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Enjoyment with a Clear Conscience: Fair Trade Tea

Traditional tea has a bitter aftertaste: pesticide pollution and exploitation on the plantations. If you shop responsibly, you can do something about it. However, there is not one all-round good alternative – there are many different initiatives.

If you don’t just want to drink tea (black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong) but want to enjoy it with a clear conscience, you should follow two pieces of advice: Buy organic tea, because the pesticide load there is significantly lower. Also make sure that you really only buy fairly traded tea, because that way you can also counteract the problematic working conditions.

The problem: making a clear recommendation for “fair trade” tea is not that easy. In addition to the well-known and widespread Fairtrade seal, there is an almost unmanageable variety of initiatives. We present a small selection.

Fairtrade: higher wages, fairer conditions

The Fairtrade seal stands for better working conditions in the production countries. An important tool is the Fairtrade premium: it is paid to the local workers’ cooperative or workers’ representation and used for charitable purposes. Fairtrade prohibits discrimination, forced and child labor and requires occupational safety measures and formal employment relationships. Genetic engineering is excluded, the use of pesticides is severely restricted. There is an extra premium for organic cultivation.

The price that producers receive for their tea depends on the quality, origin and processing methods. Due to the included Fairtrade surcharge, however, it is generally slightly higher than without certification.

According to Fairtrade, the wages of the workers must be at least as high as the standard industry wages or statutory minimum wages, whichever is higher. If these are below living wages, there must be continuous wage increases. However, what is considered to be “living wage” has not yet been clearly defined. “There is currently no uniform living wage calculation system, but we are aiming for it,” says Verena Albert from the policy department of the fair trade company GEPA (see below).

Fairtrade does not guarantee physical traceability for tea. This means: If you buy 100 grams of tea with the Fairtrade seal, the pack does not necessarily have to contain 100 grams of Fairtrade tea, it can also contain conventional tea. The only thing that is certain is that the tea manufacturer bought 100 grams of Fairtrade tea – this is guaranteed by the umbrella organization FLO (Fair Labor Organisation).

Buying: Fairtrade products are available almost everywhere: in supermarkets, discounters, organic shops and supermarkets, health food stores, world shops, drugstores and in many online shops.

GEPA: stricter rules, better traceability

At GEPA, the standards go beyond those of Fairtrade. The company also does public relations and lobbying for fair trade and is a member of FLO and WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization).

A long-term trading partner of GEPA is the Indian tea producer TPI. The company pays its employees above minimum wage for every kilo of tea they pick and also invests in a pension fund for them. Unlike many other plantation operations, TPI employs workers year-round, providing them with education, health care, and electricity.

The price that GEPA pays the producers is based on their calculations; they receive a fair trade surcharge per kilo. After all, around 80 percent of all goods at GEPA come from organic cultivation. Many of the teas bear the seal of the Naturland cultivation association.

GEPA guarantees that there will be no balancing of quantities for tea. For consumers, this means that GEPA tea packs actually contain 100 percent tea from certified tea gardens. “Physical traceability is very important to us. It helps to promote not only fair trade in the minds of the people here, but above all the local producers,” says Verena Albert from GEPA.

El Puente: special support for disadvantaged groups

The non-profit El Puente focuses on trading with self-governing smallholder cooperatives and family businesses. Unlike Fairtrade International and GEPA, El Puente provides producers with up to 100 percent interest-free pre-financing of production.

The company works according to the standards of the WFTO: It makes the special support of disadvantaged groups in the producer countries a central criterion. Wages must correspond to the respective statutory minimum wages or the wages customary in the industry, whichever is higher. Living wages are also “desired” here.

According to their own statements, about 80 percent of the food range is certified organic. El Puente gets its tea from cooperatives in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Rwanda.

Buying: The products can only be found in world shops or online so far.

Direct Trade

Initiatives such as the Tea Alternative and the Tea Campaign buy certified organic tea directly from plantations in India, ship it to Germany and sell it directly to consumers in bulk. The tea alternative offers only one type of tea (Assam), the tea campaign two (Darjeeling and Assam); both support the respective region to a special degree. They can offer their products relatively inexpensively by bypassing middlemen, certifiers and complicated marketing structures.

The plantations from which the two direct traders get their tea are mostly FLO-certified. During visits to India, the companies regularly convince themselves that the workers are treated fairly. “The advantage is that I know exactly where the tea comes from and who benefits from it,” says Thomas Zimmermann from the tea alternative. “When I’m there, I look behind practically every machine.” Both initiatives support charitable projects in India with part of their proceeds.

Conclusion: Enjoying fair tea is possible

We believe: every step counts. And that’s why the most important thing is that you do something at all to counteract exploitation and environmental destruction on the tea plantations. The alternatives presented may not be perfect, but they are relatively easy to put into practice for every tea fan and just as useful as they are worthy of support.

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Food

Make Matcha Tea: It Tastes Best with this Technique

Make matcha tea perfectly is considered a high art in Asia. Because green tea is very healthy and is becoming more and more popular with us. Here’s how to brew it properly.

Making matcha tea: This is how the powdered tea succeeds

Brewing Matcha tea is a little more complex than with conventional teas. In order for the tea to be nice and creamy, there are a few things to consider. Because to be able to prepare it, you need a bamboo spatula, a bamboo whisk and a matcha bowl (a set is available from **Amazon, for example).

For the matcha tea you also need:

two to four bamboo spatulas or one to two heaped teaspoons of matcha tea powder
75 ml hot water (about 80 degrees Celsius)
1. Soak bamboo whisk

The bamboo broom, called “chasen” by professionals, should be placed in warm water for a few minutes. This makes it smoother and the tea can be whipped better.

2. Matcha powder sift

Matcha tea is only available as a powder. So that no annoying lumps form during the preparation, you should first pass the powder through a fine sieve. This way you can be sure that the tea will have a nice consistency and an even taste.

3. Mix the paste

Now put the powder in the bowl. The more tea you use, the thicker and creamier the matcha tea will be in the end. Pour in some of the hot water. With the Chasen you start beating the tea into a paste.

4. Brew tea

You don’t stir the matcha tea, but open it in a W-shape. To do this, draw a W in the matcha bowl in short, quick movements. Keep your wrist as loose as possible. Gradually add the rest of the water.

5. Enjoy

The matcha tea is ready when the consistency is even and the surface is creamy. Finally, carefully guide the chasen along the inside of the bowl. Now you can enjoy the tea.

That’s why matcha tea is so healthy

Unlike classic green tea, matcha tea uses the entire leaf. During production, the tea leaf is ground and pulverized. In this way, important nutrients are retained that are lost in conventional tea during production.

Matcha tea is particularly rich in antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals. It also contains a variety of vitamins. These include vitamin B1, B2 and B3, but also vitamin C, E and K. Nutrients such as calcium, potassium and beta-carotene also make it so healthy.

Matcha tea has a distinctive green color that can vary somewhat depending on the variety. You can recognize high-quality tea by the fact that it does not taste bitter, but rather has a slight sweetness.

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Lifestyle

Clean Jewelry with Home Remedies and Store it Properly

There are many different types of jewelry that we use as beautiful accessories every day. But how do they stay beautiful and shiny? With our tips, you can easily clean and store jewelry. So ivory, enamel, gold bronze, gold frames, garnet jewelry, or silver remain worth seeing for a long time.

With a large number of types of jewelry, one often does not know which cleaning strategy is the right one without damaging the piece of jewelry. But when the silver starts to tarnish or your gold chain loses its shine, it’s time to clean the jewelry. Simple home remedies can help you with this.

Jewelry cleaning made easy

The history of jewelry is a centuries-old story. Because long before our time, people made jewelry from natural materials such as shells, animal teeth, or stones. And even today there are a variety of types of jewelry. There are no limits to the creativity of the designers. So there are many different shapes and colors with which we can beautify our outfits. In addition, many people use these accessories to express their individuality or even to strengthen their self-confidence. But after a while, the beloved silver jewelry or other fashion jewelry can lose its shine and tarnish. Then it’s high time to clean your favorite items.

Cleaning jewelry with home remedies

You can clean different types of jewelry using natural home remedies. During this time you should refrain from using aggressive chemical cleaners. Because these can attack and damage the material. But which home remedies are the right ones? In general, you can use home remedies such as baking powder or baking soda. Various types of jewelry can also be cleaned with vinegar or soap.

1) Clean gold jewelry

Gold has been used to make jewelry for centuries. Because it is a very soft metal, it is often alloyed with other materials such as silver or copper. This mixing of the metals means that the jewelry can tarnish faster. Then you can clean your jewelry as follows. Also, read our other tips on cleaning gold jewelry and gold jewelry as a gift.

2) Clean the gold frame

You can clean gold frames with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ammonia solution and a quarter of a liter of water. Then use the mixture to wipe down the frame. And to be able to restore the original shine, polish the frame again after treatment with a mixture of salt and egg white.

3) Clean silver jewelry

Nowadays silver jewelry is very popular and available in many forms. But silver can also be affected by discoloration after a while. You don’t need expensive cleaning products to clean your silver jewelry.

4) Clean bronze jewelry

The best way to clean your bronze jewelry is with jewelry cleaning cloths. You can get these at jewelers or drugstores. You can also clean bronze with a mild soapy solution. To do this, mix warm water with mild soap and use the water for cleaning. In addition, soapy water is great for a quick house cleaning.

5) Clean pearl jewelry properly

Although one sees less pearl jewelry these days, many still have one or the other heirloom at home. In order to be able to remove dirt from your pearl jewelry, you should avoid using aggressive and hard cleaning agents. To clean this jewelry, use pH-neutral baby soap. Then put them on a cloth and gently rub the beads clean.

6) Cleaning gemstone jewelry

The type of cleaning depends on the degree of hardness of the gemstones. For soft gemstones, you can use lukewarm water, a mild detergent, and a soft cloth to clean the jewelry. For slightly harder gems, soak the jewelry in a water bath for five minutes. You can clean dirty areas with a soft brush. Finally, rinse the jewelry and dry everything well. The harder gemstones include sapphires, diamonds, or rubies. If you have valuable jewelry at home, read our article on effective burglary protection.

7) Clean enamel effectively

To clean enamel jewelry, use a silver cleaning cloth regularly. This prevents the enamel from getting heavily soiled. You should also avoid ultrasonic devices for cleaning the jewelry. Also, note our tips for cleaning glasses properly.

8) Clean garnet jewelry

Great garnet jewelry will get clean again if left in a soapy water bath. For this use lukewarm water, soap, and some ammoniac. Then leave it on for two hours. Then rinse it off with cold water and rub it dry with a soft cloth.

9) Clean ivory properly

Dirty ivory can be cleaned with lukewarm water, some soap, and a brush. You can also clean your ivory jewelry by placing it in soapy water for about 5 minutes and then rubbing it clean. Or wash it with lukewarm milk and polish it with a soft cloth. Also, note how you can keep your valuables safe.

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Lifestyle

Clean Work Clothes with Salt

To get your dirty work clothes really clean again, useful tips for cleaning work clothes. Because with the right pre-treatment and home remedies, effective cleaning is possible.

Clean dirty work clothes

After strenuous work in the garden or after a hard day’s work on the construction site, it can happen that dirt does not disappear with a simple wash. So that the dirt still disappears, you should add a simple household remedy to the laundry when cleaning work clothes:

Pre-treatment of work clothing

Since workwear is often heavily soiled clothing, you should pretreat it in the washing machine before washing it. So let them soak overnight. To do this, fill a bucket or the bathtub with water and add the household remedy baking soda. You can also moisten the dirty areas and rub in the miracle cure gall soap. Then let it soak for a while before you put it in the washing machine.

Clean work clothes with salt

In order to be able to effectively clean heavily soiled work clothing, you can add three tablespoons of salt to the washing water in addition to the detergent. This means that you can remove even stubborn stains without much effort and make your workwear look new. Also, note tips on how to effectively remove the following stubborn stains from your clothes:

  • Tips for removing grass stains
  • Easy ways to get rid of red wine stains
  • Remove stubborn grease and oil stains

More tips on cleaning workwear

Either you have your work clothes dry cleaned, where professional people with the right equipment and resources will take care of your clothes. Or you try to get your work clothes clean yourself. You should also heed the following tips. Also, read how to remove tar stains from skin and work clothes.

  • Always wash work clothes alone. This way, the rest of your laundry won’t get dirty.
  • Wash soiled clothing at high temperatures. As a result, stubborn dirt is loosened.
  • Instead of liquid detergent, use powder detergent to clean your workwear.
  • Use special scented cleaners or detergent alternatives to neutralize odors.
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Lifestyle

Instructions for Wiping the Floor with Home Remedies

Simple instructions and clever tips for mopping the floor. Now wipe the floor with home remedies instead of chemical cleaning agents. As a result, you care for every type of floor ideally and prevent new soiling. The purchase of modern floor wipers is also useful.

One of the most annoying but unavoidable housework is mopping the floors. All sorts of dirt accumulate here, such as breadcrumbs and greasy sauce splatters in the kitchen, trampled-on mud and mud in the hallway, long hair and toothpaste stains in the bathroom, or balls of fluff in the bedroom.

Wipe the floor with what?

When it comes to removing the dirt from the floor, which is often difficult, it is unfortunately not always possible to work with the aggressive chemical mace. For the sake of sensitive surfaces and our health, you should choose alternative methods and at the same time protect the environment in the household. If you don’t already have a modern helper to mop the floor, you can do the cleaning of your floors the traditional way just as well. With our tips, wiping the floor is quick and easy thanks to home remedies or floor wipers.

1) Use of vinegar

If you have floors with a smooth plastic surface, such as laminate or PVC, you can clean them with the household remedy vinegar. Because these floors are usually not sensitive and hard-wearing as others. So, fill a bucket of lukewarm water with vinegar in a 1:10 ratio. The vinegar water not only cleans dirt but is also good for removing limescale deposits. In addition, it has an antibacterial effect.

2) Citric acid for cleaning

To clean tile floors in the bathroom or kitchen, you can mix 1 liter of water with 30 grams of cleaning citric acid. This mixture gives a fresh scent and removes limescale stains. If you have particularly dirty spots, you can treat them with a sponge and the mixture. Citric acid also has a disinfecting effect. But you shouldn’t use acidic cleaners to clean marble floors!

3) Wipe the floor with soap

Natural stone floors, such as marble or granite, clean well with soap instead of chemical detergents. Accordingly, dissolve some curd soap in lukewarm water and then you can wipe your floor really clean with the home remedy soapy water. To prevent a greasy film from forming afterward, you should wipe it with clear water when using this method. Also, note our usage tips for gall soap.

4) Detergent for floor cleaning

You can also add some pH-neutral washing-up liquid to your cleaning water and wipe the floor with it. This method is particularly suitable for linoleum floors. Two splashes of detergent are usually enough to ensure cleanliness and freshness. In addition, note useful tips for carpet cleaning.

5) Mop floor with buttermilk

Sounds very unusual at first! However, you can do this if your buttermilk at home has already expired. Because you can use it to clean dull-looking tiles. Since the buttermilk effectively removes limescale and stains, your tiled floor will shine like new afterward. Incidentally, you can also clean and care for linoleum floors with milk and water (ratio 1:1).

Instructions for clever floor mopping

One of the most important, but also the simplest tips is to follow the correct order when wiping the floor in your apartment. This saves you time and annoying wiping. If you heed the following order, the wiping will be quick and you can turn to other important things, e.g. creative furnishing ideas for the apartment.

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Are Pretzels Vegan? What You Have to Look Out for with Pretzels

Many people wonder whether pretzels are vegan at all. After all, many foods contain animal products that we would not suspect. How about the pretzel?

Pretzels are not always vegan

A pretzel traditionally consists of a lye dough, i.e. flour, yeast, water, salt and baking soda for the lye. In some regions and in some bakeries, traditionally prepared pretzels also contain lard. This makes the dough smoother and the machines can process it more easily. Especially with fresh dough that has not rested for long, the lard helps with further processing.

Today, however, many bakeries do without the lard and use butter or vegetable fat instead. If butter is used, the pretzel is no longer vegan, but at least vegetarian.

How do I recognize vegan pretzels?

The use of pork fat or butter does not have to be labeled. As a rule, however, bakeries have lists of ingredients on hand so that they can also provide information in the event of allergies. Here it helps to simply ask for the list of ingredients. You can also find ingredient lists online at larger bakeries.

Some bakeries also label pretzels with “vegan” on the price tag. The V-Label identifies vegan products reliably and transparently.

You can be absolutely sure when you bake pretzels yourself.

Do pretzels contain egg?

In some Internet forums you can read again and again that pretzels are coated with egg. They should then look nicer and browner. However, the browning is caused by the bath in caustic soda and the subsequent baking of the pretzel.

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What to Do with a Smelly Air Conditioner in the Car?

If the air conditioning stinks, then that’s unpleasant. In addition, it can be harmful to health. Therefore, you should fix the smelly air conditioner in the car as soon as possible.

Why does my air conditioner stink?

If the air conditioning in the car smells unpleasant after starting, then you should do something about it. Because the reason for a smelly air conditioning system is often an infestation of fungi and bacteria. Because they may have nested there. And mushrooms thrive in the plant’s humid environment. So that you can effectively eliminate the bacteria and fungi and your air conditioner no longer stinks, you should do the following:

1) Remove residual moisture from the air conditioner

In order to avoid the fungal infestation and thus the unpleasant smell, you should switch off the air conditioning shortly before the end of the journey and only let the ventilation run for a few minutes. This can be done with the “Econ” mode, for example. As a result, the residual moisture is removed from the system. If an air conditioner is already heavily infested with fungi, it is best to have it cleaned by a specialist company or have the filter replaced. Also, read how to make faded plastic in your car look new.

2) Disinfect the smelly air conditioner

If the smell is not too strong, you can disinfect your air conditioner. You can drive to an auto repair shop for this. Or buy the right disinfectant spray for your air conditioner yourself. Then you should follow the instructions strictly for effective odor elimination.

3) Warmth against smelly air conditioning

You can also try to kill the fungi and bacteria with heat. To do this, let the heating run at the highest level for some time. With a bit of luck, the odor-causing substances will die off and your air conditioner will no longer stink. Also, note tips on how to avoid smelly laundry and how to remove smells from the oven.

Tips to avoid smelly air conditioning

So that your air conditioner doesn’t stink in the first place, you should heed a few things and take care of the correct handling of your air conditioner:

  • Prevent the coolant from going bad by turning on the air conditioning every now and then, even in winter.
  • Switch off the air conditioning early, at least 5 minutes before the end of the journey.
  • Regularly check the coolant and replace the cabin filter.
  • Use air conditioning only when needed.
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Food

Coffee Goes With Sweets!

A cup of coffee always includes sweets.

A sweet served with the coffee completes the coffee moment.

Anyone who likes to enjoy a cup of coffee knows that enjoyment without pastries or sweets is anything but perfect. Accordingly, confectionery is now one of the standard things that you get with a cup of coffee. But simply offering biscuits, cantuccini or a bean in a chocolate coating is no longer anything special. So if you want to stand out and leave a lasting impression, you should consider something more unusual. With the latest coffee trends, you are always up to date on what goes best with a coffee drink.

Confectionery specialties for coffee

Above all, it is already a tradition that a cup of coffee is served with sweets such as biscuits, chocolate or other pastries. Special confectionery is also suitable for certain coffee drinks. But if you don’t always want to follow the flow, but also want to be creative yourself and impress guests or customers, you should move away from the traditional confectionery for coffee and think of something new. It is enough to deal a little with the latest trends in the field of coffee. Because whether coffee smoothie, bulletproof coffee, green coffee or nitro cold brew iced coffee – they are all on the rise and conquer the hearts of coffee lovers.

Then there is not much missing to think about unusual confectionery for coffee. Thanks to new roasting processes and special preparations of the coffee beans, you can now also get fruity flavors. As a result, fruity sweets also support these coffee drinks and are therefore ideally suited for serving together.

For example, a small blueberry muffin is just the thing. On the other hand, individualized biscuits or chocolate that don’t look ordinary are sufficient. You can play with the shape and color of the confectionery. From the shape of the company logo to the color that makes you stand out, anything is possible. You can also score well with a simple but funny or individual lettering.

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health

Lose Weight at Lightning Speed with the 24-hour Diet: How Useful is That?

The 24-hour diet promises rapid weight loss success. But how effective and above all useful is this type of diet actually?

The nutrition coach Achim Sam and the scientist Prof. Dr. Michael Hamm developed the 24-hour diet and promise a weight loss of up to two kilos within 24 hours. During this time, your carbohydrate storage is completely emptied, which should boost fat burning. Sports units combined with protein-rich foods are intended to prevent the yo-yo effect. In a test in 2011, the University of Freiburg was able to demonstrate various successes of the 24-hour diet.

What is the 24-hour diet?

With the 24-hour diet, you have to calculate more than one day.

Day 1: Preparation

Intensive sports program to empty carbohydrate stores. Endurance sports are well suited for this.
Do not eat anything two hours before exercising.
After exercise, protein-rich supper.
Seven hours of sleep.
Day 2: Actual diet day

Women: no more than 800 calories
Men: no more than 1000 calories
Breakfast: high in protein
Two hours of exercise
Lunch and dinner also contain protein
No food intake for 4 hours between meals
Drink 2.5 liters of water
Experts recommend fish, meat and dairy products on the diet day. However, meat and co. can be replaced by foods with vegetable protein. The 24-hour diet is reminiscent of the ketogenic diet due to its protein orientation.

The diet should by no means be permanent. However, according to the inventors of the diet, it can be done once a week in order to be able to record constant weight loss.

Criticism of the 24-hour diet

Crash diets are criticized for achieving weight loss through water loss and muscle mass reduction and disrupting the metabolism. The disturbance of the metabolism then leads in turn to the famous yo-yo effect when the body is supplied with normal food again. The German Society for Nutrition also warns against lightning diets due to a lack of nutrient intake.

Achim Sam and Prof. Dr. Michael Hamm want to prevent exactly that with their new weight loss formula – although it is a crash diet. The advantage of this diet is that you will not be hungry.

As the experts themselves point out, the 24-hour diet is by no means a permanent solution. Limiting calorie intake alone would have fatal consequences. In addition, the physical strain combined with the low calorie intake could become too much for untrained people.

As with most diets, a change in diet is better

Losing weight within 24 hours sounds tempting. But dieting is not a long-term solution. It would make more sense to generally eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Your body and your health will benefit from this.

A diet like the 24-hour diet, which is based on meat and dairy products, is also bad for the climate. After all, animal products are responsible for around 60 percent of food-related climate emissions. Therefore, you should only consume them in moderation. If you do not want to support factory farming, then look out for organic seals such as Demeter, Naturland or Bioland when shopping.

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Vegan Diet: Which Plant Sources Provide You with Which Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for survival – we have to get them with food. What is the easiest way for vegans and vegetarians to do this? And which vitamins should you pay particular attention to?

For a vegan or vegetarian diet as well as for a diet with meat, it is helpful to know the different vitamins and their (vegetable) sources. Although healthy people in Germany are adequately supplied with most vitamins, there are also critical vitamins: These include vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Vitamins: important for a healthy life

Vitamins are tiny molecules with a variety of functions and effects: they regulate the utilization of nutrients and are indispensable for energy production. Vitamins strengthen our immune system and are essential for building cells, blood cells, bones and teeth.

Individual vitamins can be involved in many different processes. Vitamins often work together and reinforce each other’s effects. It is all the more important that all vitamins are sufficiently absorbed.

Cover vitamin requirements with vegan nutrition

In order to cover as many vitamins as possible with a plant-based diet, you can observe the following tips:

Stick to the 5-a-day rule and eat at least three handfuls of vegetables (400 grams) and two handfuls of fruit (250 grams) a day.
Eat three servings of whole grains (e.g. 250 to 300 grams of cooked rice, 100 to 150 grams of bread) and potatoes (200 to 350 grams),
a serving of legumes (40 to 50 grams raw or 150 to 220 grams cooked) and
one to two servings of nuts and seeds (30 to 60 grams).
Pay attention to variety: the more colorful, the better.
Go out into the fresh air every day and – if possible – soak up some sunlight.
Seasonality ensures variety and a high nutrient content (see also the Utopia seasonal calendar).
Thanks to regionality, you get fresh, nutritious products without long transport routes.
Organic products have less pesticide residue and are better for the environment.
Ensure your supply of vitamin B12.
We cannot see or taste vitamins – and yet we need them to live. There are 13 known vitamins in total. They are divided into two groups: there are four fat-soluble and nine water-soluble vitamins.

The four fat-soluble vitamins

As the name suggests, the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K need fat to be absorbed by the body. However, traces of fat are enough for this and it usually happens automatically: A bit of oil in a salad or for steaming vegetables and even the fat contained in wholemeal bread is enough. The fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body’s fat deposits.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is involved in the visual process, has an influence on reproduction and thyroid activity, protects the skin and mucous membranes and is important for the immune system.

The foods in which the nutrient is found are easy to remember: in yellow, green, orange and red vegetables. You can cover your daily needs with 100 to 200 grams of lamb’s lettuce, a large carrot, a pepper, 150 grams of kale or spinach. Pumpkin, broccoli and corn also contain vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, is involved in the formation of bones and teeth and has an impact on muscle strength. It is a very special vitamin – because the body can produce it itself from precursors that are already present in the body: Most of our needs can be covered with the help of sunlight (UV-B light).

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), anyone who exposes a quarter of their body surface (face, hands and parts of the arms and legs) to the sun for 5 to 25 minutes a day can cover their daily needs in Germany, at least in the summer months.

Only a small part (10 to 20 percent) of the requirement has to be obtained from the diet. Vitamin D is found in very few foods – most are of animal origin. But there are also plant sources: Mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelles or button mushrooms contain vitamin D.

vitamin E

Vitamin E is a component of all membranes and has various antioxidant effects – for example, it protects fats and fatty acids from the harmful effects of oxygen compounds.

It is mainly found in vegetable oils such as wheat germ oil, walnut oil or sunflower oil. But also in nuts such as hazelnuts, almonds or seeds such as linseed. The daily requirement can be covered with 50 grams of hazelnuts, two spoons of sunflower oil or a teaspoon of wheat germ oil.

vitamin k

Vitamin K is involved in the formation of bones and blood clotting factors. It is found in green vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, lettuce, chard, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts or lamb’s lettuce. But also corn oil, olive oil, whole grains, sauerkraut contain the nutrient and 120 grams of potatoes, 400 grams of mushrooms, 15 grams of chives or 130 grams of asparagus cover the daily requirement.

The nine water-soluble vitamins

In addition to the fat-soluble vitamins, there are the water-soluble vitamins: these include all B vitamins and vitamin C. In contrast to the fat-soluble vitamins, the water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and must therefore be taken in regularly.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

Vitamin B1 – also known as thiamine – is involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism and the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system. Thiamine is found in the outer layers of grains and is therefore found in whole grain products. It is also found in potatoes, sunflower seeds, soybeans, sesame, peas, rice and oatmeal. 300 grams of peas, 200 grams of whole grain rice or oatmeal or 200 grams of whole grain flour can cover your daily requirement.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 – or riboflavin – is involved in protein and energy metabolism and is important for growth and development. It is found in yeast, almonds, soybeans, mushrooms, whole grains or broccoli, asparagus and spinach. 200 grams of almonds, 250 grams of mushrooms, 375 grams of pumpkin seeds, 400 grams of soy meat, 450 grams of dried lentils, 700 grams of wholemeal flour or 650 grams of cooked broccoli correspond to the daily requirement.

Niacin

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is involved in energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Your daily requirement can be covered with 25 grams of peanuts and 100 grams of fried oyster mushrooms or 250 grams of whole wheat. Niacin is found in peanuts, cashews, mushrooms, wheat bran, dates, whole grains, legumes, roasted coffee beans or potatoes.

Vitamin B6

Like all B vitamins, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in metabolism. It plays an important role in protein metabolism in particular. The nutrient is found in whole grain products, potatoes, walnuts, sunflower seeds, bananas, legumes or soybeans. 45 grams of sprouts, 150 grams of rolled oats, 130 grams of soybeans or 300 grams of potato or carrot salad refined with a handful of walnuts are enough to cover your needs.

Folic Acid (Folate)

The human body needs folic acid for blood formation, growth and development. Pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should ensure that they are adequately supplied. The average daily requirement can be covered by 40 grams of sprouts, 400 grams of green vegetables, 150 grams of soybeans, 200 grams of chickpeas or 300 grams of kale. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, types of cabbage, whole grain products, parsley, cereal germs and bran, yeast or potatoes, legumes such as soybeans, lentils or chickpeas.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid is important for all build-up and breakdown reactions in the body. The vitamin is found in lentils, beans, celery, yeast, mushrooms, peanuts, rice and whole grains. The daily requirement can be covered, for example, by 200 grams of porcini mushrooms, 400 grams of wholemeal rye flour, 300 grams of rice, 300 grams of beans or celery.

Biotin (Vitamin B7)

We depend on biotin: It is a component of important enzymes and is important for skin and hair. We can absorb it from yeast, peanuts, oatmeal, brown rice, peas, spinach, lentils. Our daily requirement corresponds to around 500 grams of apples, 85 grams of soybeans, 150 grams of walnuts or 700 grams of beans.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

The human body needs vitamin B12 – or cobalamin – for blood formation and for building up the cell core substance. It is formed by microorganisms and is found in animal foods such as meat, offal, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is a problematic nutrient, especially for vegans: although fermented foods such as sauerkraut, algae, beer and seedlings are said to contain cobalamin, they are not considered reliable sources. To counteract a vitamin B12 deficiency, vegans and possibly vegetarians should take supplements or use fortified foods or toothpaste.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Ascorbic acid has many functions: It is involved in tooth, bone, connective tissue and blood formation. It helps to heal wounds and injuries, improves iron absorption from food, has an antioxidant effect and performs functions in the immune system.

Vitamin C is found in particularly large amounts in rose hips, sea buckthorn, peppers and berries such as black currants. 100 grams of fennel, 80 grams of broccoli or Brussels sprouts, 250 grams of chard or leeks, 200 grams of spinach or kohlrabi or 130 grams of cauliflower cover the daily requirement.

Vitamins are delicate

Many vitamins are sensitive to light and oxygen. Some are also sensitive to heat and washing. Still other vitamins can be better absorbed by the body when heated than raw. Not all sensitivities can be observed for every food or vitamin – but with these tricks you can ensure that your food has the highest possible vitamin content:

Store food as cool, dark and dry as possible
wash only briefly and uncut,
stew and steam rather than cook for a long time,
Use cooking water for sauces and
Eat fruit and vegetables both fresh and heated.

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