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Vitamin B: Therefore, You Should Not do Without it Before and During Pregnancy

In order to avoid a so-called neural tube defect in the baby, you should take folic acid before and during pregnancy. You can find out when and how much in this article.

Vitamin B folic acid: when should you take the tablets?

With a balanced and varied diet, healthy adults usually do not need to take dietary supplements. An exception is folic acid – the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate.

The BfR recommends taking 400 grams of folic acid daily in the first trimester of pregnancy in addition to the usual diet, which should be as rich in folate as possible. Women who want to have children should also deal with the topic. Because according to a new flyer from the BfR

There is a reason for the point in time: the development of the central nervous system begins around three weeks after conception, with the so-called neural tube

Vitamin B: Which foods contain folate?

Noisy
Leafy greens like spinach and salads
tomatoes
legumes
nuts
oranges
sprouts
wheat germ
whole grain products
potatoes
liver
eggs
For a folate-rich diet, the DGE recommends eating at least three servings of vegetables a day. When preparing, you should make sure that you only wash and steam the vegetables briefly and without chopping them up. You shouldn’t boil it or keep it warm. It is also advisable to eat whole grain products, milk and milk products, and the occasional liver every day. However, the DGE advises avoiding liver in the first trimester of pregnancy.

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Tips, Home Remedies and Food for Vitamin Deficiency

Many tips, natural home remedies, and healthy foods help with vitamin deficiency. Our ÜList of the best foods gives you a good overview.

Successfully combat vitamin deficiency

Vitamin deficiency can lead to accelerated aging of the body and susceptibility to diseases. However, taking vitamin preparations is not always the best remedy for this problem, because taking B2 vitamins in special preparations, for example, can lead to hypervitaminosis and intoxication of the organism. It is much better to eat foods rich in vitamins.

Suppliers of vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for healthy gums. Even nocturnal vision is only possible if the organism is sufficiently supplied with this vitamin. The main suppliers of this vitamin are carrots and eggs. Large amounts of vitamin A are also found in dried apricots, butter, camembert, milk, and liver. The easiest way to eliminate vitamin A deficiency is to drink a glass of carrot juice a day because it covers the daily need for this vitamin.

How to fight the lack of vitamin B1

A sign of vitamin B1 deficiency is increased aggressiveness. To suppress them, it is important to consume brewer’s yeast.

These foods contain a lot of vitamin B2

With milk and almonds, you can quickly cover your vitamin B2 deficiency. Typical signs of this are constant hair loss and an irritated scalp.

You can get vitamin B6 from these foods

Bananas, lentils, and salmon supply your body with this vitamin, which is immensely important for the immune system. This vitamin also controls the fat metabolism and amino acid metabolism, which is why there should not be a lack of it in the organism. And if you don’t like the products mentioned above or are not allowed to eat them, you can replace them with beef tenderloin, veal, or even chicken liver.

This is how you strengthen your immune system

Vitamin C is crucial for the normal functioning of the immune system. This is provided by citrus fruits, kale, kiwi, and peppers. Two oranges a day are enough to cover the daily vitamin C requirement.

Fight depression and weak bones

This is mostly caused by a lack of vitamin D. To combat the deficiency, you can expose yourself to direct sunlight for 30 minutes every day without sunscreen or eat foods rich in vitamin D. These include eel, herring, mushrooms, porcini, trout, and chicken liver.

Vitamin E is also not to be neglected

Because this ensures normal blood circulation in the human body. It also contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system. Nuts, wheat germ oil, eel, avocados, and red cabbage contain a lot of vitamin E. To cover the daily requirement, you can consume 20 grams of walnuts or 1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil, or 150 grams of eel per day. Alternatively, you are free to consume 50 grams of hazelnuts per day.

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Vitamin D Deficiency: Tired and Drained? You Can Fill Up Your Depot With These Foods

Slack, tired and drained – that’s how many people feel in the cold season. But it can also be caused by a vitamin D deficiency. However, if you integrate certain foods into your diet, you should soon feel healthier and fitter.

Vitamin D deficiency: why the vitamin is important right now

In the sunny months, vitamin D deficiency is not actually an issue: During this time, the skin normally produces 80 to 90 percent of its requirements itself. The body can even store some vitamin D in fat and muscle tissue, but this varies from person to person person and is influenced by many factors. Vitamin D deficiency usually occurs when the skin is not exposed to the sun enough. The body needs UV light for the body’s own production of vitamin D3. A deficiency can also be caused by diseases.

In autumn, winter and early spring, however, the vitamin D balance poses a problem for many: the sun’s rays are too weak, we are outside less and show less skin.
Therefore, it can happen that you feel listless, tired or sad – which can indicate a deficiency.

Recognize vitamin D deficiency quickly: These are the most common symptoms

One of the main roles of the vitamin is bone health. Vitamin D also supports the immune system, muscles and hair, for example.

According to the vitamin D guide, possible symptoms of a deficiency are:
fatigue
exhaustion
exhaustion
Increased susceptibility to infections
mood swings
Winter depression (or winter blues)
hair loss
muscle weakness
Muscle aches

High in vital substances: These foods are natural sources of vitamin D

The German Society for Nutrition recommends about 10 µg per day for infants, everyone else should take 20 µg vitamin D per day if the body does not produce its own – i.e. in the colder half of the year. There are two options for this: Either you take supplements – but you should always discuss this with a doctor! Because an overdose also leads to damage in the body.

The other option is to add certain foods to your diet more often, which you can use to improve your vitamin D balance again. The intake of vitamin D from food only covers a small part of our vitamin D requirement.

Nevertheless, you should regularly eat the following foods that contain the sun vitamin and are therefore natural sources of vitamin D.

1. Fish and Seafood

Fish are absolute vitamin D carriers. A look at the nutrient table shows that the Atlantic herring is the absolute leader. A 100 gram portion contains 25 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D. For those who like it more regional: Baltic herring has at least 7.8 micrograms.

Salmon (16 µg per 100g) and eel (20 µg per 100g) are also suitable for filling up the vitamin tank.

Nutrient Overview:
Atlantic herring (25 µg per 100g)
Sardine (25 µg per 100g)
Eel (20 µg per 100g)
Salmon (16 µg per 100g)
Greenland halibut (15 µg per 100g)
In addition, fish is also rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which support our nervous system, blood pressure and vision. Omega-3 also protects against cardiovascular problems. Fish and seafood are therefore ideal suppliers of nutrients and part of any healthy and balanced diet.

2. Eggs

Eggs also contain a healthy amount of vitamin D. However, the egg yolk is particularly rich in vitamin D.

Nutrient Overview:
pure egg yolk (5.6 µg per 100g)
Chicken egg (approx. 2.9 µg per egg)
Eggs are also high in protein and, according to a new study, should reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

3. Mushrooms

The vegetarian or vegan sources of vitamin D are mushrooms. The vital substance content varies from mushroom variety to mushroom variety. Porcini mushrooms are the most nutritious, followed by chanterelles and button mushrooms.

Nutrient Overview:
Porcini mushroom, raw (3.1 µg per 100g)
Chanterelle, raw (2.1 µg per 100g)
Mushroom, raw (1.9 µg per 100g)

With these values, mushrooms are the absolute exception in the fruit and vegetable sector. Vegetarians and vegans therefore have a hard time replenishing their vitamin D stores with food. Therefore, preparations are often used. But only a few supplements are really effective.

4. Dairy products and margarine

Dairy products also contain vitamin D. Here it depends on the fat content. Fatty foods in particular, such as processed cheese or butter, are suitable for filling up at least the remaining requirement of the necessary daily dose. The latter also applies to the predominantly vegetable fat spread margarine.

Nutrient Overview:
Processed cheese, 45% fat (3.1 µg per 100g)
Margarine (2.5 µg per 100g)
Butter (1.5 to 2.5 µg per 100g)
Gouda (1.3 µg per 100g)
Emmental (1.1 µg per 100g)
However, the amounts of vitamin D are too small to reach 20 micrograms in a healthy way.

5. Cod liver oil

This remedy surpasses all other nutritional values: cod liver oil used to be considered the vitamin D-rich food par excellence. It is obtained from the liver of cod and haddock. Its taste takes some getting used to, but the vitamin D content is unsurpassed at 250 µg. That’s ten times the next best food, Atlantic herring.

Nutrient Overview:
Cod liver oil (250 µg per 100g)
Nevertheless, cod liver oil only occupies fifth place in this list, as it is hardly used today and consumption is really not enjoyable. But if you want to be healthy, you have to suffer. In addition to the high vitamin D content, the blubber is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E, phosphorus and iodine.

Can you overdose on vitamin D?

An overdose of vitamin D is hardly possible in a natural way. However, if you take heaps of preparations and dietary supplements, you may well be consuming too much vitamin D.

The Robert Koch Institute writes that excessive intake of vitamin D increases the calcium level, which can lead to acute nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, vomiting or, in severe cases, kidney damage. Since vitamin D is stored in the body, both an acute and a gradual overdose are possible.

800 IU per day is recommended if there is no other source of vitamin D. IE is a unit for vitamins, 1 µg corresponds to about 40 IU. This means that the daily requirement of 20 µg corresponds to 800 IU. However, as health damage can occur in the event of an overdose, you should always consult a doctor before taking vitamin D supplements.

Avocados: how much vitamin D is in them? Incorrect database entry causes confusion

When looking into foods rich in vitamin D, you’ll come across avocados here and there — but with different nutritional information. From zero to six micrograms per 100 grams, everything is included. Six micrograms would be surprisingly high for a plant-based food.

According to Baliza, a company that makes apps for food intolerance, the only scientific article reporting high levels of the vitamin dates back to the 1930s. National databases give it a zero, which is correct. The cause of the confusion is an incorrect entry in a widespread German food database, which has since been corrected.

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Vitamin K Deficiency Can Be Dangerous: These Are 3 Common Symptoms

A vitamin K deficiency can have serious consequences. You should pay attention to three specific symptoms, because they are particularly common in the case of a deficiency. We explain how to recognize a vitamin K deficiency.

Vitamin K: Deficiency occurs more quickly in certain people

Along with vitamins A, D and E, vitamin K is one of the fat-soluble vitamins. The body cannot produce it on its own, so it must be obtained from the diet. A deficiency can lead to blood clotting disorders.

According to the AOK, the vitamin is divided into vitamin K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 must be ingested through food. Intestinal bacteria in the large intestine also produce vitamin K2, but this is only insufficiently absorbed by the body and does not cover the vitamin K requirement overall.

Vitamin K is absorbed into the cells of the small intestine mucosa with the help of bile acid and pancreatic enzymes and then released into the lymphatic vessels. The vitamin is then transported to the liver, where it is repackaged into specific proteins for onward transport in the bloodstream. Vitamin K is found in the liver and other tissues, including the brain, heart, bones and pancreas.

Vitamin K is important for wound closure

The K in vitamin K stands for coagulation. Coagulation means that a blood clot forms in an open wound and the blood can clot. This blood clot causes the wound to close and we don’t bleed to death. Vitamin K activates the necessary coagulation factors for this process. A lack of vitamin K can therefore have serious health consequences and is particularly noticeable through impaired blood clotting.

Fortunately, according to vital.de, a vitamin K deficiency is almost impossible with a balanced diet. However, certain medications, an unbalanced diet or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can cause a vitamin K deficiency.

Vitamin K deficiency also affects newborns because the vitamin is poorly transported across the placenta. This can lead to bleeding in babies in the first few weeks of life, which is why they routinely receive vitamin K drops in Germany.

These 3 symptoms often indicate a vitamin K deficiency

Especially if you suffer from chronic inflammatory bowel disease, you should definitely have a blood test done to determine your vitamin K levels. Furthermore, the following symptoms can indicate an undersupply or deficiency:

1. Bleeding gums or nosebleeds

The most typical and noticeable symptom of a vitamin K deficiency is that you tend to bleed easily. Since blood clotting is disturbed due to the lack of vitamin K, the blood platelets can no longer close wounds sufficiently and bleeding gums or nosebleeds occur more often and even small injuries result in unexpectedly large amounts of blood.

2. Bruises

Vitamin K deficiency can not only promote external bleeding, but also internal bleeding. This bleeding can appear as bruises, i.e. bruises under the skin. If you bruise easily from light touches, this could indicate a vitamin K deficiency or a blood clotting disorder. It becomes dangerous if the deficiency occurs together with a stomach ulcer, for example, since serious internal bleeding can occur.

3. Brittle bones

Vitamin K is doubly important for bone health: together with vitamin D and calcium, it not only promotes the build-up of bone mass, but also inhibits the activity of the so-called osteoclasts. These break down the bone substance and thus promote osteoporosis. In a study of over 72,000 women, researchers at Harvard Medical School found that those with the lowest levels of vitamin K had a significantly increased risk of fractures. However, the daily consumption of lettuce and other green vegetables can effectively counteract this danger.

These foods are particularly high in vitamin K:

Kale
spinach
arugula
broccoli
lettuce
cauliflower
sauerkraut
Yoghurt and cottage cheese with a high fat content
chicken meat
beef
Vitamin K is hardly ever stored in the body, but is metabolized quickly. Excess is excreted through the intestines or kidneys.

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Acerola: Vitamin C Bomb and Superfood For The Immune System?

Acerola has the highest vitamin C content of all plants and is considered a miracle cure for colds. We are interested in what can really be thought of their healing properties – and we also take a look at their downsides.

Autumn and Winter: The weather is foggy, rainy or stormy. A cold manifests itself with a headache, sore throat, cough and runny nose. Almost everyone catches a cold once a year, but we would like to avoid this annoying disease. And since grandma always said vitamin C was good for colds, we’re looking for different sources of the supposed supervitamin.

It’s a good thing that a small red “cherry” is considered an incredible vitamin C bomb: the acerola. The stone fruit, originally from Mexico, is said to have the highest vitamin C content of any plant. No wonder that acerola can be found in almost every medicine chest in the form of powder, capsules or juice.

But that’s not all the acerola cherry can do. In addition to vitamin C, it also contains other secondary plant substances such as flavonoids, which are considered antioxidants. Which is why acerola is also said to rejuvenate and protect internal organs. Quite a lot for such a small fruit. If that’s all true as claimed.

Where does acerola come from?

The acerola is native to tropical or subtropical regions, mainly in North and South America. The small red fruit originally comes from Mexico, more precisely from the Yucatán Peninsula. The natural range today includes Texas, Mexico, Brazil, Panama, Jamaica and Guatemala. The ripe fruit can be spherical to cylindrical, red, purple or yellow. It can be harvested up to eight times a year because the cherry has a short fruit cycle of just 25 days. Outside of the natural range, the plants are still cultivated in Asia, especially India and China.

Acerola Powder and Acerola Juice – Use and Processing

However, the short development span of acerola also has its downsides. The fruit must be harvested when it is perfectly ripe and processed within two days or it will spoil. Harvesting must be done carefully, either by hand or with special harvesting machines that shake the cherries off the bushes without damaging the delicate fruit. They are then packed in cool boxes, frozen and transported in this way to the place of processing.

The fruits are therefore almost impossible to get fresh on the American (outside of Texas) and European markets. Either the sour-tasting juice or the powder is available. For the former, the drupes are squeezed out after thawing and the juice is preserved.

For the powder, the cherries are freeze-dried and ground into powder. This has turned out to be the gentlest method to preserve as much of the valuable nutrients as possible. Acerola is typically added to other products as a natural source of vitamin C. For example in ACE juices, lozenges against sore throats or in food supplements that are supposed to stimulate the immune system.

Besides vitamin C, what else is in acerola?

The small stone fruit has a lot of nutrients hidden under its thin, sensitive skin. The very sour pulp has hardly any calories, 100 grams of fresh juice are more or less negligible with 16 kcal. The same amount contains 700 to 4,800 mg of vitamin C (average: 1,700 mg), depending on the growing area and variety. For comparison: The normal daily requirement for adults is an average of 95 mg for women and 110 mg for men.

In addition, acerola contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid and B vitamins. The fruit itself also contains flavonoids, pectins, carotenoids, anthocyanins (colours) and other secondary plant substances. However, much of it is in the skin, which is lost when it is processed into acerola juice. The ingredients are still contained in the powder and the products made from it, but in smaller quantities due to freeze-drying.

What is the effect of acerola?

The effect of acerola is mainly based on the high vitamin C content. In certain situations, for example high-performance sports, infections or smokers, our vitamin C requirement is increased. When normal nutrition cannot meet these needs, the natural vitamin C found in acerola juice or powder is far better for the body. In interaction with the other components of acerola, the vitamin can be metabolized more easily and therefore has a higher bioavailability, destroys tumors and could thus be used as a natural therapy against cancer.

In addition, the Barbados cherry boosts the metabolism and has a cell-rejuvenating effect. The beauty industry also takes advantage of this effect by mixing the fruit in creams, lotions and skin cleansing products. The secondary plant substances in combination with the vitamin C of the acerola should also reduce the negative effects of obesity and balance out an unhealthy, high-fat diet.

The acerola cherry is really healthy – right?

So the list of alleged effects of acerola is long and reads like an advertisement from a manufacturer of dietary supplements. The vitamin C bomb is said to boost the immune system, support metabolism and diets, help against cancer, have anti-aging effects, eliminate the negative consequences of obesity and smoking and make you fitter and more efficient overall.

What sounds like an exaggerated advertising promise is often one. In the case of acerola, this means: The studies on anti-aging, fighting cancer or obesity were carried out either on individual cells in the test tube or on mice in the laboratory. For humans, this is not very meaningful and provides a maximum of information.

On the other hand, the effect of vitamin C on strengthening the immune system has been better studied – it doesn’t work at all. Those who consume more vitamin C are still not less likely to catch a cold. Maybe the vitamin reduces the duration of the cold, but only maybe. An overdose of vitamin C is not entirely harmless. Nausea and stomach cramps can result, even if an excess of the water-soluble vitamin is excreted via the kidneys.

And then there are the allergies. Because acerola can cause a cross-reaction in latex allergies. The juice, often added to enrich it with vitamin C, can certainly lead to severe allergic reactions. A combination that makes the acerola not appear quite as healthy as it appears at first glance.

Acerola and sustainability

The acerola plant needs very specific tropical or subtropical conditions to thrive. Their natural distribution area is also in South and Central America. The main growing area is Brazil, from where the majority of the acerola products available here come. But originating in Guatemala, Mexico or Panama does not shorten the transport route. This is where the Barbados cherry collects the first sustainability minus.

Next point: The thin skin and rapid ripening process make acerola so delicate that it can only be used processed – and processing takes energy. The third minus point is the type of transport. Both the freshly harvested fruit on the way to processing and the juice have to be transported in refrigerated trucks, which are not very environmentally friendly, so that the goods do not spoil. The overall result is “insufficient” for sustainability.

Better sea buckthorn than acerola

Of course, acerola contains a lot of vitamin C. And of course we need it to stay healthy. Today, however, a nutrition-related deficiency hardly ever occurs. In addition, the positive effect of the vitamin on the immune system is scientifically rather low. Vitamin C can only have a positive effect on the immune system during extreme exertion such as in high-performance sports and under constant stress. The other possible effects of the acerola cherry are only suspected, there is no scientific evidence.

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The Hazelnut: Supplier of Vitamin B and Nutrients With The Dark Side

We love the hazelnut. Roasted, ground, in nut mixes for nibbling, in cookies, tarts and cakes, as schnapps, liqueur, nougat chocolate or creamy chocolate spread. Without hazelnuts, the world of sweet temptations would be a lot poorer and more boring.

But not only that: the hazelnut – like many other types of nuts – seems to have positive effects on memory and cholesterol levels. Hazelnuts are said to help with weight loss and increase overall performance. Known and valued as a food since time immemorial, hazelnuts often play a role in fairy tales and stories.

A super nut that has always made people happy, smart and slim. And it grows wild and without extensive care on almost every corner of Europe. So off to the next hedge, harvested the hazelnuts there and found the ultimate addition to your own diet? Well, it’s not that simple after all.

A hazelnut tree is not a hazelnut bush

Hazelnut is hazelnut. The small dark brown seeds of the hazelnut bush from the hedge in the nearby forest are collected there, then roasted and processed. Perhaps there are still plantations where hazelnut hedges line up next to hazelnut hedges. But everything here in Central Europe, no long transport routes and controlled quality? Mistake!

Because the majority of the hazelnuts sold in the trade do not come from our native common hazel, Corylus avellana, but from the Lambert’s hazel (Corylus maxima). Both species are closely related, so the term “hazelnut” is a collective term for the fruits of both species.

But while the common hazel develops those shrubs that we associate with “hazelnut”, the Lambert’s hazel grows as a shrub – or as a hazelnut tree. Even if the two varieties are very similar, the Lambert hazel prefers a warmer, more Mediterranean climate. Consequently, almost 90 percent of our hazelnuts sold here come from either Turkey or Italy.

Our ancestors knew: The hazelnut is healthy

The hunters and gatherers of the Stone Age held hazelnuts in high esteem. The extremely high-fat and therefore high-calorie hazelnut was a coveted source of energy in the cold winter and up to spring if stored correctly. Originally probably native to the area of ​​today’s Turkey, the common hazel quickly spread across Central Europe – our ancestors probably brought the hazelnuts with them.

The Romans, Germans and Celts also considered nuts to be valuable food. Of course, nobody was concerned with the ingredients of hazelnuts at the time. But from observation and experience, it was already known back then that nut eaters are healthier and live longer. Scientific studies are now examining these effects, and they seem to confirm the experiences of our ancestors.

What’s in the hazelnut? The ingredients

When it comes to the ingredients of hazelnuts, the fat content comes first at 63 percent. The positive thing about this is that the majority (around 45 percent) are mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids. The associated energy value is negative: 100 g hazelnuts hit the hips with 650 kcal. The many calories have given hazelnuts the reputation of being fattening foods. That is only partially true – because they are also very filling and can lower the cholesterol level. In addition, the hazelnut is full of valuable nutrients. It is rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace elements such as zinc and copper. That is why nutritionists, including the DGE, even recommend frequent consumption of hazelnuts. Because of the calories but please only in moderation!

Roast hazelnuts – and everything is gone?

The brown nut kernels are usually available roasted, whether as whole hazelnuts, chopped or ground. Now the hazelnuts are heated when roasting in a pan or oven (industrial these are only much larger than at home) – and heat, as is well known, destroys the valuable ingredients in many foods. The same applies to processing in hazelnut cake, hazelnut ice cream or hazelnut liqueur if the hazelnuts are heated at least briefly. However, the hazelnut is an exception: its ingredients, especially the fatty acids, change only minimally when heated. The unsaturated fatty acids and minerals of the hazelnut are retained. However, this also applies to allergens. The allergens are only reduced when they are heavily processed, such as in nougat or hazelnut spreads.

Hazelnut cookies, hazelnut cake and other recipes with hazelnuts

Speaking of processing, let’s take a look at the sweet side of hazelnuts. As a versatile talent, we encounter it in almost all types of sweets. Cookies, nut cake, macaroons and many other baked goods based on hazelnuts make the hearts of those with a sweet tooth beat faster, especially around Christmas.

For those who prefer it spicy, chicken with hazelnuts would be a nice change on the plate. The hazelnut also cuts a fine figure with schnapps or vodka. And as hazelnut milk, the all-rounder is a tasty alternative to cow’s milk.

About the effects and undesirable effects of hazelnuts

What effects does the hazelnut have exactly? Observational studies have shown that regular consumption of nuts can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (such as heart attacks). The risk factors of such diseases are therefore primarily examined: cholesterol levels, blood lipids and blood sugar levels. While hazelnuts seem to have less of an impact on blood lipids and blood sugar, they lower cholesterol levels significantly. One of the secondary plant substances in hazelnuts also had a positive effect on the brain and memory in animal experiments. It is not yet clear why or how exactly the hazelnut works. Still, nuts are a worthwhile area of ​​research in the face of an aging society.

But what works also has side effects. In the case of hazelnuts, these are allergies. These can range from mild (tingling, nettle-like sensation in the mouth) to severe (shortness of breath). Interestingly, hazelnut allergy has different triggers in different groups of people. Children react differently than adults and North/West Europeans differently than Southern Europeans. Since there is no treatment yet, the only option for those allergic to hazelnuts is to avoid products containing hazelnuts. The good news: allergy sufferers with the mild form generally tolerate highly processed products such as hazelnut spreads quite well.

Monopolies and the downside of hazelnuts

The hazelnut is delicious, also and especially healthy for a vegan lifestyle, probably even prolongs life and supports healthy aging. So everything is great, isn’t it? A proverb says that where there is light, there is also shadow – this is certainly true of the hazelnut. Hazelnut bushes thrive best in moderately warm climates. The harvest in Central Europe is correspondingly small. In any case, far too little to satisfy our hunger for hazelnuts in a wide variety of preparation forms.

About 80 percent of the global hazelnut harvest comes from Turkey, around 15 percent from Italy. Concentrating on a single, leading growing area worldwide is accompanied by a variety of problems: Monocultures – in order to be able to meet demand, plant protection products and pesticides are always used. In addition, the harvest volume available worldwide (and thus the world market price) is heavily dependent on the weather in the main growing region. In 2014, for example, a single frosty night in Turkey caused a “hazelnut crisis”. Prices went up, and hazelnut chocolate, nougat and the like became more expensive for us. In order to save the remaining harvest, more fertilizer was used and sprayed.

From an ecological point of view, the quasi-monopoly on hazelnuts is not exactly sensible and sustainable. And that’s not even the hazelnut’s biggest problem.

Harvesting hazelnuts – the dark side of (market) power

The hazelnut harvest is manual work, still. The hazelnuts must be picked individually from bushes or trees. In Turkey, the protection of children and young people is not particularly strictly observed. And because there are not enough adult unskilled workers available to harvest the amount in the short period of time, children from the age of ten work in the Turkish hazelnut plantations. ZEIT has published an article on this subject that is well worth reading.

The fact is well known, including Ferrero, one of the largest confectionery manufacturers and hazelnut buyers. The group disapproves of child labor, but there are no active countermeasures. The German confectionery industry takes a clearer position through its federal association BDSI. By participating in projects to combat child labor and sustainable cultivation methods, the BDSI is at least taking concrete steps to make our sweets more sustainable. Also because that is a criterion for success on the European market.

No hazelnuts are also not a solution

Hazelnuts make up a majority of our favorite bakeries and sweets. But the majority of hazelnuts are produced under ecologically and socially questionable conditions. In terms of sustainability, we would therefore have to do without all products with hazelnuts, grated or roasted hazelnuts and all nut mixtures. At least until all manufacturers have switched to sustainable organic hazelnuts.

A life without hazelnut cream? Never again chocolate? An ugly scenario, we thought. So we started looking for alternatives. And indeed: they exist, the hazelnut from German, organic cultivation. In Bavaria, for example, a number of organic farms have joined forces to grow hazelnuts in plantations and market them together; the fruits are offered in various shops in Germany. However, you have to search specifically, read labels or ask questions to find the “good” hazelnuts. A competent contact is the Association of Bavarian Hazelnut Growers. You can also order regionally grown hazelnuts (shelled/shelled) and hazelnut-based products through his website (simply click on one of the product descriptions and then download the order form).

Of course, you should still avoid industrially processed products, you never know which hazelnuts have actually been processed. Simply make your own hazelnut-based chocolate, biscuits, cakes or Nutella alternative (see our instructions). It may be a bit more complicated, but it is also guaranteed to be organic, sustainable and without harmful additives. In any case, the chocolate tastes even better for us. And maybe the idea of ​​taking the hazelnuts from the nearest hedge, preferably in your own garden, is not so wrong?

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Vitamin C: What it Does, When It’s Missing, Where It’s in

The water-soluble vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is known to everyone and experiences a revival every year when the weather is bad. But why vitamin C at all? “It helps against a cold,” is the popular opinion. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Vitamin C strengthens the immune system. However, it has not been scientifically proven that it really has a preventive or healing effect on colds. And if the cold is already there, it comes, stays and goes (as a rule of thumb) for three days each – with or without the administration of ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C: effect

However, vitamin C not only helps the immune system, it can do much more:
As a radical scavenger and antioxidant, it protects cells from premature aging processes
necessary for the formation of collagen (component of connective tissue, teeth, skin, hair and nails)
important for cholesterol metabolism
important for fat metabolism
important for optimal absorption of iron
can increase sperm count
inhibits the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines during digestion
it helps in the formation of messenger substances and hormones

Vitamin C: deficiency

We humans cannot produce ascorbic acid ourselves and therefore have to get it from food. If our body doesn’t get enough of it, it can even lead to a disease: This is how scurvy occurs due to a vitamin C deficiency. Scurvy used to be the leading cause of death among seafarers who lacked access to fresh food at sea. Even today, scurvy still occurs wherever people eat too little C-containing food. If infants are affected, the disease is called “Möller-Barlow syndrome”, but the cause is the same.

Vitamin C deficiency manifests itself as follows:
bleeding gums
susceptibility to infection
poor wound healing
Joint and bone pain due to bleeding under the periosteum
Bleeding of the skin and mucous membranes, organs, muscles
tooth loss
Fatigue, dizziness and exhaustion
muscular dystrophy
joint inflammation
severe diarrhea
cardiac insufficiency
depressions
However, these symptoms can also have other causes.

Vitamin C: overdose

If you take too much vitamin C, you will get digestive problems such as diarrhea from about three to four grams per day. However, such a high intake can only occur through incorrect dosing of food supplements and cannot be achieved with natural foods. To clarify the amount: a heaped teaspoon of powder corresponds to about one gram.

People who are prone to kidney stones or have damaged kidneys should be particularly careful not to overdo it with ascorbic acid-containing remedies. After all, even a dose of one gram per day can lead to side effects.

Vitamin C: the daily requirement

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) revised the reference values ​​in 2015, so that other information can be found in older literature. The DGE differentiates between the requirements for men and women, since the daily requirement also depends on body weight. According to the new guidelines, women should take in 95 mg and men 110 mg of vitamin C with food per day. The requirement increases to 105 mg for pregnant women and 125 mg of vitamin C per day for breastfeeding women. Smokers and also passive smokers have a significantly higher daily requirement of 135 mg (women) or 155 mg (men) per day.

Vitamin C: in which foods?

When it comes to vitamin C, everyone immediately thinks of citrus fruits. But even before lemons, oranges and tangerines ended up in our fruit basket, it was possible to have enough of them all year round. There are many locally grown fruits and vegetables that we can use to meet our daily needs.

The star among the local vitamin C bombs is the sea buckthorn. It originally comes from Central Asia, such as Mongolia. To this day, he ensures that people in barren, hostile regions are always well supplied with it. With 450 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, sea buckthorn is a local superfood that is only surpassed by the almost twice as high C content (1250 mg/100 g) of fresh rose hips and makes acerola superfluous.

Citrus fruits come a long way behind with only around 50 mg/100 g. Far better performers: blackcurrants (189 mg/100 g), peppers (139 mg/100 g), kale and Brussels sprouts (105-110 mg/100 g) or strawberries (63 mg/100 mg).

Unfortunately, much of the vitamin content of food is lost during preparation and storage. So make sure you buy food as fresh as possible – preferably directly from the producer – only store it for a short time and wash it undivided. Only cut fruit and vegetables just before eating to get the largest possible portion. Because ascorbic acid is heat sensitive, make sure you keep cooking times as short as possible.

By the way: It is also added to food as a preservative under the E numbers E300 to E304, E315 and E316. Manufacturers use this to protect, for example, apple juice from oxidation and browning; Cooked sausages can be made appetizingly reddish with it. It is also sometimes added to flour to improve its baking properties.

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Tips and Foods Against Vitamin B Deficiency

Tips and foods against vitamin B deficiency at a glance. Vitamin B is a vitamin group made up of eight vital substances. Each of the substances can be lacking and is to be compensated for in a targeted manner.

Home remedies and foods with vitamin B

Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid are particularly important for your health and well-being. The metabolism is disturbed in the event of a deficiency. Stress from long-term stress or caring for relatives is often the result.

The vitamin B deficiency in water-soluble B vitamins

Vitamin B is a vitamin group consisting of eight vital substances. These are the vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, nicotinic acid), B5 (pantothenic acid), and B6 ​​(pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid), B12 (cobalamin). Women in the first trimester of pregnancy and who want to have children should take 0.4 milligrams of folic acid a day. Vegans may need more vitamin B12. However, excessive doses of B6, folic acid, and nicotinic acid can cause nerve damage. Our tips compensate for a deficiency.

1) Folic acid (B9) in fortified salt

Too much salt is not healthy, so the right salt is important. Salt enriched with folic acids, such as the Bad Reichenhall iodized salt, contains 100 micrograms of folic acid. The German Society for Nutrition recommends 400 micrograms for young people and adults and 600 for pregnant women who can hardly manage with nutrition alone.

2) Folic acid in food

Green leafy vegetables contain a lot of folic acids. Because the vitamin is sensitive to light, air, and heat, eat it fresh or raw. Add legumes and whole grains to your diet. At the top are beef liver (590 micrograms/100 g), wheat germ (520), and chickpeas. Egg yolks are also rich (a 60g egg has 40 micrograms). Many multifruit and multivitamin juices contain folic acid. Frequent consumption and additional vitamin preparations could become too much. Preparations that contain other vitamins or minerals in addition to folic acid have no effect with an adequate diet.

3) Folic acid in the vitamin supplement

With the exception of “Radiopharm” (400 micrograms per tablet), the folic acid preparations tested by Stiftung Warentest were not recommended because they exceeded the recommended intake.

4) Food for vitamin B1 deficiency

Typical symptoms of vitamin B deficiency are also neurological disorders, cardiac muscle weakness, and general muscle atrophy. Memory can suffer in alcoholics. In addition to less alcohol, foods such as fish, grain products, legumes, and pork should be eaten more often.

5) Vitamin B2 for fat and protein breakdown

One to two milligrams of B2 a day protects red blood cells and the lens of the eye and creates healthy skin, mucous membranes, and intact nails. A shortage is rare in this country. Yeast, cereals, legumes and milk, cheese, and offal contain a lot of vitamin B2.

6) Vitamin B3 for more energy

The need for niacin is energy-dependent. It converts supplied fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy. A varied, fresh diet easily covers the need. With animal foods such as liver and fish, meat and whey products, as well as whole grain products, legumes and potatoes, mushrooms and bananas, and coffee, you are there.

7) Vitamin B5 for a weakened immune system

The body needs B5 or pantothenic acid for carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism and also for wound healing and a healthy immune system. The vitamin is found in almost all animal and plant foods. The innards such as liver and kidneys, as well as herring, yeast, egg yolks and legumes, cauliflower, and mushrooms, are particularly good.

8) Vitamin B6 for protein metabolism and formation of amino acids

The body needs one to two milligrams per day. The need is usually covered with a balanced diet, even in pregnant women or athletes. There is a lot of vitamin B6 in yeast, cereals, bananas, and vegetables as well as in offal, milk, and eggs.

9) Vitamin B7 Biotin for hair, skin, and nails

The best way to meet your vitamin B7 needs is with a fresh, balanced diet. Food rich in biotin is legumes, whole grain products, soy products, egg yolk, yeast, and nuts.

10) Vitamin B12 for new cells as well as functioning nerves

B12 is important for the synthesis of genetic material, cell renewal, and nerves. In addition, the folic acid needs the vitamin for activation. Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products. Only sea buckthorn is an exception when processing the fruit peel.

11) Vitamin B overdose

A vitamin B deficiency cannot occur with a healthy diet, but an overdose can cause damage. Most B vitamins are safe. Exceptions are vitamin B3, B5, B6, and folic acid.

High doses of vitamin B3 cause itching, nausea, heartburn, and bouts of redness and hot flashes. Excessive intake of vitamin B5 leads to gastrointestinal disorders. Prolonged vitamin B6 overdose is neurologically noticeable. A folic acid excess leads to insomnia, nervousness, and gastrointestinal problems. Too much folic acid impairs the effectiveness of anti-epileptic drugs.

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Food

Sauerkraut: The Vitamin Bomb is so Healthy

Sauerkraut is not only healthy because it contains so many vitamins: it also provides many different minerals. It also promotes a healthy intestinal flora and digestion.

Sauerkraut is made by fermenting white cabbage with lactic acid. During the fermentation process, the sugar in the cabbage is converted into lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria. This gives the cabbage its characteristic sour taste and preserves it. Last but not least, this lactic acid fermentation makes sauerkraut so healthy.

Sauerkraut: These nutritional values ​​make it so healthy

With less than 20 kilocalories and 0.4 grams of fat per 100 grams, sauerkraut is ideal if you want to watch your figure. But there are also plenty of reasons to reach for fermented white cabbage more often. For example, it provides the following vitamins:
Vitamin C: Sauerkraut contains vitamin C, but not in high amounts.
Beta carotene: Sauerkraut is rich in beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. It contributes to healthy skin and eyes, supports bone formation and strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for healthy bones and blood clotting.
Folic Acid: Folic acid is a B vitamin. The body needs it to form cells and blood.
Vitamin B12: Sauerkraut contains vitamin B12, but only traces of it. Therefore, it is not enough for vegans to reach the recommended daily value.
Sauerkraut contains many minerals, in particular:
Sodium – important for the brain and muscles
Potassium – important for the heart and muscles, as well as cell growth and blood pressure
Magnesium – important for the heart, muscles and bones
Calcium – important for nerves, muscles and hormone balance
In addition, there are also some amino acids and about two to three grams of fiber per 100 grams of sauerkraut.

A healthy intestinal flora with sauerkraut

Even if many people think of indigestion, especially flatulence, when they think of cabbage, sauerkraut is actually very healthy for our digestive system.

On the one hand, sauerkraut is easier to digest than unfermented cabbage because the microorganisms also digest the cellulose during lactic acid fermentation.

Even more important to our gut itself are the lactic acid bacteria: these multiply in abundance during the fermentation process, making sauerkraut an excellent probiotic food. The fermented herb thus contributes to a healthy intestinal flora, which is particularly damaged after antibiotic therapy

By the way: Even if the term “lactic acid” sounds a bit misleading, you don’t need to worry. The lactic acid in sauerkraut is vegan.

Only raw sauerkraut is really healthy

The mildly sour-tasting fermented cabbage is so healthy because it is rich in minerals, vitamins and lactic acid bacteria. It is therefore particularly important that you eat the sauerkraut raw. When it is heated, not only are many vitamins lost, but also the particularly beneficial lactic acid bacteria.

But sauerkraut packaged in cans and jars from the supermarket is almost always pasteurized. Although this still contains lactic acid, the metabolic product of the lactic acid bacteria, it no longer contains living lactic acid bacteria. Such sauerkraut is therefore not probiotically effective and therefore does not contribute to a healthy intestinal flora.

Organic shops and health food stores sometimes sell raw but also often pasteurized sauerkraut. That’s why you should definitely read the packaging or, to be on the safe side, ask in the store whether the sauerkraut is raw, untreated.

But you can also make sauerkraut yourself: All you need is a suitable container, white cabbage and salt – and a few weeks for the fermentation process.

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Vitamin B in Food: It is Contained Here

Vitamin B is found in many foods that should be part of a healthy diet. You can find out here which different B vitamins there are, what we need them for and how to avoid a deficiency.

Vitamin B plays an important role in metabolism and blood formation. There are eight different B vitamins in total. These are not consecutively numbered. This is because substances were repeatedly referred to as B vitamins that were ultimately not vitamins. Therefore, the group of B vitamins ranges from vitamin B1 to vitamin B12.

With the exception of B12, vitamin B is found in many plant-based foods. In this way, you can easily cover your need for the first seven B vitamins as part of a vegan diet.

Vitamin B1, B2 and B3 in food

Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamine and is particularly important for the breakdown of carbohydrates. The daily requirement for adults is one to 1.3 milligrams. It is found in large amounts in the husks and germs of grain. If you eat enough whole grain products, you don’t have to worry about a thiamine deficiency. Potatoes and legumes are also good sources.
Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin and plays an essential role in various metabolic and growth processes. The daily requirement for adults is one to 1.4 milligrams. Again, whole grains are a good source. In addition, riboflavin is found in relatively high amounts in many animal products, but also in nuts and some vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus, spinach and mushrooms).
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin or nicotinic acid, is also involved in many metabolic processes. It also helps keep our skin and mucous membranes healthy. The daily requirement is eleven to 16 milligrams. Vitamin B3 is also found in high amounts in animal foods. Whole grain products, legumes, mushrooms, nuts and seeds, and some types of fruit and vegetables are important sources for vegans.

Vitamins B5 and B6

Another B vitamin is pantothenic acid or vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 is also involved in energy metabolism and, together with other vitamins, ensures a functioning immune system. The daily requirement is six milligrams. Since this vitamin B is also found in almost all foods, it is not difficult to reach this value. In this case, particularly good sources are whole grain products, nuts, vegetables and animal products such as eggs and milk.
Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. In addition to the metabolism (especially of protein), it affects the hormone balance and is important for the nervous system. The daily requirement is between 1.4 and 1.6 milligrams. Vitamin B6 is also found in most foods. It is particularly abundant in green vegetables, whole grain products, legumes, potatoes, nuts, as well as dairy products, eggs, meat and fish.

Vitamin B in food: biotin and folic acid

You can also find vitamin B7 under the names vitamin H and biotin. In addition to its great importance for the metabolism, it is significantly involved in cell formation, as well as DNA and protein synthesis. It also promotes healthy skin and hair growth. The daily requirement is 30 to 60 micrograms and is reached quickly, since biotin is also found in a large number of foods. Egg yolks, legumes, nuts, oats, whole grains, vegetables (e.g. spinach) and fruit (e.g. apples and bananas) are particularly rich in this B vitamin.
Vitamin B9 is usually just referred to as folic acid or folate. It is particularly involved in blood formation and cell division. It also plays a crucial role in embryonic and early childhood development. Women who want to have children should therefore ensure that they are getting enough folic acid before they become pregnant. The daily requirement of folic acid for adults is about 300 micrograms. This value is almost twice as high for pregnant women. Folic acid is found in high amounts in green leafy vegetables such as lamb’s lettuce or spinach, as well as in beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, whole grain products, nuts, egg yolks and other animal products.

Get vitamin B12 from food

With vitamin B12 or cobalamin, the group of B vitamins is complete. It is very important for the formation of new blood cells, cell division, gene metabolism and the health of our nerve cells. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed directly through the intestines. It must first combine with a substance from the gastric mucosa, the so-called intrinsic factor.

Since people over the age of 60 generally produce less stomach acid, they are particularly susceptible to a deficiency. The recommended daily dose of four micrograms is therefore sometimes not enough. In this case, it may be necessary to supplement B12 under medical supervision.

Since biologically usable cobalamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, vegans should also supplement B12. As part of a vegetarian diet, you can get B12 from dairy products and eggs. However, there can also be an undersupply here. It is therefore best to have your blood values ​​checked regularly.

If you want to supplement B12, you can resort to capsules, drops, or an occasional B12 injection by healthcare professionals. B12 is also found in very small amounts in fermented products and some types of algae. However, this is by no means sufficient to cover the daily requirement.

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