Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

“wrong”.

Browsing
Cooking Tips

Orthorexia, or: the Fear of Eating “Wrong”.

People used to meet up with acquaintances to spend a fun evening over a meal together. It’s more complicated today because many guests want to do without something, something they can’t seem to tolerate. Are we too scared of eating “the wrong thing”?

Of course, you know about the allergies in your circle of friends and take vegetarians and vegans into account when planning the menu. But now there are more and more people who no longer eat gluten, suffer from lactose intolerance, eat no more carbohydrates, no more fat, no more sugar and so on.

Hosts then sometimes stand frustrated and at a loss between the cookbooks and decide to meet up with their friends in a restaurant in the future, where everyone can choose the dish that suits the current nutritional phase.

When nutrition becomes ideology and neurosis

Jokes aside: eating is no longer just for everyone: enjoyment and joy. For some, it is becoming an increasingly serious and tiring thing that could almost be considered an illness: orthorexia.

In principle, it is a positive development that many people are now more aware of what they eat, that they buy more organically grown or regional products and pay attention to ingredients and additives, or eat less meat because it is more sustainable.

Eating healthy is meanwhile also hype and lifestyle. You no longer define yourself by what you like to eat, but by what you don’t eat. “Food becomes a stylistic device. In future we will define ourselves through our diet,” is the provocative thesis of nutritionist Hanni Rützler in the 2016 Food Report.

Orthorexia: sensitive and obsessive eaters

Experts formulate this a little more cautiously. You speak of “sensitive eaters”, i.e. of people who avoid certain substances or foods. Not because they suffer from a medically certified allergy or intolerance. But because they believe they can live better or healthier as a result.

One or the other overshoots the mark: The term orthorexia nervosa describes an eating disorder (clinically not yet classified) in which those affected have a strikingly pronounced need to eat healthily and food not only into healthy and unhealthy, but for example also categorize as ethically good or bad. Orthorexia was “invented” by the American alternative physician Steven Bratman, who first described the symptoms in a detailed article in 1997.

For those suffering from orthorexia, preoccupation with “healthy” or “right” eating in excess has become an obsession. Orthorectics spend an enormous amount of time devising menus composed of the foods they consider “good.”

In the worst case, this eating disorder leads to malnutrition when the menu consists only of the few permitted foods. There is also a risk of social isolation when orthorectics avoid invitations and restaurants for fear of eating something wrong.

Not every person who eats consciously suffers from orthorexia. And if you avoid certain foods, you are far from being a neurotic. But with the ever new eating trends and renunciation fashions, the question arises as to whether one actually lives healthier if one does without more and more things.

Orthorexia winners: the industry

Allergies and intolerances appear to be more common today than they used to be, and people fear fat and sugar more than ever. The food industry is reacting to this with a veritable flood of “free from” products. For those who actually suffer from celiac disease (gluten intolerance) or lactose intolerance, for example, this is a big step forward.

But it is also a fact that many people buy these products – even though they are not affected at all. “Around 32 percent of Germans claim to suffer from food intolerances or allergies. Of the remaining 2/3, 81 percent voluntarily do without certain foods. Among other things, they do this out of the feeling that they cannot tolerate these foods,” according to one of the results of “Food intolerance – the marketing of fear” from a study by the market research institute Targeted.

The biggest beneficiary of this development is the food industry. It already markets products “without additives” – although it is itself responsible for the many additives in food – and with “functional food” serves the desire for food that has a useful side effect in addition to nutrition.

Now she can sell lactose-free, gluten-free and (newly) histamine-free products at significantly higher prices than regular products, even though they offer no benefits for healthy people.

Are gluten-free and lactose-free products automatically healthier?

In some supermarkets gluten-free products fill entire shelves, sometimes there are even such absurd offers as water (!) without gluten. Only about one percent of Germans suffer from celiac disease, an inflammation of the intestines caused by gluten. People with celiac disease must follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of their lives, as even the smallest amounts are harmful to them. For healthy people, on the other hand, a gluten-free diet brings no real benefit. Despite celebs like Lady Gaga promoting it, gluten-free products don’t lose weight, and gluten-free products actually have a higher number of additives because the product has to be flavored by eliminating wheat.

“Lactose-free” is also a megatrend. According to GfK, 9.4 million households used lactose-free products last year. Of these, only 18 percent suffered from lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance manifests itself in severe flatulence, stomach problems or diarrhea. It is estimated that around 15 percent of the population in Germany are affected. For people who can break down lactose, however, there are no advantages to using lactose-free products – on the contrary: since milk products are the main suppliers of the mineral calcium, which is responsible for the stability of the skeleton, this increases the risk of osteoporosis (although this is not the case is quite as simple as that – see Milk Myths).

Conclusion: avoid orthorexia

When it comes to orthorexia, you have to make a clear distinction: For those actually affected, avoiding problematic ingredients is important and right. And it makes sense to eat consciously instead of consuming industrial foods without looking at them. Organic is always better because it’s not just about your own health, but also about ecologically compatible agriculture. And being a little more vegan or seasonal also has environmental benefits.

However, anyone who thinks they suffer from an intolerance should definitely be examined by the appropriate specialists. Gluten and lactose intolerance or other intolerances (fructose, histamine, allergies…) can only be unequivocally determined by medical tests. Nobody who is healthy and eats a balanced diet needs industrial “free from” foods, which have often been further denatured with additional processing steps than they already are.

Important: Anyone who suspects that they suffer from orthorexia or other eating disorders should definitely seek help – doctors, therapists, self-help groups or other counseling services can support those affected on their way.

Keep Reading
By
Lifestyle

Wrong Fuel In The Car: You Should Definitely Do That Now

Wrongly fueled the car – this has happened to many. This mistake can have expensive consequences. What to do now to avoid the worst.

Do this if you misfuel

The engine jerks and makes strange noises when driving? The engine warning light comes on or flashes? These can be signs that you have misfuelled. In such cases, switch off the engine and ignition immediately and notify your workshop or a towing service. Because in the worst case, incorrect refueling can lead to an engine defect and thus to a total loss. It often leads to damage to injectors, filters, fuel lines and pumps.

In order to avoid this fatal damage, it is best to act as early as possible. As soon as you realize you are filling up with the wrong fuel, stop filling the tank immediately. Never turn on the ignition or the engine. In the operating instructions you can read what needs to be done now.

How to intervene depends on which vehicle you drive and what fuel was used. If you’ve run diesel into a petrol engine, you might get lucky. In most cases the tank can be pumped out. Depending on the engine and the amount of wrong fuel, it is also possible to drive on slowly and gradually top up with the correct fuel. Nevertheless, damage to the vehicle can occur.

High costs when there is petrol in the diesel

The situation is different if you have filled up with petrol instead of diesel. If the engine has already been put into operation after incorrect fueling, repairs can cost several thousand euros. Total damage to the pump often occurs. Drivers of older diesel cars may be able to get away with it, a small amount of petrol usually does not harm these vehicles. If you haven’t started the engine yet, pumping it out can help.

Of course it can also happen that you make a mistake within the types of petrol. For example, if you fill up with Super E10 instead of E5, you can fill up the rest of the tank with Super Plus if you only have a small amount. This fuel is particularly low in ethanol, so that a harmless mixture can be prepared initially. But it can also be the case here that the fuel has to be pumped out.

If you don’t notice the mistake in time, it can get quite expensive. The towing service alone costs at least 120 euros. In addition, pumping out and rinsing out the fuel system costs about 150 to 200 euros. If vehicle parts have to be replaced, this can even cost up to 3000 euros. Neither the liability insurance nor the partially or fully comprehensive insurance will pay for your faux pas. You can only get the costs reimbursed if you have a motor vehicle protection letter.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Cut The Spring Onions Correctly: Nothing Can go Wrong With These Tips

Thanks to their finely mild spiciness, many use the vegetable as an all-round talent. Find out here how best to cut the spring onions.

Wash and cut spring onions properly – that’s how it works

With their mild, spicy taste, spring onions can be used in many ways in the kitchen. Before eating and slicing the spring onions, it is important to wash the vegetables carefully so that they do not grind uncomfortably between the teeth when eating. Both the green leaves and the white bulbs of the spring onion can be eaten. With the right cutting technique and the right steps, you can get the most out of the mild onion.

Before actually slicing, remove the outer leaves of the onion. These are often a bit dried out and therefore not quite as fresh. To do this, cut the sheet lengthways and then pull it off. Then you remove the root end, because this is the only part of the spring onion that is not used in the kitchen. In this step you can also remove the dried leaf tips. Depending on how wilted the upper end of the petioles is, you should generously cut off the dried, partly wilted areas.
In order to avoid a gritty, unpleasant feeling when eating the spring onions, we now have to wash them thoroughly. Rinse the scallions under cold water, removing any dirt or sand. The dirt is mainly on the lower tubers. Now all you have to do is shake the onions dry – and we’re ready to use them.
Now you can cut the scallions into thin rings or sticks, depending on your preference. This works particularly well with a sharp kitchen knife.
Good to know: If you notice a transparent slime when cutting the spring onion, there is no need to worry. The gelled plant juice is even a sign that the vegetables are particularly fresh. You can easily wash it off and process the onions further.

How healthy are spring onions?

The onion vegetable not only impresses with its fresh taste, but is also a true superfood. In particular, the essential and sulphurous oils contained in spring onions make them so healthy. Allicin has an anti-inflammatory effect and even promotes digestion – but this plant substance is the reason for the tears when chopping onions. The spring onion can also score points in terms of vitamin C, with 26 milligrams per 100 grams they already cover a quarter of our daily requirement. Spring onions also score points with their comparatively mild taste and, according to the Federal Center for Nutrition, are easier to digest than classic onions.

Tips and tricks for spring onions

When buying, you should make sure that the onions have light green, crisp and pointed leaves. The roots should also not be too long.
Spring onions have a significantly shorter shelf life than onions. They will keep in the fridge for about a week, but the cold will quickly make them damp and soft. Wrapping them in a damp cloth will keep them fresher for longer.
Did you know that spring onions are related to daffodils? The ultimate tip for keeping onion vegetables fresh for as long as possible is derived from this knowledge: place them in water like a bouquet of flowers. It is important to preserve the root, as the plant absorbs the liquid through it. If you change the water every two days, nothing stands in the way of optimal storage.
You can even freeze scallions. To do this, prepare the vegetables as described above, remove dry spots and root balls and store them in a freezer box. The onions can be kept in the freezer for up to a year and can be thawed and processed at any time.

Delicious recipes – spring onions are so versatile

Spring onions are not only healthy, but also a real all-round talent in the kitchen. They are used especially in Asian cuisine, such as in curries or woks. They are also excellent in salads or dips. So that it doesn’t lose its typical, fresh aroma, you should be careful not to heat it up too much and to keep the cooking time short

For a delicious sour cream you need 200g sour cream, 100g sour cream, 100g quark (40%), some sugar, salt, pepper and of course spring onions. Hopefully you now know how to prepare them perfectly with the help of our tips. For the sour cream, mix the ingredients in a bowl, add spices to taste and some garlic for an extra kick. Finally, the finely chopped spring onions and you’re done!

Keep Reading
By
Food

10 Foods You Always Stored Wrong

If you store your food properly, you get more out of it – namely more taste and less waste. The following tips will help you avoid common mistakes and store your food optimally.

Because of the spread of the corona virus, we should currently stay at home if possible, whoever is in quarantine even has to. Neither hamster purchases nor stock panic are appropriate. But it makes sense to keep our groceries fresh at home for as long as possible so that we don’t have to run to the supermarket all the time.

Store food properly = less waste

Around 12 million tons of food end up in the garbage in Germany every year (BZfE). We consumers are also to blame for this: We cause about half of the food waste ourselves. Because we buy too much, let the best-before date unsettle us, or because we store food incorrectly and it spoils faster.

So, storing food properly not only helps preserve nutrients and flavor, but also reduces food waste.

Tomatoes don’t belong in the fridge

Tomatoes lose their flavor in the fridge and can even go moldy faster. It is better if you keep them in a cool room (e.g. cellar or pantry); a temperature of around 15 degrees is ideal.

If you don’t have such a space: storing tomatoes at room temperature still makes more sense than in the fridge. Incidentally, this also applies to some other types of vegetables with a high water content, such as cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and aubergines.

But be careful: In order to keep tomatoes for a long time, it is best not to store them next to apples – unless you want them to ripen faster.

Bread molds in plastic

Apart from the fact that you shouldn’t buy plastic-packaged supermarket bread anyway: Bread keeps best if you store it in an air-permeable container. Packed airtight in plastic, it quickly begins to mold. The supposedly old-fashioned bread boxes therefore make perfect sense. Clay pots are ideal because they keep the bread fresh for the longest time.

Bananas and apples don’t mix

As beautiful as a colorful fruit bowl looks: (ripe) bananas and apples are best not stored together.

Bananas brown faster next to apples because apples emit a lot of the ripening gas ethylene and bananas are sensitive to it. Ethylene accelerates ripening – and causes other fruit to spoil faster. Incidentally, pears and tomatoes also give off ethylene.

Because ripe bananas emit a particularly large amount of ethylene, they should always be stored separately from other fruit and vegetables – ideally hanging up, because they easily bruise in the fruit bowl. They definitely don’t belong in the fridge: Bananas turn brown quickly there.

Cheese must be able to breathe

Cheese should not be wrapped in plastic and/or stored airtight. It keeps better if you keep it in air-permeable packaging, for example in a slightly damp cloth, in cheese paper (wax paper) or oilcloth.

Tip: Many cheese dealers at the weekly market will wrap the cheese in cheese paper for you, or you can have it put directly into a container you have brought with you – in the supermarket you can usually only get plastic.

Lemons don’t like the cold

Lemons and other citrus fruits such as oranges or tangerines do not tolerate cold – you should therefore not store them in the refrigerator. At (not too high) room temperature and storage open, they stay fresh longer.

Even cut lemons can be kept for a week at room temperature. It is best to place them cut-side up on a plate so that they can form a thin skin and not go mouldy.

Mushrooms need air

You usually buy mushrooms in plastic trays in the supermarket. But they do better if you keep them in paper bags or wrapped in a tea towel in the refrigerator at home: the mushrooms must be able to “breathe”, in airtight plastic packaging they quickly become damp and spoil.

In addition, it is best not to store mushrooms in the immediate vicinity of odorous foods, as they easily absorb foreign odors.

In any case, mushrooms should be used up quickly, because they don’t keep for more than a few days.

Strawberries are better left unwashed

If you plan on eating strawberries that day, it’s best to store them at room temperature that long. Since water strips the flavor of the fruit, only wash it right before eating.

Important with strawberries: Always cut out rotten spots immediately or remove the fruit. Mold will otherwise spread quickly because of its high water content.

Strawberries will keep in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for up to two days. For this it is important that you store the strawberries unwashed in the refrigerator.

Tip: You can place the strawberries in a large sieve so that they get enough air. Place paper towels or an old tea towel underneath to soak up excess liquid.

Store leftovers without plastic waste

Many people cover leftovers from dinner or cut fruit and vegetables with cling film and then store them in the fridge until the next day.

It’s a completely needless waste of plastic: you might as well store such leftovers in reusable, sealable containers — like plastic-free lunch boxes made of stainless steel or glass — or even old screw-top jars.

Advantage: You can take what’s left over with you, well packaged – for example as a ready-made lunch to work. So you save packaging waste there too.

Better to empty cans

It is better not to put opened tin cans in the refrigerator: Unhealthy tin can migrate from the tin plate into the food. Although most cans are now coated with plastic on the inside, this coating has also been criticized because of the questionable chemical BPA it often contains.

You are on the safe side if you pour the contents of the open can into a reusable, sealable container, for example a clean, empty screw-top jar.

Store radishes without greens

If you store them properly, radishes will stay fresh and crunchy for much longer. They belong in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, where they will keep for at least three days.

The trick: cut off the leaves and roots beforehand. This prevents the water stored in the tubers from going into the leaves and keeps the radishes crisp longer.

It is best to store the radishes in a tin or wrapped in a damp cloth.

Keep Reading
By