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Tips for Creating a Vegetable Bed in the Garden

Before your own garden becomes a place of retreat and relaxation in the first days of spring, some gardening needs to be done. Therefore, you should create a vegetable patch in the spring. But planning the vegetable patch can begin as early as winter.

Create vegetable beds in the garden

A healthy diet includes dishes with vegetables. A small garden also offers the opportunity to grow vegetables. However, the vegetable patch must be properly planned, laid out, and regularly maintained. You can grow different types of vegetables in your own vegetable garden. And then use it for healthy cooking. Every hobby gardener knows how good their own vegetables from the garden taste. So start planning early and make sure you have the right equipment for gardening. Consequently, we have collected the most important tips for creating a vegetable patch.

1) Plan a vegetable patch

So that freshly sown plants do not freeze to death overnight, ground frost must not occur before sowing. So don’t start planting the vegetable patch until spring. However, you can start planning your own vegetable garden in winter. For this purpose, first, create a planting plan. Expertise in vegetable cultivation and mixed cultures is an advantage. However, you can easily find out more about growing vegetables in advance on the Internet or in magazines. You can also order the necessary equipment and clever tools for gardening online.

2) Which vegetables to use for the vegetable patch?

When creating a vegetable bed in your own garden, it is important to pay attention to which vegetables are in season and at what time. In addition, a mixed culture table from the Internet shows you which types of vegetables you can combine well with each other. This is important because you should plant different types of vegetables next to each other in a vegetable patch.

3) Determine the size of the bed

Before creating vegetable beds, the size of the vegetable garden and the individual beds must first be determined. When designing the garden, most hobby gardeners opt for a rectangular or square shape. A vegetable bed is about 80 to 120 centimeters long. However, it is also possible to create narrower vegetable beds so that the marked ground does not have to be walked on when tending. Also, note important tasks in the garden in winter.

4) Choose a suitable location and construct a bed edging

In order for your vegetables to thrive, you should choose a sunny and wind-protected place for your vegetable patch. You can build the bed edging with different materials. You can also use wooden boards, stones, or old slatted frames for this. When using slatted frames as a bed edging, carefully separate the individual slats and place them next to each other as a border for the vegetable bed.

5) Prepare the soil in front of the vegetable patch

But before planting vegetables, you need to prepare the soil. If the soil stores a lot of water and is well aerated, the plants can optimally develop roots. Therefore, dig up the soil spade deep and mix it with vegetable soil or fresh compost. This loosens the soil and you can start sowing. In addition, you should pay attention to sufficient safety when doing any gardening work.

6) Sowing tips for planting

Seed tapes are very helpful when creating a vegetable garden. With these products, the seeds are in a paper band, making it easier for you to sow. The tape will later decompose by itself in the soil. But before sowing, you should level the soil again and water it. Then plant the young vegetable plants directly in the vegetable patch. Depending on the vegetable crop, you can also use seedlings. After planting the plants or seeds, cover them with some soil and water them again. With regular care, you can soon be harvesting healthy vegetables that you have grown yourself. Then you can grill the vegetables or make delicious smoothies yourself.

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Tannins: Vegetable Tanning Agents Really are That (Un)Healthy

Tannins are tannins found in wine and tea, for example. But the plant defense substances are much more widespread and have a positive effect on health. Here you will find all the important background information.

What are tannins?

Tannins – or tannins – have a tart taste and are also referred to as “anti-nutrients”. This is because they act as natural defenses against microbial pathogens or pests. Tannins are harmful to ruminants in excessive amounts and cause stomach and intestinal pain because they inhibit nutrient absorption.

Tannins react as acids, causing the mucous membranes to contract. Tannins are a group of different acids that are obtained from spherical growths of plants, also called galls or galls.

Where are tannins found?

Many different plants produce tannins. Therefore, they are found in various foods:
legumes
Grain
many types of fruit including apples and pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and cranberries, bananas, grapes, peaches and plums
Green tea and black tea
red wine
Beer (due to the tannin content of hops)
The property of contracting the mucous membranes creates a kind of dull, furry feeling. The taste can be described as bitter. A good example is the bitter taste of dark chocolate.

Especially in wine, the tannins have an influence on shelf life, colour, maturation and texture. Tannins bind the oxygen in the wine. As a result, the fine wine aromas do not evaporate so quickly.

How are tannins to be evaluated from a health perspective?

Some tannins exhibit anti-cancer properties.
They also have an antimicrobial effect, i.e. they inhibit or kill microorganisms.
In addition, tanning agents are often used to treat diarrheal diseases.
They can relieve inflammation on the skin or mucous membranes.
Even small injured blood vessels can be closed with the help of tannin.
Last but not least, they can lower blood sugar levels by slowing down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream

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Food

Tomatoes: The Popular Vegetable is so Healthy

Tomatoes are not only delicious, but also extremely healthy. We’ll show you what’s in them and what you should look out for when buying.

Tomatoes (also known as “paradeiser” in Austria) are omnipresent in our diet. That’s why we rarely think about how healthy they actually are. Because tomatoes are small all-round talents that support our skin and our heart and are even said to prevent some types of cancer.

Ingredients and effect: This makes tomatoes healthy

Tomatoes are 95 percent water and 4 percent carbohydrates. Most of these are simple sugars like glucose and fructose. Nevertheless, they are particularly low in calories with 18 kilocalories per 100 grams.

Among other things, tomatoes have the following vitamins:
vitamin C
potassium
Vitamin K1
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
In addition to the healthy vitamins, tomatoes are also rich in the following substances:
Lycopene (a carotenoid)
Beta Carotene (Pro-Vitamin A)
Naringenin (flavonoid, bitter substance)
chlorogenic acid
These different carotenoids, flavonoids and acids are responsible for the special healthy effects of tomatoes. You can support your health in many ways:
Sun and UV protection: Carotenoids and flavonoids are already responsible in the plant for offering protection from the sun’s harmful radiation. But they can also develop this effect in humans through the right diet: Beta-carotene and lycopene in particular have been proven to protect your skin from UV radiation and sunburn.
Obesity: Tomatoes reduce the side effects of morbid obesity: According to a study in which various overweight patients were given tomato powder, various symptoms were drastically reduced: metabolic problems decreased, fat deposits in the organs were reduced and inflammation in the fatty tissue decreased.
Diabetes: The lycopenes in tomatoes were also shown to reduce insulin resistance and inflammation levels in mice tested. Both lycopene and chlorogenic acid reduce blood triglycerides, which can be responsible for the development of diabetes. They are dietary fats that are regularly converted into energy in healthy people. If the intake is too high or if there are metabolic disorders such as diabetes or obesity, they can become a problem.
Prevents cancer: According to an analysis of various studies, lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer in older male patients. This is thought to be due to its antioxidant abilities. Furthermore, the substance has a supporting effect in the therapy of lung cancer.
Heart Health: Lycopenes reduce bad LDL cholesterol in the blood while also reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, all of which are detrimental to your heart’s aging and performance. The tomato substance also protects the cell walls and prevents deposits in your arteries.

Healthy tomatoes and their ripening process

Tomatoes produce a hormone gas called ethylene during their natural ripening process. However, as food producers want to get fresh tomatoes into stores, the vegetables are harvested green and sprayed with ethylene en route. This allows them to ripen just before they are sold and end up in the supermarket bright red.

As the tomatoes do not have time for their natural ripening process, the development of the natural taste and aroma of the berries is suppressed. This is also the reason why cheap tomatoes often taste watery and “like nothing”.

That’s why you should always use seasonal and local tomatoes. These do not have to travel long distances, so they can mature naturally and develop their full aroma.

You should also keep this in mind: The ripening hormone ethylene is also responsible for the fact that other fruits and vegetables near the healthy tomatoes ripen faster. That’s why you should always keep them away from other sensitive foods unless you want to speed up their ripening process (like avocados, for example).

Tomato allergy and intolerance

If you suffer from a pollen allergy, you are more likely to also suffer from certain food intolerances. This can include various types of fruit and vegetables, but also animal products such as chicken or eggs. One vegetable that is particularly affected is the tomato. So if you often have colds in spring and summer, you may not tolerate tomatoes.

This is because some fruits and vegetables contain proteins similar to those found in grass pollen. Your immune system then tries to fight them in a similar way, which can result in typical allergy symptoms, so if you experience symptoms such as itchy mouth and throat, breakouts, stomach pain and digestive problems, you may want to get tested by a doctor beforehand you order the next pizza.

In addition to pollen, there is another, rather unexpected allergy associated with the healthy vegetable: If you are allergic to latex, you may have a tomato allergy or intolerance. In the case of the so-called “latex-fruit syndrome”, it is also the defense proteins in the various fruits and the natural natural rubber that are very similar and are similarly warded off by the body.

Tomatoes: origin and botanical classification

Tomatoes are prepared in many different ways around the world. We mainly use them in salads or make tomato sauce for spaghetti and pizza. The vegetable only found its way to us in the 16th century:
Around 1500, Christopher Columbus brought the tomato from South America to Europe. Their name goes back to their original name in the Aztec language “Nahuatl”: “tomatl”. Europeans only started to actually eat them towards the end of the 16th century – before that, the tomato was seen more as a poisonous ornamental plant. Only towards the end of the First World War did the Germans start eating tomatoes regularly. Today they are an integral part of the local cuisine.

Tomatoes grow annually on shrubs and belong to the nightshade family. They come in different shapes and varieties: from the small, round cherry tomatoes to the oblong, firm roma tomatoes to the large, juicy beefsteak tomatoes. Botanically, however, tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are not vegetables at all, but berries. Nevertheless, they are traditionally used for culinary purposes like vegetables.

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Peppers: This Vegetable is so Healthy

Paprika tastes good and contains few calories. But their ingredients also make the vegetables extremely healthy. Here you can find out which healthy nutrients are in sweet peppers.

The slightly sweet sweet pepper belongs to the nightshade family of plants. It is closely related to chilli and pepperoni varieties – and extremely healthy.

In the hot variants of the plant family, the sharpener capsaicin is included. There are very similar substances in the sweet paprika. These do not taste spicy, but have a similarly positive effect on our health.

The advantage of sweet peppers over their hot relatives is that you can eat them in much larger quantities. We can also absorb more capsaicinoids and vitamins through them.

Healthy peppers: positive effects on digestion

Peppers are about 90 percent water. Depending on the color, a pod only has between 20 and 40 calories. The green vegetables are at an earlier stage of maturity than, for example, the red or yellow peppers. It therefore has fewer calories, but also contains fewer vitamins.

Paprika can have a positive effect on digestion:
A study suggests that sweet peppers have similar fat-burning properties as their hot relatives. The pod is said to help with weight loss. It also increases energy consumption and fuels fat burning.
Because of its high fiber content, peppers are also good for digestion and at the same time make you feel full.
Because the glucose-fructose ratio is almost balanced, the peppers can also be eaten by people who suffer from fructose intolerance.
If you still cannot tolerate peppers, you can try peeling them before eating. Some people do not tolerate the peel because pollutants can settle in the peel. These then cause digestive problems such as heartburn.

Vitamins and nutrients in peppers

In addition to the capsaicinoids, there are many other vitamins and nutrients in a pepper:
Vitamin A is good for the eyes. Peppers are therefore just as recommended as carrots as carriers of eye vitamins. Vitamin A also binds so-called “free radicals” that attack the skin. Thus, the vitamin should be able to counteract skin aging and (in the long term) cancer.
Beta carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body.
Vitamin B6 strengthens our immune and nervous systems and supports metabolic processes.
Vitamin C strengthens our immune system and is said to prevent cataracts. Oranges and lemons contain only a third of the vitamin C found in red bell peppers.
Folic acid (vitamin B9) is involved in blood formation and the production of endorphins.
Like vitamin A, vitamin E counteracts free radicals and aging processes.
Iron is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood.
Potassium can lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. The mineral is also important for our muscles – a deficiency can lead to cramps.
Magnesium strengthens muscles, nerves and metabolism.
Copper contributes to blood formation.
As you can see, peppers are very healthy thanks to their diverse ingredients. They are often also referred to as medicinal plants – definitely a reason to include the vegetables more often in the diet.

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The 11 Healthiest Vegetables

There are no limits to the choice of colours, shapes and tastes.

1. Broccoli

The flowers of this cabbage, reminiscent of green treetops, are the pinnacle of healthy vegetables. Broccoli is packed with valuable nutrients, including bone-strengthening calcium and selenium, which protects your cells. It also contains a lot of iron for blood formation and a large portion of vitamin C to strengthen your immune system.

The real health secret of broccoli is the secondary plant substance sulforaphane, which is only found in very few types of vegetables. Along with cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, broccoli is the top sulforaphane content. The substance is attributed the property of being able to curb malignant tumor growth. Sulforaphane is also beneficial in preventing and healing stomach ulcers and may be helpful in respiratory conditions such as asthma and hay fever.

Sulforaphane binds and renders harmless free radicals that arise when you are stressed or when UV rays strain your skin. The vitamin C in broccoli also has antioxidant properties. In addition, vitamin C is responsible for the formation of the protein collagen. This tightens the skin and supports the growth of hair and fingernails.

Like most vegetables, broccoli is very low in calories and almost fat-free, but its high fiber content keeps you full for a long time.

The finely chopped florets can also be eaten raw, for example in a salad. You can combine the green wonder with Mediterranean or Asian companions. Ginger, lemongrass and rice taste just as good with broccoli as almonds, thyme and potatoes.

2. Spinach

The Iron Man from your garden especially benefits women

The health effect of spinach has not only been legendary since Popeye. At the time, it was attributed to the supposedly high iron content of green leafy vegetables. Today it is known that the value at that time was based on a mathematical error. Nevertheless, spinach is the front runner among the iron-rich vegetables. This is good for women’s health with monthly blood loss, skin, hair, blood and muscles. The tender leaves help you stay slim because they’re high in insoluble fiber and 90 percent water. On top of that, it boosts your digestion. This makes spinach an ideal companion for your spring or other detox cure.

The nitrate contained in spinach is extremely valuable. It ensures that your blood pressure is lowered and regulated. Nitrate is only harmful when it is converted to nitrite. That’s why it’s important not to reheat spinach once it’s been cooked

You can help yourself to the delicate dark green leaves up to four times a year, provided you leave your heart and roots alone. You should try to harvest at the end of the day when the nitrite levels are at their lowest.

3. Chinese cabbage

The juicy, tender Chinese cabbage is particularly interesting for you if you do a lot of sport and want to stay slim. Potassium, calcium and folic acid are minerals and trace elements that Chinese cabbage scores with. This trio ensures healthy bones and muscles. The oval head of the mild type of cabbage contains a lot of dietary fiber and 94 percent water. A good dose of valuable mustard oils strengthens the body’s defenses, protects the organs from cell damage and can thus

4. Parsley

The smooth and curly types of parsley are more than just decorations on plates. The herbaceous green is full of good ingredients for your health. Parsley contains vitamins A, B, C and E in comparatively large amounts. They are crucial in the body for cell growth, metabolism, oxygen supply and protection against free radicals. It’s no coincidence that pregnant women often crave parsley. The herb contains plenty of folic acid. It is important for all growth and development processes and thus supports the development of the child in the womb. The essential oils Myristicin and Apiol act like a natural flavor enhancer. A good incentive to use the parsley more often and plentifully.

5. Chard

Swiss chard contains a lot of vitamin C and valuable B vitamins. It also has high levels of carotenoids, which are precursors of vitamin A. This vitamin is mainly found in animal products. Swiss chard is an excellent plant-based way to meet your vitamin A needs. You take care of your eyes, your skin and your mucous membranes.

Remember to prepare the chard with some oil so the vitamin A can be broken down by your body. Swiss chard also provides the minerals calcium, magnesium and iron. Good for your bones, your muscles and blood formation!

6. Sprouts/ Microgreens

It doesn’t take much to grow a colorful variety of sprouts yourself. Spread legumes, cereals, nuts or vegetable seeds on a little substrate, a little light and warmth are enough to let the little miracle plants sprout. Sprout glasses also do a good job here. A plus of growing your own sprouts is that you can harvest them fresh and harmful microorganisms have less of a chance to multiply in the humid climate of plastic packaging.

7. Chicory

Pale and inconspicuous, chicory hides in a box with a lid in the supermarket. The darkness in the closed container prevents the chicory from turning green and therefore too bitter. He can show himself calmly, because he has a lot on it for your health!

This is why chicory is so healthy: chicory provides large amounts of vitamin A, which is otherwise mainly found in animal products. Chicory is therefore particularly valuable for vegans and vegetarians. Vitamin A protects your eyes, as well as your skin and mucous membranes.

8. Beetroot

The dark red color of the beetroot seems to speak for itself. What one might initially think of as a medieval superstition has now been scientifically proven. Beetroot is good for the blood. The bulbous root contains high amounts of folic acid, which is responsible for the formation of red blood cells. A large 200 g portion of the vegetable covers half the daily requirement of folic acid. Pregnant women with their increased folic acid requirements benefit particularly from consumption.

9. Kale

Kale contains potassium, calcium and phosphorus. These three minerals are essential for building healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin K supplements this good effect. Osteoporosis can be prevented by eating kale without having to eat dairy. By the way, kale can also be prepared as a hearty vegetarian dish. Add plenty of onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic for a good portion of umami on the plate.

10. Ginger

Ginger starts here without competition, it cannot be counted among the vegetables in the narrower sense – but we cannot do without it when it comes to health either. Because it is one of the few foods that have a noticeable effect even in very small doses.

In addition to a good portion of vitamin C, the rhizome of the tropical plant also contains a lot of iron, potassium, sodium and phosphorus, as well as the gingerols and shogaols responsible for its characteristic hot taste. Both substances are metabolism-enhancing and anti-inflammatory. In the case of colds, ginger has a diaphoretic, decongestant effect on the mucous membranes, as well as being antibacterial and even antiviral.

An infusion of a few pieces of ginger, seasoned with lemon juice and honey, is recommended for coughs and sore throats. Extracts from ginger have also been proven to have an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect on rheumatism, arthritis and sports injuries.

11. Garlic

Garlic is not used as a vegetable in the traditional sense, but it also has a place in our circle. Its health-promoting effect is scientifically recognized and can be found in capsules and lozenges. Freshly processed, garlic causes the typical unloved breath, but it also provides culinary pleasure and helps you to improve your health status at the same time. The sulfur compounds, which are also responsible for the smell of the miracle tuber, have germicidal properties that work against parasites in our intestines, but do not attack the beneficial intestinal bacteria.

Allicin and various sulfides in garlic act as a natural anti-inflammatory and can help with osteoarthritis and stomach ulcers, for example. Saponins support this effect.

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Agar Agar: What You Need to Know About the Vegetable Gelling Agent

Agar Agar is not only a real alternative to conventional gelling agents for vegans and vegetarians. We explain how to use the purely plant-based gelling agent and how it is made.

Agar Agar gelling agent – what is it?

Agar Agar are carbohydrates found in the cell walls of blue and red algae. Agar Agar is made from dried seaweed. The powder is made from them. Agar agar has been at home in Japanese cuisine since the 17th century. For example as a thickening agent in soups or as a gelling agent in sweets and ice cream.

Unlike gelatin, which contains bones, cartilage and connective tissue from cattle and pigs, it is purely vegetable. You can buy agar agar either in a jar or in small paper packets, similar to baking powder. Most drugstores, health food stores and health food stores have the vegetable gelling agent in their range.

Agar Agar: The Japanese gelatin

Agar agar is mainly produced in East Asia, i.e. in Japan, China and Korea. But it is also made in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The name “agar agar” comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, but is also the proper name there for the food mixed with the algae gelatine.

The problem with the East Asian origin: Before the vegetable gelling agent ends up in our kitchen, it has already traveled a long way. Importing creates additional CO2 emissions. Therefore, you should use agar agar with care.

Also, the algae that make up agar agar are mostly grown in aquaculture. The growing demand for algae consumes a lot of water. Pests can also spread more easily in these algae farms, since the nets with the algae are very close together. Many organic manufacturers therefore pay attention to high water and algae quality. Their aquacultures are mostly located away from towns and villages, so that the drinking water is not contaminated. When buying agar agar, you should therefore pay attention to the corresponding organic seal.

How to use agar agar

You can easily use agar agar for sweet and savory dishes – just like conventional gelatine.

You only have to be careful with the amount and read the package information very carefully. Because agar agar cannot be dosed one-to-one like gelatine.
Agar agar only dissolves in boiling liquids and only solidifies when it cools.
The gelling power of the plant product is six to ten times stronger than that of conventional gelling agents.
However, agar agar reacts differently to each liquid. Acid and fat in particular can weaken the binding capacity. Fruits such as plums and apricots, on the other hand, increase the gelling power.
Tip: If you prefer to be on the safe side, you should do a gelling test.

Place a plate in the freezer for a few minutes.
After you have boiled the liquid with agar agar according to the instructions on the package, put a few spoonfuls of the mixture on the chilled plate.
If it’s still too runny after two to three minutes, you’ll need to add a little more agar-agar powder. If the mass is too firm, more liquid is needed.

How healthy is agar agar?

Since agar agar is a product made from seaweed, it has a high protein content. Other ingredients are:

B vitamins
beta-carotene
vitamin k
Agar agar consists mainly of slow-digesting carbohydrates and protein. You should be careful not to consume too much agar agar. In large quantities, the vegetable gelling agent can have a laxative effect.

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Cooking Tips

You Should Rather Eat These 6 Types of Vegetables Raw

Anyone who eats consciously tries to eat as many vegetables as possible – some varieties are healthier raw than cooked. Even if it sometimes takes some getting used to, you should eat these vegetables raw from time to time.

Vegetables contain many valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, some nutrients are sensitive to heat – some of them are lost during cooking, roasting or baking. Vitamin B1, vitamin B5 and vitamin C, for example, are particularly sensitive to heat. You should therefore eat the following types of vegetables raw:

Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in vitamins B1, B2 and B6, among other things, and contains a particularly large amount of heat-sensitive vitamin C. With just around 100 grams, you can even cover your daily vitamin C requirement. A significant proportion of vitamin C disappears during cooking.

But that’s not the only reason you should eat the vegetables raw: the plant also contains glucosinolates – scientists suspect that the substances protect against colon cancer. They are also sensitive to heat.

Caution: When eating raw broccoli, only eat the florets, they are easier to digest than the stalk. Undercooked broccoli can also cause bloating. Sensitive people in particular should therefore only consume small portions.

Garlic

Garlic is a real miracle bulb. It contains ingredients that lower blood lipid levels and thus protect the blood vessels. Garlic can also lower cholesterol levels. The substance “Allicin” is also important. It is responsible for the typical garlic smell. Scientific studies provide evidence that allicin can prevent or even alleviate cancer.

Allicin in garlic is formed by the enzyme alliinase. However, cooking deactivates the enzyme. So to reap the full health benefits of garlic, it’s a good idea to eat it raw – chopped up in a salad, in a dip, or in garlic butter, for example.

Onions

Onions also contain allicin, as well as lots of vitamin C, antioxidants and B vitamins. Sulfur compounds, which are good for the heart, among other things, are also particularly valuable. Onions, like garlic, are believed to prevent cancer. Onions are much more effective raw than cooked because many of the most important ingredients are lost through cooking. So eat the vegetables raw from time to time – for example in a delicious radish salad.

Paprika

Bell peppers are considered to be one of the vegetables richest in vitamin C. Half a pepper should be enough to cover the daily vitamin C requirement. However, vitamin C is sensitive to heat – so it is better to eat peppers raw.

Zucchini

Zucchini is also particularly healthy raw. Among other things, it contains iron and a lot of vitamin C – which is lost during cooking.

However, be careful if the zucchini tastes bitter: cucurbitacins are responsible for the bitter taste. The bitter substances can cause stomach problems – even when cooked, a bitter zucchini is no longer edible.

Beetroot

The tuber contains a lot of vitamin B, potassium, iron and also a lot of folic acid. However, folic acid is very sensitive to heat and highly soluble in water. Beetroot loses a large part of its folic acid when it is cooked. Raw beetroot tastes good thinly grated, for example in a salad. It is also suitable as a juice.

However, one should not overdo it with raw beetroot: it contains oxalic acid. The fruit acid is not toxic per se, but can be harmful in large quantities: it promotes the formation of kidney stones and inhibits the absorption of iron. People who are prone to kidney stones should therefore not eat the vegetables raw.

Eat vegetables raw: And if they don’t taste good?

Heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamin C or folic acid do not have to disappear completely when heated – but significantly less remains in the vegetables. Zucchini, beetroot, garlic and co. are still healthy when cooked, but they are even more valuable raw. With other vegetables it is exactly the opposite: These vegetables are healthier when cooked than raw.

If you don’t like the vegetables mentioned raw, you should only heat them briefly and as gently as possible in order to preserve as many nutrients as possible. Steam cooking is particularly recommended. Here the vegetables are not cooked directly in the water, which is particularly nutrient-friendly.

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Food

Winter Vegetables: 5 Seasonal, Healthy and Tasty Varieties

There are good reasons to eat local vegetables even in winter. But which vegetables are in season in winter and taste good at the same time? We introduce you to five tasty varieties of winter vegetables.

Even in winter there are healthy vegetables that come from regional cultivation. Local winter vegetables have three advantages: You strengthen regional agriculture, protect the environment thanks to short transport routes and do something for your health. We show you five types of winter vegetables and suitable recipe ideas.

Would you like to get an overview of when which fruit and vegetables are in season? Then take a look at the Utopia season calendar.

More than winter vegetables: Mushrooms grow all year round

Mushrooms are harvested continuously in Germany. You can therefore count on the robust mushroom variety even in winter – no matter how early it comes or goes. Mushrooms contain a lot of potassium, are low in fat and calories and have a relatively high protein content.

Cabbage: The ultimate winter vegetable

Kale thrives late in the year and can be bought locally from November. You have four months to test recipes with kale, because the winter vegetable disappears from the stores at the end of February.

If you are running out of ideas on what to prepare with kale, we have a few recipe suggestions for you:

Green cabbage is particularly popular in East Friesland. Instead of the traditional Mettwurst, we recommend smoked tofu, fried eggs and potatoes as side dishes.
Kale is also wonderful in vegetable lasagne, quiche, casserole or vegan moussaka.
Kale can also be used as a pasta sauce. Mixed with some feta or blue cheese, kale on noodles makes a tasty noodle dish.
Also delicious: kale soup with vegetables, kale salad and kale chips
In addition to kale, other types of cabbage such as Brussels sprouts and savoy cabbage are also harvested in winter. From October to March you can find Brussels sprouts from regional cultivation in the sales counters. For example, you can find a Brussels sprouts recipe here: Winter recipes: Seasonal dishes that keep you warm. Savoy cabbage is available almost all year round, namely from June to the end of February. You can easily prepare vegetarian cabbage rolls from savoy cabbage and cabbage. In order to preserve as many of the cabbage’s nutrients as possible, we recommend that you prepare it in a steamer.

Storage vegetables in winter: potatoes

Although the potato harvest ends in October, you can still find German potatoes in stores during the winter months. If stored properly, they will last for months. If you buy potatoes from regional (organic) cultivation in winter, it is therefore all the more important to store them in the dark at low but not icy temperatures. The best place to store potatoes is a dry basement.

Black salsify: The winter alternative to asparagus

The black salsify harvest begins in October. Until the end of February you will find the vegetables, also known as winter asparagus, mainly at weekly markets. Regional salsify is rarely found in supermarkets. Even if it is tedious to prepare fresh black salsify because of the peeling, it is worth the effort. Because the winter vegetables are rich in nutrients and provide a tasty variety in winter.

The fruity winter vegetable: beetroot

Beetroot is harvested in Germany between September and March. It is rich in vitamin B, potassium, iron and folic acid. Many of the nutrients are preserved when you eat them raw, for example in salads or as juice. Many cooks avoid the delicious vegetables, mainly because of their intense color – there are very creative recipe ideas with beetroot.

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Food

Is Avocado a Fruit or a Vegetable?

Whether avocado is considered a fruit or a vegetable is not so easy to tell at first glance. In this article you will find out which category avocado actually belongs to and which characteristics it is based on.

Avocados have been a popular food in Europe for many years. Whether as a spread on breakfast bread, as a dip or as a bowl: avocados are versatile and enrich national and international cuisine.

But when it comes to the question of whether green avocados can be classified as fruit or vegetables, opinions are often divided.

Avocado: fruit or vegetable?

Most people would probably immediately associate the avocado with the vegetable. After all, it doesn’t taste as sweet as most fruits. In fact, however, this fruit is a berry and therefore, from a botanical point of view, a type of fruit. Because the avocado comes from a perennial tree that belongs to the laurel family.

In some countries, residents have been consuming avocados for several thousand years. Depending on where the avocado is grown, there are different varieties:

An avocado variety with a smooth green skin comes from South Africa.
Israel, on the other hand, exports avocados with a low fat content.
Another popular variety from Mexico is called Fuerte and features an olive green skin.
The Hass variety comes from California and is characterized by a rough skin with a nutty aroma.

Use and ingredients of the avocado

Avocados originally grow in the tropical rainforests of Central America. Today, however, they are grown in many different countries, including Australia, South Africa, and the United States. In total, the fast-growing trees even produce up to 400 different cultivars.

The fruits are harvested when they are still unripe. The avocados then ripen in newspaper for a few days. However, the pear-shaped fruits are only ripe when they are almost spoiled. Then you can loosely remove the pulp from the pit and use it.

However, we recommend eating avocados in moderation, if at all. The fruits are ecologically problematic for various reasons. The long transport routes and thus the high CO2 emissions, as well as the high water requirements of the avocado plants are just some of the downsides.

If you decide to buy avocados from time to time anyway, make sure they are organic if possible. In this way you ensure that farmers have avoided using chemical-synthetic pesticides during cultivation.

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Food

7 Roots and Tubers to Eat in Winter

In winter, one regularly gets the feeling that hardly anything is growing. This often overlooks the many nutrient-rich, edible roots and tubers that are in season during the winter months. These 7 show that winter is more colorful than you think.

Berries, cherries and plums – summer and autumn brought us a rich supply of fruit and vegetables. But even those who have not pickled vegetables or dried fruit do not have to do without vitamins in the winter months. These seven roots and tubers make your winter diet more colorful than you think.

7 edible roots and tubers in winter

  • salsify
  • carrots
  • Jerusalem Artichoke
  • parsnip
  • turnip
  • Potato
  • Beetroot

Black salsify – the winter asparagus

If you peel the black spears, they look like white asparagus. Black salsify is therefore also often called winter asparagus. This edible root tastes spicy and slightly nutty, with a texture similar to that of carrots or parsnips. From October to April you can get them mainly at weekly markets and greengrocers, but also in some supermarkets. You should only buy intact roots; broken ones quickly dry out and harden. Black salsify is rich in nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus; thanks to the high fiber content, it is also very figure-friendly and good for digestion.

The preparation of the black salsify is a little more complicated: it has to be brushed well and peeled raw with a vegetable peeler. It is best to wear gloves when doing this, because the sticky milky juice that escapes leaves dark stains on the skin and on textiles. You can then cook the roots. Black salsify tastes good in salads, soups, risotto and as a dumpling filling or like asparagus with melted butter and boiled potatoes.

Carrots: good for skin and eyesight

Whether raw, fried, boiled or mashed, carrots always taste good and are also healthy: The beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, which it contains in abundance, has a positive effect on our eyesight and the growth of our skin. So that you can absorb it optimally, carrots are best eaten cooked and even better together with some fat. Carrots also contain smaller amounts of iron, potassium and calcium. The roots are harvested from March to December. In the winter months you get them from storage, as do many other edible roots as well.

By the way: It is true that beta-carotene also affects the color of our skin, but in order to get a darker complexion you would have to eat about five kilos of carrots a day. However, scientists have proven that eating carrots can make people look healthier and therefore more attractive.

Jerusalem artichoke – underestimated vitamin bomb among the edible roots

Jerusalem artichoke originally comes from America and is now mainly grown in southern France. The plant is a type of sunflower with bizarrely shaped bulbs growing on its roots. These are a bit difficult to peel, but can also be eaten raw and unpeeled.

The tuber vegetables are often regarded as unwelcome weeds because once they are in the ground, they are difficult to get rid of. Jerusalem artichoke not only tastes delicious, it is also a real nutrient bomb: The edible root contains a lot of protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A, B and C and is also rich in fiber and iron.

Jerusalem artichokes are harvested from October to March and are best eaten and processed fresh: in creamy soups, sauces, vegetable casseroles, gratins or purees.

Edible root parsnips – a mild winter vegetable

Old vegetables are making a comeback, including parsnips. They used to be one of the staple foods, but have since been pushed out by higher-yielding types of vegetables and have now found their way back onto our plates: in stews and soups, as gratins, in salads or as oven-baked vegetables.

The tuber tastes mild and is particularly suitable for sensitive stomachs and as baby food. Preparing parsnips is not difficult: just cook them like carrots. It is best to eat them with the skin on, because this is where the most nutrients are found: lots of vitamin C and minerals. The roots are harvested from September, they are in season throughout the winter – parsnips are one of the few types of vegetables that become milder and sweeter when exposed to frost.

Rutabaga – unpopular superfood

Especially in times of war and hardship, the swede was the only source of carbohydrates for humans and animals – and was therefore removed from our menu for a long time. Even star chefs know that they wrongly have a rather bad reputation. Swedes taste mild and slightly sweet and are particularly good as a soup, puree or cooked in salted water or broth for 30 to 40 minutes. When buying, the following applies: the smaller the beet, the more tender and fresh it tastes.

The swede could also pass as a regional superfood, it contains a lot of protein, beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2 and C and plenty of minerals. It is harvested from September to November, after which it is available from storage.

Potatoes – the classic among the edible roots

The best-known and therefore most popular edible root is probably still the potato. The versatile tuber is one of the staple foods; thanks to many nutrients and the mixture of different dietary fibers it is very healthy.

Potatoes are harvested from May to October, the rest of the year they come from stock. You should definitely use organic potatoes here: In conventional storage, liquid herbicides are used, which prevent the potatoes from germinating naturally. The remedies are by no means harmless and a small part also goes from the skin into the pulp. Such germ inhibitors must not be used with organic goods.

Beetroot – the colorful salad ingredient

Beetroot is a true superfood (also among the edible roots): rich in vitamin B, potassium, iron and folic acid, it purifies the blood, deacidifies the organism, lowers blood pressure and stimulates the metabolism. The local red tuber tastes aromatically earthy and slightly sour, depending on how it is prepared. Raw in a beetroot salad, it tastes particularly good in combination with apples. Cooked, it is a wonderful ingredient in couscous or a delicious side dish for hearty dishes. Since the juice stains heavily, it is best to wear gloves when preparing it (e.g. washing-up gloves that can be reused after use).

The domestic beet is in season from July to March. It is best to buy the rather smaller tubers; large, fat beets are often woody.

In our seasonal calendar you will find other types of vegetables that you can get regionally in winter.

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