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Vitamin B5 / Pantothenic Acid – Mushrooms, Legumes and Whole Grain Products

Vitamin B5 – better known as pantothenic acid – is involved in many processes in the body. Utopia explains how you can cover your daily needs and what happens in the event of a shortage.

Pantothenic acid is part of the vitamin B complex and, like all B vitamins, is water-soluble. Our body can absorb the vitamin as pantothenic acid directly from food or produce it ourselves from dexpanthenol, a provitamin. Many creams and tinctures contain dexpanthenol as an active ingredient, which can promote wound healing but do not contribute to the supply of the vitamin.

The functions of pantothenic acid

In order to convert food into usable energy, the body needs the help of the vitamins of the vitamin B complex. Pantothenic acid plays an important role in this: it is involved in the production of coenzyme A. Coenzyme A, in turn, is contained in all living cells as a component of enzymes and is involved in a large number of processes. Not without reason is the meaning of the Greek word “pantothen”: everywhere.

In this way, vitamin B5 contributes to the processing of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In addition to converting the food consumed into usable energy, pantothenic acid plays an important role in the formation of important substances such as amino acids, the blood pigment heme, cholesterol, provitamin D and bile acids.

Pantothenic acid is often referred to as “brain food” because, in addition to its role in energy metabolism, it is also involved in the formation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Contrary to what many supplements promise, however, vitamin B5 does not provide “nerves of steel” or “anxiety reduction.” There are only four statements – so-called health claims – that are scientifically proven and legally approved:

Pantothenic acid contributes to normal energy metabolism.
Pantothenic acid contributes to normal synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones, vitamin D and some neurotransmitters.
Pantothenic acid helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance.

What happens with vitamin B5 deficiency?

A sole deficiency of pantothenic acid is rare, usually the body also lacks other B vitamins at the same time. If there is a vitamin B5 deficiency, the following symptoms may occur:

easy fatigue
sleep disorders
headache
swaying gait
anemia
immunodeficiency
stomach pain
muscle weakness
If the body is undersupplied with vitamin B5 for months, a very figuratively named disease can occur: “Burning Feet Syndrome” (burning feet syndrome), which was first described in prisoners of war in World War II. Not only the soles of the feet, but also the palms of the hands are noticeable as burning or stinging. In general, however, a deficiency only occurs in the case of extreme malnutrition or alcoholism.

Overdose side effects

There is no excessive intake of vitamin B5 / pantothenic acid through normal nutrition. Digestive problems such as diarrhea are only possible due to the wrong dosage of food supplements.

Because apart from that no adverse health effects of an overdose of vitamin B5 are known, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has not set a maximum level for pantothenic acid. At the same time, this does not mean that a lot also helps a lot: Instead of relying on advertising promises, you should – as with all dietary supplements – have the intake checked by a doctor.

Daily requirement of vitamin B5

The amount of 6 mg per day recommended by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) for adults is covered with a balanced diet. Those who suffer from chronic inflammation or alcoholism, however, have a slightly higher need.

Which foods contain the vitamin?

Like most of the vitamins in the vitamin B complex, pantothenic acid is also found in particularly high concentrations in the liver and other offal. Other animal foods such as fish, meat, dairy products and eggs also help to meet the need for vitamin B5 / pantothenic acid.

Since pantothenic acid is found in almost all foods, supply is generally considered unproblematic. Vegetarians and vegans can cover their needs with legumes and mushrooms or – regardless of the seasonal calendar – with crunchy nuts and whole grain products. Wheat bran contains a particularly large amount of vitamin B5 / pantothenic acid, which can easily be added to mueslis, smoothies or pastries.

With a large plate of pea stew (300g) it is possible to cover the daily requirement of vitamin B5 with just one meal.

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Cooking Tips

Strawberries Go Moldy: Does the Whole Bowl Have to Be Thrown Away?

If there is mold on a strawberry, you don’t have to throw away the whole skin right away. However, you should be careful about what you eat. We explain what you have to pay attention to.

Not all mold is dangerous: precious cultures on cheese, for example, are edible. The situation is different with unwanted mold on foods such as fruit, vegetables and bread: These can sometimes produce mycotocins. These metabolites can damage the liver and kidneys over the long term and even have a carcinogenic effect, as the Apotheken Umschau reports. That’s why you should also be cautious if you notice mold on a strawberry.

Strawberries get moldy: You should pay attention to that

If you’ve bought a bowl of strawberries and spot mold, you should be on the lookout. You should then do the following:

Don’t eat the moldy strawberry! Even if only one spot has visible mold, you should discard the whole strawberry. Because: Especially in water-containing foods such as strawberries, traces of mold can spread invisibly throughout the fruit. Therefore, discard the moldy strawberry.
Also discard the strawberries that are directly adjacent to the moldy strawberry. The mold may have spread (invisibly) to these as well.
Check any other strawberries in the bowl. If you can’t find any signs of mold on these, they are still safe to eat, as SWR reports. However, if several strawberries are moldy in the bowl, it is better to dispose of the whole bowl, as nutritionist Christoph Meinhold advises in the forum of the Federal Center for Nutrition.
Before you eat the remaining strawberries, be sure to wash them thoroughly. You can use clear water or soda water for this. Then you should eat the strawberries as soon as possible.
Tip: You can prevent mold in strawberries by not storing them in their skins, but rather laying them out flat on a plate in the fridge. Nevertheless, you should consume the perishable fruit as soon as possible – preferably on the day of purchase. You can also freeze strawberries.

Strawberries: delicious and healthy – but regional and seasonal, please

Strawberries consist of about 90 percent water and are therefore particularly low in calories – at least without sugar. They are rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium and also provide more vitamin C than citrus fruits. Around 100 grams of strawberries cover the daily vitamin C requirement. From a health point of view, there is a lot to be said for the popular fruit, which, despite its name, is actually a nut.

Strawberries are only really healthy if they come from organic cultivation. Because conventional strawberries are mostly contaminated with pesticides, as Öko-Test found out in a comprehensive test. We therefore recommend that you only buy strawberries of certified organic quality.

But strawberries can also be problematic from an ecological point of view if they do not come from regional cultivation: imported strawberries often come from Spain or other southern countries. Since a lot of water is used for cultivation (up to 280 liters for 1 kilo!), this is partly to blame for the water shortage in those countries. The long transport route also contributes to the poor ecological balance of imported strawberries. In addition, there are even reports of rapes on Spanish strawberry plantations.

We therefore recommend that you only buy organic strawberries from German outdoor cultivation. The delicious fruits are in season here from May to August. Of course, even better are strawberries you picked yourself from the neighboring strawberry field or you plant strawberries yourself.

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Food

Whole Foods: A Holistic and Sustainable Nutritional Concept

If you’re already making efforts to eat more sustainably, you may be unknowingly following the concept of whole foods. Organic quality, regional and seasonal food, zero waste and much more come together here.

What is the Whole Food?

Whole food is a comprehensive concept of a diet that is as healthy and sustainable as possible. According to the definition of the founders Karl von Koerber, Thomas Männle and Claus Leitzmann, whole foods (also known as whole food nutrition) are predominantly plant-based diets in which fresh, nutritious and unprocessed foods are preferred. The enjoyment and wholesomeness of the food are also taken into account in the whole food. The main foods used are:

Vegetable fruit,
Potatoes,
Legumes,
whole grain products
and milk and milk products.
Meat, fish and eggs only occur in small amounts in the full diet. Unheated fresh food should make up about half of the amount consumed.

In terms of sustainability, the environmental, economic and social compatibility of the food system is taken into account in addition to health compatibility. This means that in whole foods, primarily regional, seasonal and organic foods are used in environmentally friendly packaging. Such packaging can be, for example, plastic-free alternatives such as paper or reusable glasses. Products, especially from countries outside Europe, should come from fair trade.

Whole foods therefore pursue a variety of goals:

It should promote health
increase the quality of life
do not pollute the environment
promote fair economic relations and social justice worldwide.

Whole Food Nutrition Background

For a long time, nutritionists only considered the health aspect of nutrition, which is still largely the focus today.

Nutritional recommendations often only contain the nutritional-physiological and hygienic-toxicological knowledge – i.e. the knowledge about the effect of the food in the body and the contamination with harmful substances or pathogens. However, other aspects also flow into human nutrition, such as sustainability and social justice. A food can be healthy, but its production can take place under inhumane conditions and be harmful to the environment. In the long run, such production methods can endanger food security in the future. Because only an intact environment can produce healthy and sufficient food for the world population in the long term.

For this reason, nutritional ecology developed as an interdisciplinary field of science. It arose from a student initiative at the University of Giessen in the late 1980s. Nutritional ecology examines and evaluates the complex relationships within the entire food system. This system includes the following sub-areas related to food:

agricultural production
processing
Packaging
transport
trade
consumption
waste disposal
There are five dimensions that play a role in feeding the world’s population. They are considered equal:

Environment (ecological aspects: energy, land and raw material consumption, pollutants, generation of waste)
Economy (economic aspects: trading conditions, wages, livelihood security)
Society (social aspects: fair distribution of food, access to arable land and drinking water, working conditions)
Individual (health aspects: balanced, health-promoting diet, physical well-being, disease prevention)
Culture (cultural aspects: influence our eating style, meaning, values, habits)
The aim of nutritional ecology is to gain insights into the conditions and effects of our handling of food within the five interconnected dimensions. Realizable and sustainable nutrition concepts are to be developed and conscious eating behavior promoted. The diet should be compatible in all dimensions.

The practical implementation of these goals is whole foods as sustainable and contemporary nutrition. Since all dimensions are included, it is a holistic nutritional concept.

The Principles of Whole Foods

In detail, whole foods are based on the following seven principles.

1. Preference for plant foods (mainly lacto-vegetable food)

Most plant foods contain more essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) at fewer calories than animal products. Vegetables are rich in many vitamins, but provide less energy than cheese or sausage, for example. Of course, this does not apply to all foods. Nuts, for example, are plant-based, but very high in calories due to their high fat content. With a mostly plant-based diet, you don’t reach your daily energy requirements as quickly. This point is so important for the founders of whole food nutrition because obesity is steadily increasing worldwide and has health consequences. Health-promoting dietary fiber and secondary plant substances are only found in plant-based foods. On the other hand, foods of animal origin sometimes contain large amounts of components that can become problematic if consumed in excess, such as saturated fatty acids, purines and cholesterol.

2. Organically produced food

It also makes sense from an ecological point of view to significantly reduce the consumption of animal products. If you want to include animal products in your whole food diet, make sure that they come from species-appropriate and ecological animal husbandry. Plant-based foods should also be sourced from organic farms whenever possible. In contrast to conventional farming, organic farming uses less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases. In addition, organic farming improves the soil quality, since it pollutes the soil and groundwater less. All this protects nature as a habitat for animals and insects, which promotes biodiversity. In addition, organic food contains a larger amount of vitamins and other valuable nutrients than food from conventional cultivation. This is already confirmed by a meta-analysis by Newcastle University from 2014. The BZfE also states that organic is healthier. Because fruits and vegetables contain less water, the nutrient density is higher. They also state that animal foods from organic cultivation have a more favorable fatty acid composition.

3. Regional and seasonal products

Thanks to the national range in supermarkets, consumers have gotten used to being able to get everything at any time of the year. However, this advantage has its price: Long transport routes are energy-intensive and resource-intensive. In Germany, non-European groceries account for two thirds of the transport costs, although they only make up four percent of the total volume. If you buy regional groceries, you not only avoid long transport routes. You can also contribute to securing the livelihoods of local farmers and support the agricultural independence of a region. In this country, non-seasonal foods are grown in greenhouses and polytunnels, which entails high energy costs for heating. Fruit and vegetables with a long and therefore resource and energy-intensive transport route are sometimes harvested unripe so that they arrive ripe. This has a negative effect on the nutrients and the taste.

4. Preference for low-processed foods

Whole foods stand in contrast to the widespread convenience food. Although whole foods, unlike raw foods, do not require everything to be eaten raw, raw foods still take precedence over cooked and processed foods. When it comes to whole foods, the daily diet should consist of one to two thirds of fresh, raw foods. The reason for this is that many valuable ingredients can be lost during food processing. Many vitamins and secondary plant substances, for example, are not heat-stable. However, you should definitely cook potatoes and legumes, as they contain toxic ingredients in their raw state. The ecological footprint also decreases the less processed food you eat and the less you process food yourself at home. A current study by several universities was able to show that highly processed foods have a negative impact on the climate balance.

5. Fair Trade Food

The whole food does not completely dispense with well-travelled foods. But then you should choose fair trade products. With Fair Trade certified products you can support producers in developing countries and campaign for better trading conditions and against child labor. Fair pricing aims to cover the costs of production, decent wages and environmental compatibility. But greater attention must also be paid to fair trade within Europe – there are negative examples in Italy and Spain in particular. Also read: 3 bitter truths from the documentary “Europe’s Dirty Harvest”. Orientate yourself on the various seals for fair trade. In addition to the usual fair trade seal, there are others, such as the “fair+” seal from GEPA or the “Fair for Life” seal.

6. Resource-saving housekeeping

This point includes several aspects that make a diet with whole foods more resource-efficient.

Green Electricity: The Whole Foods prefer foods that have been produced using electricity from responsible sources. This point is more to be understood as an ideal target, as it has so far been difficult to implement in practice. Producers are not obliged to indicate the type of electricity used on their products. It would be desirable to have green electricity in your own household. Here you have more room for manoeuvre.
Saving energy: In addition to the use of green electricity, it is important to save energy and therefore money in a diet based on whole foods. You should prioritize more energy-efficient devices and consider which devices you might be able to do without completely.
Shopping routes: A car trip can nullify the positive eco-balance of ecological-regional shopping in terms of CO2 savings. Where possible, you should avoid short trips and make purchases by bus, train, on foot or by bike.
Packaging: The masses of packaging waste pollute people and animals all over the world through recycling plants and direct pollution of the environment, for example through microplastics. For this reason, whole food nutrition stands for unpackaged and plastic-free alternatives.
Food waste: This point is also part of whole food nutrition. According to a WWF study, 2.5 billion tons of food end up in the trash every year. That is around 40 percent of all food produced worldwide.

7. Enjoyable and wholesome food

Whole foods have high ecological, nutritional and social requirements. But the pleasure of eating is just as important in this diet. Whole foods follow the motto “enjoyment takes time” and therefore advocates intuitive eating, which is based on more mindfulness when eating. Digestibility also plays an important role in whole foods. Digestibility, or tolerability, means that your body feels good when digesting, which also has a lasting effect on your well-being. Food that is too greasy, for example, makes digestion difficult.

Implementation of Whole Foods

The principles described above can be translated into a clear compilation of recommendations:

Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, around half fresh.
Prefer whole grain foods to white flour products.
Use legumes and potatoes frequently.
Reduce fat intake to a healthy level and use cold-pressed, vegetable oils instead of animal and hydrogenated fats.
Prefer preferred milk (raw milk), whole milk or pure milk products without additives.
Use eggs, fish, and meat (if desired) sparingly.
Make sure the drinking water is of good quality. Drink herbal or fruit tea in addition to water.
Use salt sparingly and be creative with spices and herbs instead.
Choose fruit, honey or dried fruit for sweetening and avoid isolated sugar.
Buy organic, seasonal, local and fair trade foods.
The principles described above can be translated into a clear compilation of recommendations. Whole food is not a strict concept with prohibitions, but leaves enough room for individual tolerance and needs. Rather, it is a guiding philosophy and requires you to reflect on your eating habits.

Disadvantages and criticisms of whole foods

A point of criticism for some people can be that whole foods do not completely do without milk and other animal products. From an ecological and moral point of view, the criticism is also justified. Whole food nutrition is not designed for vegans, but can still be seen as a basis for them. Milk and milk products, and occasionally fish, meat and eggs, provide the body with essential nutrients that prevent the risk of deficiency symptoms. The supply of vitamin D (in case of lack of sun), B12, as well as calcium and iron occurs mainly or exclusively through animal foods. For this reason, these foods are found in whole foods. The health aspect is not the only focus here. If animal products, then in moderation and from responsible sources. If you would like to take advantage of whole food nutrition and eat vegan at the same time, then use this article as a guide and expand your knowledge of healthy vegan nutrition. For example, using the following article:

Another possible disadvantage of whole foods can be a lack of financial resources and poor local access to good food. Organic food tends to cost more money (and for good reason), which not everyone can fully afford. Not in every region (especially in rural areas) there are organic shops or unpackaged shops.

The transition to whole foods should be done slowly. If your body is not used to the large amount of raw food and increased fiber intake, it can react with digestive problems such as flatulence or constipation. For example, if your digestive power is limited by a disturbed intestinal flora, then raw food can lead to such problems. However, it is possible to rebuild a disturbed intestinal flora.

Conclusion: Whole foods as a sustainable and healthy diet

With the food selection mentioned above and the large proportion of unprocessed fresh food, you supply your body with all vital substances. This good supply strengthens the immune system and makes you less susceptible to diseases. Due to the increased fiber intake and long-chain carbohydrates (whole grain), whole food nutrition helps with weight loss and prevents obesity. The degree of saturation increases and cravings are counteracted.

Whole food can be recommended as a permanent diet for all age groups and offers a great opportunity in a social context to increase sustainability in connection with nutrition at all levels.

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Sweet Rice Cream: Recipe for the Whole Year

Rice cream is a deliciously full-bodied dessert. In this article we will show you a recipe that is very easy to prepare – with a vegan version.

Rice cream is a delicious alternative to pudding that you can easily make yourself. So you can freely choose all components – whether cow or plant milk or sugar or maple syrup – and decide for yourself how sweet or cinnamon you like the rice cream.

We recommend buying all ingredients in organic quality. In this way you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers, which pollute the environment and can remain as residues on the food.

A basic recipe for rice cream

Ingredients:

500 mlmilk or plant milk
80 grice flour
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar or maple syrup
1 packet(s) of vanilla sugar
0.5 tsp
1 pinch(s) of salt

Directions:

Put the milk or plant-based milk (oat milk works particularly well) in a saucepan and heat it up.
Place all other dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together while the milk heats up.
Add the contents of the bowl and any liquid maple syrup to the milk in the saucepan. Turn the stove down to a low temperature. Mix everything together well and let it swell for ten minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally during this time.
Turn off the stove and let the rice cream swell for another five minutes.
Now you can serve the rice cream and put some extra cinnamon on top as a topping.

Tips about the sweet rice cream

You can vary the rice cream according to your taste:

For example, if you like it sweeter, you can add more sugar. If you want a sweet and spicy note, you can add a pinch of nutmeg, for example. If you like it chocolaty, add some Fairtrade cocoa powder or a piece of chocolate.
The rice cream tastes best when served fresh and warm. If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for a few days. You can of course eat the rice cream cold afterwards. If you want to heat them up again, heat some milk in a saucepan and add the rice cream. Mix everything together and let it warm up a bit.
There are many options when it comes to topping selection. For example, you can add berries or apple compote, currant jelly, fruit or fruit puree, cinnamon-sugar or maple syrup, nuts or pieces of chocolate. Of course, you can also combine these components with each other.

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Food

Black Pepper: Whole Grains Test Winner

Pepper is one of the most popular spices in the world. It gives every dish that certain something of spice and spiciness. But which type of pepper performs best in comparison? Stiftung Warentest took a closer look at 20 products – here are the results.

Pepper in the test

In its latest issue, Stiftung Warentest examined a total of 20 different types of black pepper in the sensory and harmful substances categories. These include 14 products (including five organic products) with whole peppercorns and six ground ones.

The result

In general, black pepper in whole grains performs better than ground products as they have a better flavor. Seven of the 20 types of pepper received the test result “Good”, five other types were only rated “Poor”. The reason for this is a very high level of pollution, as the Stiftung Warentest reports. You can find out which types of pepper have been tested here.

Pepper contaminated with mineral oil

Saturated mineral oils were detected in all black pepper varieties tested. Aromatic mineral oils were again found in four products – three of them in traces.

These oils can accumulate in the body and are suspected of promoting the development of cancer. However, since black pepper is only consumed in small quantities, this find is not harmful to health, according to Stiftung Warentest.

That’s why pepper is healthy

The stimulant in pepper, piperine, stimulates blood circulation, appetite, and salivation. It also has an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and diaphoretic effect.

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Food

Perfect Milk Froth with Whole Milk

Creamy and yet fluffy – that’s how the perfect milk froth for a cappuccino or latte macchiato should be. Hobby baristas are currently trying their hand at creating their own works of art, such as hearts on their specialty coffees. But with which milk is the milk froth perfect? EAT SMARTER tells you.

The perfect milk froth

In order for the milk froth on cappuccino or latte macchiato to be perfect, the protein and fat content of the milk must be right. Both are responsible for enclosing the air bubbles that have been beaten in when whipping so that the popular foamy milk is created. “The protein makes the milk foam stable, the fat content ensures the creaminess,” explains nutrition expert Susanne Moritz to the Bavarian consumer center.

The right milk

If you love milk foam like in Italy, you should use whole milk – firm foam is achieved by using low-fat milk of at least 1.5 percent. As a rule of thumb, the higher the fat content, the creamier the foam will be.

The temperature also plays an important role when preparing milk froth: lukewarm or cold milk is best. However, if it is heated to over 60 degrees, the milk froth collapses and is no longer usable for a creamy coffee specialty.

Coffee is so healthy

Coffee in its pure form is calorie-free, has a diuretic effect, and slightly suppresses the appetite. It’s also rich in niacin and antioxidants that help the body neutralize free radicals and protect cells. However, most coffee drinkers love the drink because of its stimulating effect: caffeine has a performance-enhancing effect and stimulates brain activity.

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Food

Fact Check: How Healthy Are Whole Grains Really?

Whole grain products are often touted as a healthier alternative to white flour products. But does that apply to everyone? We have summarized the most important facts for you below.

How healthy are whole grains really?

Whole grain describes grains, such as wheat or oats, that are harvested as whole grains and therefore still contain all the healthy minerals, vitamins and fiber.

Whether wholemeal bread, wholemeal flour or wholemeal noodles – the product range is getting bigger and more popular. Whole wheat flour is ground grain with only the tough outer layer removed. This leaves the grain hull and the germ, which together form the so-called “bran”. This is the healthy main carrier of the whole grain product. Whether vitamin B, iron, zinc or magnesium – whole grain contains all of these ingredients.

White flour is the opposite of whole grain flour. During the processing of the grain, the bran with all its healthy active ingredients is removed. What remains is a product that consists almost entirely of starch and therefore sugar.

White flour: Starch and sugar are what remains

Incidentally, the term “whole grain” is protected by law, because as soon as this information can be seen on the packaging, the grain used must have been ground to 90 percent from the bran and endosperm.
Whole grain products contain a lot of fiber, which has decisive advantages for the body:

Thumbs up: benefits of whole grains

They fill you up quickly.
They bind water and continue to swell in the stomach.
They dampen the blood sugar level by squeezing in between the sugar and the intestinal wall, thus helping the small intestine to do its job.
Dietary fibers also have a large volume and thus get the intestines moving.

However, some people should exercise caution when consuming whole grain products: In the case of intestinal diseases or irritable bowel syndrome, for example, there is a risk that whole grain products will not be well tolerated. But as a rule, these products are gratefully accepted by our body. But it should be noted that you should not change your eating habits from pure white flour to pure wholemeal flour consumption within a day. If you try this, you may experience abdominal pain, bloating, or constipation.

In the first few days of switching to whole grain products, for example, whole grain oatmeal or rolls can be helpful to slowly get used to the body. Flour, pasta and rice can first be mixed with a small amount of the corresponding whole grain product and then an increasing amount of whole grain can be used.

Tip: When consuming whole grain products, you should always drink enough, because the water-binding fiber makes whole grain products thirsty.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Avocado: As a Whole Avocado or as a Dip

Ripe avocados often spoil fairly quickly, but you can freeze them to give them a longer shelf life. We’ll show you how to properly freeze whole and pureed avocados.

Freeze avocados: use leftovers

Your avocado was just perfectly ripe and the next moment it’s already brown? To prevent this, you can freeze ripe avocados and use them later. This is how you actively counteract food waste and can use the leftovers in delicious avocado recipes.

Even if you spontaneously feel like having avocados, it is helpful to have a reserve in the freezer. This way, you don’t have to buy new avocados from the supermarket that may still be unripe and inedible.

You should only consume avocados in moderation anyway, since the long and energy-consuming transport route in air-conditioned ships and the high water consumption have a very negative effect on our environment. Therefore, when buying and consuming avocados, the following motto applies: only buy a little/rarely and always use everything!

The right time to freeze

Before you freeze your avocado, you want to make sure it’s fully ripe. To test the degree of ripeness, you can apply light pressure to the fruit with your fingers. If the avocado yields, it’s ripe.

If the avocado is not yet ripe, it is best to wrap it in newspaper and store it at room temperature. If you put the avocado in a paper bag with an apple, the fruit will ripen even faster. Apples contain the ripening gas ethylene, which causes other fruits to ripen faster. After about one to three days, an avocado should be ripe, now you can freeze it.

Freeze halved avocados

First, halve the avocado with a sharp knife.
Now take a tablespoon and use it to carefully remove the core. Here you can find out what else you can use the avocado seed for.
Now drizzle some lemon juice on the two avocado halves. This will prevent the flesh from turning brown.
Now wrap the halves in beeswax towels and put them in the freezer. You can also freeze them in a screw-top jar.
It’s best to label the bee growth or jar with a water-soluble pen to help you remember the date you froze the avocado.
To defrost the avocado, you can now simply place it on a plate at room temperature for an hour. And you’re ready to enjoy a ripe avocado!
Good to know: Avocados can be stored in the freezer for up to eight months. Don’t be surprised if freezing changes the texture of the avocado. This is completely normal and does not change the taste of the fruit.

Freeze avocado puree

If you puree the avocado before freezing, you can save yourself a step if you want to use it later for guacamole or a green smoothie.
First, cut the avocado in half again and remove the stone.
Now scoop out the fruit with a spoon and place the pulp in a blender. Add some lemon juice to keep the green color. If you don’t have a blender, you can also mash the avocado with a fork.
Mash the avocado until you like the consistency.
Now pour the avocado puree into a freezer container, e.g. a screw-top jar. Don’t forget to label it with the current date!
Off to the freezer!
Place the puree in the refrigerator at least 12 hours before you plan to use it. This allows the avocado to thaw slowly and gently.
Tip: For small portions that are quick to hand, simply fill the pureed avocado into an ice cube mold and freeze it.

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Food

Grain Milk: The Milk Substitute Made From Whole Meal and Grain

Grain milk is becoming increasingly popular. You can make them yourself or buy them ready-made, made from oats, spelt, rye and other grains. Here we present an overview of the most important types of grain milk.

Grain milk is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to cow’s milk. It is lactose-free and therefore suitable for allergy sufferers. It contains less fat than cow’s milk and, unless artificially sweetened, is also lower in calories than whole milk.

Grain drinks, as grain milk products are called in retail, can be easily made in the kitchen at home and are then not only cheaper than cow’s milk, but also have a good ecological balance if regional grain is used.

What is grain milk anyway?

Roughly speaking, grain drinks consist of water and various types of grain, while industrially produced milk substitutes usually contain sweeteners in the form of agave syrup, dates or vanilla.

Grain milk fans swear by the sweet to nutty taste that comes from the grain starch. They use their favorite drink for everything that would otherwise be made with regular cow’s milk. Whether in coffee or muesli, for desserts, cakes or sauces, grain milk can be used in many ways.

How healthy are grain drinks?

We can answer the question of whether grain drinks are healthy with a resounding “yes”.

For people who are allergic to cow’s milk or have a lactose intolerance, grain milk is of course the better alternative.
Caution is advised in the case of gluten intolerance, because the gluten protein is often also found in milk alternatives made from spelt, wheat, rye and co.
When it comes to protein and calcium content, grain milk also performs poorly compared to normal milk.
Due to the manufacturing process (every grain drink is filtered before bottling), the minerals present in the whole grain are usually lost.
In summary, one can say that cereal milk is an interesting alternative, especially for those who want to eat vegan or who want or have to do without cow’s milk for reasons.

Make your own grain milk

Of course, you can also make any form of grain drink yourself. Because the “production” is basically the same for every type of grain, you can find a general recipe for homemade grain milk here.

You need:
80g cereal flakes, grains or flour. You have to crush whole grains and soak them overnight or let them germinate before you process them
1l water
blender or blender
sweeteners such as agave syrup, dates or honey; alternatively some salt
Put flour, flakes or grist in a saucepan and bring to the boil with about 0.5l of water and simmer briefly. Remove from the heat, add the remaining water and add any sweeteners. Then mix the mixture well again with either the blender or the immersion blender and chop.

As a final step, filter your grain milk through a cotton cloth or nut milk bag into a suitable container to remove the solids. Squeeze the cloth or bag well! The cereal milk can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-6 days.

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Cooking Tips

Tips for Healthy Baking with Whole Foods

Baked goods should be delicious and you don’t want to pay attention to the calories. Nevertheless, with some wholesome and natural substitutes, you can not only bake healthier but usually also much more delicious. The modern bakery cannot do without sugar and flour. Both are relatively inexpensive foods, but they are not necessarily healthy.

Many of the ingredients of the whole grain are usually removed from conventional flour. And the sugar also lacks any taste but provides all the more sweetness. The end product, therefore, contains hardly any nutrients, but all the more calories.

1) Use flour as coarse as possible

Flour is an example of how many products we now use that have almost completely lost their nutritional value. Especially the frequently used 405 flour is only an extract of the whole grain and tastes far inferior to it.

Here it is already advisable to use coarser flours. Although these are primarily suitable for baking bread, they can also be used for delicious wholemeal cookies. The 1050 and 1740 flour in particular still contain the nutrients and the taste of the ripe grain. Also, learn how to prevent the dough from collapsing.

2) Refined sugar should be avoided

Another frequently used substance in our bakery is sugar. It may be cheap, but it’s bad for your teeth, high in calories, and just plain sweet to taste. Another problem is that although foods with too much sugar are initially filling, the next food cravings appear very quickly after eating.

Instead of sugar, natural products should be used that are not only nutritious but also add flavor to the pastry. Honey should be mentioned here first. With him, the taste can also be creatively influenced by the different types of honey. However, it is also possible to add syrup. Raisins can also be used for coarser pastries.

3) Reconsider all the ingredients

Once you have started, you should reconsider all the ingredients in the recipes and look for full-fledged alternatives. Instead of flavorings, the originals can often be used, which have a much more intense taste. You can buy spices as coarse as possible to grind them up at home.

This alone gives you valuable ingredients and flavors that benefit the baked goods and ultimately you. You eat more consciously and healthier, and cravings in between are avoided. And ultimately, the home-baked food is simply tastier than with alternative ingredients. So you should bake your own bread more often.

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