. Black Garlic can also be more effective than its usual form in type 2 diabetes.
Since the fermented garlic also contains fewer fructans, it is also easier on the stomach and intestines.

A culinary delicacy with a poor eco-balance?

Compared to garlic in its usual form, black garlic has a number of advantages: it is easier to digest, can be used in many ways, does not cause bad breath and also has health potential. You should have tried it at least once because of its very special aroma and taste combination alone.

In addition to all the good aspects, we only see the downside of black garlic in its eco-balance: The Black Garlic offered in this country mostly comes from southern Spain, sometimes even from China or Korea – even though garlic is native to us. Due to the long transport routes, you should make sure that you use regional providers if possible.

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Cooking Tips

Deconstructed Coffee: The New Hipster Trend

The world has a new coffee trend, or at least a new invention that has what it takes. We are talking about the so-called deconstructed coffee.

How much customization can coffee take? With the Deconstructed Coffee you come a lot closer to the answer and you can produce unusual coffee variations.

Unlike most other trends, this coffee variety does not come from the USA, but has its origins in Australia – more precisely in the world-famous coffee metropolis Melbourne.

Mystery Deconstructed Coffee – What can I expect?

The world learned about the deconstructed coffee trend from writer Jamila Rizvi. The Australian from Canberra visited Melbourne some time ago. As Rizvi reported, she ordered what she thought was a normal coffee in a café. Like probably all of us, she assumed that a coffee looks the same everywhere – so in her opinion there was no room for interpretation. This means: coffee mixed with milk (Rizvi order a milk coffee) in a larger cup or bowl.

But her expectations were disappointed: what she got instead was soon to trigger a storm of comments on social networks: The Deconstructed Coffee. But what exactly is the Deconstructed Coffee? As the name suggests, the milk coffee ordered was deconstructed, i.e. “disassembled”. Sounds damn hip right? Whether it is, however, is debatable. Because Jamila Rizvi was served three beakers on a simple wooden tray, which basically remind us of chemistry lessons at school. The whole thing was rounded off by a very long-handled spoon that lay in front of the three mugs. But now to the interesting part: In each of the three cups were the individual components for a milk coffee:
Warm, frothed milk in cup number 1
hot water in mug number 2 and last but not least
an espresso in cup number 3
So that’s it, the Deconstructed Coffee. Since Rizvi didn’t really know what to do with the deconstructed coffee, she ordered a large cup. In this she wanted to mix the individual coffee elements together and thus produce the desired milky coffee. After a long wait, however, the requested cup was still not in sight and she was left with her Deconstructed Coffee at a loss…

The Deconstructed Coffee on the Web – This is how the Internet community reacts

Stunned by the way she was supposed to drink her coffee, Jamila Rizvi snapped a photo of her Deconstructed Coffee and shared it on Facebook. The reactions were overwhelming:

Her post got over 21,000 likes and more than 2 million views within the first 48 hours.

Opinions about the deconstructed coffee spilled over and everyone interpreted the coffee served differently. Some commenters on Facebook questioned why would you even need a barista when you have to make your own coffee anyway – others shared photos recreating their very own Deconstructed Coffee: a bottle of milk, a kettle and ground coffee. Others, however, were quite taken with the idea, because it gave you the opportunity to mix your coffee just as strong or as weak as you personally prefer.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Deconstructed Coffee will actually catch on or whether it will only be a brief occurrence among hipsters – or those who want to become one.

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Cooking Tips

Summer Trend Coffee Smoothie

There are more and more interesting combinations with coffee. Now the coffee smoothie is also very popular. But what exactly is behind this drink?

A healthy mix of caffeine and vitamins: This is how the coffee smoothie becomes a summer hit!

Coffee is known to have many positive effects on the body. In addition to increased concentration and a better mood, the caffeine also has a soothing effect on headaches. A smoothie is considered the vitamin kick in the morning and is very popular with many athletes and stars. A mix drink from both as a summer drink is no longer so far away: the coffee smoothie.

The coffee smoothie is ideal for coffee lovers who cannot manage to drink more than just one cup of coffee in the morning before work. The coffee smoothie is also suitable for those who love coffee and consider it indispensable for an energy boost in the morning, but also want to eat healthily. Either way: With the coffee smoothie, everyone is on the healthy side for a perfect start to the day. Because the coffee gives the body caffeine, which stimulates the circulation and causes a state of alertness. The smoothie part of the coffee smoothie can not only consist of delicious fruits such as orange juice or bananas, which provide the body with important vitamins. Because here you can let your imagination run wild: In addition to fruit, many other ingredients can be added. If you were already impressed by the green smoothies, you can of course also add vegetables to your coffee smoothie.

All sorts of seeds can also be used. The advantages of adding seeds to the coffee smoothie are the long-lasting feeling of satiety and the extra fiber. So if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to spend a lot of time on a nutritious breakfast, you can get a balanced start to the day. In addition, the coffee smoothie never gets boring. Because of the high variety of fruits, vegetables and seeds, you can vary every day. If you think something more unusual, you will quickly come up with ingredients such as exotic fruits or chocolate. Coconut water and cocoa powder can also be used in the delicious coffee smoothie.

Coffee smoothie recipe

The following is required:

Cold coffee or espresso
milk
banana
Cinammon
ice cubes
All ingredients are put in a blender and pureed until a creamy-velvety mass is formed. The joy of experimentation is required when it comes to intensity: Whether sweet or not so sweet coffee – there are no limits! More fruit, milk or honey go very well to suit your own taste.

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