VOM FASS - Savour The Pleasures of Life by MedienBooks

Enjoying a healthy life A. M. Holmes gave her latest novel the title “This Book Will Save Your Life“.1 What a pity we can no longer use this title! It would have suited this book perfectly… We are confident that carefully reading this book may really change your life. So enjoy and stay healthy!

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank everybody who supported me in word and deed as well as with numerous encouragements in my endeavour to write this book. I have decided not to cite the names of all those who supported me as I would surely but unjustifiably forget somebody. I would particularly like to refer to the two books “The Optimum Nutrition Bible“ by Patrick Holford (published by Judy Piatkus Publishers Ltd.) and ”Fats that heal, fats that kill“ by Udo Erasmus (alive publishing group inc.). These books have helped me enormously when studying this topic and I used them as a precious reference repeatedly though not uncritically. Whenever something sounds terribly wise it certainly is from Holford or Erasmus. In case I have forgotten to quote anybody I hope I will be forgiven and promise to do things better in the next edition.

Yours Christoph Heidt

Preface

or “Fish keeps our arteries healthy”. But in other studies vegetables and fish are said to be totally ineffective. Almost every week there are headlines announcing a new truth or falsifying an old one, and practically every day new theories are presented on TV and old ones are challenged. And in fact: no other science is as changeable as the science that deals with eating and drinking. There is only one thing that all the theories have in common: Each philosophy promises us health and a long life. Being asked why vegetables are actually healthy, hardly any two experts will give the same answer. While one argues that vegetables help prevent cancer, the other may propagate their effectiveness in protecting the cardiovascular system. “The most important thing is that it helps,” is what many people think. But things are not as easy as that. Many people do not even realize that scientific evidence is much less reliable than it seems.

For a long time eating has been much more than the mere intake of food to fill our stomachs. It has to do with lifestyle, may even keep us from medication, it is an important economic factor and is often even discussed like a political ideology. “Here rests in peace a member of the affluent society who died of wrong nutrition” – Who would like to have such an inscription on his or her tombstone? And nevertheless every third person dies prematurely due to eating the wrong things. Dreary messages cause concern. So we reconsider what we eat. But how should we change our eating habits? There are thousands of tips on healthy nutrition – which are often contradictory. Does fat really threaten our lives? Or is it the carbohydrates that are dangerous? “Strawberries make us clever,” say some experts. Well, at least they yielded some positive effects in experiments with rats. “Broccoli protects us from cancer,” say others,

Preface

Therefore we should admit right from the beginning: Nobody really knows exactly what is actually involved in healthy nutrition. There are too many concomitant factors that also play an important role. And it is hardly ever proven beyond doubt that a certain piece of advice is really effective.2 Healthy nutrition is something personal. What is good for one person need not necessarily be good for another one. But the fact that a person is what he or she eats is increasingly backed scientifically. This book does not claim to be scientifically complete. It just tries to give an outline of the current debate on this topic. It was not written by doctors, but by gourmets who enjoy their meals and want to show likeminded people how easy and pleasant it can be to deal with eating and drinking. And above all we want to show that it is not necessary to subscribe to certain ideologies

to live a healthy life. The only ones who benefit from such nutritional “ideologies” are those who invented them. Nearly all of them have become rich. We are almost tempted to say: “Forget about your diet books, simply ignore them!” In many cases they are expensive humbug and often (and successfully) targeted at making the user put on weight again soon after having finished a diet. Eating and drinking “healthy” is actually much easier and can be associated with pleasure. This is why our “scientific” analysis of the topic is complemented with a number of hearty and savoury recipes – in a totally unscientific way.

! l a e m r u o y y o Enj

Contents

“Good fats“ – “Bad fats“ .......................................... 29 The sugar-fat relation ................................................ 30 Transformation processes of fatty acids ................... 31 Why olive oil? . ......................................................... 32 A summary ............................................................... 33 Some interesting facts about selected vegetable oils ... 34 Fatty acid composition of vegetable oils ................. 47 Omega fatty acid composition of vegetable oils ........................................................ 48

Contents A brief outline ........................................................... 10 Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways? ...................... Serotonin or the impact of sun on our wellbeing Malnutrition and malnourishment The “myth” of well-balanced nutrition ..................... Why do we talk about the “Myth of well-balanced nutrition“? Why merely counting calories does not work

10 11 12 15

Fats and oil and their impact on health . .................. 49 16 Introduction . ............................................................ Obesity – Body Mass Index (BMI) versus Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) ............................ Fat supply through food intake ................................. Trans fats – Free radicals – Antioxidants . ................ The danger of trans fats “Free radicals“ and antioxidants Nutrition and the cardiovascular system.................... Nutrition and cholesterol ......................................... Basics Important individual functions of cholesterol Sources of cholesterol Reducing the cholesterol level Nutrition and cancer . ................................................ Nutrition and diabetes .............................................. Nutrition and healthy skin ...................................... Nutrition and mental performance (memory, intelligence, depression) ......................... Nutrition and physical performance ........................ Nutrition and stress ..................................................

The essential (vital) factors........................................ 17 The essential nutrients .............................................. 18 Minerals .................................................................... Vitamins .................................................................... The fat soluble vitamins The water soluble vitamins Proteins .................................................................... Carbohydrates .......................................................... Essential fatty acids....................................................

18 21 21 22 25 25 26

Fats and oils ............................................................. 26 Introduction . ............................................................ 26 Where do fatty acids come from? ............................ 26 Fat contents of processed foods ................................ 29

49 50 52 53 53 54 56 57 57 58 59 59 59 62 63 64 65 67

Contents

Fats and oils – Processing and storage .................... 68

8. No Food Slow Food Organic Food Vegetarian Diet Whole Food Macrobiotic Food Diets The Pritikin and Atkins Diets Functional Food Novel Food Time-related eating habits Mediterranean Diet Some conciliatory words

Keeping out air and light .......................................... 68 Use soon after opening ............................................. 68 Package sizes and shelf life ...................................... 69 Fats and oils and their culinary use ........................ 69 Introduction . ............................................................. 69 Heating . ................................................................... 69 Cooking . ................................................................... 69 Baking ...................................................................... 70 Frying and deep-frying.............................................. 70 Steaming ................................................................... 72 Future developments . ............................................... 72 Culinary uses of vegetable oils ................................. 74 A survey of the healthiest cooking methods .............. 75

The most important foods at a glance 90 Sausages and meat 90 Fish and seafood 90 Bakery products and cereals 91 Dairy products 91 Fruits and vegetables 91 Naturally “natural“ of course – Or eventually not that “natural”? 93 Nutrition programmes . ............................................. 93 The Dietary Guidelines of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) – “Food Pyramid” 95 The Lifestyle Pyramid 96 Physical activity – Without exercise everything is nothing . .................. 97 Conclusion .............................................................. 101

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme . ...... 76 Introduction – Nutrition and genes ........................... Breaking traditions . .................................................. The carbohydrate and protein controversy ............... Nutrition trends and doctrines – What is actually true? .............................................. 1. Ultra Convenience 2. Nano Food 3. Immortal Food 4. Taste, Mood & Mind Food 5. Health Food 6. I-Food 7. Enhancement Food

80 80 80 82 82 82 83 83 85 86 86 87 89

76 78 78 79 79 79 79 79 79 79 79

Glossary ................................................................. 102

A brief outline

in polyunsaturated fatty acids may actually be attributed exclusively to omega-3 fatty acids. For example many people with a high fish intake often feed on a “Mediterranean diet” in many other aspects too. This includes not only a lot of seafood, but also many other “healthy” foods such as fruits, vegetables, olive oil and legumes – and a glass of red wine every now and then! Therefore it is difficult to say which components of the Mediterranean diet are particularly beneficial, although it is obvious that such a diet as a whole is definitely advantageous. According to an American study such a diet may also have positive effects in chronic obstructive lung diseases, such as chronic bronchitis or lung emphysema. These beneficial effects are observed above all when compared to the so-called “Western diet”, which includes much meat, industrially processed foods and sweets.

A BRIEF OUTLINE Many studies have actually proven that there is in fact a direct impact of nutrition on our health and well-being. However, things start becoming complicated once you delve into the vast amounts of information available on what is “healthy” and what is “unhealthy”. It is difficult to grasp what is really relevant, especially as many scientific theories are valid only for a short period of time. For example it was assumed for a long time that vegetable fats are healthier for the human cardiovascular system than animal fats. Meanwhile it has been shown that this correlation is much more complex than originally thought. On the one hand, certain vegetable fats such as trans fatty acids derived from industrial processing are as bad for the cardiovascular system as excessive quantities of cholesterol due to animal fat intake. On the other hand, not all animal fats should be demonized either, as they also contain some important health-promoting effects. Omega-3 fatty acids that are contained in substantial amounts in fatty sea fish such as tuna, salmon or herring (or are also contained in many vegetable fats before these are subject to industrial processing) are also said to have beneficial effects on our health. Various experiments point out that these polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids) may help to prevent diseases such as arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, certain forms of cardiac arrhythmia and even some types of cancer. Furthermore positive results have been observed in preventing age-related blindness. Nevertheless it has to be pointed out that it is difficult to say in how far the beneficial effects of nutrition rich

WHY DO WE EAT AT ALL? AND WHY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS? The question seems to be trivial, but is it really? What is “nutrition”? Well, nutrition is “the intake of nutrients which an organism needs to build its body, to maintain its vital functions and to perform certain functions in different circumstances of life”.3 Thus nutrition is simply an essential prerequisite for maintaining the life of a living being. In humans, however, it also controls physical, mental and social well-being. First of all, what people eat, how they prepare and consume their food and also what they do not eat, largely depends on the environment and culture in which they

Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways?

live. As a result nutrition is subject to considerable regional differences. Despite the enormous differences in traditional regional cuisines, the nutrient requirements are normally covered by what is eaten. Keeping this in mind, there cannot be one single “correct” form of nutrition. As above all in the industrialised nations nutrition has moved away from traditional eating habits and at the same time sedentary work has increased considerably, lifestyle and thus the calorie and nutrient requirements in these countries have changed substantially. As a result the need for nutrients and the diet are no longer balanced. And this is where nutritional theories and ideologies come in – a business that equates to billions of dollars. In principle, however, it is not possible to speak about one single natural human diet. One of the advantages of human beings is their nutritional flexibility. In this way it was possible for the homo sapiens to adapt to different ecosystems of the world. While the Evenki in Siberia, the Inuits and the Neanderthals fed primarily on a meat basis, the tribes living in the Andes ate above all plant foods.4

so-called “fine foods” influence our mind and behaviour more than we want to admit. Though we may consider ourselves as rational and highly developed, our metabolism is still basically the same as it was in the Stone Age. The physical needs have not changed, and what was vital to survive for the homo sapiens of the Neolithic Age is still a prerequisite of today. This is why humans, apart from a diet based on more vegetables than meat and adequate physical exercise, also need a substantial “dose” of sunshine. Many physiological processes are triggered by sunlight and the magnetic waves our Earth ”supplies“ us with every day. In this context it also has to be pointed out that sunlight triggers many other vital processes in our body. One of them is the fact that the vitamin D production of “good” cholesterol” (HDL cholesterol) is stopped when our body is not exposed to sunlight. Biochemically speaking we owe our mental and psychological well-being to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is an essential substance of the human hormone system. Neurotransmitters are those components in the brain that are responsible for the information transfer between the nerve cells (synapses). They are called neurotransmitters as they transfer certain information from one nerve cell to another. Which and how many of these neurotransmitters circulate in our organism depends largely on what we eat and drink. Simply put, we can influence our mood by the food and drinks we choose! Neurobiologists and psychologists, though, do not agree on whether a lack in serotonin is due to bad mood or bad mood is due to a lack in serotonin. They agree,

Serotonin or the impact of sun on our well-being Many discussions about the “right“ or “wrong“ diet are flawed in the respect that we are not dealing with simple standards or social conventions that consolidated over the course of time. Consequently we are not dealing with conscious acts of will. Fortunately, our brain follows physiological mechanisms which are triggered by human metabolism rather than cultural evolution. Our eating habits and in particular the consumption of

Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways?

however, that there is a correlation between serotonin production and the view we have of the circumstances of our lives. Our attitude to ourselves and to our fate eventually decides on whether we consider our life as a success or a failure. Serotonin may also have an impact on how our character is interpreted by other people. The production of serotonin largely depends on the light and the electromagnetic waves that are transported by solar winds. Our concentration, activity, good mood, optimism and creativity are a clear hint to a well-balanced serotonin supply. This also explains why serotonin is not always present to the same extent in our bodies. The serotonin level also varies during the day. At night and when waking up it is low but already during the morning, due to our exposure to day light, it increases, and it decreases again when the sun sets. The serotonin is then converted into melatonin, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for giving us a feeling of well-deserved rest. So people who during the day have the possibility to increase their serotonin level can be sure not to suffer from insomnia.5

and malnourishment are above all an unbalanced diet due to insufficient knowledge about a “healthy” diet and “unfavourable” eating habits (also with regard to eating times). In this context primarily the intake of calorierich industrially processed convenience food and the decrease in physical exercise play an important role. Some introductory facts: Overweight and obesity are considered as big epidemics of our modern times. In the Western industrialised nations (according to the WHO) more than 50% of the adult population (in the US even more than 60%) and nearly one third of the ten-year old children are overweight. One third are medically speaking even obese (adiposity).6 Obesity is due to excessive food intake combined with a lack of physical exercise. Almost half of the 3- to 10-year old children do not do sports on a weekly basis. 45% of the adults in Germany are physically not active at all. Many diseases that might be prevented by taking the right measures in time are increasing everywhere in the EU. 6 % of the total healthcare expenses in Europe are caused by adult obesity. According to estimates of the World Health Organisation (WHO) about 20% of the adult population and about 10% of the children and teenagers in Europe will suffer from pathological obesity, i.e. adiposity, by 2020. Despite the fact that men are more likely to have problems with their weight than women (in Germany 53% of the women, as opposed to 67% of the men are overweight, which in 2007 led to the national action plan “Healthy diet and exercise – A key to higher qual-

Malnutrition and malnourishment If a certain diet does not meet the requirements of the human organism we talk about malnutrition or malnourishment. Malnutrition usually means that one or several food components are eaten in the wrong quantity, e.g. too fatty food or too much food poor in vitamins, while malnourishment means that the energy or calorie requirements of the organism are not satisfied. Often malnutrition and malnourishment occur together. In industrialised countries the reasons for malnutrition

Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways?

ity of life”), about double the number of women are concerned about their weight (e.g. do diets) than men. During the last two years 20% of all Europeans and Americans have tried to lose weight, only one third of them successfully7. Two thirds of the people who did a diet did not weigh less but more than before their diet 5 years after having concluded it. This is due to the so-called ”yoyo effect“. Those who reduce their food intake, subject their bodies to a situation of lack. As a result, the metabolism works at a reduced power during a diet, which makes the cells store fat. The fat is not burned, which means that it stays put around the belly and hips. And changing one’s eating habits is really a tough challenge!

As the ultimate goal is always “to lose fat” we want to analyse this aspect a little bit more in detail: The maximum fat reduction per week is between 0.45 and 0.9 kg (1 to 2 pounds). Any other loss of weight may result from the loss of water and is thus quickly recovered again. Our organism has conceived a very interesting strategy: If the intake of sugar(glucose)-like molecules from carbohydrates or fatty food exceeds our body’s requirements, the excessive intake is stored as glycogen in our muscles and the liver. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in humans and animals. Its main task is the short- to medium-term storage and supply of glucose as an energy source. This means that our body gives us the chance to use excessive energy before putting it onto our belly and hips. In case of an increased energy requirement of the body the glycogen in the liver is split into glucose again and provided to the entire body, which then uses it for its energy turnover. Muscle cells break down glycogen exclusively to cover their own energy need. Only, when the ”glycogen storage“ is full and we still add energy without using an equivalent amount of energy, the excess energy is converted to fat and stored in fat cells. In this case we take up more energy with our food than we actually need to keep going. And this is when it starts appearing where we do not want to have it: around the belly and hips. Now the only remedy is “burning” the fat, or to put it a little bit more inconveniently: physical exercise. Overcoming obesity is a true Sisyphean task. Obviously each and every pound is bravely defended by our body.

In nutritional medicine the term “gorging“ is often used. It refers to the quick intake of a big helping as well as to eating greedily and without any inhibitions. Especially fast food seems to lead to this behaviour, which is often associated with overweight. In the past it was commonly believed that excessively big helpings were the main reason for it. The idea was: big helpings may seduce people to eat more than they actually want and need. Consequently this would mean that the epidemics of obesity may be curbed by making helpings smaller. This assumption, however, has not proven to be correct. What has been shown is that it is easier for people to judge how much they eat, when being served one helping after the other instead of everything at once. But merely understanding rationally how much is eaten does not yet unfortunately prevent people from eating too much! 8

Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways?

Our body reacts with a surprising adaptability to any change in nutrition. If we reduce the food intake it reacts with more hunger while at the same time reducing its minimum energy requirements. In case of excessive food intake, however, our body reacts in a less rigid way. Putting on weight obviously does not contradict its biological programme and is therefore tolerated generously.

men say that the food they eat is unhealthy – although a “healthy diet” ranks top in their personal set of values. Nowadays nutrition is characterised by a lack in variety. Of the 45,000 food products available in an average American supermarket about one third is produced from maize. Thanks to high agricultural subsidies, maize has become the all-purpose tool of the US food industry. Every American consumes an average of 30 kg (about 60 lb) of highly concentrated fructose syrup from maize. Nutritionally and physiologically speaking the USA is a country of walking corn cobs!10 Age and income are two essential factors that influence the choice of food. It is statistically proven that an increase in age and/or income is associated with greater attention and higher interest in nutrition and well-being. As a result children from families of a low social status or with a migration background are at a higher risk to become obese than others. Social factors are also associated with eating disorders. In Germany about 22% of the teenagers between 11 and 17 years suffer from eating disorders. Children from poor families are affected nearly twice as often as children from wealthy families.11 Degenerative diseases that are associated with obesity are responsible for the premature death of two thirds of the people living in rich, industrialised nations. About 68% of the people in these countries die early of one of the following three diseases in which obesity plays a crucial role: - Cardiovascular diseases (43.8 %), - Cancer (22.4 %) and - Diabetes (1.8 %).

Hunger and the feeling of satiety are controlled in the interbrain. These sensations, however, are not triggered without signals from the stomach. The longer the time that has passed since our last meal, the stronger the hunger signals the stomach sends to the brain. The interbrain also receives signals informing it about the degree of tissue tension and thus the exact volume of a full stomach. Furthermore the decision on appetite or satiety is only taken after analysing any existing “reserves”. As eating is also a sensual pleasure which has to do with desire, satisfaction and happiness the interbrain also receives nervous signals from superior parts of the brain. Whenever different signals suggest the intake of a meal the hunger centre in the interbrain is activated. If no meal is desired the centre for satiety does its job.9 So pleasure is the key. As long as eating and physical exercise (or sport) are not associated with a gain in pleasure, any rules and prescriptions will remain without effects. This, unfortunately, also applies to state-run campaigns. Moderation cannot be prescribed but is above all a matter of reason and self-control. What is decisive is not primarily the quantity of food somebody consumes but above all the type of products he consumes. For example, 25% of women (survey conducted in the USA and Europe) and about 35% of

Why do we eat at all? And why in so many different ways?

These early deaths are also a result of eating habits that are based on ignorance and wrong ideas. Not only in Europe and the US, but increasingly also in developing and newly developed countries obesity is considered as a growing danger to national health. In Great Britain the National Health Service has adopted a guideline by “NICE“ (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), the national medical institute in charge. It includes a vast number of possible measures to be taken in order to combat obesity. These range from building sports facilities and cycle tracks to signs in staircases that motivate people not to take the lift and recommendations on appetite suppressants and diet pills. It is surprising that patients spend as much money on prescription-free dietary supplements as they spend via the national health insurance contributions on prescribed drugs. Furthermore surgical interventions such as the bariatric operation to decrease the size of the stomach are taken into consideration to combat epidemic obesity. The children’s surgeons of the Cincinnati Children Hospital Medical Center recently advocated fostering bypass- and stomach-reducing intervention on children’s stomachs in the magazine “International Journal of Obesity”. Their motto is: the sooner the better. Another wrong answer to an urgent question.12 This is the bad news. The good news is that in most cases this would be avoidable. This is another contribution this book wants to make. It wants to motivate people to eat and move with consideration and pleasure. If we stick to the most basic rules and pass them on to our children many of the nutritionrelated problems will disappear almost automatically.

And we should also involve our beloved pets, as they are overweight almost as often as we ourselves are! Thank goodness we are currently experiencing a process of reconsideration. We increasingly realize what we are doing to ourselves. New trends such as Nordic Walking allow even those people who are not enthusiastic about sports to do some exercise together with their peers. “Wellness” has become a household notion which everyone associates with well-being and health. “Working” on our own health and personal quality of life is becoming a central goal in the lives of many people. They are realizing that an efficient body will help them reach their personal goals. “Wellness” is becoming “selfness”. We realize that nothing comes from nothing. Health is an active resource in which nutrition plays a vital role. Lifestyle is becoming healthstyle. People are what they eat. And it has never been so easy to serve light, delicious and nutritious food which is also easy to prepare! THE “MYTH“ OF WELL-BALANCED NUTRITION If we really want to start thinking about what a delicious and well-balanced diet may be like, it is important to understand our body. The human body consists predominantly of water (about 63%), proteins (about 22%), fat (about 13%) as well as minerals and vitamins (about 2%). Every single molecule of our body is supplied with energy by the food we eat and the water we drink. Unfortunately our eating habits have developed away from what is considered as ideal, and food intake is no longer well-balanced.

The “myth“ of well-balanced nutrition

Furthermore recommendations (how much of what kind of food should we eat?) given by authorities and governmental organisations should be taken with care as they do not always represent “ideal-typical nutrition guidelines”

During the last century, or to be more concrete, during the last 25 years we have enriched our food with far too many saturated fatty acids and sugar while at the same time not considering complex carbohydrates (starch) and polyunsaturated fatty acids to a sufficient extent. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the essential elements of food. They are also the elements our body is made of. Therefore these elements are referred to as “the pillars of nutrition“.13

Why merely counting calories does not work “Counting calories”, which is so popular with many people who want to lose weight, is a rather useless effort. We have learned to categorise food into “good” and “bad” foods depending on their calorie content. Just counting calories would be so conveniently simple, but unfortunately it does not have the same effect as burning them (unless you count them while jogging). Unfortunately the weight of our body is influenced by many different factors apart from calorie intake. So what are calories? The energy released when burning the food we consume to make our body perform certain functions is measured in calories (or correctly said, in kilocalories or kcal, which scientifically speaking indicate the energy necessary to heat the temperature of 1,000 g water by 1 ° C; or, depending on the definition, from 4° to 5° C, or from 14.5° to 15.5°, or from 19.5° to 20.5° C). Calories come from proteins, carbohydrates, fats and alcohol. Excessive calories (beyond the energy required by the body) are stored as body fats. Therefore all calories are potential fat sources. On average an adult person burns about 2,000 to 2,500 kcal per day or about 100 kcal per hour. These values may vary from 60 when sleeping and about 150 in normal daily activities. In addition to that more calories are burned when doing physical work.

Why do we talk about the “Myth of well-balanced nutrition”? The answer is quite easy: For a long time we simply believed in an error. We believed that following the principles of a “well-balanced diet” we would automatically consume all vital nutrients and therefore thought that we were on the safe side. But numerous studies have shown that even those people who think to consume a well-balanced diet by no means achieve an ideal intake of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and complex carbohydrates. So why does this happen? One important factor is the food industry and the way food is processed. Production procedures, especially food refining (i.e. the procedure used to clean and upgrade certain raw materials), have a considerable impact on the nutritional value of food. Refining helps preserve food, which makes them more profitable for industry and trade. At the same time, however, nearly all essential nutrients are removed in this process. But as we are always short of time, we have got used to eating processed as well as semi- and fully prepared food.

The essential (vital) factors

Fats contain about double the amount of energy (about 9 kcal per gram) than the same amount (weight) of carbohydrates or proteins (about 4 kcal per gram). Alcohol provides about 7 kcal per gram. The main energy reserve of our body is fat, both in volume and in weight. Vitamins and minerals, which are both vital for our health, do not contain any calories. Every kilogram of body fat produces about 9,000 kcal energy. Considering an average body fat reserve of about 10 kg (about 20 lb) we have energy reserves amounting to about 90,000 kcal stored in our body. At an average energy consumption of about 2,000 to 2,500 kcal per day we could theoretically survive without eating for 40 days! As metabolism slows down when reducing food intake, we could even survive twice as long, but a lack in vitamins, mineral nutrients and proteins would put an end to such an attempt. It is a fact that we do not act very consciously when choosing the “energy sources“ to supply our body with the necessary drive.

Carbohydrates: 46% 17% of which are from refined sugar 20% from refined cereals as well as products made from flour(bakery products) 3% from alcohol; and 6% from complex non-refined carbohydrates At least 58 % of the calories that we consume every day come from foods that do not offer much apart from the calories as an energy source, as during food processing or refining nearly all the vitamins, mineral nutrients or fibres are eliminated from most of the foods. THE ESSENTIAL (VITAL) FACTORS Depending on the definition nutritionists have specified about 50 essential factors (45 of which are nutrients) which the human body needs to work properly. They are referred to as “essential” as they are vital, but have to be supplied from outside the body through food.

International studies have shown that the typical energy supply in the Western nations is structured as follows: Fats supply about 42% of our daily calorie intake, carbohydrates about 46% and proteins about 12%. This ratio in itself is already anything but ideal. But the structure of the different energy sources we consume makes things even worse:

These essential factors comprise: • Essential nutrients: - 20 or 21 minerals (calcium, magnesium etc.) - 13 vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid, C, D, E, K) - 8 amino acids (a form of proteins) - 2 essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and linolenic acid) • An energy source (primarily starch or sugar) • Water • Oxygen • Light

Fats: 42% 18% of which are visible refined fats such as butter, margarine or oils; and 24% are hidden fats contained in many foods

The essential (vital) factors

balance and the acid/base balance in the body. It is a vital mineral nutrient that has an alkaline effect. Sodium and potassium as counterparts are important elements of the intra- and extracellular body fluids. While sodium retains water in the tissue and increases the blood pressure, potassium enhances the elimination of water. Therefore a balanced ratio of these two minerals is required. Furthermore sodium activates many enzymes and contributes to the production of vital digestive juices. Sodium is contained in nearly all kinds of food as common salt.

THE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS Minerals Minerals or mineral nutrients are vital, non-organic nutrients which the body cannot produce itself. They must be supplied to the body through the food we eat. As mineral nutrients are non-organic and the elements are usually present as ions or in inorganic compounds they are – unlike vitamins – not sensitive to the most common forms of preparation, as they cannot be destroyed by heat or air. Many of them, however, may be leached out when cooking too long and in too much water and get lost if the boiling water is not consumed but poured away. Minerals are categorized into macroelements and microelements (depending on the concentration in the body) on the one hand, and building blocks and regulators (depending on their function in the body) on the other. Macroelements are present in the body in relatively high concentrations of at least 50 mg per kg body weight. Microelements or trace elements are present only in relatively small concentrations of less than 50 mg per kg body weight. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are considered as building blocks while chlorine, iron, iodine and potassium are considered as regulators.

• Magnesium Magnesium is a component of the bones and teeth. It is important for the storage and release of hormones, is crucial for cardiac conduction in the heart muscle and influences blood clotting. Whole grain products, milk and dairy products, liver, poultry, fish, potatoes, many types of vegetable, soy beans as well as berries, oranges and bananas contain substantial amounts of magnesium. Please consider that food processing may lead to a loss of magnesium. Coffee and tea contain a lot of magnesium, but they withdraw water from the body. As a result the excretion of the water through the urine is often accompanied by a high loss of magnesium. Furthermore increased alcohol consumption has a negative impact on the absorption of this mineral.

Macroelements The most important mineral nutrients for the human body are:

• Potassium Potassium is important for the formation of proteins and glycogen. Furthermore, it is necessary for the release of hormones. Potassium plays a vital role in the work of our nerves and muscles as well as in protein and glycogen metabolism, as potassium is the main element

• Sodium Sodium is necessary for the absorption and transport of nutrients. It is important for the regulation of the water

The essential (vital) factors

within the cells of our body. Together with sodium it regulates the water balance of our body and controls the rhythm of our hearts. Potassium is contained in all plant and animal foods in varying quantities.

try, milk and dairy products including yoghurts and soft cheese, nuts, almonds, whole grain products and legumes, are rich in phosphorus. A compound of phosphorus with oxygen is referred to as phosphate. The phosphorus content is not reduced while cooking, frying or soaking the food during its preparation. Therefore a fine selection of foods is particularly important for the phosphate supply. As the excretion of phosphate cannot be increased, the only way to decrease phosphorus levels in the body is decreasing the intake of foods rich in phosphorus.

• Calcium Calcium is important above all for the formation of the bones and teeth as well as for conduction (muscle contraction), the release of hormones and semiochemicals, blood clotting and the functioning of the heart. Calcium is the essential component of healthy bones. For ensuring ideal bone density it is therefore important to consume a sufficient amount of calcium every day. Without vitamin D, however, calcium cannot be absorbed by the body and incorporated into the bones. Phosphorus and phosphates impede the absorption of calcium in the intestine. And even worse: excessive phosphorus even eliminates calcium from the bones, which is then excreted via the kidney and lost to the body. Calcium sources are, amongst others, milk and dairy products, cereal products, fruits and vegetables, eggs, nuts and seeds.

• Sulphur: Sulphur is an important component of sulphurous protein blocks (amino acids) as well as vitamins (B1 and biotin). • Chlorine and sodium: Chlorine and sodium are important for the water balance and the acid/base balance. Chlorine is a component of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Microelements Medically speaking trace elements or microelements are chemical substances which have to be supplied to the body in quantities of less than 50 mg per day to make sure that the body can go on performing its vital metabolic functions. Generally the following are known as essential microelements: Chromium, iron, fluorine, iodine, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, vanadium, zinc and tin (see Table 1, page 20).

• Phosphorus Phosphorus is a component of the bones as well as an important building block of human genetic material. It plays an important role in energy metabolism and in the acid/base balance. In food phosphorus is present together with proteins and as an additive in certain foods. Protein is always combined with phosphorus, though to a varying extent. Especially foods that are rich in protein, such as meat, fish, poul-

The essential (vital) factors

Table 1: Trace elements Element

Natural sources

Importance for the body

Recommended intake per day

Chromium (Cr)

Liver, barm, wheat germs

Important in glucose tolerance, especially in for elderly people and in case of diabetes.

0.03 – 0.2 mg

Iron (Fe)

Component of many enzymes. ConLegumes, green vegetables, whole grain tributes to the storage and transport of products, meat oxygen.

15 mg

Fluorine (F)

Sea fish

Tooth and bone formation

5–25 mg

Iodine (I)

Sea fish, eggs, milk, dairy products

Component of many enzymes. Important 0.15–0.30 mg building block for thyroid hormones.

Cobalt (Co)

Nuts, cabbage, whole grain, legumes, liver

Component of many enzymes. Supports the formation of red blood cells.

5 µg

Copper (Cu)

Liver, nuts, whole grain products, legumes

Component of many enzymes, above all in musculature, liver and bones

1–1.5 mg

Manganese (Mn) )

Cereal products, green vegetables and nuts

Component of many enzymes, above all in carbohydrate and fat metabolism

2–5 mg

Molybdenum (Mo)

Grain, vegetables and innards

Component of many enzymes

0.06–0.5 mg

Selenium (Se)

Sea fish, meat, eggs, cereal products

Vanadium (V)

Legumes, nuts, seafood

Important for the mineralisation of the bones, for fat and sugar metabolism

15–30 µg

Tin (Zn)

Meat, fish, whole grain products, nuts

Components of many enzymes

5–25 mg

Protection from free radicals, detoxification from heavy metals

0.07–0.2 mg

(Source: Wikipedia) 14

The essential (vital) factors

The fat soluble vitamins Fat soluble vitamins comprise the vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins require fat as a carrier. They always have to be consumed together with fat, as the body only absorbs them when fat burning works properly and enough bile is available to break down the fats. Our body stores vitamins dissolved in this a way in the fatty tissue of the liver. However, the storage time of the individual vitamins differs greatly. For example vitamin A can be stored in the fatty tissue for up to two years, vitamin E for about six to twelve months and B12 for three to five years.

Vitamins Vitamins play an important role in the metabolic processes of the human body. They support biochemical reactions, form compounds with enzymes and activate them. Vitamins are also needed to balance hormone levels, produce energy, strengthen the immune system, form healthy skin and protect the arteries. They are vital for the brain, the nervous system and basically speaking for all physiological processes. Vitamins are of great importance for our body also because of another function: the vitamins A, C and E are so-called antioxidants which protect our body from various diseases and harmful substances. Microorganisms and plants produce vitamins. Some are present in nature in preliminary stages. One of these provitamins is beta carotene, which our body can convert to vitamin A. Some vitamins such as vitamin D can be produced by our body. Reasonable nutrition ensures that our vitamin requirements are covered. Except in extraordinary situations in which vitamin requirements are considerably increased (e.g. pregnancy) nutritional supplements should not be taken. Nutritional supplements are available in pills or capsules and are meant to supply our metabolism with certain nutrients or active agents which could basically speaking also be taken up with our food. In general such nutritional supplements should only be taken after consulting a doctor, as they may even have negative effects on our health if used in the wrong way.

â&#x20AC;˘ Vitamin A, retinol This vitamin is responsible for all visual processes as it is involved in the production of the visual pigment rhodopsin. It keeps the skin and mucosa healthy and is important for growth, the production of testosterone, the formation of placenta and the development of the foetus. The basic material for this nutrient are carotenoids. These are plant pigments such as beta carotene which as provitamins are converted to vitamin A in the body. In some animal products vitamin A is already contained in its ready-made form and is therefore absorbed easily by the organism. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 0.8 to 1.1 mg vitamin A as well as 2 to 4 mg beta carotene. 200 grams of carrot salad, green cabbage or tomatoes already contain more than that. Vitamin A is also contained in animal products such as liver, butter, unskimmed milk, cheese, eggs and in some fatty sea fish such as eel or mackerel. Carotenoids are contained in vegetables of an intensive colour such as tomatoes or carrots, or in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, green cabbage or lambâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lettuce.

Depending on their solubility vitamins are divided into two groups: - water soluble (hydrophile) and - fat soluble (lipophile) vitamins.15

The essential (vital) factors

• Vitamin D, calciferol Vitamin D controls the calcium and phosphate balance and strengthens the bones and cartilages. Vitamin D is contained naturally only in a few foods. The body, however, forms it itself when the sun meets our skin. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 5 micrograms, which are contained in about 150 g tuna or 2 chicken eggs. 100 g herring or salmon contain a multiple of this amount. Elderly people of an age of more than 65 years need double this amount. Vitamin D sources are fatty fish like herring, mackerel and salmon, liver, eggs, milk and dairy products.

• Vitamin K, phyllochinon and mechaninon Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting. It also influences the formation and protection of the bones as it is involved in the integration and use of calcium. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults amounts to about 60 to 80 micrograms, which can easily be obtained by eating about 100 g lamb’s lettuce, spinach or Brussels sprouts. Vitamin K is contained in green leafy vegetables such as spinach or chard, different types of cabbage, as well as dairy products, meat, eggs, cereals and fruits. The water soluble vitamins Water soluble vitamins dissolve in aqueous solutions and are thus absorbed in the intestine. From there they get into the blood that takes them to where they are needed. Our organism stores water soluble vitamins only for a short period of time. What is not needed is eliminated via the kidneys. One exception is vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver. Water soluble vitamins comprise the “B vitamins” B1, B2, B6, B12, as well as biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid and vitamin C. The vitamin B complex hardly ever works alone. In most cases B vitamins occur together. Due to the interaction between them they assume important tasks in metabolism. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are an exception as they may also work alone. B vitamins usually all come from the same natural sources and are contained for example in whole grain products, pork liver and nuts. They are mostly contained in the surface layer of seeds germs and the peel of grain or rice which is often removed in food refining procedures.

• Vitamin E, tocopherol Vitamin E protects the cells from so-called free radicals which may cause diseases. It strengthens the immune system, has an anti-inflammatory effect and prevents arteriosclerosis. Vitamin E is contained in the membrane layer of the body cells. There it makes sure that free radicals do not penetrate into the interior of the cells. This protection can take place because vitamin E has the ability to react with oxygen. It attracts oxygen and oxygenates so that the body is protected from the attack of oxygen molecules. This function is also important for fatty acids, as vitamin E protects fatty acids from oxidation (or commonly referred to as “rancidity”). The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 12 to 15 mg. 10 g sunflower oil contain 6.3 mg of vitamin E, 10 g hazelnuts or almonds about 2.6 mg. Foods rich in vitamin E are for example vegetable oils such as sunflower, rapeseed, wheat germ or soy oil, as well as almonds and hazelnuts.

The essential (vital) factors

As substantial quantities of water soluble vitamins are leached out while cooking, vegetables should be steamed, and in case of other foods the cooking water should be used too.

• Niacin Niacin binds to protein molecules, makes them viable and forms several hundred different enzymes with protein. It is involved in the blood sugar balance and is essential for healthy skin and muscle tissue. Furthermore it supports the biosynthesis of hormones. The body obtains niacin directly from food. It may also be formed in the body from the amino acid tryptophan. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 13 to 17 mg, which is covered by eating about 125 g pork liver, 150 g beef or 175 g herring. A slice of whole grain bread (about 50 g) contains about 1.65 mg. Other important niacin sources are foods rich in proteins such as meat, innards, fish, eggs, whole grain products, bakery products and potatoes.

• Vitamin B1, thiamin Vitamin B1 is essential for the energy and carbohydrate metabolism. It forms special enzymes which continuously break down the carbohydrates from food into glucose. Especially our nerve cells benefit from this procedure as they only accept glucose as an energy source. Vitamin C protects vitamin B1. If both are consumed at the same time the body does not break them down so quickly. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 1.0 to 1.3 mg. These quantities are contained in about 150 g pork, 400 g peas, 200 g oat flakes or 60 g wheat germs. Some important sources of vitamin B1 are oat flakes, lean pork, whole grain products, plaice, tuna, legumes and potatoes.

• Pantothenic acid Pantothenic acid plays a crucial role in the production of numerous enzymes, the breakdown of fat, carbohydrates and some amino acids as well as the formation of fatty acids, cholesterol and some hormones such as cortisol, which has anti-inflammatory effects. About 50% of this vitamin is lost in refining processes, another 34% due to heat while cooking or frying. Furthermore food that is seasoned with much vinegar or which is even pickled in vinegar contains hardly any pantothenic acid. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 6 mg. About half of this amount is contained in 300 g herring. 150 g veal contains about one quarter of the daily requirement. 130 g pork liver fully covers the daily requirement. A thick slice of wheat whole grain bread (50 g) contains 0.32 mg of this vitamin, and 100 g fresh peas contains about 0.72 mg.

• Vitamin B2, riboflavin Vitamin B2 boosts energy production in the body cells. It also plays an important role in the skin and above all in the mucosa. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 1.2 to 1.5 mg. 0.3 litres low-fat milk (1.5% fat) already covers half of the daily requirement, while 200 g mushrooms cover the full daily requirement. Important sources of vitamin B2 are animal foods, sea fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, spinach and whole grain products.

The essential (vital) factors

acid is a vital B-vitamin which is indispensable for growth as well as the repair and replacement of all kinds of body cells. It is also involved in the production of haemoglobin. There is a close correlation with vitamin B12. Without it its functions are considerably restricted. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 400 micrograms and 600 micrograms in pregnant or breastfeeding women. 400 g spinach contains about 300 micrograms, 200 g broccoli about 180 micrograms and 200 g oranges about 50 micrograms. Folic acid is contained above all in tomatoes, various types of cabbage, in spinach and cucumbers, oranges, grapes, whole grain bread, potatoes, meat, liver, milk, eggs, wheat germs and soy beans.

This vitamin is contained in practically all plant and animal foods, especially in whole grain products, liver, meat, milk and legumes. • Vitamin B6, pyridoxine Vitamin B6 provides enzymes in the liver which are then metabolized to amino acids. These enzymes regulate protein metabolism. Vitamin B6 also influences the immune system and blood formation. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 1.2 to 1.6 mg. 100 g chicken breast contains 1 mg, 200 g potatoes cover half of the daily requirement. 100 g lamb’s lettuce contains about 0.25 mg, and 100 g banana 0.36 mg. Important sources of vitamin B6 are chicken and pork, fish, cabbage, lamb’s lettuce, green beans, whole grain, potatoes and bananas. • Biotin Biotin is essential for the formation of skin, hair and finger nails. The vitamin is therefore often added to cosmetic products. Biotin is either gained from food protein in the intestine or produced there by micro-organisms. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is about 30 to 60 micrograms. These are contained in about 200 g mushrooms, 100 g soy beans, 400 g spinach or 150 g oat flakes. Biotin is contained above all in soy beans, liver, eggs, nuts, oat flakes, mushrooms, spinach and lentils.

• Vitamin B12, cobalamin Vitamin B12 protects the nerve cells and reduces the risk of arteriosclerosis (hardening and obstruction of the blood vessels). B12 is effective together with folic acid and thus enhances the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Together with other substances B12 boosts the formation of important proteins. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 3.0 micrograms. 100 g herring already supplies double this amount. 100 g pork contains about 1 microgram. Vitamin B12 is contained almost exclusively in animal foods such as meat, innards, and fish, especially in herring, dairy products and eggs. Furthermore sea algae contain micro-organisms with traces of B12.

• Folic acid Folic acid is necessary for the formation of the DNA in which all our genetic information is stored. Therefore folic

• Vitamin C, ascorbic acid Vitamin C protects the immune system. Free radicals do not have any chance against vitamin C. Furthermore

The essential (vital) factors

it is involved in the production of various hormones and neurotransmitters. It strengthens the connective tissue by combining protein and other substances in collagen, and it strengthens the vessel walls. Vitamin C heals inflammations of the gums, strengthens them and fights bacteria that may cause caries. Furthermore vitamin C is decisive in weight control as it supports the synthesis of carnitine. Carnitine is the substance that filters fat molecules out of the blood and transports them into the interior of the cell where they are burnt to generate energy. The molecule is so light that it is already absorbed into the blood via the mucosa of the mouth, though only in small quantities. The daily requirement of teenagers and adults is 100 mg. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, smokers, athletes and people who are exposed to stress need about 150 mg. 100 g of bell peppers contain 140 mg, 150 g of black currants more than 200 mg. Some important sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, gooseberries, black currants, kiwis, bell peppers, fennel and broccoli.

The best quality with regard to the composition of the amino acids is supplied by eggs, quinoa (which belongs to the species of the goosefoot and is also called quinua, Inca rice, quinoa grass or Peruvian rice), soy, meat, fish, beans and lentils. What should be noted, however, is that animal proteins often contain too many undesired saturated fatty acids. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates, which are considered the â&#x20AC;?motorâ&#x20AC;&#x153; of our body, are divided into two categories: 1. 2.

Carbohydrates that are metabolized quickly (espe cially in the form of sugar, honey, malt, sweets and other refined foods) Carbohydrates that are metabolized slowly (espe cially in whole grain products, vegetables and fresh fruits)

Carbohydrates that are metabolized slowly contain more complex carbohydrates and/or more fibres, which help slow down the breakdown of sugar.As a result the energy supplied to the body is available for a longer time and in a more targeted way. Carbohydrates that are metabolized quickly tend to provide a short-term boost in energy, which, however, is soon followed by a fast decline.

proteins Proteins are necessary for the growth and regeneration of body cells. They are involved in the production of hormones, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters (communication of information between nerve cells) and support the transport of substances through the body. Both the quality of the proteins which are eaten (defined by the composition of the amino acids) and the quantities that are consumed are relevant.

Fats and oils

risk of certain cancers, heart attack, allergies, arthritis, eczema, depressions, fatigue and infections. Banning fats, and in particular essential fats, from our diet, is therefore not advisable at all. A fat phobia prevents the supply of our body with necessary and essential nutrients and as a result even increases the risk of developing certain disorders. The same, however, applies to an excessive intake of saturated fats (primarily hard fats) in dairy products, meat or most margarines. Every fat molecule (regardless whether it is hard or liquid fat) consists of a glycerol molecule (also referred to as glycerine) to which 3 fatty acid molecules are attached. Fatty acids occur in many different forms and sizes. They are the key building blocks of all fats and oils, both in the food we eat and in our body. Fatty acids are also the main components of neutral fats (triglycerides) which are contained in our blood. They are the main components of the fats that are stored in our fat cells. Therefore they play a central role in the energy supply of our body. Fatty acids are also important components of the membranes that surround every single cell of our body and of the so-called sub-cellular organelles in the interior of the cells. Therefore fatty acids play an important role in cell formation and in keeping cells healthy.

Essential fatty acids There are two basic types of fats: - saturated (primarily hard) fats - unsaturated fats Although it is neither necessary nor advisable to eat saturated fatty acids, we consume too many of them every day. Often we are not even aware of it. The main sources of saturated fats are above all meat and dairy products. The conscious intake of unsaturated fats, however, is highly recommended. Unsaturated fats are divided into - monounsaturated fats (e. g. contained in oliveoils) - polyunsaturated fats (e. g. contained in nut, kernel, seed or fish oils) Certain polyunsaturated fats, namely linoleic and linolenic acids, or better known as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, are essential fats (or more exactly fatty acids). Well-balanced nutrition contains a combination of these two essential fatty acids.

Where do fatty acids come from? Fats and oils Every living being contains fats and oils as every l iving being consists of cells. These are covered with membranes that contain fatty acids. As all types of food are derived from plant or animal substances and matter, all natural foods contain fats, though in different amounts (examples for the fat content of certain foods: potatoes: 0.1 %, almonds and pistachios: 55 %, mackerel: 15 %)

Introduction Basically speaking eating fat is good. It is however important to eat the right fats in the right quantities. This is essential for our health. A number of international studies have proven that essential fats help reduce the

Fats and oils

Some interesting information: The oil that is contained in the green parts of plants is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand the oil contained in fruits is similar to the oil contained in the non-green parts of plants and contains less linolenic acid (omega-3) than the green parts of the plants. Nevertheless both essential fatty acids are present. Cereal products contain about half the quantity of linoleic acid (omega-6) of fruits and plants, and only little linolenic acid (omega 3). This is due to the protective function of nature, as oils start to oxygenate as soon as grain is broken or pressed. This unfortunately happens frequently during harvesting. Whole grain products may be cooked without destroying the essential fatty acids. Once they are cooked, however, they soon start rotting. Soy beans and soy oils contain both essential fatty acids. Peanuts, which strictly speaking do not belong to the nuts but to the legumes, contain no linolenic acid (omega-3) and only very small quantities of linoleic acid (omega-6). When cooking legumes their oils are not destroyed, but their nutritional value becomes almost insignificant if they are not eaten immediately after cooking. In nature the oils of plant kernels and seeds are energy-rich nutritive sources for young seedlings. Furthermore they are extraordinarily rich in nutrients and therefore an excellent source for a diet that is beneficial to health. The oil content of nuts and seeds varies from year to year, but also according to the area where they come from. Environmental impacts and nature determine their fat content: nuts and seeds from growing areas in the north produce more oil – i.e. essential fatty acids – and more

linolenic acid (omega-3) to provide sufficient energy for the plants to grow in cooler climate zones. The tougher the conditions for growth are, the more oil the seeds have to store. The colder the weather the more polyunsaturated fatty acids (in particular omega-3 fatty acids) are contained in the oil of nuts/seeds in order to support the growth process: Another important side effect of nuts should be mentioned here as well: Nuts have a satiating effect! Making people feel satiated in a “healthy” way is often referred to in books on nutrition as “the holy grail of nutrition”. When people feel satiated already when eating a small quantity of “healthy” food it prevents them from putting on weight. This is particularly true for snacks in between the meals. Especially almonds are said to have this property. Walnuts should be mentioned as well, especially because of their high share in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The table on the next page shows the fat content and fat composition of different oil seeds and nuts. Protein is fat-free. One third of the fats in the eggs of free-range chickens are essential fatty acids. Fats in dairy products contain trans fats (up to 6 % in summer and 3 % in winter). These are formed in the stomachs of the animals where bacteria convert the healthy linolenic and linoleic acid (which are contained in the grass that the animals have eaten) into fats. Dairy products are an insignificant source of essential fatty acids. Fish: Basically speaking the warmer the water the fish comes from the lower its fat content. Not all types of fish have a high content in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Warm water fish, shark and other types of fish contain more monounsaturated fatty acids.

Fats and oils

Contents and composition of oils in nuts and seeds Linolenic acid (= alpha-linolenic acid) omega-3 in % of total fats

Linoleic acids & gamma-linolenic acid omega-6 in % of total fats

monounsaturated fatty acids omega-9 in % of total fats

Product

Fat content (in % weight)

Almonds

54,2

Avocado

Cashew

41,7

Coconut

35,3

Corn

Cotton seed

Evening primrose

Flax

Grape

Hemp seed

Macadamia

71,6

Olive

Saturated fatty acids in % of total fats

Palm kernel

35,3

Peanut

47,5

Pistachio

53,7

Pumpkin

46,7

<15

42-57

Rapeseed

Rice bran

Thistle

59,5

Sesame

49,1

Soy bean

17,7

Sunflower

47,3

Walnuts Wheat germs

10,9

Fats and oils

Wild animals have a higher essential fatty acid content than their domesticated counterparts. Cattle and lamb fats contain hardly any linolenic and linoleic acids. Their fats consist primarily of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Fats in innards are richer in essential mineral nutrients than fats in flesh. Fats in sausages are above all saturated fats. Some also contain refined starch as stuffing as well as sugar for the seasoning, with the latter increasing the quantity of unsaturated fatty acids which the body has to process.

fats by unsaturated fats in food processing instead of just minimizing the fat content as such. “Good fats“ – “Bad fats“ Apart from the fact that fats are important sources of energy that are necessary to guarantee that our body works properly, we should – as already mentioned – decide very carefully which fats we expose our body to. Basically fats that benefit the human organism contain unsaturated fatty acids. Unfortunately people in developed countries eat too many saturated fats, i.e. fats that are dangerous for our body, and eat too few essential fats, i.e. those that benefit our organism. Saturated fats are not nutrients, nor are unsaturated fats: they are not necessary, although we have said that the body may well use them as an energy sources. On the other hand polyunsaturated fats are essential, i.e. vital.

Fat contents of processed foods Even though many products contain only little fat, this often changes dramatically when these products are subject to industrial food processing. For example a potato only contains 0.1% fat. As soon as it is cut into pieces and fried, the chips contain 13.2% fat, most of it coming from the overheated frying oil. If the potato, however, is cut into thin slices and then turned into potato crisps, it contains a hefty 39.8%, more than one third of which are trans fatty acids. Studies have shown that many people are not even aware of how food processing systematically changes the quality of our food. Furthermore we are often unaware of where there may be “dangers”, namely in the so-called “hidden” or “bad” fats. While many consumers are looking specifically for low-fat products, only few of them are looking for products that are low in saturated fats. Those who just try to avoid “fats” (which seems to be nearly impossible due to the large amounts of hidden fats) often deprive the body of vital “essential fats”. Therefore it would make sense to replace saturated

There is a simple rule which has repeatedly been proven scientifically: - Not more than 1/3 of the daily fat intake should consist of saturated fatty acids (which corresponds to those that we cannot avoid anyway!) and - at least 1/3 should come from polyunsaturated fatty acids (these are the ones that we actively have to provide, as we do not get them otherwise!) which have to supply the two essential fatty acids linolenic and linoleic acid (omega-3 and omega-6 fats). - The rest should come from monounsaturated fatty acids.

Fats and oils

The ideal ratio between linolenic and linoleic acid, i.e. between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, is often discussed. It seems to be agreed that a ratio of about 1:4 or 1:5 is to be considered as ideal (i.e. 4 or 5 units of linoleic acid to 1 unit of linolenic acid).

As a result our body also converts fruit sugar into saturated fatty acids as soon as we eat more of them than our body can burn within a short period of time. Therefore the probability is higher to put on weight more quickly eating fruits than eating vegetables as these contain much less sugar. Refined sugar does not have to be digested and is therefore processed quickly. Without so-called co-factors (i.e. vitamins and mineral nutrients) our body cannot burn them properly. Glucose thus “floods” our blood and our cells. The consequence may be high blood sugar levels which are dangerous for our health and which eventually may lead to a diabetic sugar rush or even coma or death. Fruit sugar (fructose) should certainly not be considered only as positive. For the food industry fructose has many advantages. It is considerably sweeter than household sugar, dissolves well, has a preserving effect and keeps the products moist. It accelerates browning in bakery products and on top of this it has a positive image.16 However, studies from the German Institute of Nutritional Research (DIfE) have shown that fructose should be consumed with caution. For 70 days the researchers gave 4 groups of mice either water, diet lemonade, conventional lemonade or a fructose solution to drink. The result: the animals that had been fed the fructose put on much more weight than the others. Moreover their liver fat values increased considerably. This suggests that fruit sugar favours an accumulation of body fat. The organism deals with fructose in a different way than with household sugar or dextrose. When consuming the latter, the body releases insulin which binds energy-rich molecules from the blood and transports them into the cells.

The sugar-fat relation Sugar and starch are carbohydrates which most of us like. Unfortunately they are also hidden fat sources which may be quite harmful. Refined sugar (i.e. processed white sugar) consumed directly or indirectly is converted to fat in our body in nearly all cases. The same applies to starch. Unfortunately these fats are saturated fats. The term “sugar“ refers to all types of refined sugar and syrups such as: - Monosaccharides: Glucose (dextrose or grape sugar), fructose (fruit sugar or in honey), galactose (in breast milk) - Disaccharides (formed from two monosaccharides): Saccharose (cane sugar), maltose (malt sugar, in beer), lactose (milk sugar) - Dextrins (which are formed in the bread crust and in roux) - Syrups: made from sugar cane, sugar beet, millet and maple - Honey Our body digests and processes these concentrated sugar sources very quickly and immediately converts them into saturated fatty acids.

Fats and oils

Fructose on the other hand does not trigger any insulin response. This is why it is used for diabetic foods. But it stays in the blood and is taken to the liver where it is converted, amongst others, to fat.17 Unlike other sugars, fructose does not trigger the release of the hormone leptin which sends the message “I am full” to the brain. “Starch“ is a compound of sugar molecules (monosaccharides, glucose) that are tied to each other. Enzymes break down these compounds by and by and then convert the starch into glucose. As this process is rather slow starch is more beneficial than sugar. Our body needs more time to digest it and breaks down starch more slowly and over a longer period of time. Refined products containing starch, such as white flour, white rice, pasta, enriched flour (white or dark), corn starch, breakfast cereals and other food that is produced from these ingredients are more likely to be converted into fats than starch from whole grain products, which also contain more fibres and are therefore digested more slowly. Active, healthy people (without digestive disorders or food allergies) can feed well on complex carbohydrates (such as vegetables – especially broccoli and Brussels sprouts have a high starch content -, cereals, maize and fruits) without putting on weight. Careful: Potatoes contain much starch but it is broken down fast and may therefore make the blood sugar levels increase quickly. The starch from complex carbohydrates is only converted to glucose slowly and is then burnt in the body at the same speed as it is produced by the body. This means that complex carbohydrates do not generate more energy than is used, which prevents their being turned into fat.

Transformation processes of fatty acids Fatty acids are subject to continuous changes. They change their composition and their structures. Many external and internal facts influence these changes in different ways. Important influencing factors are: - Climate - Damage to the fatty acid carrier (e.g. a plant) - Processing - Storage - Digestive processes Saturated fatty acids may be fed to the body either from the outside or may be formed within the body, e.g. from sugar or other carbohydrates. The unsaturated fatty acids are divided into two categories18: - the omega-6 fatty acid group and - the omega-3 fatty acid group The fats of the omega-6 group are exclusively contained in plants and seeds and their oils. Some important sources are: hempseed, pumpkin seed, thistle, sesame, maize, walnut, soy and wheat germ oils. About 50% of the fats in these oils belong to the omega-6 group. The “grandmother“ of the omega6 family is linoleic acid. In the body, linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid. This transformation process is further continued in the body (on the next stage it is converted to di-homo-gamma linolenic acid or DGLS). With each stage in this transformation process the result becomes more “valuable” to the organism, but

Fats and oils

the “product” itself is increasingly prone to oxidation or other destructive influences which may even turn these substances into something negative. This process may also be accelerated by not starting this transformation at the stage of the linoleic acid (i.e. the grandmother) but eating products which are, for example, rich in gammalinolenic acid (e.g. evening primrose oil). The most important reason why we have a higher deficit in omega-3 fats compared to omega-6 fats is their extreme sensitivity. The “grandmother“ of the omega-3 group is alpha linolenic acid (often simply referred to as “linolenic acid”), which is converted to EPA (eicosapentaen acid) and DHA (dihomogammalinolenic acid) in the body. Both are unsaturated to a higher degree than the “grandmother“ and therefore increasingly prone to oxidation and other influences. Simply speaking it can be said that the substances / fatty acids become more active and increasingly unsaturated with each stage of the transformation process.

mos, who at this stage can consume a practically ideal dish, rich in an EPA/DHA fatty acid combination. Why olive oil? Although olive oils do not contain significant quantities of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids and therefore contain hardly any polyunsaturated fatty acids, they are normally cold-pressed and not subject to any further refining processes. This is why olive oils have a reputation for being beneficial for health, and why they are better than many other refined oils which in the past were and still are used in our food. Using olive oils in the kitchen also means a reduced quantity of trans fats. Trans fats are usually generated when fats are heated. Olive oils are more resistant against this process than many other fats. Apart from their favourable fat composition, olive oils contain numerous secondary vegetable substances, for example phytosterol, which is similar to cholesterol and competes with cholesterol to be taken up by the body. Furthermore they contain flavonoids, which, among other things, inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses. Moreover olive oils contain vitamin A and E as well as the mineral nutrients potassium, phosphate, manganese and magnesium. This fact makes olive oil the only “mass oil” that is worth giving special attention. Due to its composition, olive oil is easy to digest and beneficial for the stimulation of bile excretion. Furthermore olive oil is highly beneficial in skincare. As the fatty acid is similar to the fat contained in our skin, the skin absorbs the oil well. It binds to the acid protective shield of the skin, penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and binds the moisture there. Olive oil also enhances the

The following natural cycle describes this process very clearly: Let’s take sea plankton as a basic product. Small fish eat sea plankton which are rich in alpha-linolenic acid. Carnivorous fish such as mackerel or herring eat the small fish which in the meantime have converted at least part of the alpha linolenic acids to fat in their stomachs. The carnivorous fish continue the transformation process in their stomachs. Seals then eat these bigger fish and thus step in at an already more developed stage of the transformation process. As a result they have the highest concentration of favourable EPAs and DHAs in their bodies. The seals, in turn, are eaten by the Eski-

Fats and oils

healing of wounds, has disinfectant effects and prevents wrinkles. The substance that is largely responsible for these beneficial effects is the antioxidant vitamin E.

To structure one’s personal intake in fatty acids and subsequently be able to optimise the fat intake, it is important to know about the quantities and relations of fatty acids within the daily food intake. We assume that the daily fat intake should “ideally“ be between 20 and 30 % of the total energy supply (which, however, may vary individually) or between 55 to 80 g fat per day. In fact the daily fat intake nowadays is about double this value. This can easily be explained with the high quantities of “hidden fats” which we eat every day.

A summary The following table illustrates the different types of fatty acids and their origin. Food/Drink contains Saturated acids

Unsaturated fatty acids

Here some examples for fat quantities:19 Monounsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

“Omega 7 & 9”

10 g “visible“ fat is contained in: - 1 tablespoon oil - 2 teaspoons butter or margarine - 1 tablespoon mayonnaise - 3–4 tablespoons cream

are present in the body as Linoleic acid*

alpha linolenic acid

not produced in the body mainly of plant origin

in the body converted into

Gamma linolenic acid**

EPA/DHP

10 g “hidden“ fat is contained in: - 30 g hard cheese (i.e. the size of a matchbox) - 30 g chips - 1.5 rows of chocolate (30 g) - 1 small croissant (50 g) - 1 small veal chop (130 g) - 1/3 Big Mac (Mc Donalds) - 3.3 kg (!) vegetables

Sources: In practically all foods and drinks

Mainly of animal origin Increases cholesterol level; can be produced in the body

Fatty acid (“Omega-9“) Olives, almonds, avocado, peanuts, cashew, hazelnuts, macadamia Also produced in the body Palmitoleic acid (“Omega-7“)

„Omega-6“

„Omega-3“

*Thistly, sunflower, hempseed, soy, walnut, pumpkin, sesame, linseed,

Linseed, hempseed, rapeseed, soy, walnut, dark green leaves

**borage, blackcurrants, evening primrose

Tropic oils: coconuts, palm kernel oil

As we already know 1 g fat supplies about 9 kcal. Considering the fact that an average person requires about 2,000 to 2,500 kcal per day, the calorie share supplied by the fat intake should be about 700 kcal or about 75 g per day. 1 tablespoon contains about 10 g. This means that our maxi-

Reduces cholesterol level No nutrients: are not needed by the body – although they may be used for generating energy

Essential nutrients

Fats and oils

mum fat intake should be about 7 tablespoons of fats or oils per day. We also know that a maximum of one third of the fats should be saturated fats and that at least one third should be polyunsaturated fatty acids. The rest should be monounsaturated fatty acids. As our food unfortunately is penetrated with saturated fatty acids and common sources of mono- or polyunsaturated acids also provide a certain amount of saturated fatty acids, it is difficult to limit the supply of saturated acids. This is even the case if we consciously try to do so and at the same time make sure that we eat enough food containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Considering that the ratio between the different polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 to omega-3) should be 6 to 1, we get the following fat structure in grams per day:

Some interesting facts about selected vegetable oils OLIVE OIL - OLIO EXTRA VERGINE Plant and oil production The olive tree grows up to 20 m (65 ft) tall. It is a traditional tree crop that is cultivated above all in the Mediterranean basin. The olive is a one-seeded drupe that is oval to round in shape. Its colour varies according to the degree of maturity from light green and green to reddish, purple and black. There are different methods to harvest the fruits. They may be picked manually, shaken off the tree or collected from the ground. In bigger plantations they are usually harvested using special machines. The quality and the taste of the oil depend on the degree of maturity, the harvesting method, the type of olive(s) and their careful handling throughout the production process. First the olives are ground. Then the oil is obtained either by pressing or centrifugation at temperatures of less than 40° C / 105° F. The yield per tree is about 20 kilos (about 40 lb) from which about 3 to 4 litres (about 6 to 8 pints) olive oil are obtained. Today, like in the past, about 80 per cent of the costs for the production of high-quality extra-virgin olive oils are due to the time-consuming cultivation of the tree as well as the harvest. The English term extra-virgin olive oil corresponds to the Italian term “Olio extra vergine (di oliva)” or the Spanish term “Aceite de oliva virgen extra”. The colour may be from golden yellow to emerald green and the taste may vary from grassy to peppery and fruity.

Total fat intake per day: 70 to 75 g or 7 tablespoons Divided into - polyunsaturated fats: 33% or 23.3 g or slightly more than 2 tablespoons; of which o Omega-3 fats: 20 % or 4.5 g or ½ tablespoono o Omega-6 fats: 80 % or 18.8 g or a maximum of 2 tablespoons - monounsaturated fats: 33 % or 23.3 g or a bit more than 2 tablespoons - saturated fatty acids: 33 % or 23.3 g or slightly more than 2 tablespoons. But careful: we eat so many hidden saturated fatty acids that we do not have to consume them separately.

Fats and oils

Culinary uses The oil can be used both for cold dishes and for frying and sautéing.

WALNUT OIL – HUILE VIERGE DE NOIX Plant and oil production Walnuts are the fruits of the walnut tree. In autumn the nuts are harvested. After drying them the hard shells are removed and the nuts are pressed. In some countries the nuts are roasted before pressing. Walnut oil is a fluid oil of a pale yellow to pale green colour. The cold-pressed oil has a pleasantly nutty flavour.

Health and cosmetics Olive oil has been highly appreciated for centuries because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. In skin care it is recommended for dry and flaky skins, as it has a soothing and regenerating effect. Therefore it is also used as base oil for herbal extracts and for the production of mild soaps. As it is a fatty oil it is absorbed into the skin only slowly. In naturopathy olive oil is used in a wide range of disorders (e.g. disorders of the vertebral discs, backaches and muscle pains, cardiovascular disorders, disorders of the stomach and the intestine etc.).

Culinary uses The oil should not be heated. Walnut oil is used to season cold dishes. Due to its nutty taste it goes well with salads. Health and cosmetics Walnut oil has positive effects on the liver, bile, respiratory passages and metabolism. As it belongs to the quickly drying oils, it is well suited for skincare especially for combination skins with oily tendencies. It is quickly absorbed into the skin and therefore well suited for cosmetic applications, for example if used undiluted it can be used it instead of a wax pencil.

Particularities It has a high fatty acid content. Further information Used as a massage oil and base oil for macerates (extracts).

Particularities It has a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Walnut oil has a rather short shelf life and can be stored for only about 3 months. It is best kept in the fridge.

Heat stability: Extra-virgin olive oils should not be heated to more than of 180° C / 355° F and refined olive oil only to 210° C / 410° F! Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (+) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+), Vitamin K (++), Vitamin A (+)

Further information Used as a binder in oil paints. Heat stability: low

Fats and oils

Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (+)

Heat stability: Virgin hazelnut oil should not be heated to more than 180° C / 355° F. Do not use for frying! Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (+) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++)

HAZELNUT OIL – HUILE VIERGE DE NOISETTES Plant and oil production The hazelnut grows on shrubs. The oil is produced by cold-pressing the chopped nuts. In some countries the nuts are roasted before pressing. The oil has a yellow to amber colour and a nutty smell and flavour.

ALMOND OIL – HUILE VIERGE D‘AMANDES DOUCES Plant and oil production The almond tree is a rosaceous plant which can grow to 7 m (22 ft) tall. The fruit of the almond tree is a drupe that botanically is similar to the peach. As a tree crop the almond tree is common in the Mediterranean basin and in the US. Inside the hard shell there is an edible kernel that we know as almond. Almond oil is produced by cold-pressing the mature seed of the sweet or bitter almond. The difference between sweet and bitter almonds is their content in amygdalin, which is responsible for the bitter taste. The oil, however, is usually referred to simply as almond oil in both cases. The cold-pressed oil has a dark yellow colour, a mild, nutty flavour and a very characteristic almond smell.

Culinary uses The oil is used for cold dishes, but also for frying, sautéing and baking. In the food industry hazelnut oil is used in bakery products. All kinds of boiled vegetables can be flavoured with this oil before serving. Health and cosmetics This oil is used above all in cosmetics (ointments, shampoos). Its effect on the skin is astringent, smoothing and tonifying. It improves the blood circulation in the skin and helps maintain the elasticity of the skin. Hazelnut oil is an ideal base oil for fatty and combination skins and used against acne. It is quickly absorbed into the skin and is therefore well-suited for day creams.

Culinary uses Sweet almond oil is less used in cooking, but it is used for some cold dishes and above all for flavouring sweets (e.g. macaroons). Bitter almond oil is used in small quantities to flavour liqueurs and foods. In bigger quantities bitter almond oil may be poisonous. It is best used for flavouring desserts. Although it is suitable for frying, it is not used for this purpose as it is considered as too precious for it.

Particularities Hazelnut oil has a high oleic acid content. Further information Used as massage oil. Oil from roasted nuts is less suited for cosmetics.

Fats and oils

Health and cosmetics Almond oil is well-suited for skin and bath oils. It has a soothing, nurturing and protective effect on the skin. It is especially suited for dry skins which tend to cracking, flaking or eczema. It is especially appreciated because of its mildness. In creams it makes the skin soft and moist. It is used as a carrier substance in creams and lotions. As it is very kind to the skin, it is also suitable for baby care products. In naturopathy it is used for problems with the stomach and the intestine.

shredded nuts. The oil is of a pale yellow colour and has a characteristic nutty smell and flavour. Culinary uses Peanut oil is indispensable in Asian cuisine. It is used for frying, sautéing, deep-frying, for sauces, mayonnaises, salads and vegetable dishes. Health and cosmetics The oil is a good skin and scalp care product. It is absorbed only slowly into the skin. Furthermore it is used for baby and infant care. It has positive effects against dandruff and cradle cap as it softens flakes and crusts. Peanut oil is also an excellent bath additive, especially in cases of chronic eczema of dry skin (do not use in case of weeping or acutely inflamed skin). As base oil it is well suited for massages, especially in case of backache, poor circulation and to prevent rheumatism. If taken in, it stimulates the hormone balance and the brain activity and has a cleansing effect on the bowels.

Particularities Has a high oleic acid content. Further information Careful in case of nut allergies!! Used as massage and base oil. Heat stability: weak Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++)

Particularities: Unopened the oil has a shelf life of about 2 years.

PEANUT OIL – FROM ROASTED NUTS Further information Careful in case of any known nut allergies!! Do not use for fatty skin!!

Plant and oil production The peanut is a herbaceous plant with a deep taproot and an erect stalk growing 20 to 50 cm (8 to 20 inches) high. It is cultivated everywhere in the tropical and subtropical climate zones. The fruits have a wrinkled shell containing 1 to 4 seeds. The seeds are mantled by a red, brown or purple seed coat. Peanut oil is either pressed directly from the shelled nuts or pressed from roasted

Heat stability: Can be heated up to a temperature of 230° C / 445° F. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+++), polyunsaturated (++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (+)

Fats and oils

PINE NUT OIL

PISTACHIO OIL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HUILE VIERGE DE PISTACHE

Plant and oil production Pine trees, which are typical for the northern Mediterranean basin, can grow 30 m (100 ft) tall. The thick oval pine cones bear about 2-cm (about 1 inch) big seeds which fall out of the cone when mature. For oil extraction the cones are harvested already before that and are piled up and dried in the sun. When mature the seeds fall out and can be collected. The oil is obtained by cold-pressing the nuts. Pine nut oil is an essential, aromatic oil of pale yellow colour.

Plant and oil production The pistachio is the drupe of the pistachio tree. The origin of the pistachio tree or shrub is Central and Western Asia. The trees grow up to 12 m (40 ft) tall and can become as old as 300 years. They were already cultivated in antiquity. The seeds are oval in shape and have a thin, hard shell. The kernel itself has a greenish to brownish colour. The dark green aromatic pistachio oil is obtained from the mature nuts by cold-pressing. In some countries the nuts are roasted before pressing.

Culinary uses Used for cold dishes. It is used to season salad dressings, vegetables, fish and seafood.

Culinary uses The oil is used to season salads and light dishes. It is especially well suited for flavouring desserts.

Health and cosmetics The oil is known as tonifying. It fights the chronic fatigue syndrome and increases physical and mental performance. The oil may have beneficial effects on allergies, gastritis and psychopathological disorders which are expressed in an over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (fatigue/ exhaustion, limited capacity to work, bad sleep, frequent nervous breakdowns, and frequent headaches).

Health and cosmetics Pistachio oil, which has an excellent moisturizing effect, is largely comparable to almond oil. In traditional medicine it was used as a remedy against abscesses, bruises, liver sclerosis and sores. Further information: Used as a massage and base oil. Careful in case of any known nut allergies!!

Further information: Used in wood care products to give the wood a natural shine.

Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+)

Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (+++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+), Vitamin K (+)

Fats and oils

Heat stability: Argan oil can be heated slightly. Fatty acids: saturated (++), monounsaturated (+++), polyunsaturated (++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+++)

ARGAN OIL – HUILE VIERGE D’ARGAN Plant and oil production The Argan is one of the oldest tree species in the world and is endemic in Morocco in the area between Essaouira and Agadir. It bears fruits several times a year. The fruit is similar to the olive and is not edible. The nuts contained in the soft pulp are three times as thick as hazelnuts. According to the traditional production procedure of the Berbers the fruits are harvested, collected and dried between July and September. After seeding the “almonds” are gently roasted over an open fire. They are then ground to a soft paste in a stone rotary quern. Some water is added to the paste, which is then pressed. 20 kg (about 40 lb) of “Argan almonds” are necessary for the production of 1 litre (2 pints) of oil.The oil is of a golden yellow colour and has a nutty flavour. Cold-pressed argan oil from non-roasted “almonds” tastes slightly more neutral.

POPPY-SEED OIL – HUILE D’OEILETTE

Culinary uses It is used above all for cold dishes and seasoning. Its nutty flavour goes particularly well with salads. White bread sprinkled with argan oil is delicious for breakfast.

Plant and oil production The poppy is an important oilseed. The capsule that contains the seeds is divided into various chambers. The seeds are attached to the walls that separate the chambers. When mature the seeds fall to the bottom of the capsule. When mature for harvesting the capsule turns brown. Poppy seed is harvested either manually or mechanically. The capsules including a 30-cm (11 inches) long piece of stalk are cut. When a bunch of capsules has been harvested the seeds are shaken out of the capsules through the holes on top of it. The oil is generally produced by cold-pressing the dried poppy seeds. Cold-pressed poppy seed oil has a pale yellow colour, and the warmpressed oil has a reddish colour. The flavour depends on the species. Oil from grey poppy has a fine, mild poppy flavour, that of blue poppy has a considerably more intensive poppy flavour and that of white poppy has a slightly nutty flavour.

Health and cosmetics Argan oil protects the skin from desiccating and makes it smooth. It can be used in case of burns, redness of the skin and neurodermatitis. In Morocco it is traditionally used against acne, chickenpox and skin disorders.

Culinary uses Poppy seed oil is used for cold dishes and for sautéing and baking. The aromatic, slightly nutty flavour of poppy seed oil goes particularly well with salads, raw vegetables, desserts and cereals. Poppy seed oil is also used to flavour soups (e.g. cream of asparagus soup).

Fats and oils

Health and cosmetics The oil is quickly absorbed into the skin and has a mild smell. It is particularly well suited as a baby care oil.

Health and cosmetics Rapeseed oil is well suited for skincare. In sensitive skins, however, it may lead to irritations. In alternative medicine it is used to treat cardiovascular disorders. Combined with small quantities sunflower oil it is a good base for mild soaps.

Further information Used as a binder in oil paints as well as in wood and leather care products.

Heat stability: Extra-virgin rapeseed oil should not be heated to more than 190° C / 375° F. Refined rapeseed oil may be heated to a maximum of 210° C / 410° F! Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (++), Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (++++), Vitamin A (+)

Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++) RAPESEED OIL – COLD-PRESSED, FROM CONTROLLED ORGANIC CULTIVATION Plant and oil production Rapeseed is one of the oldest crops of the world. It is the most important oilseed grown in the temperate climate zones. It is exclusively used for oil production. Rapeseed oil is produced from the seeds by pressing or extracting the shredded seeds of species poor in eruca acid. The oil has a pale yellow to amber colour and a very light smell. Its taste is largely neutral. Cold-pressed oils have a typical aromatic rapeseed flavour and may sometimes taste slightly bitter. Rapeseed oil is used in nearly all industrial sectors.

LINSEED OIL – COLDPRESSED Plant and oil production Flax is one of the oldest crops of the world. In the beginning it was grown above all to obtain its fibres. It is an annual plant with blue flowers. The dry brown capsules contain about 6 to 7 seeds. The dried seeds are first ground and then cold-pressed or refined. Cold-pressed oil has a greenish to yellow or brownish colour and a very characteristic smell and flavour, which may be slightly bitter. Refined oil is pale to golden yellow, and its taste and smell are less characteristic.

Culinary uses Rapeseed oil can be used for cold dishes as well as for sautéing and frying. It is one of the most frequently used cooking oils. Refined rapeseed oil is also suitable for grilling and deep-frying.

Culinary uses Used for cold dishes and seasoning. It goes well with all types of vegetable dishes and potatoes.

Fats and oils

Health and cosmetics Corn oil is used to make hair care products and soaps. It makes the skin soft and smooth. In naturopathy corn oil is used to treat cardiovascular disorders.

Health and cosmetics Linseed oil can be used internally and externally. For its external use it is often mixed with jojoba oil and applied to eczema, dry skin or skin cracks. Pure linseed oil is used in case of neurodermatitis and cradle cap. For internal use linseed oil is consumed as an additive to salads and raw vegetables. Linseed oil has a wide range of effects in naturopathy.

Further information Used in leather care products. Heat stability: Refined corn oil can be heated up to a temperature of 200° C / 390° F. Cold-pressed corn oil should only be heated slightly.

Further information Used as a binder in oil paints as well as for wood and leather care products.

Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated Vitamins: Vitamin E (++++), Vitamin K (+++), Vitamin A (++++)

Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (+)

SUNFLOWER OIL – COLD-PRESSED

Plant and oil production Corn is a crop that has its origins in the “New World“. It plays a minor role as an oilseed. The oil is produced from the germ bud by means of extraction. Cold-pressed oil is hardly ever offered. Extracted oil is reddish, pressed oil is golden yellow. It has a weak characteristic smell and taste.

Plant and oil production The sunflower is one of the most important oilseeds. Its origin is on the West coast of America. Via Mexico it was introduced into Europe in the 16th century. The oil is made from the mature seeds. The husk is removed and then the oil is produced either by cold-pressing or by extraction. Cold-pressed oil is pale yellow and has the pleasantly mild flavour of the sunflower seeds. Warm-pressed oil is slightly darker and has a specific nutty flavour.

Culinary uses In food industry corn oil is commonly used for manufacturing margarine, mayonnaise etc. Corn oil is widely used in cooking though it is best suited for cold dishes.

Culinary uses In food industry it is used for the production of margarines, salad dressings and mayonnaise. It is widely used in cooking.

CORN OIL

Fats and oils

Health and cosmetics Sunflower oil is particularly well suited for day creams, body lotions and for fatty skins. In naturopathy it is used for joint diseases, problems with the kidneys and in cases of poor blood circulation.

red colour and is characterized by its high viscosity. Its taste is nutty and similar to that of the sunflower oil. Culinary uses Cold-pressed thistle oil should only be used for cold dishes and sautéing. Extracted oil is used to make margarines.

Further information Goes well with leaf salads.

Health and cosmetics It is used on dry skin to make it smooth and elastic. It can be used to remove make-up and water-proof mascara.Thistle oil has a regulating, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing effect and is used above all in cases of cardiovascular disorders.

Heat stability: Refined sunflower oil can be heated up to a temperature of 200° C / 390° F. Cold-pressed sunflower oil should only be heated slightly (cooking, sautéing) Fatty acids: High Oleic: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++++), polyunsaturated (+); Traditional: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+++), Vitamin K (+), Vitamin A (++)

Further information Do not use on sensitive skin. Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (+) SESAME OIL – FROM ROASTED SEEDS

THISTLE OIL – (SAFFLOWER OIL) Plant and oil production Sesame is one of the oldest oilseeds. It is a flowering plant that is similar to rapeseed. Its origin is in East Africa and India. Today the plant is grown above all in Turkey, India, China and Egypt. Sesame oil is made from the hulled, conditioned and flaked seeds by pressing or extraction. In some countries the seeds are roasted before pressing. Cold-pressed sesame oil is golden yellow in colour, has a slightly nutty smell and

Plant and oil production The exact origin of the safflower is not known, but it was already known in India and Anatolia as early as in 1600 A.D. From Turkey the plant spread to all over the Mediterranean basin. In the past, safflower was primarily used as a colouring agent. Safflower oil is made from the hulled, conditioned and flaked seeds by pressing or extraction. The oil has a golden to golden

Fats and oils

PUMPKIN SEED OIL – From Styria (Protected Geographical Indication)

a mild flavour. Extracted sesame oil is pale yellow and has no distinctive smell or taste. The oil from roasted seeds is golden brown and has a more intensive nutty flavour.

Plant and oil production The origin of the oil pumpkin is in North and South America. From the 16th century it spread all over Europe. Today it is mainly grown in Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and China. Austria has applied to the EU for the protected designation of origin ”Steirisches Kürbiskernöl – geschützte geografische Angabe (g.g.A.)“, i.e. Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil – Protected Geographic Indication. This means that the pumpkin seeds that are used for Styrian pumpkin seed oil must have their origin in specifically indicated regions and may only be pressed in Styria. The oil is gained from pressing the ground and roasted seeds. Cold-pressed oil in its characteristic green colour is not widely available. The oil from roasted seeds has a dark red to brown colour and a nutty smell and flavour.

Culinary uses The extracted oil is used in the food industry to make margarines. It is also used in the baking industry. The cold-pressed oils go well with salads and are particularly suited for cooking and frying Asian dishes. Sesame oil is used above all as a seasoning. Health and cosmetics The pure oil can be used on dry to normal skin. It is used to prevent stretch marks, as a baby oil and to massage scars. It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. In India sesame oil is used as a skin care oil and is also considered a nerve tonic. Further information Used as massage oil.

Culinary uses It should only be used for cold dishes. This oil is mainly used for dressing salads. Boiled potatoes with herbs and pumpkin seed oil are a real delicacy! It can also be used to flavour cereals or oat flakes.

Heat stability: Can only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+++), polyunsaturated (+++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++), Vitamin K (+)

Health and cosmetics Pumpkin seed oil may be used as a carrier oil and is used as base oil for dry and cracking skin. It is also used as an additive in tinted day cream. Because of its intensive greenbrown colour some people feel put off by it. In naturopathy it is used

Fats and oils

Further information May support wound healing, contains procyanidin.

in disorders of the urinary passages and the vertebral discs, as well as in cystitis and other disorders of the bladder.

Heat stability: Cold-pressed grape seed oil should only be heated slightly. Extracted or refined oil can be heated to rather high temperatures. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+++), Vitamin K (++++).

Heat stability: Should only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (+++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++) GRAPE SEED OIL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; COLD-PRESSED

SOYBEAN OIL

Plant and oil production The vine is one of the oldest crops of the world. The grapes are used to produce wine and juice, with the seeds remaining as a by-product. The seeds are cleaned, dried and ground. The oil is mostly pressed and hardly ever extracted. Depending on the type of grape the colour of cold-pressed oil is yellowish to greenish. It has a bittersweet flavour and a grapy nutty smell. The extracted and refined oil has a pale colour and a rather neutral taste and smell.

Plant and oil production The soybean is one of the most ancient crops of the world. It is a leguminous plant that occurs in many different varieties. Its country of origin is China. Today soy is grown above all in the US, in Brazil, Argentina, China and Japan. The plant was only introduced to Europe in the 18th century. After the harvest the seeds are dried, hulled, shredded and warmed. The oil is produced mainly through extraction. Cold-pressing is not very common. The pressed oil is yellowish to yellowbrown. Extracted oils are pale red to yellow-red. Its smell is weak but characteristic.

Culinary uses Used for cold dishes. Refined oil can also be used for steaming and frying. Health and cosmetics The oil is quickly absorbed into the skin. It is therefore well suited for fatty, unclean and aging skins both as a massage or base oil. In naturopathy grape seed oil is used in cases of cardiovascular problems.

Culinary uses Soybean oil is widely used in cooking. Health and cosmetics Soybean oil is quickly absorbed into the skin and protects from a loss in moisture. Mixed with linseed oil it is said to help against arteriosclerosis. In naturopathy it is used for problems with the stomach, the intestine or the heart.

Fats and oils

Further information Used as a dietary oil. Very high vitamin E content.

Heat stability: Refined soybean oil can be heated up to a temperature of 180° C / 355° F. Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (++), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++++), Vitamin K (+), Vitamin A (+)

Heat stability: Should only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++++), Vitamin K (+)

WHEAT GERM OIL

WILD ROSE OIL – COLD-PRESSED ROSEHIP OIL, FROM CONTROLLED ORGANIC CULTIVATION

Plant and oil production Wheat is a very ancient crop which has its origin in Eurasia. It is primarily grown as a feed crop and for bread production. The oil is produced by pressing or extracting the wheat germ, though oil production from wheat plays a minor role. The cold-pressed oil has a golden yellow to brownish colour and a grainy smell and taste. The extracted oil has a yellow colour and a very weak smell and taste.

Plant and oil production The fruit of the wild rose is known as rosehip and plays an important role. The wild fruit probably originates from the dog rose. Nowadays the plant is cultivated all over Europe. The fruits are used for many different purposes (jams, wine, liqueurs, and tea). Oil is produced from the seeds of the fruits either by pressing or by extraction. Extraction is the more frequently used method. The oil is pale yellow to reddish orange and has a weak to fruity smell.

Culinary uses Only used for cold dishes. Health and cosmetics Wheat germ oil is used in cosmetics for dry, mature and combination skins and for dry and brittle hair. It has a smoothing effect and prevents premature aging of the skin. In naturopathy it is used for problems with the heart, poor blood circulation and fatigue.

Culinary uses In cooking it is hardly ever used in its pure state but mostly mixed with other oils. It is used as a dietary supplement to dress raw vegetables and salads. Health and cosmetics Wild rose oil is used as skin oil and in emulsions for sensitive and sun-afflicted skin. It is also used for psoriasis, couperose, premature skin aging, wrinkles, mature and dry skin as well as fatty skin with acne. It strengthens the cell membrane and increases the elas-

Fats and oils

ticity of the skin and hair. It regulates the function of the sebaceous glands and the water balance. It is used as a base oil.

Culinary uses Can only be used for cold dishes, primarily for seasoning or as a dietary supplement.

Further information Pleasant massage oil.

Health and cosmetics Evening primrose oil is used above all for skin problems. It is considered to be a quick-drying oil. Due to its specific composition it is used for skin oils and emulsions for mature, dry, flaky and sensitive skins as well as for skins with a tendency to impurities, psoriasis and neurodermatitis. It is also used for anti-aging creams. The oil regulates the moisture of the skin, has a regenerating effect and soothes itches. Furthermore it improves the elasticity of the skin. In naturopathy it is used for disorders associated with the menopause, for the PMS syndrome, as well as for neurodermatitis and allergies.

Heat stability: Should only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (++) EVENING PRIMROSE OIL â&#x20AC;&#x201C; COLD-PRESSED, FROM CONTROLLED ORGANIC CULTIVATION Plant and oil production The evening primrose has its origin in North America. At the beginning of the 17th century it was introduced into England and from there spread all over Europe. The root is known as a vegetable. The oil is produced by pressing or extracting its seeds. The oil is golden yellow and has a week smell and taste. It is one of the few oils with a high content in gamma-linolenic acid.

Further information Used as a dietary food and in case of skin problems Heat stability: Should only be heated slightly Fatty acids: saturated (+), monounsaturated (+), polyunsaturated (++++) Vitamins: Vitamin E (+++), Vitamin K (+)

Fats and oils

The fatty acid composition of vegetable oils

Fats and oils

The composition of omega fatty acids in vegetable oils

Fats and oil and their impact on health

How can a normal consumer benefit from all the “edible medication”? It would be best just not to try at all. What is of great interest to scientists and may be vital for a plant, may create enormous but erroneous expectations in humans. People may even be misled. For example smokers may hope that eating large quantities of apples and broccoli may protect them from lung cancer rather than to stop smoking. And drinkers might tell themselves that another bottle of wine is good to prevent arteriosclerosis.20 The following basic problems are often considered as triggers for numerous health problems: Steadily increasing stress and depressions harm both the psyche and our metabolism which is so important for our well-being as well as the vegetative nervous system; and obesity is an enormous burden for the entire human body. Already two decades ago pasta as well as fat (which has always been considered as bad) was made responsible for obesity. Only one decade later salads and lean meat were propagated. And today meat-free nutrition and a vegetarian diet are often praised. Nutritional scientists face a basic problem when studying their object of research: Eating is so natural that many people are not able to report on their eating habits in a reliable way. The majority of field research deals with questioning sick and healthy people about their eating habits. The evidence gained from such surveys, however, is weak. It is often distorted because sick people, often afflicted by remorse, remember their vices much better than healthy people. Furthermore many people who eat a healthy diet also do more exercise, smoke less and have a higher education. All these are factors which have proven impacts on health.

Fats and oil and their impact on health Introduction People who just think about filling their stomachs when eating are hopelessly out of date! Nowadays food has to satisfy higher needs than that. It is supposed to protect us from diseases and establish inner poise. The dullest fruit has become a promising medicine. There is hardly any part of the body that is not said to be curable by eating the right things. Tumeric is said to prevent arthritis and osteoporosis, while onions are said to make polyps in the intestine shrink. Nuts prevent diseases of the heart. Broccoli is said to prevent cancer in general, and chilli peppers that of the prostate in particular. Tea helps relieve stress, red wine cleans the arteries and cherries help with aching muscles. Even the medically scorned coffee is said to have beneficial effects that help prevent breast cancer if consumed in substantial quantities. The flood of “culinary salvation messages” is so overwhelming that there is hardly any time to analyse the “but”. We do not want to have our scientifically fuelled appetite spoilt by the fact that many of the praised effects were just observed in animals, while feeding them unrealistically high doses. So what about increasing the dosage administered to people too? This, unfortunately, is not really a good idea. Spinach when eaten in big quantities obviously favours the formation of renal calculi. Ten cups of coffee in a go would definitely cause stomach aches instead of any healing effect. And let’s not even talk about dietary supplements of any kind.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

Most people who live on an average Western diet will sooner or later suffer from degenerative diseases which are specifically due to nutrition, regardless where on earth they live. And this is easy to understand! Only few people are genetically immune to developing diseases associated with a diet that consists of more than 40% of hard, modified fats, 40% of refined carbohydrates and only 6% of complex carbohydrates. Every fourth adult in the western world suffers from the so-called Metabolic Syndrome, which is a combination of obesity, diabetes, metabolic disorders and a high blood pressure. Medically speaking obesity is not simply a failure of will or due to wrong eating habits. It is not a disorder of the body’s own weight regulators either, but above all a chronic medical condition. In people affected by obesity the body weight is regulated as carefully as in people who are not faced with this problem. The regulation, however, is subject to a higher “set point”. This biological set point is strongly influenced by genetic factors and very difficult to change. It is controlled by neurotransmitters which transmit signals such as “hunger” and “satiety”. Only people who have a very strong will and are able to accept physical discomfort will eventually be able to withstand this biological mechanism.

BMI =

body weight in kg (body height in m) x (body height in m)

The upper limit for the healthy weight range is a BMI of 25. If the BMI is greater than 30 this means that the person in question is critically overweight. There is, however, a relatively large gray area in the range of a BMI between 25 and 30. In this range numerous other factors are decisive when it comes to judging whether a person is critically obese or not. In this case it is useful to measure the body fat content. In this way it is possible to clarify whether being moderately overweight is due to an increased fat content or to a desirably high muscle mass. A Body Mass Index of … means …22 Less than 18.5 You are underweight. 18.5 to 24.9 You have the ideal weight for your body height. There are no specific health risks associated with the weight. 25.0 to 29.9 You are slightly to medium oveweight. If there are any other risk factors, medical supervision is recommended. 30.0 to 39.9 You are heavily overweight or obese (adiposity or obesity). Medical super vision is necessary regardless of whether other risk factors are present or not. Greater than 40.0 You are heavily and critically obese (massive adiposity). There is a high health risk potential.

Obesity – Body Mass Index (BMI) versus Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) When judging whether somebody is overweight or not, the Body Mass Index (BMI) is usually used as a reference. The BMI is the ratio of the body weight in kilogram to the body height in meters squared:21

Fats and oil and their impact on health

According to the criteria of the World Health Organisation a higher risk is expected:24 - for a waist circumference of more than 94 cm (37 in) in men - for a waist circumference of more than 80 cm (31 in) in women

One disadvantage of the BMI is that it does not take into account how the fat pads are distributed. Fat pads in the abdomen are much more dangerous than in other places of the body. Therefore other alternative or accompanying measuring methods have become common in the past few years. One of them is the Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR). The ratio of the waist circumference to the hip circumference gives more information on the distribution of fat in the body. Apart from the body weight and the BMI it gives information on the risk to prematurely develop cardiovascular diseases. The Waist-to-Hip Ratio is calculated as follows.

If there are no other risk factors the following waist circumferences are considered as critical: - more than 102 cm (40 in) in men - more than 88 cm (34 in) in women Why is belly fat so critical? Belly fat differs from subcutaneous adipose tissue in several aspects: e.g. it produces more free fatty acids which play a role in developing arteriosclerosis. Also other substances that have a negative impact on blood lipid and sugar metabolism are increasingly formed. Furthermore there is a higher density of nerves and blood vessels in the abdomen. As a result many more hormones and messenger substances are released to the body from there. Several studies have shown that these messenger substances may cause chronic inflammations. These inflammations play a much more important role in heart attacks, diabetes and cancer than originally assumed. The inflammatory substances also favour arteriosclerosis which in turn is an inflammatory process. Scavenger cells which store cholesterol are attached to the inner walls of the vessels. Bacteria settle in this plaque and in turn intensify the inflammation. If such a cell cluster comes off the vessel wall this may even lead to a heart attack. According to latest the findings, diabetes is the result of nutrition-related inflammations too. In this case the fat mass plays a decisive role as well.

Waist circumference WHR = Hip circumference A person who has a waist-to-hip ratio of more than 1.0 (for men) or 0.85 (for women) and is overweight has an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disorders. In cases where the fat is concentrated above all around the belly doctors speak about the “apple type”, which is particularly frequent in men. Fat pads that are concentrated above all around the hips, bottom and thighs are usually referred to as “pear types” and are particularly frequent in women.23 Another important criterion to judge critical weight is to measure the circumference of the belly. For many years it has been known that fat pads around the belly are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk compared to body fat in other areas. While fat in men is more generally stored around the belly, fat in women is distributed according to different patterns. Surprisingly the cardiovascular risk associated with the circumference of the belly does not depend on the body height.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

The bad news is: belly fats cannot be trained off easily not even with targeted exercise. The good news is: belly fat was conceived by nature as a quickly available energy source and is therefore primarily tapped when the body is under strain. This is just another reason why regular exercise and persistence are worth the effort.

The most important results are: - There is probable evidence that growing total fat intake increases the adiposity risk. - There is convincing evidence that saturated fatty acids increase the risk of dyslipoproteinemia (disorder of the fat metabolism. The fat proteins HDL and LDL are responsible for the transport of cholesterol in the blood. In cases of dyslipoproteinemia the ratio between these two proteins is no longer correctly balanced). Furthermore there is possible evidence that the risk of coronary heart diseases (diseases of the coronary vessels) increases. - There is convincing evidence that decreasing or increasing intake of saturated fatty acids has no influence on hypertension (high blood pressure). Furthermore there is probable evidence that it does not have an influence on type 2 diabetes and cancer (except breast cancer) and possible evidence that it does not have an impact on strokes. - There is possible evidence that there is a higher breast cancer risk in cases of increased intake of saturated fatty acids. - There is convincing evidence that monounsaturated fatty acids decrease the dyslipoproteinemia risk. However, there is probable evidence that they do not have an impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stroke or cancer (except breast cancer), while there is possible evidence that they have an impact on the coronary heart disease risk.

Fat supply through food intake Fat and fatty acids are supplied to the body through the intake of plant and animal foods containing fat, as well as immediate intake of fats and oils added to the food while cooking. Due to the high energy density and experience gained on biological and physiological effects fat intake has been at the centre of interest for many years. Recommendations on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;idealâ&#x20AC;? fat intake can even be traced back to the 19th century. A study of the German Nutrition Society in Bonn (Fat Intake and Prevention of Selected Nutrition-Related Diseases, Evidence-Based Guideline, Version 2006) shows that the fat share in the total daily energy supply in women and men ranges between 36 and 40%. The highest energy share is supplied by saturated fatty acids (14 to 17% of the energy), followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (12 to 15%). The intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids only accounts for 5.2 to 5.6% of the energy supply. The ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is about 7.2 to 8.6. The study analysed the correlations between fat intake and the risk of developing certain diseases. It also analysed the biological bases and assessed them with regard to evidence on the prevention of certain chronic nutritionrelated diseases.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

- There is possible evidence that monounsaturated fatty acids may decrease the risk of breast cancer. - The institute does not have any significant data on the impact of monounsaturated fatty acids on adiposity and hypertension. - There is convincing evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6) decrease the dyslipoproteinemia risk as well as possible evidence that they decrease the risk of coronary heart diseases and type-2 diabetes. However, there is probable evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acids are not linked to stroke and cancer. The available data was not sufficient to judge their impact on adiposity and hypertension. - There is convincing evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) decrease the dyslipoproteinemia risk and the risk of fatal coronary heart diseases and hypertension. Furthermore there is probable evidence that they decrease the risk of an ischemic stroke (stroke due to ischemia). There is possible evidence for decreasing the risk of bowel cancer. - There is convincing evidence that trans fatty acids increase the risk of dyslipoproteinemia with increased LDL and decreased HDL cholesterol levels as well as an increased risk of coronary heart diseases. There is possible evidence that they are not linked to stroke.

Trans fats – Free Radicals – Antioxidants The danger of trans fats The refining and processing of vegetable oils substantially changes the natural polyunsaturated oils. Although technically speaking the fats are still polyunsaturated, our body is no longer able to benefit from them (more precisely “almost no benefit”, it can still gain energy from them). Even worse, however, is the fact that this condition blocks the ability of our body to make use of the healthy polyunsaturated fats (or better said: fatty acids). The fats created in this way are called “trans fats” as they have changed their nature, i.e. they have been transformed. Trans fatty acids are formed at a high temperature and during hydration, which turns refined fats into margarine, frying fats or, in particular, also into partly hydrated (thick) vegetable fats. Chemically there has only been a very small change in the molecular structure of the fat chain (no single atom was changed), but this small change (the normal “cis-configuration” is turned into a “trans-configuration) causes substantial changes in the properties of fatty acids, their effects in our body as well as their impacts on our health. Cis and trans molecules also differ considerably with regard to their melting point. Cismolecules melt at a temperature of 13° C / 55° C, i.e. they are liquid at room and body temperature. Trans molecules only melt at a temperature of 44° C / 110° F and are therefore solid at room or body temperature. This means that non-solid, liquid cis-forms are turned into a solid trans-form.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

The high melting point also makes the blood platelets harder and more rigid, which increases the danger of clotting in the “narrow” blood vessels. If this happens this may lead to stroke, heart attack or vessel obstruction in other organs. A daily intake of less than 5 g trans fatty acids increases the risk of heart diseases by 25%.25 The speed in which enzymes transform trans fatty acids is lower than that of cis-fatty acids. This is an important aspect for our heart whose normal fuel is fatty acids. A high trans fat intake may therefore have significant negative impacts on the function of our heart. Many margarines still contain these so-called hydrated polyunsaturated fatty acids and should therefore be avoided. Trans fatty acids are cheaper than other fats. Moreover they give the products a high stability, e.g. with regard to storage. Furthermore manufacturers often say that foods without these substances lose the taste and texture the consumers are used to. Examples, however, have shown that these claims are not true. In any case it is much easier to avoid trans fats than to eliminate saturated fatty acids from our food. Nowadays there are already many enterprises that have replaced the commonly used hydrated soybean oil (soy actually has a high share in polyunsaturated fatty acids that are very sensitive to hydration) by the more stable rapeseed oil (with a high content in monounsaturated fatty acids). And this has obviously not had any negative impacts on the taste of the products. Deep-frying is another method to damage “good“ and healthy fats. The high temperature makes the fats oxidize so that they generate “free radicals” in our body after we have eaten the deep-fried food.

The use of trans fats and their dangerousness are being increasingly discussed. So far, however, only one country has taken steps to protect its citizens from these substances. In Denmark the trans fatty acid content in food has been limited to a maximum of 2% since 2005.26 And despite the forecasts of the food producers chips are still crispy, chicken tasty and baked products as delicious as they used to be.27 Meanwhile Australia, Canada and the cities of New York and Chicago are considering combating dangerous fats in the same way. The city of New York has passed a comprehensive ban on the use of trans fatty acids in restaurants. Furthermore the health authorities require fast food restaurants as well as certain restaurants to indicate the calorie content of their dishes (e.g. on the menu or on a calorie list at the counter).28 The food in all Disney Amusement Parks will be free of trans fats by the end of 2007, and all Disney licensed products by the end of 2008. More and more fast food enterprises are (inevitably) following this trend. “Free radicals“ and antioxidants Free radicals are no new development of nature. They have been part of any form of life for millions of years, just like minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins. Oxygen is the basis of life. It is our most important nutrient which every cell needs in every second of every day. Without oxygen we cannot gain the energy from our food which we need to perform all kinds of bodily functions. Unfortunately oxygen is chemically highly active and can therefore quickly change its positive properties. In normal biochemical reactions oxygen can become instable and “oxidise” neighbouring molecules. Oxida-

Fats and oil and their impact on health

tion may lead to cell damage which in turn has negative impacts on the organism and is therefore thought to trigger certain diseases such as cancer, inflammations, damage to arteries or aging. This “oxidation“ of neighbouring molecules is referred to as “freely oxidising radicals”. Free radicals are formed in all kinds of burning processes, including smoking, radiation, frying and grilling of foods, but also in common physical processes within the body. Chemicals which are able to “neutralize” free radicals are referred to as “antioxidants”. Some of them are known as essential nutrients, such as vitamin A and beta carotene as well as vitamin C and E.

Resveratrol contained in red wine has proven particularly promising in many studies. In experiments with zebra fish scientists have even achieved a life prolongation of an unbelievable 59% due to resveratrol. Other scientists studied the effect of resveratrol in mice. They formed three groups of one-year old test animals. For the rest of their lives the first group was fed conventional food, the other two groups were fed calorie-rich meals whose energy content came primarily from fat (60%). The third group of mice also received resveratrol in amounts that would be comparable to concentrations consumable by humans. The resveratrol intake showed its effects already after a few weeks. On average the mice that received resveratrol lived a quarter of a year longer than the others. They weighed as much as the other mice but their insulin level in the blood was practically the same as that of the mice feeding on a conventional diet. Furthermore the liver of the overweight mice without resveratrol intake was double the size of the animals fed with resveratrol.29 The most important sources of antioxidants are fruits, vegetables and grain, in particular apples, onions, soybeans, blueberries, cowberries, carrots, corn, strawberries, sage and some plant food products such as green and black teas, coffee, red wine (rich in resveratrol) and dark chocolate. As far as juices are concerned, especially unfiltered apple juice, whose polyphenol share is four times as high as that of filtered apple juice, has particularly high antioxidant values. Most of the sources have in common that the secondary plant substances in the outer layers of fruits and vegetables were originally meant to protect the plant tissue in the interior of the plant from damage due to oxygen.

Antioxidants are natural plant substances which may enhance the body’s own cell protection. Polyphenols are a special type of antioxidants. They are naturally contained in plants. Others are so-called “bio-active“ substances. They are contained in foods and contain health-promoting active agents without having nutrient character. These are amongst others secondary plant substances. They have the potential to improve physical and mental well-being and reduce the risk of developing certain diseases. Their most important property for human health is that they are able to bind free radicals. As a result they have antiarterisclerotic, anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory as well as vessel-relaxing effects. They also seem to protect human DNA from oxidative damage. Polyphenols comprise amongst others flavonoids, i.e. water-soluble plant pigments (contained in peppers, berries, nuts and wine) as well as resveratrol, another water-soluble antioxidant which is contained in grapes (and consequently also in wine, especially in red wine), raspberries, strawberries and peanuts.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

A third factor that has to be mentioned in this context is arteriosclerosis, i.e. the hardening of the arteries. This occurs with increasing age independently of atherosclerosis. One factor that favours this development is a lack of vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary to form collagen, i.e. the intercellular “glue” which keeps skin and arteries smooth and elastic. Another problem is hypertension. Even values that are only slightly above the normal blood pressure are a considerable additional strain for the cardiovascular system. At least this was the result of an American survey in which more than 60,000 women of medium age were involved.30 That high blood pressure favours conditions such as hypertension, strokes, heart attacks or cardiac insufficiency has been generally known for a long time. However, that this also applies to cases of only slightly increased blood pressure is rather new. Nevertheless the German Hypertension Society recommends in cases of slightly elevated blood pressure values not using any antihypertensive drugs – at least if there are no other serious disorders – and recommends tackling the problem of increased vessel resistance by changing one’s lifestyle. This may be reached by losing excessive weight, doing exercise on a regular basis and eating a healthy diet containing many fruits and vegetables as well as decreasing the use of salt. There are several different ways to decrease blood pressure. The arteries are surrounded by a layer of muscles. An excess in sodium (salt) or a lack in calcium, magnesium or potassium may lead to increased muscle pressure. If the intake of these minerals is increased

Nutrition and the cardiovascular system Our cardiovascular system consists of blood vessels which transport oxygen, “fuel” (glucose), “building material” (amino acids), vitamins and minerals to every single cell in our body. The blood vessels that supply the cells with nutrients and oxygen are called arteries while blood vessels that carry away waste products and carbon dioxide (to the kidney) are called veins. Blood that flows through arteries is a brighter red than blood that flows in the veins, as oxygen is transported via a substance, haemoglobin, which contains iron. Often people talk wrongly about heart diseases when they actually mean diseases of the arteries. These diseases are usually caused by deposits that form at the arteries walls over the course of the years. This condition is referred to as atherosclerosis (formation of deposits) which, however, occurs only in certain parts of the body. Atherosclerosis combined with slightly thicker blood (blood clots) may lead to a blocking of the bloodstream in the arteries. If this happens in the arteries that lead to the heart, the parts of the heart that remain without oxygen may die. This is referred to as “myocardial infarction”, or simply “heart attack”. If a path to the brain is blocked parts of the brain are no longer sufficiently supplied with oxygen and may die. This is usually referred to as “stroke”. There are two crucial factors that may cause heart attacks: - Atherosclerosis (deposits) as well as - Blood clots in the blood stream

Fats and oil and their impact on health

while at the same time reducing salt intake, a significant reduction of blood pressure can be achieved. Another way to decrease blood pressure is haemodilution. Aspirin is often used for this purpose, which has also proven to reduce the risk of heart attack by 20%. Studies, however, have shown that vitamin E can be four times as effective. The omega-3 oils EPA and DHA dilute blood too, and in combination with vitamin E they are considerably more effective and safer than aspirin. The biggest risk associated with blood pressure is the narrowing of the arteries due to atherosclerosis. A number of nutritional strategies have been developed in order to stop or even invert this process. The best results have been yielded by using antioxidants, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and a combination of vitamin E and lysine (essential amino acid – contained in substantial amounts in Parmesan cheese, fish, wheat germs, soybeans, lentils and peanuts).

entire pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore cholesterol is an excellent marketing gimmick for producers of vegetable oils and margarines which sell their products as “cholesterol-free”, justifiably but meaninglessly. Cholesterol is an important endogenous substance of our body. If its content in the blood increases to more than the normal amount, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases too.31 Cholesterol is a lipid (fat) and is an essential building block of our body. It is a component of the cell membrane and is involved in the infiltration and discharge of important substances. A healthy person has about 140 g of cholesterol in the body. About 90% of it is produced by our body itself, the rest is taken in with our food. If there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it starts attaching to the vessel walls, which eventually may lead to vessel obstruction. It is a fact that most people are able to control their cholesterol levels, and even more important, their cardiovascular health solely by nutritional methods. These people are protected by the fact that their body produces less cholesterol if they eat more of it with their food, while it produces more if they have a lower cholesterol intake. Cholesterol is essential for our health, but there is no particular need to supply it through food. Our body can produce cholesterol itself by deriving substances from sugar, fats and proteins, especially when the supply of these products exceeds the need of our body. The more excess calories we eat, especially as sugar, saturated fatty acids and other non-essential fatty acids, the more pressure we exert on our body to produce more cholesterol. Furthermore our body produces more cholesterol when

Nutrition and cholesterol Basics Cholesterol plays an important double role in our health: an important and positive one on the one hand, and a negative and dangerous one on the other hand. No nutrient substance is discussed in a more controversial way than cholesterol. This even leads to real “cholesterol phobias”. The reason is obvious: the fear triggered by cholesterol yields an enormous business for doctors, laboratories and pharmaceutical enterprises. The cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor of the American pharmaceutical enterprise Pfizer is the drug that yields the highest turnover of the

Fats and oil and their impact on health

we are under stress, as cholesterol is a preliminary stage of the stress hormone. Our cholesterol requirement is fully covered by the body’s own production in the liver. As cholesterol is not water-soluble, it binds to proteins for their transport in the bloodstream. The proteins thus have a vehicle function. These lipoproteins are present in different forms that perform different tasks. The so-called Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) transport cholesterol from the liver to the tissues. On the other hand High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) absorb cholesterol from the tissues and take it back to the liver, where they are broken down. The more cholesterol is transported to the liver, the better. High LDL values show that much cholesterol is present in the blood to be transported to the body cells. If a substantial share of cholesterol consists of LDL, the probability is higher that it will be deposited at the artery walls. Therefore HDL is referred to as “good” cholesterol and LDL as “bad” cholesterol. The higher the HDL cholesterol share is compared to the LDL cholesterol share, the lower is the risk. The ideal ratio would be one unit HDL cholesterol to three units of the total cholesterol. The total cholesterol value, however, has only a limited informative value. An HDL value of 40 is considered as low, 60 and more is considered as high.

- - -

important that nature has equipped every cell with properties that enable it to produce its own membrane cholesterol. Our body produces steroid hormones from cholesterol. The three best known hormones are oestrogen and progesterone and testosterone. Our body forms vitamin D from cholesterol, which in turn regulates calcium and the phosphorus metabolism. Bile acids are derived from cholesterol too. This means that cholesterol has a vital function in digestion and absorbs fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins from our food. Cholesterol is also excreted from the glands of our skin. It covers the skin and protects it from desiccating and cracking as well as from the impact of sun, wind and water. Cholesterol can also assume functions as an antioxidant when our body is not sufficiently supplied with antioxidant minerals and vitamins.

How wisely our body is able to adapt to changed environmental situations is seen from the example of the membrane cholesterol. Our cells only produce as much cholesterol as required by the membrane structure. If we drink alcohol it also penetrates our membranes (thus ”diluting“ them). As a response our cells form more cholesterol in the membranes in order to re-establish the normal state (i.e. less liquid). As soon as the alcohol has disappeared the membrane becomes more solid again. Some parts of the membrane cholesterol are used to re-establish the normal membrane fluid properties. The excess cholesterol is attached to essential fatty acids and taken to our liver via the bloodstream. There it

Important individual functions of cholesterol Cholesterol assumes a number of crucial tasks in our body. Below some of them are described: - Cholesterol is responsible for balancing changes in the membrane fluid properties and making sure that an optimum membrane function is guaranteed at any time. This function is so

Fats and oil and their impact on health

The body takes up little cholesterol from the food. But food clearly has an impact on the cholesterol level. Especially the qualities of the fats consumed with the food as well as the fibre intake have a considerable impact on cholesterol in the body. Saturated fatty acids increase the cholesterol level; monounsaturated fatty acids decrease LDL cholesterol and keep HDL cholesterol on a constant level. Polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce the cholesterol level. On the other hand fibres bind to cholesterol and eliminate it from the body through excretion via the bowels.

is turned into bile acid. This works as long as the necessary vitamins and minerals are available. Sources of cholesterol Cholesterol in food: Only animal foods contain cholesterol. Plant foods are principally free of cholesterol. Cholesterol is contained in eggs, meat, dairy products, fish and seafood. The cholesterol quantities of different foods in descending order: Brain, egg yolk, whole egg, kidney, liver, caviar, thymus, butter, oysters, lobster, heart, prawns, shrimps, cream, cheese, lard, veal, beef, pork, fish, mutton, chicken, ice cream, cottage cheese, milk.

Nutrition and cancer For many people being overweight is above all â&#x20AC;&#x153;onlyâ&#x20AC;&#x153; an annoying, and sometimes just an aesthetic problem. Later being overweight is often considered as a metabolic disorder that can be controlled. But the truth is that even some malign tumours are associated with obesity.32 That nutrition may have an impact on the development of cancer has long been assumed, and the Epic Study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) has contributed considerably to providing evidence that this is actually the case. It is the most comprehensive long-term study in the world (since 1992) and deals with the influence of nutrition, lifestyle and body features on cancer as well as other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. Meanwhile the study comprises about 520,000 participants.33 More than one billion people are currently considered overweight as they have a Body Mass Index of more than 25. 300 million people with a BMI of more than 30 are considered as obese or adipose. For a long

Reducing the cholesterol level The best strategy to reduce the cholesterol level is regular exercise and a natural and healthy diet. Foods with natural plant substances which prevent the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream play a particularly important role. Highly efficient plant substances are bioactive substances which are contained in small quantities in plant products. Plant sterols are similar in structure to cholesterol. They dock to special areas in the intestine where the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream takes place and thus inhibit the cholesterol absorption into the plant. Multivitamin and mineral programmes are also highly efficient when trying to reach the ideal cholesterol level. Another very efficient way to increase HDL cholesterol levels and reduce LDL cholesterol levels is the frequent intake of omega-3 fatty acids. A fat-free diet is certainly the wrong way, as this may also contribute to the reduction of the good HDL cholesterol.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

and other polyunsaturated fatty acids, makes it even more probable that they are linked to the development of cancer. According to several studies gamma-linolenic acid, which is contained above all in evening primrose oil, may inhibit the activity of cancer genes which are responsible for more than 30% of breast cancer cases. 34 The previously mentioned Epic studies, however, have not proven any causality but just calculated probabilities (person and clinical picture). On the one hand, assumed risk factors are considered, on the other hand, the statistical number of cancer cases. The Epic studies have shown that the risk of developing a colon cancer can be decreased by nutrition rich in fibres while it is increased by substantial intake of meat and sausages. The probability to develop stomach cancer also increases with a high meat intake. The risk of lung and oesophagus cancer, however, is reduced by a high fruit and vegetable intake. For every 80g (about 3 oz) fruit and vegetables eaten every day the risk of developing mouth, throat, laryngeal or oesophageal cancer decreases by an average of 9%. In men the risk even decreases by 12%, in women by only 4%. In Denmark this finding has led to the distribution of free fruit packages to all children of the 250 schools of the country during the first two months of the year 2007. Those who eat even more than 300g (about 10 oz) of fruits and vegetables every day, may be able to decrease the risk even further. To reduce the risk of colon cancer about 30g (1 oz) of fibres should be eaten every day (e.g. about 4 slices of whole grain bread). However, healthy nutrition does not always have an impact on cancer risk. The Epic Study shows that there is no direct link between the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and the risk of breast cancer. On the other hand the study has not found a single case in which the consumption of fruits, vegetables and fibres has increased the risk of cancer.

time being overweight or obese was considered just as a cardiovascular risk factor which would lead to longterm damage to the blood vessels of the heart, brain, eye, kidney and lower legs. The World Health Organisation considers it as proven that being overweight actually plays a significant role in breast cancer, bowel cancer, tumours of the kidney, the oesophagus and the womb. As hypercaloric nutrition combined with a lack of exercise usually leads to increased blood sugar levels, overweight people continuously have to produce insulin to transport the sugar from the blood to the organs. This hormone is a crucial link between obesity and cancer as it is a powerful growth hormone. It has been shown that an increased insulin level plays an important role in the formation of breast cancer and tumours of the womb. Precursor cells of cancer include receptors for insulin which, once the hormone is bound to them, favour the growth of tumours. For a long time the adipose tissue itself was vastly underestimated. It is an extremely powerful gland which interferes considerably with the hormonal balance. New studies have shown that amongst others the protein hormone peptin, which is released by the adipose tissue, directly stimulates the growth of bowel cancer cells. Furthermoretheadiposetissuecontributestothefactthatanoverweight body is continuously exposed to an inflammatory condition which is not directly perceivable but is continuously present. With regard to cancer one thing can already be said: fresh fruits are good, saturated fats are bad. The increase in number of cancer cases is statistically speaking in accordance with the increase in fat intake. Studies have shown that there is an even stronger correlation between cancer and the increased consumption of hydrated vegetable oils containing trans fatty acids. The fact that trans fatty acids damage or even destroy the vital properties of essential

Fats and oil and their impact on health

In cases of pancreas cancer the risk increases by 13% with a 10 cm (4 in) bigger waist circumference. Women with a waist circumference of 88 cm (34 in) have statistically speaking a 76% higher uterus cancer risk than women whose waist circumference is smaller than that. Furthermore the scientists found a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer in women with a high alcohol intake. The Epic Study also shows a link between obesity and kidney cancer in women as well as obesity and colon cancer in both men and women. Young women who regularly eat substantial quantities of beef, pork and lamb for several years seem to have a higher risk of developing the widespread hormonally caused breast cancer. A study has shown that the risk of breast cancer is higher the more “red meat” women have eaten between the age of 26 and 46. For women who ate 1 ½ helpings of red meat a day (one helping would be about the quantity of a hamburger) the risk was nearly double that of women who ate beef, pork or lamb just three times a week or even less.35

More than half a million cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year – and more than 200,000 people die of it every year. A study from Sweden has now shown that there is a negative correlation between the risk of developing prostate cancer and the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Even though genetics play a role in the probability of developing this disease, omega-3 fatty acids considerably influence the probability. It seems that the anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 fatty acids has an impact on the growth of cancer cells. Another study from Great Britain suggests that the growth was stopped completely due to the influence of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies on bowel cancer have yielded similar results. Here the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids play a decisive role too. In this study the test people with the best results ate five or more helpings of fish a week and showed a 40% lower risk to develop bowel cancer than people who ate fish less than once a week. It is assumed that the intake of omega-3 fatty acids – contained in vegetable oils and other foods (in particular fish and seafood) – yields similar results.

Nutrition and cancer (Epic-Studien) Nutritional factor

Link

No link

Fruit and vegetable intake

Reduced risk of cancers of the upper digestive tract as well as reduced lung cancer risk

No impact on breast, prostate, stomach, kidney and ovary cancer or lymphoma

Fibre intake

Reduced bowel cancer risk

Intake of red meat and meat products

Increased risk of stomach and colon cancer

Vitamin C level

Associated with a risk of lower stomach cancer

Frequent fish intake

Reduced colon cancer risk

No reduced risk of breast cancer observed

Source: German Institute for Nutritional Sciences/Epic-Study, from “Wie Ernährung das Risiko beeinflusst“, Spiegel-Online www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,479457,00.html 61

Fats and oil and their impact on health

the heart and the blood vessels. How important it is for everyone to think about prevention as soon as possible is shown in the following (simplified) statistics. Worldwide there is one diabetes-related fatality every 10 seconds. Every year one million feet have to be amputated due to diabetes, and about 2.5 million diseases of the retina which may even lead to blindness occur annually due to diabetes. Simple preventive measures could help reduce the risk of an elevated blood sugar level in 70% of all cases. If people susceptible to diabetes received targeted counselling on nutrition and sport on a regular basis and they actually changed their behaviour, their risk of developing the disease would be reduced by more than 50%. But even when diabetes has already been diagnosed it is useful to actively support the treatment. Principally reducing weight by changing nutrition and doing exercise on a regular basis is the best prevention against diabetes mellitus. For diabetics adequate nutrition means choosing the right carbohydrates, if possible those that are digested slowly and therefore increase the blood sugar levels only slowly. For type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus) it can be said with a rather high probability that fresh vegetables and whole grain bread decrease the risk of developing diabetes. On the other hand soft drinks, beer, meat and white bread increase the risk. Scientists at the German Institute for Human Nutrition in Potsdam (DIfE) have developed the diabetes risk score (www. dife.de), which helps us to calculate our own diabetes risk. Of course this is just a statistical value, but it is better than nothing. And it is always a good thing to have a point of reference.37

nutrition and diabetes Diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. Its main feature is an increased blood sugar level which is caused by a lack of insulin. The hormone insulin makes sure that the sugar concentration (carbohydrates) which increases after every meal is quickly reduced again. The sugar is taken to the muscles and organs, where it is absorbed and processed (i.e. converted in energy) or turned into fat. If too little insulin is produced or it is not effective enough, the sugar stays in the blood and the blood sugar levels increase. A continuously increased blood sugar level sooner or later leads to a damage of the big and/or small blood vessels. Insulin resistance is one of the most dangerous steps on the way to developing diabetes. Diabetes mellitus (= a metabolic disorder) type 2 (which accounts for about 90% of all cases of diabetes) is increasing dramatically all over the world. About 11% of all Germans suffer from diabetes, and the upward trend is still going on. Worldwide about 230 million people suffer from type 2 diabetes.36 And every year another seven to eight million new cases are diagnosed. The disease is closely linked to obesity due to unhealthy nutrition and a lack of physical exercise. Every year almost 4 million people all over the world die of the consequences of an increased blood sugar level. This is about the same number as those dying of AIDS. Of these about one million people actually suffered from diabetes while in the rest of the cases only slightly elevated blood sugar levels caused deadly diseases of

Fats and oil and their impact on health

tial fatty acids leads to quickly drying cells. This makes the skin dry and leads to an increased need in moisturizers (creams). In dry skins omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help optimise the formation of the body’s own fatty acids in the deeper layers of the skin. Skin cells also produce a chemical which is turned into vitamin D when exposed to the sun and which is necessary to maintain the calcium balance of our body. Much of what we eat today is contained in our skin tomorrow! Almond, apricot and prune oils have a similar fatty acid profile. They have a high share in monounsaturated fatty acids. Almond oil is rich in vitamin E (antioxidant) and therefore very stable. Its stability and its fine aroma make almond oil a highly appreciated skin and massage oil. Oils that are rich in essential unsaturated fatty acids are better for our skin but oxidise more quickly than oils that are rich in saturated fats (colloquially you could say they become rancid more quickly) if spread onto the skin from outside. Therefore the best way to supply our skin with essential fatty acids is to provide them through our food. What some people eat, is rubbed into the face or added to the bath by others. Food itself may improve complexion and smoothen our skin. In carrots, tomatoes, cocoa, fish and green tea chemists have found substances which protect from the sun, reduce wrinkled and sooth problems with dry skins. So-called flavonoids which may be contained e.g. in cocoa, red wine and green tea when provided from inside may have similar effects to cosmetics. Researchers have found out that the red pigment contained in the tomato (lycopene) protects from ultraviolet radiation. This has led to the idea to isolate their UV-filter and develop edible sun protection from it. Lyc-

Nutrition and healthy skin Nutrition is fundamentally linked to every stage in the development of our skin. We are generally quite concerned about the health of our “exterior skin”, though our “interior skin”, which coats the lungs and digestive organs, is considerably bigger. The surface of the skin is renewed every 20 days, and nutrition plays a crucial role in this skin renewal process. The skin consists of two layers. The inner or underlying layer is called dermis. It contains the tissue cells from which all skin cells are derived as well as a network of blood vessels, glands and nerve endings. The exterior layer of the skin is called epidermis. It includes tissue cells which become increasingly dry the nearer they are to the surface of the skin. They also become smoother and harder and contain a stronger concentration of the protein keratin. The surface of the skin is an overlapping mix of these “dead” cells of the epidermis which flakes away and is replaced. The dermis consists of collagen (protein) which gives the skin its strength and structure. It contains densely woven fibres which give the skin its elasticity. 20% of our body and 70% of our skin consist of collagen. Starting with the dermis collagen comes from a conversion of amino acids. Simply speaking: no vitamin C, no collagen. The flexibility of the collagen decreases under the influence of ”free radicals“. The use of antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E and others reduce the damage. Vitamin A also helps control the keratin concentration in the skin. An insufficient supply may therefore lead to dry and rough skin. As the membrane of the skin cells is also made from essential fats, an insufficient supply in essen-

Fats and oil and their impact on health

opene may develop a sun protection factor of 3 to 4. Half a can of triple concentrated tomato purée every day may have the same effect as tablets. If tomatoes are eaten raw, hardly any lycopene is released. If they are cooked and eaten together with food oil more is absorbed by the body. The advantage is that when taken up by the body through food the body is equally protected everywhere, no spot is forgotten (which often happens when putting on sun-tan lotion) – and that the protection cannot be wiped off!38 Of course exterior applications also support the protection:

acids which help sooth inflammations in the body. This type of nutrition also prevents premature aging of the skin. Furthermore antioxidants from fruits, vegetables and herbs protect the tissue from free radicals. Vitamin A, C and E as well as flavonoids thus support healthy skin. Peppers, nuts and berries are good sources of these substances. As it depends considerably on how we combine these substances, individual dietary supplements are no solution.

Massages: Massage essences are easy to prepare. Mix some drops of essential oils (such as rosemary, lavender, geranium or juniper) with two tablespoons of sunflower and olive oil. Oil containing lemon essences have a smoothening effect.

Several studies have shown that the nutritional status of a person is closely linked to the educational status. In how far the nutritional status can be or even is also decisive for the statues of the intelligence of a person is disputed but has already been the subject of several studies which have given hints on this question. A poor supply of our body with essential nutrients has negative impacts on the development of the brain in small children and accelerates a decrease in mental performance in elderly people. The “EPFL Brain Mind Institute” in Lausanne is researching the correlations. A study published in spring 2007 analysed the eating habits of 11,875 pregnant women in Bristol over several years. Then the intelligence quotient and different skills (social and communicative skills) of the children were tested. The result was that according to the scientists pregnant women who had eaten more than 340g fish or seafood per week had born more intelligent children. The results, however, show that this had influenced not just the intelligence of the child but also its future ability to learn as well as the child’s motor skills.

Nutrition and mental performance (memory, intelligence, depression)

Peelings: For peelings use a pap from coarse sea salt and olive oil. Conclusion: Not pills but a balanced nutrition is necessary to care for our skin from inside the body. And apart from eating, our skin will be grateful for every glass of water, fruit juice or tea we drink. Only a well-balanced fluid balance guarantees that nutrients are transported without any problems and waste products are efficiently eliminated. Furthermore it has been shown that a “Mediterranean” diet rich in fish, fruits and vegetables contributes to beautiful skin. High-quality oils such as linseed, walnut and rapeseed oils as well as sea fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring and tuna supply sufficient omega-3 fatty

Fats and oil and their impact on health

In this context, however, it seems that it is not the antioxidants vitamin C and E or beta carotene that have led to this effect but the antioxidant polyphenol.41 Further studies have shown that the decrease of the brain’s performance in old age also is associated with low folic acid values – combined with an increase of the harmful amino acid homocysteine in the blood. Furthermore an elevated homocysteine content may lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The vitamin folic acid reduces the homocysteine concentration.42 Australian researchers have found out that omega‑3 fatty acids are a very promising nutrient when it comes to avoiding depression. The study was based on the fact that depressions are much less frequent in countries where much fish is eaten than in other countries. The results of this study have actually confirmed that there is a direct link between the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA and a reduced number of cases of depression.43

The scientists conclude that this result was due to the fact that fish has a high content in essential fatty acids (omega-3).39 Furthermore healthy nutrition also benefits the mother. For this reason the Austrian Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics gives the following practical tips to pregnant women: “unsaturated fatty acids, which are contained in fish, olive oil and other high-quality plant oils, avocados and nuts, generally decrease the risk of premature birth.“40 Furthermore it has been shown that following this piece of advice women suffer fewer mood swings after giving birth. Other studies have shown that infants should eat essential fatty acids for their proper development. It has been proven that the brain of a child at the beginning of its development requires about 60 % of the entire energy taken up by the entire body. A study on children at the age of 7 has shown that children who were breastfed by their mothers have a higher intelligence quotient than children who were not breastfed. Breast milk contains DHA, an essential fatty acid of the omega-3 family! American scientists have found out that people at the age of 65 years and older maintain their mental abilities better if they eat fish or other foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids on a regular basis. The same results have been shown with regard to Alzheimer’s disease (about 12 million people in the EU and the US suffer from Alzheimer’s disease!). In particular polyphenols have had favourable effects. A study conducted in the US has shown that already three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice per week (!) have reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 75% (compared to those who drink such juices less than once a week).

Nutrition and physical performance For athletes it is natural to think about their “ideal“ nutrition. Dietary supplements are always an aspect to be considered when there is a higher consumption in nutrients than normal. It has to be pointed out that dietary supplements in addition to normal nutrition should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor and after careful counselling. For normal consumers and hobby athletes feeding on a balanced diet these substances are meaningless or may become useless. In many cases they are just useful for the industry producing them. Optimising or even maximising physical performance is closely linked to which “fuel” the body is run on.

Fats and oil and their impact on health

During a persistent but little demanding so-called aerobic work-out session (light jogging, tennis, swimming, Nordic walking etc.) carbohydrates supply about double the energy to the body than fat. During short work-out sessions of demanding, so-called anaerobic exercises (e.g. sprints) the body can only make use of carbohydrates. These give the body five times as much energy as fat. Carbohydrates are therefore the main fuel for physical (endurance) performance. In addition to that carbohydrates can be stored as glycogen. Glycogen is a shortterm deposit of energy which is stored in the muscles and the liver and which the body can make use of in case of enduring physical effort. This is why endurance athletes refill their glycogen deposits by eating a big helping of rice or pasta some hours before the start. Although fats are not the best fuels for endurance athletes (cannot be stored as glycogen), essential fats have a number of positive properties for athletes. They help transport oxygen and keep the red blood cells – which serve as oxygen carriers – healthy. They are important for the immune system, which especially for athletes who are involved in special physical efforts is extremely important. Nevertheless they are an additional energy deposit and help improve metabolism. Therefore nuts, seeds and their oils are important components of an athlete’s nutrition. In the nutrition of athletes polyphenols, e.g. secondary plant substances, also play an important role. In November 2006 the New York Times reported that “red wine may make you an athlete”. This sounds highly interesting, but what is the hidden message behind it? Researchers in France have found out that resveratrol protects mice (!) not only from adiposity but also increases their endurance performance. Resveratrol, a

water-soluble antioxidant which belongs to the polyphenols, is contained in alcohol and oils and above all in red wine (about 30 – 50 mg/l). It is originally found in the skin of grapes but also in raspberries, mulberries and peanuts.According to the test a normal experimental mouse can run about 1 kilometre in the running wheel before it breaks down from exhaustion. A mouse that has received resveratrol can run double the distance! Furthermore it has a better muscle structure as well as a reduced heart beat, i.e. features that are also seen in endurance athletes. It is not excluded that in humans the effects may be similar.44 However, we should remember that we cannot drink so much red wine (endurance drinkers) that would be necessary to reach a resveratrol dose comparable to that which was given to the mice and had produced the described effects. We should go on enjoying red wine without thinking about whether this will make us top athletes or not. In this context we should also point out that a big number of forbidden substances which have been proven to bear a considerable health risk are increasingly taken in mass and competitive sport. The abuse of anabolic substances usually leads to a dangerous thickening of the heart muscle and dramatically decreases the level of the good HDL cholesterol. Athletes have to be even more careful: According to a study by the biochemical institute of the German Sports University in Cologne many dietary supplements that were studied as well as vitamin and mineral supplements are contaminated with anabolics. Internationally about 15%, nationally about 11% of the analysed substances were contaminated. To increase performance the quantities found are usually not sufficient, but they definitely would be sufficient to yield a positive doping test!45 So consuming resveratrol

Fats and oil and their impact on health

disorders (consequences). Short-term stress, which may well be beneficial, should be distinguished from uncontrolled permanent stress. If we are exposed to stress continuously and we do not find any relief from it, it is likely that this stress will cause negative consequences. These consequences are unnatural hunger and cravings as well as a gain in weight. New studies of the Georgetown University in Washington have shown – though only in mice – that the chemical messenger substances neuropeptides may trigger stress-related weight gains. These studies that link stress to obesity may have considerable consequences when fighting against excess pounds. Experiments have shown that the fat deposits of the mice were reduced by 40 to 50% when the messenger substances (neuropeptides) were blocked. The fat reduction was even observed when the mice were exposed to permanent stress and were given food that would correspond to a fast food diet in humans. On the other hand scientists were able to stimulate fat deposits when the animals were fed with neuropeptides. From these results the scientists conclude that this method may help to lose weight on the one hand, and on the other hand might be used for beauty treatments to increase the smoothness and firmness of certain parts of the body and the face. In this case, however, the question is justifiably raised in how far these results would also apply to humans.47

out of a red win bottle is definitely better than taking dietary supplements! Scientists of the University of Georgia have found out that caffeine may clearly reduce muscle pain after sports. In a study this natural substance decreased the intensity of the pain by nearly half compared to a placebo. The test people took the caffeine one hour before the work-out. According to the researchers the effect can be explained by the fact that caffeine blocks the body’s receptors for the substance adenosine, which is formed in case of inflammations. The researchers, however, think that people who drink coffee regularly do not react as strongly to caffeine as this.46 nutrition and stress Stress is a situation of strain personally experienced by the individual. How stress is perceived varies from person to person. There are two basic types of stress: positive stress, which is referred to as “eustress”, and negative stress, which is referred to as “distress”. Whether a person feels stress as positive or negative depends largely on how this person individually experiences this stress under the given circumstances. If stress is experienced as negative it is expected that the body will react to it in a negative way. Depending on personal tendencies and attitudes different complexes of symptoms may occur which even may lead to long-term

Fats and oils – Processing and storage

ing and deep-frying food destroys essential fatty acids by changing the fat molecules from their original form (cis-form) to their unnatural trans form. This is why we talk about so-called trans fats. Oils, however, may be frozen without problems. Freezing does not destroy them.

FATS AND OIL – PROCESSING AND STORAGE The most important aspect right at the beginning: good food is perishable. The “art” is to simply eat it before it starts deteriorating. Industrial food production, even more than agricultural processes and practises, is the main reason for the loss of nutrients of our food, especially of vitamins. Food is refined to increase shelf life. Essential nutrients such as essential fats are hardly contained or no longer contained in processed food, as these and other nutrients (except antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E, which preserve food) have a negative impact on the shelf life. Linoleic and linolenic acid are essential for our health, but they are also highly sensitive. Light, air and heat destroy them. This is one of the reasons why in nature they are well guarded and stored in seeds and kernels that protect them from light, air and heat. It is therefore extremely important to subject oils, especially those that have a high content in polyunsaturated fats, to specific treatment when processing, packing and storing them. Such treatments are usually expensive and therefore not always carried out. Light is the biggest enemy of essential fatty acids. It produces “free radicals” in the oil and increases the speed in which oils react with oxygen from the air by 1000-fold! The oil becomes rancid and chemically highly active. Saturated oils also react with oxygen, but only with a 0.008 to 0.04-fold reaction speed compared to linoleic and linolenic acids. Heat to which oil is exposed in common food processing methods (deodorization, hydration – in particular when producing margarine or baking fats) or when fry-

Keeping out air and light Oils that are kept in transparent packages are subject to deterioration and aging due to their exposure to light. They may therefore contain derived forms of fatty acids. The longer the oil is exposed to light in shops and later at home in the kitchen, the more negative the deterioration and aging processes will be. The best protection would be not to expose oils to light at all – from the time when the oil leaves the light- and oxygen-protected seed or fruit to the time it finally disappears in the darkness of our stomachs. For storing oils properly, black bottles are best, then brown and green bottles. Transparent bottles should be avoided. Use soon after opening Opened bottles of oil should be kept in the fridge and finished soon after opening in order to avoid the oils becoming rancid (oxidize) as soon as they come into contact with air. It is by no means a sufficient protection to just open the bottle a little when pouring the oil. Air enters the container as soon as we open it as gas molecules move only slightly more slowly than light.

Fats and oils and their culinary use

As vitamin C protects our food it cannot protect us any longer, as hardly anything is left of it when we eat the food. The vitamins A and E are also susceptible to oxidation. As they are fat-soluble they are better protected in a fatty environment (food). Beta carotene, the vegetable form of vitamin A, is water-soluble and therefore highly susceptible to oxidation. Although storing food in cool, dark places helps protect it, oxidation still takes place – even in the fridge.

Package sizes and shelf life In order to protect oils from deterioration they should only be bought in small quantities. The recommended quantity for linseed oils is 250 ml, for thistle, sunflower oil and other oils that are rich in linoleic acids 500 ml and 1000 ml for olive oils. The different recommended quantities are due to the speed in which the unsaturated fatty acids react. Because of these differences in reaction speeds linseed oil has a shelf life of about 3 months if it is kept in a cool, dark and airtight place. Thistle, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seed oils can be kept without deterioration for about 9 to 12 months if stored under the same conditions and olive oil has a shelf life of up to 2 years.

Heating Any form of heating destroys nutrients. The degree of destruction, however, depends on the cooking time, on whether the heat is equally distributed in the pot and above all on the temperature itself. Up to 70% of all nutrients which are contained for example in leafy vegetables are lost when cooking. Heating oils to high temperatures (over 160° C / 320° F) leads to the formation of trans fats and other toxic substances. Many of them have not even been identified yet.

Fats and oils and their culinary use Introduction More than half of the nutrients which are originally contained in food are destroyed before the food is actually served. How many of these nutrients are still left when eating largely depends on which foods we choose (processed / unprocessed), how they are stored and how they are prepared. Every process food undergoes – be it cooking, baking, frying or freezing – takes its toll. The three “main enemies” of vitamins are heat, water and oxidation. Vitamin C is highly susceptible to oxidation. It practically sacrifices itself to protect our food from oxides which may make the food rancid.

Cooking Minerals and water-soluble vitamins are leached out in boiling water. The more water is used and the longer the cooking time is, the higher is the probability that this actually happens. As soon as the temperature increases to more than 50° C / 120° F, the cell structure is destroyed which leads to a leaching out of nutrients from inside the food.

Fats and oils and their culinary use

High temperatures may also destroy some vitamins. Minerals, however, are not affected by heat. If nutrients are cooked or steamed for a longer time, the temperature inside the food does not become as hot as on the outside. Cooking food as a whole or in bigger pieces therefore helps protect the food. The loss of nutrients in cooked food is about 20 to 50%. Therefore it is recommended to use water rich in minerals as a basis for soups and sauces. Cooking food that is rich in water in the microwave (e.g. vegetables) helps to keep the loss of vitamins and minerals low as only the water particles in the products vibrate. Essential fats, however, are quickly destroyed. Therefore dishes containing oils, nuts or seeds should not be heated in the microwave.

Frying and deep-frying A large number of recipes require frying or deep-frying products. The oils used for these procedures may become a substantial source of substances that are toxic to our body. Deep-frying usually takes place at a temperature of about 200° C. At this temperature the fats are oxidised and essential fatty acids are converted into trans fatty acids. There is no need to point out that this is bad in all respects. Frying and deep-frying are amongst the most commonly used procedures to prepare food, at least in fast food preparation. Unfortunately they are the most hazardous ways of preparation for our health. Frying and deep-frying exposes fats to the three influential factors that are most harmful for fats: light, oxygen and heat. And all this at the same time! Free radicals produced due to the influence of light, rancidity due to oxidation and heat distortions are combined, interact and complement each other’s individual “badness”. In this procedure the antioxidants in the oil (vitamin E and carotene) are used up first. Then free radicals are produced which consequently trigger a chain reaction in the oil molecules. At this time a number of chemical changes take place in the oil and amongst others trans fatty acids are produced. Although trans fatty acids are harmful, they are still less dangerous than the molecules changed due to oxidation. And just imagine how often the same oil is used for frying and deep-frying in gastronomy and fast food restaurants. But things can get even worse: for example by using refined oils which before use were already

Baking Baking is in the medium-range of the scale ranging from a “rather safe” cooking with water to the insecure deepfrying. The high temperatures of the baking dish and inside the oven destroy the molecules of oils, starch and proteins. It is recommended to use butter or tropical fats for greasing the mould and for coating the top of the baked product. The temperature inside of a loaf of bread for example increases as much as temperatures do when cooking, i.e. to about 116° C / 240° F. This is “tolerable”. Furthermore the inside of a baked product is protected from light and air. Technically the inside of baked bread is “steamed” – at temperatures that are acceptable also for sensitive fats. Only the crust is baked, i.e. “burnt”. The fats in the brown crust are destroyed.

Fats and oils and their culinary use

The previously mentioned fats and oils cause fewer health problems than frying and deep-frying oils because they supply no or just small quantities of essential fatty acids and are therefore insufficient in terms of nutritional physiology. And were there is nothing, nothing (or nearly nothing) can be destroyed! They just supply fat energy which our body either burns for its own energy requirement or deposits as fat. Monosaturated oils such as olive oils should preferably be used compared to the cited saturated oils as long as temperatures are not too high. Refined peanut or avocado oils also resist heat quite well. Vegetable and seed oils which are rich in fatty acids such as sunflower or thistle oil are rather stable too. Furthermore corn oil and soybean oil can also be used. In fact oils with a higher fatty acid content can be used for frying too. When using them, however, we have to act much more carefully. If we want to fry something we usually put the oil into the empty pan first and we heat it. Briefly before it starts to smoke we add the product we want to fry. As described above the oil is already destroyed at this time. The temperature is simply too high. Experienced cooks who want to protect both the product and the used oils and fats first put e.g. the vegetables into the pan, heat it over a low temperature and then add some oil. Another procedure is used by Chinese cooks. Traditionally they first warm some water in the wok and do not use any oil yet. The water makes sure that the temperature inside the wok stays below 100° C / 210° F. This temperature is not yet too destructive. After having poured away the water, they put the products they want to fry into the pan and last but not least a bit of oil.

exposed to light for months, first in the shelves of the supermarket and then in the kitchens. Such oils should never ever be used for frying or deep-frying as they support the destruction of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin A, C and E both in food and in the body. Under the given circumstances frying and deep-frying cannot be recommended. The temperatures are simply too high. As soon as a product starts getting brown, it is actually burnt. The nutrients in the “brown” areas are already destroyed. Fats and oils begin to smoke as soon as fatty acids and glycerol are destroyed. Although we cannot recommend frying or deep-frying due to their harmful effects on our health, the fact that both are very widely used has to be considered with the target to keep the damage as small as possible. For example some oils and methods are less harmful than others. We know that unsaturated fatty acids and the even more important essential acids are immediately destroyed as soon as they are exposed to heat. Once they are destroyed they are much more harmful than saturated fats which we should actually avoid whenever we can. So if we want to fry or deep-fry at all we should use fats and oils that due to their structure are less sensitive. Generally speaking these are saturated fats. They are more stable when exposed to light, heat and air. Therefore we should use saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids if we really want to fry or deep-fry some of our food. The oils that are least “harmful” when using them for frying or deep-frying are: coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and butter – in small quantities. But here the rule applies too: as soon as the fats start smoking, destruction has already started. Fatty acids – saturated ones too – are destroyed.

Fats and oils and their culinary use

Of course it is more work to fry products according to this method. You cannot just walk away and leave the things frying in the pan. As already said the best would still be not to fry or deep-fry at all and to use the healthy oils with essential fatty acids to dress salads or fresh vegetables. But unfortunately reality is different and we should learn how to deal with it.

it into the oven. Depending on the size of the pieces of meat it takes about 3 hours to roast the meat at a temperature of about 80° C / 175° C. One of the advantages is that cooking does not have to be timed to the minute. When cooked the dish can still stay in the oven for some more time at a temperature of about 70° C / 160° F without risking that the quality will deteriorate.48

Steaming Future developments Steaming is a “slow cooking“ method. Slow cooking has a very long tradition. In the past hay cookers were used for this purpose, i.e. a box insulated with wood wool, hay, paper or cloth inside in which partly cooked food was finished cooking. A similar method was used to finish cooking rice under the bed cover. The solar cooker, which was used above all during expeditions, and the classical cooking bricks also work in a similar way. Steaming the products in their own stock is probably the oldest method in cooking. Even in prehistoric times hunters coated meat in clay before exposing it to the fire. Today there are even special ovens for this purpose. On principle a normal oven does the same job as long as it keeps the temperature at a homogeneous level. Slow cooking means to cook the products at a low temperature. The oven should be adjusted to 70 to 100° C / 160 to 210° F degrees and vegetables, meat or fish are slowly cooked until done. All types of meat – poultry, venison, lamb or beef – can be prepared in this way. In order to make sure that the roast gets crispy despite the low temperature, it should gently be roasted on all sides before putting

Science has long entered modern kitchens all over the world. Against all forecasts molecular cuisine is currently experiencing a dramatic increase. There is even a kind of cooking underground in which circles meet to exchange tips and tricks on modern cooking magic. But cooking in which (bio)chemical and physical knowledge is applied and textures are changed from the basis is still splitting the world of cooking. The number of molecular cooks, however, is steadily increasing despite all concerns. They praise unprecedented taste experiences or the gentle preparation of food such as deep-frying in water.49 The scientific approach to culinary arts is thus gaining more and more importance. First of all a kind of review of culinary techniques under strictly scientific aspects should be mentioned. Research in this area has, for example, resulted in new cooking times at low temperatures or has done away with the “myth” propagated by cooks that the “pores” of meat are closed when roasting it. This kind of research is extraordinarily useful and has not been fully exploited yet. The result of this review may well

Fats and oils and their culinary use

ates largely from what we are familiar with in cooking. But the sensory and optical properties of these creations are not just different from what we are used to, they also develop their own internal relations. The effects are so new that they simply have to be referred to as “novelties”. A variety of the third stage is that cooking may actually look like a mere modification of classic cooking due to molecular elements, but in fact deviates completely from classical cooking techniques. This new approach to cooking will use new technologies such as vacuum cooking to reach extraordinarily tender textures in fish and meat and will only treat conventional raw materials with revised cooking techniques.50

lead to totally new culinary techniques which we cannot even imagine yet. The second stage comprises what is generally referred to as “molecular cooking”. This comprises new developments which are due to the above mentioned scientific approach to culinary arts. One part of this development involves the initiation of chemical-physical processes which make new textures possible. These developments are already known in the food industry as they are cited as E-numbers on the packages. One example would be stabilizers. Apart from unusual gelling agents and stabilizers other new techniques have been developed recently. For example a device which has particularly been developed for this purpose can cook porous materials such as vegetables under a vacuum and impregnate (aromatise) it in such a way that the texture of the cooked product can be maintained completely. The cooking temperature is clearly lower under a vacuum so that damage to the surface especially due to contact with liquids no longer occurs. Under a vacuum food can even be deep-fried at temperatures of only about 90° C / 195° F! Amongst others mineralised, i.e. solidified foams can be produced under a vacuum, which provide a totally new taste experience. As many cooks are driven by application-oriented and creative research it is expected that in the next few years they will present us many surprises in this respect. A third stage of these developments concerns complex creations which to a large extent are based on new technological developments and which therefore seem highly novel to us. This refers to dishes in which foams, jellies, dried ice and other elements are used in a way that devi-

Fats and oils and their culinary use

Culinary Uses of Vegetable Oils Type of oil

Culinary Use Cold dishes

Steaming

Frying

Deep-frying

Olive oil

(+)

Walnut oil

Hazelnut oil

Almond oil

Peanut oil

Pine nut oil

Pistachio oil

Argan oil

Poppy seed oil

Rapeseed oil

Linseed oil

Corn oil

Sunflower oil

(+)

Thistle oil

Sesame oil

Pumpkin seed oil

Grape seed oil

Soybean oil

Wheat germ oil

(+)

Seasoning

Baking

Hint

heat extra-virgin oils only to 180° C / 355° F maximum

only heat slightly

heat extra-virgin oils only to 180° C / 355° F maximum

only heat slightly

can be heated up to a temperature of 230° C / 445° F

only heat slightly

(+)

only heat slightly

heat extra-virgin oils only to 180° C / 355° F maximum

cold-pressed oil can only be heated slightly cold-pressed oil can only be heated slightly cold-pressed oil can only be heated slightly; refined oils can be heated to 200° C / 390° F; goes very well with leaf salads only heat slightly

(+)

only heat slightly

only heat slightly cold-pressed oil can only be heated slightly

refined oils can be heated up to 180° C / 355° F only heat slightly

Wild rose oil

only heat slightly

Evening primrose oil

only heat slightly

Fats and oils and their culinary use

A survey of the healthiest cooking methods Method

Use

Boiling: Place the product into boiling salted water. Depending Quick boiling: Rice, pasta, potatoes. on the product cook quickly until soft or slowly at temperatures Cooking below boiling point: Boiled meat, stews. slightly under the boiling point. Above all for tender vegetables such as peas, broccoli, lettuce, Blanching: Precook in boiling water and immediately chill in young kohlrabi. Used before freezing vegetables or mushrooms, cold water also used for crisp vegetable salads. In stock: Fish, poultry. Poaching: Slowly cook until done in water or stock over a low In water: Eggs, dumplings. temperature (below the boiling point) In a double boiler: Pâtés, soufflés

Vegetables, potatoes and big pieces of meat. Steaming on the steaming sieve: Fill hot water up to the steamHint: Put herbs and spices into the water and bring to a boil ing sieve, add food and bring to a boil. Then finish cooking over – in this way the smell and flavour of the herbs will season the a low temperature. food. Steaming with liquid: Put seasoned product into a covered pan and heat with little oil or butter until it fizzes. Then reduce heat and keep cooking. Shake the pan every now and then. Finally Vegetables (with a low water content) and potatoes. pour some liquid such as water, white wine, lemon juice or broth into the pan until the bottom of the pan is covered. Then finish cooking. Grilling: In a grill pan, on the grill grid or on the spit.

Meat, fish, poultry and vegetables such as small peppers, courgette (zucchini), onions etc. Hint: Do not grill on open fire. Meat juices that drop into the fire and burnt fat cause harmful substances

Tender meat of veal, beef, pork or lamb; liver and fish. Flash frying/à la minute: Heat the pan to a high temperature, Hint: In coated pans you need very little or no fat at all. Season put in some oil and cook the product for about 2–4 minutes. the food only when finished as otherwise the roasted product might release liquid and does not form a crust. Roasting in foil: Put food without fat into an aluminium foil and Meat, poultry or fish, possibly together with vegetables cook in the oven. 75

Source: “Gesund“, Migros-Magazine 41, 9th October 2006, page 15

Steaming in the pressure cooker (with water up to the steaming sieve): Cook without fat in the closed pot. Cooking time is Vegetables, potatoes and big pieces of meat about 1/5 of that of other methods.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

its components glucose and galactose. These can then be taken up into the blood by the small intestine. For the described splitting of lactose, lactase is necessary. If this enzyme is missing lactose gets into the colon and is fermented there by the intestinal bacteria. In this process hydrogen and carbondioxides, amongst others, are formed which cause flatulence. Nearly all newborn babies tolerate milk well, but when growing up the majority lose the ability to absorb lactose. In fact this is not a disease. On the contrary –it actually is the normal condition.51 This specific lactose intolerance is due to a tiny genetic change at a specific spot in the genome where a small piece of genetic material that is necessary for the lactose-splitting enzyme lactase (LCT) is missing. This peculiarity, which scientists refer to as lactase persistence, makes sure that fresh milk can be consumed without causing any digestive disorders.52 Furthermore lactase insufficiencies can easily be treated. If a person with such an insufficiency starts drinking milk regularly again, the bacteria in the colon adapt to this situation and the disorder often disappears. Therefore also Asians are able to adapt to European milk.53 Humans are best adapted to the food that our ancestors already ate. In fact the food different peoples ate varied largely until a few centuries ago. Then it became increasingly similar, and today, in the age of global food enterprises and fast food chains, food does not differ very much any longer in different regions of the world. Until a few years ago for example Eskimos knew very few fruits and vegetables and primarily ate fish and meat. Japanese traditionally feed on a low-fat diet. In the Mediterranean Basin food is often “drowned” in large quantities of olive oil. And in Southern Germany, which is far away from

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme Introduction – Nutrition and genes Eating can really be unfair: Why can one person eat fat meat for their whole life without any harm while another person eating the same diet dies of a failing heart? The reason may be found in the genetic material. Depending on the genetic features the effect of certain nutrients may vary. Nutrigenomics is the science that analyses genetic material to discover genetic reasons for such differences. If we do away with the traditional idea that a certain diet is the right diet for every person, we could find the longed-for “holy grail” to avoid and treat cardiovascular and other diseases associated with nutrition. A prime example of nutrigenomics is lactose. In thousands of years of dairy farming a genetic variety developed in some peoples of Europe which due to adaptation made it possible for adults to retain their ability to digest lactose. On the other hand milk causes nausea and diarrhoea in many Africans and Asians. About two thirds of the adults worldwide (in Asia even 90%) and about 15% of Germans suffer from a lactose intolerance. In Europe there is a clear difference between Northern and Southern Europe. The ability to digest lactose is much more widely spread in Northern and Central Europe than it is in Southern and Eastern Europe. Lactose intolerance is actually the most widely spread of all food intolerances. It occurs because the intestine does not form the body’s own protein “lactase”. Lactase is an enzyme that is necessary for the absorption of lactose by the body. Lactose is a disaccharide which first has to be split into

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

blood pressure, disorder of the fat metabolism, insulin resistance and obesity). Surprisingly all four disorders occur at the same time in many people so that the people affected have a particularly high probability of developing a deadly heart disease or of suffering a stroke. American and Iranian scientists have identified a gene whose mutation obviously correlates closely with the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome. A small single defect of the gene LRP6 is obviously to be blamed. This defect has manifold impacts on various tissues and organs of the human body. In the future a genetic test which might be able to detect a tendency to develop the metabolic syndrome at an early stage might be possible. This may help counteract the disorder in time by taking measures to change the lifestyle accordingly.56 Other studies have shown that unhealthy nutrition and not predisposition actually cause obesity. If the body weight increases due to unhealthy nutrition this may be a hint for a disorder of the “power plants” in the cells, the mitochondria (to be concrete: in the gene aP2). In the mitochondria available energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate is quickly gained from nutrients, which can then be used by the cell. In animal tests it was shown that animals whose metabolism was disturbed due to a mutation became obese and even developed diabetes without eating more or moving less than other animals. This, however, was only the case when they were given food with a high calorie content, which is also characteristic for the so-called “Western diet”. When the animals received the same amount of calories from healthier and fibre-rich food they stayed slim.57 The genetic excuse is therefore valid only to a limited extent for people who eat a lot without inhibitions. It has been known for a long time that the performance

the sea, there are traditional dishes using the brain and innards of butchered animals to supply the body with the necessary omega-3 fatty acids.54 This suggests that unknown variations in the genetic material lead to the same kind of food having different effects on consumers of different origins. Healthy nutrition therefore has to be individual also in this respect.55 Assuming eating habits of other lifestyles may also prove dangerous. For example the native population of America, Asia, Australia and of the Pacific states are increasingly faced with problems such as obesity and diabetes. These disorders are already referred to as the biggest epidemics of their history. The increasing meat and fat intake and simultaneous decrease of grain and vegetable intake has led to the fact that about 60 million Chinese, primarily in rural areas, are now overweight and about 160 million suffer from high blood pressure. The costs due to this kind of malnutrition in China already amount to 2.5% of their GDP. In the Western Pacific the tragedy has assumed alarming dimensions. Due to phosphate extraction the island state of Nauru had the highest income per capita worldwide until a few years ago. Each of the 13,200 Nauruans had 2 to 3 cars – although there are only 29km of paved roads. Healthcare was free of charge and there were no taxes. The wealth was soon also seen from the size of the bellies of the populations. Nowhere in the world are there more obese men than in Nauru. About one third of the population already suffers from type 2 diabetes at a young age – a sad world record. According to estimates 40% of the world population has a genetic tendency to develop the so-called metabolic syndrome, also referred to as “fatal quartet” (high

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

self and above all to your body. It will let you know what is good for you and it will also let you know what is not good for you.

of mitochondria decreases in elderly people. Statistically speaking this means that people become thicker and heavier when getting older. As long as no final studies on reliable genetic analyses are available, one’s own origin is certainly not the worst guideline to follow in individual nutritional counselling. For what our ancestors ate, what helped them survive and successfully put their offspring into the world has obviously proven successful, at least in combination with the own genes.

The carbohydrate and protein controversy Before we analyse different approaches to nutrition and nutrition doctrines in detail and compare them to different nutrition programmes, we want to briefly discuss the difference between carbohydrates and proteins. Of course there are several totally different approaches which include certain things and exclude others. But then, the other approaches say just the contrary. For example it is often “recommended” to only eat carbohydrates and proteins separately. This results from the fact that they are digested in a different way. The digestion of carbohydrates starts in the mouth, right at the moment when we start chewing our food. This is referred to as enzyme amylase. When we have chewed our food and swallowed it, it gets to the relatively acidic environment of our stomach, where the amylase is stopped. Proteins are not digested in the mouth. They need the acidic environment of our stomach and can stay there for up to three hours before these complex proteins are broken down. As it is practically impossible to strictly separate according to ”only carbohydrates“ and ”only proteins”, let alone enjoy our meal when doing so, the recommendation should basically speaking be not to eat foods with a highly concentrated protein content (such as meat with more than 50% of protein) and foods with a high starch content (such as potatoes with more than 90% carbohydrates) at the same time.

Breaking traditions In the course of our lives we have learned not to “play“ with our food. This was certainly a bad advice. Also being taught that we have to eat what is put in front of us was probably more harmful than positive for our “development”. Especially “playing” and “trying” makes us gain experiences which we should actually have gained rather than following general but not very rewarding dietary rules. Only our wish to change or even better our wish to experiment will help us find a new approach and a new attitude to eating: experimenting with products, quantities, qualities, combinations and timing (both preparation and eating times). Our body is a very good advisor and tells us if and when it needs food and when it does not. We just need to give our body time to express itself. It is never advisable to remove certain foods totally from our menu “as a matter of principle” unless our doctor advises us to do so. Everything else just takes place in our brains. We tell ourselves that this is actually good and thus deprive ourselves of many opportunities. Therefore we should not just listen to so-called philosophers. Try to listen to your-

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

As already said the pleasure of eating often falls by the wayside in such recommendations. And this is exactly what we want to avoid. Healthy nutrition should be pleasant. Without this pleasure we will not be able to successfully optimise our diet.

2. Nano Food Due to population growth global resources are becoming scarce. Therefore it is necessary to develop more efficient production and cultivation methods. Food design will solve the problem of raw material bottlenecks.

Nutrition trends and doctrines – What is actually true?

3. Immortal Food Maximum shelf life while at the same time preserving freshness and as many essential substances as possible is an important target of research.

When talking about ”right“ nutrition there do not seem to be any limits to existing trends. What they all seem to have in common all over the world is that the consumer yearns for more artisan food which is no longer offered due to mass production. Apart from trends such as Health Food, which promises a perception of well-being, new trends have developed, such as Authentic Food, which tries to rediscover regional dishes, Ethic Food (“Food with a good conscience”), Nature Food (“Organic, of course”), Mood Food (“Experience emotions”), Sensual Food (“For all senses”) and Pure Food (“Back to the basics”).

4. Taste, Mood & Mind Food The imitation of natural flavours is brought to perfection; the search for a more intensive taste experience is intensified. Eating can really make you “happy”. 5. Health Food The health sector converges in three phases with the food market: prevention, fusion of food and pharmaceuticals and overcoming food-induced diseases. The spreading of health food differs widely on an international level. For example a Chinese person spends about 11.50 USD a year on it. This is 20 times less than a Japanese person (230 USD) or about 1/6 of a European person (70 USD).

These trends focus on new simplicity and thus try to increase the effect of well-being provided by food. Scientists of the Swiss Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute have developed the following eight “Food Trend Visions“:58

6. I-Food Tailor-made products are the target. In the future the substances contained in a certain food product may be composed on a modular basis tailored to individual needs.

1. Ultra Convenience Food Convenience is one of the most important growth factors. The target is acceleration and simplification. Accordingly high tech will increasingly accompany everyday food life.

7. Enhancement Food If biology is controllable it can also be improved. Central factors in the food sector are: Energy Food, Beauty Food, Anti Aging Food, Brain Food.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

8. No Food Not eat at all – the most radical food vision. This may become possible due to intravenous nutrition, including a stimulated perception of taste. Or food may be supplied by protozoa which produce the necessary nutrients in the stomach. What a “nice” vision! To a smaller or larger extent all these are visions for the future. Other “visions” have already become reality – as they also express a certain attitude to life:

who want to use the organic seal for their products have to observe the EU criteria in their production procedure. According to these regulations for example the radiation of foods, the use of genetically modified organisms, chemical or synthetic pesticides or highly soluble mineral fertilizers are forbidden. Furthermore crop rotation is mandatory in organic food cultivation. In livestock breeding the conditions in which the animals are kept must be appropriate to the species and the animals have to be fed organically produced feeds. Antibiotics to boost performance are taboo. Worldwide sales of organic food increased to about 40 billion USD or about 30 billion Euros in the year 2006. Increases in sales in the past few years were constantly high, and last year they even experienced a plus of 20%. On average Germans spend about 49 Euros per year for food produced in an environmentally friendly way. Compared to their Austrian and Swiss neighbours this amount is rather low. There the citizens spend between 62 and 115 Euros a year for organic food. Nevertheless Germany is the biggest organic food market in Europe with sales amounting to about 4.5 billion Euros a year (2006). Experts think that the organic food share of the total food market in Germany might even increase from the current 3% to 6% in the year 2010.

Slow Food Slow Food is a movement that originated in Italy as a reaction against the boom of fast food restaurants. The basic idea is to eat only fresh food from your own region. This movement has long established itself far beyond the Italian borders. One of the reasons is that consumers are increasingly sensitized to environmental hazards. It will probably not be long before carbondioxide levels both for food production and its transport will have to be indicated on the packages. The trend to fresh food which is also a characteristic aspect of the organic food movement is not just associated with healthy food but also with increased sensory qualities and as a result with the highest feeling of wellbeing possible. This is a very refreshing trend in times in which negative marketing buzzwords such as “low fat”, “low-salt”, “zero calories” and “sugar-free” etc. dominate.

The Society for Consumer Research (GFK Group) in Nuremburg has identified three groups of buyers of organic food:59

Organic Food According to the regulations of various organisations these products are vastly free of chemical residues. The organic seal according to the EU Organic Food Directive was launched in Germany in 2001. Producers

1. The test buyers: They still consume little organic food. They represent slightly more than half of the consumers;

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

wait for a long time before it was able to launch its organic food range as it took a lot of time to guarantee that its 4,000 shops in Germany could reliably be supplied with organic products. Due to this development about 30% of the organic food sold in Germany is not produced in Germany. Wheat, oat and rye have to be imported from Eastern Europe. Organic milk is imported from Denmark and Austria, and vegetables from China. Corn and soybeans are imported above all from South America and Southern Europe60. The magazine “Lebensmittel-Zeitung”61 has published the following interesting comparison of CO2 equivalents in different foods according to their countries/places of origin and the used means of transport.62

2. The aware buyers: They buy considerably more organic food on a regular basis and represent about one third of the consumers; 3. The core group: They consume organic food on a regular basis and represent about 10% of the consumers. While the core group shops in classical organic food shops, the other two groups have access to organic food in supermarkets or discount retail shops. Food retailing has reacted to these trends and has considerably changed their product range to meet the demand. The consumers still like buying from their organic farmer or at the market, but the majority of organic products are already sold in supermarkets and discount retail shops. Discount shops have jumped on the bandwagon and are thus yielding clearly higher profit margins. The mark-up for organic food at discount shops is about 15% to 20% higher than those for non-organic food. Although consumers clearly associate the term “organic” with health, unfortunately the original idea of sustainability and particularly high quality standards has partly fallen by the wayside. In Italy, for example, organic food cultivation has a very long tradition. More than 47,000 enterprises have dedicated themselves to organic production and trade of organic products. Since 2005 the kitchens of more than 250 schools have been cooking strictly according to organic principles. As early as the year 2000 the Italian Government passed a law that laid down the use of organic food in public schools and hospitals. But the organic boom may also be a burden for the farmers. They are not really prepared for a higher demand. For example the discount retailer Aldi had to

CO2 equivalents in g per kg food, point of supply Munich: Food

Overseas (Ship/Aeroplane)

Apples

New Zealand Italy (Ship) 513 g/kg 219 g/kg

Lake Constance 76 g/kg

Asparagus

Chile (Airplane) 16.894 g/kg

359 g/kg

Schrobenhausen 60 g/kg

Argentina (Ship) 349 g/kg

Lower Saxony 179 g/kg

Upper Bavaria 61 g/kg

Meat (beef)

Europe, Germany (Lorry)

Spain

Region (Lorry)

The decision to produce in an environmentally friendly way has hardly any influence on the nutritional and

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

physiological values, neither with regard to proteins, nor with regard to fats, carbohydrates, mineral nutrients, trace elements or vitamins. The claim that organic vegetables contain more vitamins is due to the fact that organic produce often contains less water.

But also the organic food market is continuously changing. The new products strengthen the trend towards strong brands with a clear profile which apart from the high organic quality also have to meet demands with regard to lifestyle and convenience.

If the vitamin content is calculated based on dry matter, however, there are hardly any differences:63 - The small notable differences in the contained substances are primarily due to the species rather than the way in which the produce was cultivated. - Organic products contain less pesticide residues than conventional foods, but they are often not totally free of pesticides either. - There are no clear hints that it is actually healthier to exclusively eat organic food. “How does my health benefit from it?” is the wrong question when it comes to eating organic food. The right question would be: “Why does the environment benefit from it and consequently why do I benefit from it indirectly?” - Taste has to do above all with a person’s attitude. Even the belief that doing something good to our body when eating organic food may already increase the pleasure which is subjectively e xperienced. - On principle, organic products are better for the environment than conventionally grown food. When it comes to imported organic food, however, the ecological balance deteriorates dramatically. Food produced regionally and seasonally best supports the ecological idea of sustainability. - In organic farms animals live under better conditions. Nevertheless about the same number of animals are ill as in conventional farms.

Vegetarian Diet The fans of meat-free nutrition are divided into the groups of egg and milk fans, fish fans and those who avoid any kind of animal product and feed on a “vegan” diet. A number of interesting but also disputed studies deals with vegetarianism. A British survey conducted at the University of Southampton has shown based on empirical results that intelligent kids and adults eat a vegetarian diet more often than their less intelligent fellows. According to this study the probability of vegetarianism increases by 38% with every 15 points of the IQ. This finding is in accordance with earlier research in which a link between the IQ and a healthier lifestyle was suggested. In principle there are no objections to a vegetarian diet, as long as a balanced supply with all essential nutrients is guaranteed. In this respect especially vitamin B12 and iron have to be mentioned. Whole Food Whole food follows the principle of eating food in which processing is kept to a minimum. Macrobiotic Food The macrobiotic diet goes back to the 1970ies. These years were a time of resistance. Young people discussed new ways – also in nutrition. The basic idea of a “great life” promised harmony by eating substantial quanti-

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

as required. Those who want to lose weight should supply less energy than required. Once we know how much energy we need and how much energy certain foods supply calorie-wise it is no longer difficult to control our weight (and in this context counting calories really helps). And if we really make a mistake and supply more energy than necessary we still have the chance to balance the energy supply by using additional energy, e.g. by doing physical exercise. Frankly speaking, it is no more difficult than that. Scientists of the Tufts University in Boston have proven in a study that it is not decisive whether we reduce carbohydrates or fats during dieting. The medical parameters such as cholesterol and sugar levels improved in both cases. What is, however, decisive is that the change in nutrition has to be a long-term change. Experience has shown that this is best possible if we eat a varied diet without serious restrictions in our choice of foods.

ties of whole grain. Macrobiotic food was considered the “true way to eat”. Macrobiotic nutrition was also used to re-establish health of the individual – and as such the health of the family and society as a whole. Each meal covers a totally different range comprising amongst others whole grain products, vegetables and fish. Diets The market for diets has become almost too vast to gasp. We seem to have the strong desire to combat “uncontrolled feasting and gorging” with sometimes crazy diets. Life could be so easy: Eat as much as you can and afterwards just do a three-day pineapple diet (who really wants that?) and everything is okay again. It was a shock to us when on 1st November 2006 we read the following headline in the “Bild” newspaper: “Who eats less stays young longer!” We had hardly overcome the mixed feelings caused by this report on a starvation diet to which rhesus monkeys had been subject at the Primate Center in Wisconsin, when a suitable remedy was found that seemed to solve the “dietary dilemma”: a pill which was said to have the same healing and life-prolonging effect as radical fasting but still allowed pleasant eating and feasting. To renounce was a buzzword of yesterday – indulge in the pleasures of life was the new motto!64 Diets have become a big business. Unfortunately they are rarely so tasty and pleasant that one would miss them. So it is good news that we do not really need them if we use our common sense instead. All experts agree: those who want to avoid putting on weight or lose weight have to reduce the energy supply. Those who want to avoid putting on weight should just consume as much energy

The Pritikin and Atkins Diets • Pritikin: “Many complex carbohydrates – few fats“ The Pritikin Diet is one of the most popular diets which is based on the increased intake of complex carbohydrates (more than 80%) and a reduced intake of fats (less than 10%). Pritikin’s diets are based primarily on the intake of whole grain products and vegetables plus some fruits. Meat is just considered a side dish. Pritikin diets work best with people who have become overweight above all due to Central European or American eating habits and have therefore become ill. It starts being problematic when a person is healthy (again). Then an undersupply of fat may occur. In particular fat-soluble vitamins such

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

down much more slowly than carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates, and therefore suppress hunger for a longer time. Fat also produces ketones which also help suppress hunger. Another critical point of these diets is that they do not consider the intake of essential fatty acids. The fats that are consumed are primarily saturated fatty acids, which actually should be avoided. Scientists of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston have found out that losing weight due to a diet poor in carbohydrates has to do with the activities of a hormone that is produced in phases of hunger, namely the messenger substance Fibroblast Growth Factor-21, which is produced above all in the liver. This metabolic regulator present in humans makes sure that the body uses fat as an energy source in times of need instead of the sugar molecules contained in carbohydrates. In order to make sure that the fuel is not burnt too quickly the hunger hormone also triggers a number of energy-saving measures. Should the consumed food not supply sufficient useable energy, the fat deposited in the body is broken down, is processed in the liver to so-called ketone bodies and is thus made available as an energy source for the brain and other tissues.65 In conclusion it should be said that a lack of variety in nutrition is never good. Neither diets based on renouncing fat nor those that ban carbohydrate intake are ideal from the nutritional and physiological point of view to protect us, for example, from cardiovascular diseases in a sustainable way. Both are associated with similar risks. However, if nutrition is based on a reduced carbohydrate share and is combined with the intake of fats and proteins of primarily plant origin (and not of animal origin), there will certainly be positive effects for

as A, D, E and K require fats (or oils) for their transformation. Pritikin diets are very low in omega-3 fats as they do not take polyunsaturated fatty acids into account at all. In people who spend much time in open air, in sunny and warm climate zones, the low essential fatty acid intake may well be balanced, but in winter or in the Northern hemisphere as well as for the indoor environment the body needs more essential fatty acids than provided according to the Pritikin diets. In hot and tropical areas and in summer the grain intake may be too high. Elderly people whose digestive systems no longer work ideally will also be faced with problems when not taking in a sufficient fatty acid supply. Pritikin diets are a step in the right direction, especially for those who have been “harmed” by the eating habits of our modern society. But on a long-term basis they may harm especially those of us who are not overweight. • Atkins: “Much protein – much fat“ The best-known supporters of diets that are based on a high fat intake and only a low carbohydrate intake are Atkins and Stillman. These theories are based on the fact that humans used to be hunters throughout their existence and therefore have always consumed food that is rich in protein and fats. Unfortunately this is not totally correct. Diets that are based on “much fat and much protein” correspond in fact to typical Western eating habits: “Meat and potatoes” – though without potatoes. This nutritional theory may temporarily be helpful for people suffering from grain intolerance. Such diets promise a considerable weight loss while being able to eat whatever we want. It works because fats are broken

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

Unilever launched a new “Rama” family margarine. It contains essential oil acids from fish oils which supply the margarine with alpha-linolenic acids. Advertising for this product is targeted to people concerned about the healthy nutrition of their children.69 Danone has developed a “cosmetic yoghurt“ which is said to have positive effects on the moisture of the skin. The product was launched under the name “Essensis” in France in February 2007 and a little later in some other European countries.70 The French enterprise Berkem has focused on the coffee bean. For some time it has marketed the coffee bean extract “Svetol” as an additive to various functional food products. Svetol has two functions: to regulate the blood sugar level and to “organise” weight loss. In the first case Svetol is taken before the meal. In the second case it is said to have the effect of using energy not from the liver, i. e. from the consumed food, but from existing fat deposits, which leads to a fat reduction. Those who do not like the idea of having his dose of coffee as a coffee bean extract and prefers to drink a hot espresso instead can still rely on the fact that a 20minute walk has the same effect and on top of that has the effect of improving our mood.

the cardiovascular system and the entire body. In some studies it has been shown that the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease was reduced by about 30% when renouncing fats and proteins of primarily animal origin in daily food intake. Functional Food Functional foods are foods that influence one or more body functions in such a way that they will lead to positive effects on health and well-being and reduce the risk of diseases.66 A recent study has shown that functional foods have met with increasing acceptance. 42% of the Germans agree that these foods with their health-promoting additional benefits are a good thing. 30% specifically look for such products when going shopping.67 In other countries such as France and the Netherlands healthcare institutions subsidize functional food. Insured people in France are able to save money when eating yoghurts or margarines. A cooperation between the health insurance enterprise MAAF and Unilever (Fruit d‘Or pro actif) grants the so-called “pur bonus santé“ when insured consumers send in receipts and package barcodes. There is a similar cooperation between the insurance enterprise AGF and Danone. They refund the costs for the entire consumption of Danone products for three months.68

A few more facts: To improve the intestinal flora about 100 million probiotic germs of a certain strain of bacteria have to be consumed every day. Changing from one germ to another, which is frequently done when choosing products from the refrigerated shelves in the supermarket, does not help. And those who eat these products only sporadically will not feel any effect either. Furthermore every strain of bacteria has a specific

The list of examples is becoming longer and longer. 12 years ago the era of functional foods started with Nestlé’s LC1, followed by Actimel by Danone. Both are probiotic yoghurts. Probiotic bacteria may help control harmful germs that are suspected to cause diarrhoea or cancer.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

effect in the intestine and only helps against specific diseases.71 Those who do not like the idea of eating bacteria in a targeted way every day, still can turn to prebiotic products. These are fibres which are contained in big quantities in vegetables such as chicory or leek. Products rich in ACE: Fruit drinks and deep-frozen vegetables are enriched with the antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta carotene. Isolated beta carotene, however, may even increase the lung cancer risk of smokers. Phytosterols: Plant or phytosterols in dairy products prevent cholesterol from being taken up into the bloodstream.This is said to decrease high blood lipid levels. The problem is that the carotenoid share decreases too, which may lead to a lack of vitamin A. Products enriched with omega-3 fatty acids: bread rolls, eggs and margarines are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. This is said to keep the blood vessels elastic and prevent heart attacks. To do so, however, enormous quantities would be necessary, for example 8 slices of bread with margarine. Furthermore nature itself provides the greatest “functional food” creations. The Frisian cow Marge, who lives on a farm in New Zealand, became famous when researchers found out that Marge by nature gave low-fat milk which on top of that was even rich in healthy unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore the butter made from Marge’s milk could be spread on bread even in a cold condition. The reason for this is a genetic mutation which keeps the fat content of milk under 1% (normally about 3.5% to 4%) despite the fact that its protein content, which usually correlates with the fat content, stayed normal. Surprisingly Marge’s female offspring give the same type of milk.72

The yoghurt drink “Optiwell Control“ by Campina promises to make you want to eat less after having drunk it. Instead of milk fat the yoghurt drink contains an emulsion of plant fats whose digestion in the body takes longer. This makes the appetite decrease for several hours. A handful of nuts (especially almonds) do the same job and at the same time deliver highly precious essential fatty acids. Novel Food Also referred to as the “Eating better fashion“. Novel food prefers food products with an additional health-related benefit (i.e. functional food), but it relies on carefully dosed nutrient pills instead of consuming nutrients via fruits and vegetables. Time-related eating habits Without doubt eating regularly throughout the day is the basis for a healthy lifestyle. However, many of us live a rhythm of life which, especially in every day routine, seems to make it difficult or even impossible to eat regularly. This is barbaric, and above all it harms us. In fact food products have psychopharmacological effects. We can eat ourselves happy, as brain researchers have shown. Eating is not only the most sensual relation to the world but also an expression of our love of life, which has a direct influence on our psyche. According to psychologists fat, salt, sugar and sex are the things in the world that make us happiest. The power of food is enormous and already starts early in the morning. The advice to have a good breakfast still applies. Often the breakfast just consists of a coffee hastily poured down our throat, accompanied – if

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

concentration. If the blood sugar level is low despite food intake this may have advantages. The organism is strained less and the remaining energy can be used for important activities such as thinking and concentrating. Furthermore the feeling of satiety is maintained for a longer time. This, in turn, reduces the craving for food intake. Unhealthy and irregular eating habits make the blood sugar level revolt and subject the body to tough work. This slows down fat burning and mental fitness. The “secret” therefore is to eat several small meals of a high nutrient density and quality well distributed throughout the day.74 As a result both a good breakfast and reasonable snacks in between the main meals help to stay slim: You avoid cravings which seduce you to nibbling during the day. Apart from when and what we eat, how we eat is of major importance. The most important rule is: Take your time! Those who gorge do not enjoy their food and later feel stuffed. The feeling of satiety only starts after about 20 minutes. When eating slowly we therefore feel when we are full in time.

at all – by a few bites of bread. And often people do not have breakfast at all. This is totally wrong! Those who have a sound breakfast easily withstand the stress of the day. A suitable breakfast increases creativity, as it is a kind of massage for our mind. Studies have shown that people who have breakfast react more quickly during the morning hours, and their performance is considerably higher than that of people who leave the house without breakfast. A good breakfast helps replenish empty energy deposits. If you do not have breakfast, the metabolism is programmed for an energy-saving mode and therefore makes the body’s engine run on a low capacity. Furthermore the body taps energy reserves of the muscles to obtain the required fuel. The consequence is that not fat deposits but muscle mass is reduced. Especially for children the first meal of the day is essential. Carbohydrates from whole grain bread or cereals, fruits and dairy products should not be missing on any breakfast table. The breakfast should supply about one third of the energy (calories) used every day. Eat lean ham or cheese, whole grain bread, homemade muesli, yoghurt or fruits. Packaged breakfast cereals should be chosen carefully as they often contain a lot of sugar which makes the blood sugar level increase quickly. A dramatic decline in performance is therefore bound to occur later in the morning.73 Between about 10 and 11 o’clock and 15 and 16 o’clock our brain usually suffers an energy slump. Therefore it is important to supply energy, such as fruits, nuts or yoghurt. The secret of maintaining physical and mental fitness throughout the day is in the blood sugar

Mediterranean Diet A nutritional programme which is generally judged positively by scientist is the so-called “Mediterranean diet“. In fact a positive link between the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in grain, fruits, legumes, whole grain, nuts, fish and olive oils, but also in red wine, and a longer life with a reduced frequency of heart attacks and a better protection against certain cancers has been observed. The Mediterranean diet is especially rich in beta carotenes, vitamin C, polyphenols and essential minerals.75

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

Spanish researchers have found out that the oxidative damage to HDL cholesterol, i.e. the good cholesterol, can clearly be reduced due to a Mediterranean diet.76 The first results show that the Mediterranean diet, in particular due to the use of olive oil and nuts (above all walnuts), decreases the arterial pressure, the blood lipid levels, the fasting glucose value as well as inflammations and thus positively influences all known risk factors of heart diseases. The scientists therefore conclude that it can be expected that “the participants who follow the principles of a Mediterranean diet complemented with olive oils and nuts will show a reduction of cardiovascular disorders by 50% in the long-run”. The daily dose of mixed nuts is composed of 15 grams of walnuts, 7.5 grams of hazelnuts and 7.5 grams of almonds. This composition has yielded the most beneficial fatty acid profile. Furthermore the nuts are rich in healthy substances such as fibres, phytosterols, folic acid and antioxidants. Recently a study was presented in Greece which supported the evidence for a link between nutrition and heart diseases. Another study published in June 2006 showed that for people who primarily feed on a Mediterranean diet the risk of becoming obese is reduced by up to 60%. And yet another study has shown that the Mediterranean diet might also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by up to 68%.77 In the year 2004 the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health statement on olive oil which refers to the impact of olive oil on a reduced heart attack risk.78 Furthermore it is considered as undisputed that red wine consumed in moderation has positive impacts on our health. “In moderation” should be defined as fol-

lows: For women 20 to 30 grams alcohol a day, which corresponds to about 0.2 to 0.3 litres of wine, are considered as “beneficial to health”, for men the recommended amounts are between 30 and 40 grams of alcohol or about 0.4 litres of wine. Recent studies have provided evidence that in particular French red wines contain an increased share in heart-protecting substances such as flavonoids or polyphenols. In the experiment cell cultures reacted differently to wines of different origins or pure alcohol. In some cases the nitrogen monoxide release by French red wine was quadrupled, while there was no effect at all in the pure alcohol. The highest polyphenol content was measured in wines from the south-western French Départment Gers and from the Sardinian province of Nuoro.79 This effect probably occurs in other wines too provided they contain many flavonoids. This applies amongst others to Californian, Italian and South African wines. What is important, however, is that the wines are fermented in the traditional way which involves long mash fermentation times including the grapes’ skins and seeds. Already about 2000 years ago the ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch wrote: “Amongst the drinks wine is the most useful one, amongst the medicines the most tasty one and amongst the foods the most pleasant one.” One aspect, however, is very important: the beneficial effects on health will not or only insufficiently occur if only some aspects of the Mediterranean diet are followed and the rest is ignored. When just following parts of this diet and neglecting other aspects, there some positive effects might still occur, but only partial ones. A Mediterranean diet only yields the full effects if applied in its totality.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

A diet …

Furthermore it is important to slowly adapt to this new lifestyle rather than adapting to it abruptly. Especially for Central and Northern Europeans the high share of oils in the food preparation is rather uncommon. Especially at the beginning, after changing to this diet, the energy supply will probably be considerably above what we are used to. Therefore switching to this type of nutrition should be accompanied by intensive physical workout. Meanwhile also the Mediterranean countries themselves have realized this problem. Italy is already the country with the second highest share of overweight or obese 10-year-old children, ranking even before the US. By the way, Malta (another Mediterranean country) actually ranks top.

1. … free from refined sugar which is converted to saturated fatty acids and deprives us from minerals which our body needs for digestion and metabolism is beneficial to our health; 2. … free from refined or transformed fats or oils is beneficial to our health; 3. … including only a small share of saturated and/or transformed fatty acids which disturb the functions of essential fatty acids is beneficial to our health; 4. … free from processed foods which only contain reduced quantities of vitamins and minerals is beneficial to our health; 5. … free from denatured fats / oils and fat / oil products is beneficial to our health; 6. … rich in enzymes is beneficial to our health; 7. … including natural products rich in essential minerals and vitamins (co-factors) is beneficial to our health; 8. … including both essential fatty acids and their derivatives in adequate quantities and compositions is beneficial to our health; 9. … including only a small amount of refined carbohydrates is an improvement compared to a diet including substantial amounts of these carbohydrates.

Some conciliatory words Well, actually it is not too difficult to find one’s right individual way to healthy nutrition drawing conclusions from all the existing knowledge. Before discussing some nutritional recommendations in detail, we would like to sum up the most important statements:

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

for the heart and the blood circulation. It also contains many fats which are present in the subcutaneous tissue, in the muscles, between the muscles and as phospholipids in the cell membranes and which supply energy. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) are of particular interest.At least in German pork and beef they are contained in a ratio of seven to one (omega-6 to omega-3). The meat of farm animals contains about the same amount of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content amounts to 15%.82 When buying raw meat we should carefully check whether it is fresh. Tainted meat smells slightly sweet and not sourish as it should. It can easily be dented by pressing a finger on it, has a greyish colour and releases juices. Fresh meat lies dry in its package. Not only how long but above all how the meat is stored decides on the degree of hygiene. Fresh meat must immediately be put into the fridge after buying it. The meat should be unwrapped and kept on a plate or in a bowl. Wooden boards are not suited as they withdraw the juices of the meat. Fresh sausages can be kept for about 5 days at a temperature of 0 – 5° C / 32 – 41° F if carefully packed. Raw sausages and ham can be stored better in pieces rather than sliced.

The most important foods at a glance The eating habits in Western industrialized nations have considerably changed in the past 50 years. This is clearly shown in the development of the main food categories.80 Food consumption per capita in Germany: Food

1955

2005

Potatoes and potato products

approx. 155 kg / 310 lb

approx. 70 kg / 140 lb

Fresh dairy products

approx. 120 kg / 240 lb

approx. 90 kg / 180 lb

approx. 60 kg / 120 lb

approx. 115 kg / 230 lb

approx. 50 kg / 100 lb g

approx. 95 kg / 190 lb

Other meats

approx. 50 kg / 100 lb

approx. 70 kg / 140 lb

Fish and fish products

approx. 15 kg / 30 lb

approx. 5 kg / 10 lb

approx. 20 kg / 40 lb

Fresh fruits and citrus fruits Vegetables

Poultry

Below the individual food categories are briefly analysed and some hints on their use are given.81

• Fish and seafood Seafood has a high content of healthy unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore it contains valuable protein, the vitamins D, E and B as well as iodine. When buying fresh fish we should check whether the fish is fully covered with ice and its gills are red. Fresh fish can be kept in the fridge for one day. When cooking fish it should be well done throughout. For sushi the

• Sausages and meat Meat, sausages and ham are the most common protein sources. Humans obtain essential amino acids from animal food which are much easier for the body to use than amino acids from plants. Furthermore meat contains much iron, which is necessary to transport oxygen in the blood, as well as B-vitamins which are important

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

fish should be frozen for some days at a temperature of -20° C / -4° F. Buying frozen, smoked or canned fish is definitely safer. The healthy substances contained in fish are not lost in these procedures. Salmon, however, is treated with about 3% salt before smoking. The fatter the fish the bigger is the omega-3 fatty acids content. Below are some examples for the fat content of fish and seafood. Fat content approx. 1%: Fat content 1% to 7%: Fat content more than 7%:

• Dairy products Dairy products contain valuable proteins as well as vitamin B, A and D. Furthermore people who drink milk regularly are not overweight as often as people who do not drink milk. Dairy products supply the body with iodine, which is important for the body’s development, fluoride, phosphorus as well as calcium for the bones and teeth. Low-fat dairy products are even healthier. In order to keep low-fat yoghurt creamy the manufacturers often add fibres. This supports the activity of the intestinal flora so that the body can absorb trace elements such as iron and calcium better. What has to be considered as critical, however, are sweets which are advertised as an “extra portion of milk”. They contain a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats.

Cod, pollock, plaice, prawn Hake, rosefish Salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, eel

One disadvantage, however, has to be pointed out: Fatty fish is healthy, but it contains more of the environmental toxins dioxin and PFT as these substances are easily accumulated in the fatty parts of the fish.

• Fruits and vegetables People who eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day strengthen the body’s immune system. In a comprehensive study the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease decreased by 12% with every additional daily serving of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in secondary plant substances which protect the body from aggressive substances thus defending the body from damage of the blood vessels and nerve cells. Furthermore apples, oranges and broccoli contain numerous vitamins as well as carbohydrates and fibres. Much controversy has been heard recently about salads. It is a fact that salad contains up to 95% water but hardly any carbohydrates and fibres. Also with regard to vitamins it does badly compared to other sorts of vegetables. However, lettuce contains the pigment chlorophyll,

• Bakery products and cereals Grain contains starch as an energy source as well as digestive fibres, iron as a building block for red blood cells and magnesium for muscle function. Unfortunately only whole grain products contain all these important substances. While baking there is a risk that the carcinogenic substance acrylamide is formed. Another problem are moulds. Especially breakfast cereals often seem to be affected. But despite the toxic moulds: Bread and hardly processed cereals such as muesli are particularly healthy. Fatty bakery products made from refined white flour such as croissants and sweetened cereals such as crunchy granolas and cornflakes are not recommended. The added sugar vastly destroys the healthy effects.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

Peaches: Lemons: Pears: Bananas: Oranges: Grapefruits: Pineapples:

which provides important protection against environmental pollutants. Furthermore chlorophyll supports the formation of the red blood pigment haemoglobin and has positive effects on the brain. Due to this plant pigment the breathed in oxygen stays longer in the brain cells which is crucial for the mental work it does. Red salads such as endive or radicchio are rich in carotene. These pigments help protect the body from free radicals. Moreover carotene strengthens the immune system, the respiratory system and vision. Red leafy salads also contain more bitter substances which support the liver in its detoxification tasks. Salad also â&#x20AC;&#x153;benefitsâ&#x20AC;? from its combination with other vegetables and precious vegetable oils. The latter make sure that the plant substances are absorbed by the body. Furthermore salad is poor in calories but nevertheless makes us feel full!83 The more mature the goods are the higher is their content in healthy substances. In the shelves the valuable substances contained in fruits and vegetables, however, decay gradually. An alternative are deep-frozen products. Substances in fruits and vegetables bind aggressive molecules in the body. A comparison of the cellprotective effects of common fruits and vegetables has yielded the following result (share in a vitamin C equivalent per gram, i.e. the effective agent quantity which corresponds to a specific vitamin C content): Fruits: Apples: 97.6 Red grapes: 64.7 Strawberries: 64.4

Vegetables: Broccoli: Carrots: Spinach:

49.5 42.8 34.2 32.8 31.5 24.7 16.9

Cabbage: Yellow onions: Celery: Potatoes: Lettuce: Cucumber:

18.0 14.1 5.1 4.9 2.7 1.3

What is critical, however, is that pesticide residues are frequently found in test samples. In 2006/2007 Greenpeace conducted a survey of chemical residues in fruits and vegetables in Germany. In 576 samples a total of 1,744 pesticide residues of 112 active agents were found. The chemical pesticides may harm the hormone balance and the immune system, may lead to cancer and damage the nervous system.84 Fruits and vegetables from conventional farming in which the legal limits were exceeded most frequently: Fruits: - Often contaminated: Papaya, currants, gooseberries, grapes, raspberries, melons - Contaminated: Apricots, kaki/Sharon fruits, cherries, prunes, grapefruits, strawberries Vegetables: - Often contaminated: Parsley, rucola, peppers, celery, courgette (zucchini), green cabbage, aubergines (eggplants), radish, lettuce - Contaminated: Lambâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lettuce, cucumbers, green beans

44.0 42.6 42.2

Fruits and vegetables from conventional farming in which the legal limits were least frequently exceeded:

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

unnecessary excessive seasoning of everything that is edible which we already perceive as normal? What about hamburgers and other products of the big fast food chains which have become the epitome of doped flavour and which create addictions to beefed up impressions which are hardly reversible any longer? Nature, which is as it is and which cannot be much different from what it is, has fallen by the wayside. How could the most exquisite vanilla pod be appreciated if artificial flavour tastes much more intensively of vanilla than the natural vanilla pod? Getting used to any form of excesses which have moved far away from the natural and unmanipulated condition is a severe addiction. For some forms of preparation a good chicken is still sufficient, for others maybe an individual product from an organic background. In culinary arts even the highest awards can still be won with simple and therefore more natural products.85 This, at least, is a big advantage compared to sports.

Fruits: - Rarely contaminated: Bananas, blueberries,kiwis - Sometimes contaminated: Blackberries, lemons, oranges, pineapples, mangos, pears, mandarins/ clementines, peaches Vegetables: - Rarely contaminated: Broccoli, chicory, endive, fennel, asparagus, onions, potatoes - Sometimes contaminated: Iceberg lettuce, cultivated mushrooms, spinach, carrots Naturally “natural“ – Or eventually not that “natural”? “Doping“ has recently received much media coverage. Doping? Are we not continuously doped due to the food we eat? It almost seems as everyone who is actively fighting against doping is a faithful consumer of doped foods. And if we are what we eat, things are totally different already! The “mother of doping” is fattening of animals and the administration of any kind of performance-increasing drugs to animals. A comparison with the well-toned muscular top sprinters in the finals of an international competition is obvious. We all know about pig fattening methods in which pigs are raised at top speed, and we complain about the tasteless meat, which of course lacks its natural structure which would be formed when slowly raising the animal. Newborn calves are taken away from their mothers and are fed milk powder and other supplements to quickly make them ready for slaughtering. We eat tomatoes which are grown in laboratories with liquid fertilizers and similar means and which are trimmed in an artificially short day to still be perceivable as tomatoes when eating them in spicy curry ketchups or instant sauces. And what about the doped flavours, this

Nutrition programmes More and more organisations, schools and enterprises are dealing with increasingly serious nutrition-related problems. In part this has to do with the business opportunities expected from the topic “healthy nutrition”. In some cases there actually seems to be real concern about a more reasonable diet of the people, or better said the customers. Disney, for example, has imposed very strict rules on their licensees in the USA for the food sector. The enterprise has laid down upper limits for sugar and fat contents of products and has switched to healthier meals on the menus of its American theme parks. For example chips, which once came with practically all

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

of Agriculture) – “Food Pyramid”.The USDA assumes that all foods are important and should therefore be taken into account in food intake, though in different quantities. No category should be left out at all.87 The original dietary concept, which was conceived as a pyramid, has been complemented by stairs and a person climbing up the stairs. This should express that exercise is a crucial factor of a healthy lifestyle. The most important change in all “official” food pyramids is the fact that people are different and therefore need different nutrition plans which consider their different lifestyles and different exercise patterns (physical activities). Based on this assumption so far 12 different food pyramids have been drafted which also consider these individual differences.

dishes, were cancelled from the children’s menus and were replaced by fruit and vegetable side dishes such as apple sauces and carrots. Instead of lemonades menus now come with low-fat milk, juice or water. The maximum sugar content of food products with Disney characters as testimonials must not be more than 10% of the total calories in main and side dishes and 25% of snacks. The limits for fat are a maximum of 30% for main and side dishes and a maximum 35% for snacks. And as a matter of principle the saturated fat content must not exceed the 10% limit. In American schools it is planned to sell healthier and calorie-poor snacks in the future. According to the new guidelines foods containing artificial trans fats must no longer be offered in the cafeterias and snack vending machines in American schools starting from next school year. Furthermore the calorie content of nibbles, bakery products, soups and yoghurt products has to be reduced. If you ask EU nutritional scientists about their ideas of an “ideal meal” they might give you the following composition: a seafood platter as a starter, white fish as a main dish and citrus fruits as a dessert. And to drink milk, especially from organic production (whose content of healthy omega-3 fatty acids is even 60% higher than that of conventionally produced milk; furthermore there are 20% more vitamins and anti-inflammatory antioxidants in organic milk).86 Below we want to present two international dietary guidelines, so-called food pyramids, in greater detail. They do not just consider food intake but also physical activities and other lifestyle components. The Dietary Guidelines of the USDA (United States Department

The USDA Food Pyramid works with 6 different categories of food which are depicted in different colours: - “orange“ stands for grains - “green“ stands for vegetables - “red“ stands for fruits - “blue“ stands for milk and dairy products - “purple“ stands for meat and beans - “yellow“ stands for oils Handling the concept is easy – at least for everybody who speaks English. Go to the website of the “Food Pyramid” www.mypyramid.gov and enter your personal data: age, sex, and how many minutes of physical exercise you intend to do in coming week. As a result you get an individual nutrition plan. This also includes the component “physical activity” (with a number of tips for your personal workout) and a variable for “discretionary calories”.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

The Dietary Guidelines of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) – “Food Pyramid”

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

The Lifestyle Pyramid

The “discretionary calories“ are an interesting thing, as these extra calories allow you to use extra calorie allowances for things you like in particular. For example you can use your discretionary calorie allowance to:

The lifestyle magazine “Fit For Fun“ has drafted simple dietary rules and integrated them into the Lifestyle Pyramid.88 As a result “Fit For Fun“ has developed a new pyramid model which takes into account the entire lifestyle of a person and thus goes far beyond mere nutrition. Summed up the result is the following formula: food + exercise + relaxation

- Eat more foods from any food group than the food guide recommends; - Eat higher calorie forms of foods within the same group: e.g. whole milk instead of low-fat milk; - Add fats or sweeteners to foods; e.g. to sauces or salad dressings etc. - Drink beverages that contain either fats or sugar additives or alcohol

The lifestyle-pyramid daily, frugal

oils, nuts, spread-fats three times a day

dairy products

(preferably low-fat)

once or twice a week

meat, eggs

twice a week

fish

(preferably high fat content) three times a day

twice a week

vegetables, salad

fruits

four times a day

bread, rice, noodles, cereal

twice a week

legumes

(preferably whole grain)

PLUS: drinking PLUS: exercise PLUS: relaxation

daily two litres of still, cold water

three times a week 40 minutes (jogging, cycling, Nordic walking)

daily 10-15 minutes to relieve stress and for regeneration source: FIT FOR FUN

Staying slim in the long-run is not possible without physical activity. Therefore 3x 40 minutes of sport per week (jogging, cycling, inline skating, Nordic walking) would be ideal. Daily exercise, e.g. long walks (at least 30 minutes), complement the activity programme per-

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

minerals and are the only foods that supply the precious secondary plant substances. 7. Drink a lot, preferably water. Alternatively you can also drink fruit juices mixed with soda or water and fruit and herbal teas. 8. Eat low-fat dairy products every day. Eat fish and meat in moderation. Meat and meat products supply iron to the body. Sea fish should be eaten once a week as it is an important source of iodine. 9. Eat little and above all good fats. 10. Eat sugar and salt only in moderation.

fectly. Furthermore the daily relaxation programme is absolutely indispensable, even though it might just be about 10 minutes a day. In addition to this “Fit For Fun“ has launched ten important messages for healthy nutrition:89 1. Take your time when eating! We start feeling full only after about 20 minutes. As a result we might eat more than actually necessary when eating in a hurry. 2. Vary the food you eat! When carefully composing your meals from a variety of different foods you can be sure that you will obtain all essential nutrients. 3. Prepare your meals as gently and carefully as possible. Many nutrients are very sensitive. Light, oxygen, heat and water may destroy them. Therefore it is important to buy foods as fresh and as little processed as possible and to prepare them soon after buying. 4. Check your weight and do exercise on a regular basis. 5. Eat grain products several times a day and eat potatoes often. Whole grain products form the basis of healthy nutrition. They supply the body with many healthy substances such as starch, precious proteins, vitamins and minerals as well as secondary plant substances. Due to their high fibre content they also make you feel full for a longer time. 6. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day – preferably raw. They contain vitamins and

Physical activity – Without exercise everything is nothing Any form of movement requires energy which is stored in the body as sugar and fat. The most important rule for losing weight is also the easiest one: The energy supplied to the body through food must be reduced by physical activities in order to achieve the natural balance again. People who want to lose fat have to move more and probably eat less. When doing physical activities or sport on a regular basis our body learns to increasingly tap our fat deposits and reduce them. At the same time the muscle mass increases due to the exercise so that a gradual change in the structure of our body takes place. Studies have shown that nowadays the calcium loss in our bones starts earlier than it did in the past. The only thing that helps to counteract this development is exercise and exposure to day light so that our body can form the necessary vitamin D. People who eat a healthy diet or even do some dieting but who do

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

is gained above all from sugar (glucose). The reason for this is that in case of a short physical strain the muscles need much more energy within a short period of time and therefore primarily tap the quickly available fuel glucose instead of fat which can be mobilised comparably slowly. In endurance sport the relative share of fat burning is decreasing with increasing speed but the absolute quantity of calories gained from fat increases. Endurance and frequency are very important components in sports. Beginners still have to use their quickly available sugar reserves to yield a certain performance. In an untrained person the highest degree in fat burning is already reached when using only 35% of the person’s total capacity. When going beyond this range this person uses up more and more carbohydrates. When reaching 65% of the maximum capacity this person is supplied with energy exclusively from carbohydrates and no fat is burnt any longer.91 By and by the body learns to increasingly tap its fat deposits (also in daily physical activities such as climbing stairs or cleaning the house). And this is particularly true for belly fat. The belly fat deposits are the energy sources that are preferably tapped in endurance sports. People who frequently run or walk for some time inevitably lose belly fat. But once again the principle applies: Only do what is fun! As soon as there is any “constraint” the effort will probably end in failure. Therefore look for your individual “fat burning therapy” which fits your needs.

not do any sports will probably keep their weight stable or even lose some of their weight but probably at the wrong spots. The body will first reduce muscles instead of fat. Reducing the muscles however means reducing the “fat killer No. 1” of our body! The older we get the more exercise we should do. From the age of 30, the muscle mass of women decreases by 0.8% a year and that of men by 1%. Apart from that physical exercise also has an important effect in our heads: the area of the brain which is responsible for the regulation of the eating habits is normalised. As a result, the feeling of satiety, which in many people suffering of adiposity is delayed, occurs in time in people who are physically active. The body does not differ between playing football, carrying heavy boxes or cleaning the house. Endurance sports such as jogging or cycling are definitely beneficial when it comes to reducing fat deposits, but on the other hand they hardly stimulate an increase in muscle mass. As muscle mass requires more energy, additional power training to build muscles is recommended. Fat burning already starts briefly after starting physical activities and reaches its maximum after about 12 to 15 minutes, a level which may be maintained for several hours.90 Principally the following applies: when the heart has reached 75% of its maximum frequency, the body burns most fat. Fat burning also takes place in the so-called “afterburning” phase, as the body needs some time to adjust to its normal state again. During this time for example the lactic acid in the muscles is broken down and injured fibres are repaired. This requires energy which is produced by the fat deposits in the body. During a long walk the body produces energy primarily from fat. During a 400 meter sprint, i.e. a short physical effort, the energy

Also during housework energy is “burned“. This is impressively shown in the following examples:92 Gardening: Benefit from your work in the garden or on your balcony. When watering the flowers lift the watering can up high

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

when pouring the water. Dig the holes in the ground energetically – and separately carry each portion of potting soil to the individual planting places. Calorie consumption: about 250 kcal per hour.

Cleaning the kitchen cupboards: Clear all the cupboards of your kitchen, clean them and put everything in again. Every step on the ladder makes your bottom a bit firmer. Calorie consumption: about 220 kcal per hour.

Cleaning the house: Take your bucket and cleaning mop and work the floor pushing thoroughly. Bend your knees to remove sticky dirt. To avoid breathlessness swing your body rhythmically while wiping the floor. Make sure that you keep your back straight. Calorie consumption: about 200 kcal per hour.

Clearing out: Make space in your wardrobe and carry your seasonal outfit down to the cellar or up to the attic. Carry each piece of clothing separately! Do not make any breaks but work continuously. When climbing up and down at least two floors you will do some nice cardiovascular training. Calorie consumption: about 560 kcal per hour.

Cleaning the windows Clean all the windows of your house. If you live in a flat you will earn your neighbours’ popularity if you also do the windows in the stairways. Do not just wipe in an upand downward movement but wipe in big circle – both inside and out. When doing windows reaching down to the floor, make sure you do them particularly carefully. When bending the knees to clean these windows your legs will benefit too. Calorie consumption: about 190 kcal per hour.

If you do not like housework you can also do other physical activities. Power, coordination, endurance and flexibility are the four pillars of an effective training.93 In which ratio the body makes use of fat or carbohydrate reserves depends largely on the pulse. At a low heart frequency body fat is more likely to be tapped as an energy source. The higher the pulse the higher the share in carbohydrates used as an energy supply. However, these are only relative numbers. The following calculation helps illustrate these facts:94 A jogger with a heart frequency of about 120 beats per minute burns about 80% fat and about 20% carbohydrates. In this process he uses about 8 kcal per minute. From these 8 kcal about 80% are used for fat burning, which is 6 kcal per minute. A jogger with a pulse of 160 on the other hand burns about the same quantity of fat and carbohydrates. But he uses more energy, namely 18 kcal per minute. If you calculate 50% for fat burning this would yield an energy consumption of 9 kcal per minute. The second jogger thus uses more energy than

Cleaning skirting boards: Skirting boards may serve as fitness equipment. Rub the boards while on all fours. While the arm is sliding along the board lift the opposite leg. Change hands. When doing this exercise properly, your body burns about 300 kcal per hour. Beating the carpets: Beat all your carpets. Beat each side thoroughly for at least 10 minutes. Roll your carpet, then lift it several times from a crouch. Make sure to keep your back straight and stretch out your arms. Calorie consumption: about 80 kcal per hour.

Nutrition doctrine versus nutrition programme

If you occasionally exceed your fat burning pulse for some minutes (up to 20 beats), this does not really matter. On the contrary, the additional training stimulus may even support endurance performance.People who have problems with their knees or leg/ankle joints should avoid jogging, and therefore should try cycling (this is particularly recommended for overweight people who want to start workout to reduce weight) or Nordic walking, which does not harm the joints as much as jogging. Nordic walking is an ideal initiation of physical exercise because the training pulse can easily be maintained. And do not forget to make breaks!

the first one. But as already said: The important thing is that physical exercise should actually be fun! The pulse should always be in a range in which the jogger feels at ease. Furthermore overdoing it at the beginning of the training should be avoided too because this might lead to using more oxygen for the muscles than for the respiration. In this case the body turns down the metabolism. In other words: The athlete loses his drive. “Fit For Fun“95 suggests the following formula which helps you to calculate your individual fat burning pulse: The optimum training pulse for jogging and inline skating:

If you really want to take to jogging you should follow the tips for motivation:96 - Be realistic: Do not set yourself too high targets. So far nobody has run a marathon with only one week of training. - Plan your training carefully: Make your training an integral part of your daily life. Then the excuse “lack of time” is no longer justified. Think positively: Even though something may hurt after the training, think about the positive effects the training has had – fat burning, adjusting your body to higher performance, more fitness. - Good equipment: If you plan to jog regularly you should go to a sports shop and buy jogging shoes that are particularly suited for your purposes and needs. - Change lanes: Choose a route with changing surfacing. This improves the coordination of your movements and makes sure that the jogging will not become boring too quickly. - Form teams: Convince friends of about the same fitness to jog together with you.

(220 – ¾ age – resting pulse rate) × ”status factor“ + resting pulse rate The status factor is 0.6 for untrained people, 0.65 for well trained people and 0.7 for endurance athletes. The optimum training pulse for cycling and swimming: (220 – age – resting pulse rate) × “status factor“ + resting pulse rate The status factor is 0.6 for untrained people, 0.65 for well trained people and 0.7 for endurance athletes. Doing sports in a healthy way means being aerobic (i.e. with oxygen). So always make sure that you do not exceed your personal capacity. Always try to stay within the 70 – 75% range of your maximum capacity. This usually means that the workout is not just healthy but also fun!

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Elderly people should not forget to eat sufficient calcium and vitamin D to keep their bones solid and healthy. Well, that is actually it. In fact we do not need any “experts” who tell us what to eat. Or as the American scientific journalist Michael Pollan put it: “As simple as possible, as natural as possible and as varied as possible! Most of what we eat today would not have been recognised as food by my grandmother.“98 Apart from that researchers and scientists have found another ”remedy“ which seems to counteract all kinds of diseases, which however does not have anything to do with nutrition: doing physical exercise on a regular basis. Eat salad or apples more frequently, do not eat too much salt, eat fish rather than chips and drink a glass of milk every now and then. This is basically what remains from all the fuss – at least for the time being. And above all move your body – regularly and with pleasure. Everything else may well be disputed. Science has coined the concept of “delightful consumption”. According to this concept the consumer himself decides on his personal food intake and relies on a higher quality of life instead of product quantities. Delightful consumption is pleasure!

- Find your own speed: Never take faster, better trained joggers as a model. Find and keep your own rhythm. Do not start running faster or more slowly once you have found your ideal speed. Switching to another speed might even discourage you. But the most important rule is: Better longer than harder, and above all with pleasure. And hands off dietary supplements! Conclusion All the awareness-raising campaigns with regard to nutrition of the past 50 years have not really changed the eating habits of the people. It has just led to the fact that many people are still eating what they always used to eat, but nowadays they do so with a feeling of bad conscience. This is at least a start. Unfortunately what has been forgotten so far is to teach people that changing one’s lifestyle and with it also one’s eating habits may actually be fun. Fun is a direct consequence of pleasure and success and never ever of pressure and constraint. Try to understand how things are related to each other and do not let yourself be convinced that things are more complicated than they actually are. Of the many correlations that have been assumed and communicated to the people with regard to nutrition and health even experts only consider a handful of them as really being “convincingly proven“:97 - Eating fruits and vegetables protects us from cardiovascular diseases - as well as a diet poor in salt which - is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and - poor in saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids.

Or put it in the following way: ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!

! l a e m r u o y Enjoy

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currently not technically possible. So far no upper limits have been laid down legally. There has only been a recommendation on warning limits. It is however possible to reduce the formation of acrylamide by taking some simple measures. In many cases decreasing the maximum temperature by 10 – 20° C / 50 – 68° F or exchanging or renouncing some specific ingredients helps decrease the formation of acrylamide considerably. For example the Bavarian Regional Authorities for Health and Food Security have identified a high almond content and above all a high content of the baking agent ammonium hydrogen carbonate (formerly: ammonium bicarbonate or salt of hartshorn) as the main problem in gingerbread. When no almonds were used and ammonium hydrogen carbonate was replaced by baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate, or formerly: sodium bicarbonate) combined with disodium diphosphate and dicalcium phosphate as baking agents, the acrylamide content decreased to one tenth of the previous value. Such measures, however, may have considerable impacts on the flavour and the texture of the baked product.

ANNEX: GLOSSARY Acrylamide Acrylamide has been in the news since April 2002, when it was first detected in foods by Swedish scientists. It is formed when starch is heated to a high temperature especially while baking, frying, roasting, grilling and deepfrying. The most important basic substance for the formation of acrylamide in foods is the amino acid asparagine, which is contained above all in potatoes and grains. The formation of acrylamide is supported by sugar such as fructose and glucose. If silicone is used as an agent that prevents foaming in frying fats, the acrylamide values are even doubly as high. Surprisingly silicone as an additive in frying fats is still widely used in the food industry. Much acrylamide is formed especially if foods containing potatoes or grains are heated in a dry condition to more than 180° C / 355° F. The formation of acrylamide only starts at a temperature of 120° C / 250° F but increases dramatically at a temperature of 170° – 180° C / 340° - 355° F. A thin dry surface, such as the brown surface of chips or bread crust, is already sufficient to enable acrylamide formation. As a result chips, potato crisps, crispbread and coffee may have high acrylamide contents. For potatoes it has to be pointed out that their storage at a temperature of less than 8° C / 46° F has rather unfavourable effects. It is known that the fructose content increases considerably at storage temperatures below 4° C / 40° F, which leads to a dramatically high acrylamide formation while frying or deep-frying. It is therefore recommended not to store potatoes in the fridge. Nutrition which is totally free of acrylamide is

Amylases Amylases are enzymes which are found both in plants and in animals. Their effect is to split and break down polysaccharides (e.g. starch) in glycoside compounds. The amylase is formed in the pancreas (pancreas amylase) and in the salivary glands in the mouth (saliva amylase, -amylase, and ptyalin). The enzyme is primarily released in the digestive tract. Carbohydrates which have been consumed with the food therefore become usable for the body. Only a small part is actually taken up by the blood.

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Atkins Robert C. Atkins97 was a US American cardiologist and nutritionist. He became known above all because of the Atkins Diet, which bears his name. His own obesity made him look for a diet with which we can lose weight without feeling hungry. After having carefully studied scientific literature he published a book in 1972 in which he presented a nutrition pattern referred to as “diet revolution”. The book became a bestseller and about 15 million copies were sold. Atkins’ suggestion to renounce the intake of carbohydrates led to many discussions amongst nutritionists and his theory is still disputed. Atkins died in April 2003. There is differing information about Atkins’ physical condition and weight at the time of his death. Especially critics of his theory often report that he was obese and died of a heart attack. Others say that he died of complications due to a severe head trauma he had suffered when slipping on an icy street 9 dies before his death. According to newspaper reports Atkins weighed 116 kg (about 232 lb) at a body height of 1.82 m (6 ft), which means that he was obese. Supporters of his diet, however, claim that his high weight was due to the diet he received during his hospital stay before his death and a virus infection resulting in heart disease. Atkins had been slim before and was said to have weighed only 88kg (176 lb) when he was hospitalized.

cis-configuration in which the hydrogen atoms are found at the same side of the hydrocarbon chain and the trans configuration in which the two hydrogen atoms are each located at opposite sides. The configuration of a double bond decisively determines the spatial structure of a fatty acids as the trans configuration compared to the cis-configruation results in a bigger angle in the acyl chain. This means that a trans fatty acid is found in a predominantly stretched conformation and therefore becomes more similar to the spatial structure of saturated fatty acids. This conformation is stable as double bonds cannot turn on their own axis. Furthermore this conformation determines the physical properties of the fatty acids such as fluidity. Coronary heart disease The coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease is a disease of the coronary vessels (coronary arteries). It is caused by arteriosclerosis, i.e. deposits in the vessel walls which lead to a reduction of the interior diameter of the blood vessels as well as to a hardening of the vessels. This may lead to reduced blood supply of the myocardial muscles so that the oxygen supply might be insufficient. The difference between oxygen demand and oxygen supply by the supplying coronary arteries is also referred to as coronary insufficiency. The resulting lack in oxygen in the muscle tissue is called ischemia.

Dyslipoproteinaemia Cis-Configuration Dyslipoproteinaemia is a disorder of the fat metabolism. If a double bond of unsaturated fatty acids has a trans-con- The fat proteins HDL and LDL are responsible for the figuration it is referred to as a trans fatty acid. Two con- transport of cholesterol in the blood. While the protein figurations of double bonds are principally possible: the HDL transports cholesterol to the liver, the protein LDL

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which is sensitive to heat and light. Folic acid is contained in liver, whole grain products, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, as well as in broccoli, carrots, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, egg yolk and nuts. It is also contained in small quantities in fruits, fish and meat.

removes it again. In dyslipoproteinaemia the ratio between the two proteins is no longer correct, which leads to a misbalance in the protein balance. The number of HDL proteins is reduced and the transport of the cholesterol to the liver decreases or is stopped. This disturbed protein balance occurs often in combination with insulin resistance or the metabolic syndrome. It enormously increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or arteriosclerosis. As a therapy above all a diet poor in animal fats and cholesterol is recommended. In some cases the administration of lipidreducing drugs may help too.

Free radicals Free radicals are parts of molecules. At the fracture there is an atom with a so-called odd electron. Free, i.e. unbound radicals exert oxidative stress on biological tissue and may destroy it by serving as an initiator that triggers a chain reaction. In this reaction a free radical may bind to the part of an existing molecule and form a new molecule with it. If the new reaction partner is also released as a free radical it may lead to an analogue reaction. In such chain reactions molecules beneficial to the body disappear and new undesired and often harmful molecules are formed. The fractions in the DNA themselves are already harmful because they may cause cancer due to a misreading of the DNA. Free radicals play an important role in numerous biological processes. They may cause cell damage which amongst others may lead to cancer. Furthermore the oxidation of different substances caused by free radicals is said to play an important role in the development of arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, liver damage due to alcohol and pulmonary emphysema due to cigarette smoke.

Enzymes Enzymes are chemical compounds which “digest“ food and break down big components into smaller units (e.g. protein into amino acids, complex carbohydrates into simple sugar, fats into fatty acids and glycerol). Flavonoids Flavonoids are a group of water-soluble plant pigments. They play an important role in the metabolism of many plants. Together with the phenolic acids they belong to the group of the polyphenols. There are more than 6500 different flavonoids. Most of these flavonoids are bound to glucose or rhamnose – therefore they are called glycosides. Flavonoids are contained in many plant foods ranging from lemons and grapes to tea and chocolates with a high cocoa-content (there: epicatechin).

Glycogen Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in humans and animals. It serves as a short- to medium-term storage and supplies the energy source glucose.

Folic acid Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex

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Nitrogen monoxide Nitrogen monoxide (NO) has a vasodilative effect and thus prevents clotting of the blood platelets and the invasion of the vessel walls by inflammatory cells. A decrease of the NO-concentration in the blood vessel therefore contributes to earlier atherosclerosis.

Haemorrhagic stroke Broken or torn blood vessels are the commonest cause of haemorrhagic strokes. In these cases blood, which actually should supply the nerve cells with oxygen and nutrients, floods the brain tissue. The nerve cells are often damaged not only due to reduced blood supply but often also because of the pressure from the blood flowing out of the broken vessels.

Oxidation Originally oxidation referred to a chemical reaction between a certain substance and oxygen. Today the reaction of a substance with oxygen and the formation of oxides are associated with this term. However, in a more general definition this reaction is only one of many which can be explained by means of the valence electron theory. The term oxidation was first introduced by Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier, who wanted to describe the union of elements and chemical compounds with the element oxygen, i.e. the formation of oxides. Later the term was used in a more general way. It was also used for reactions in which hydrogen atoms were withdrawn from compounds (dehydration). Based on the ion theory and Bohrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atomic model, oxidation was interpreted also with regard to electron-theoretical respects and thus generalised. The characteristic feature of this process is now seen in the release of an electron by a chemical substance.

Hydration In chemistry hydration refers to the process in which hydrogen binds to other chemical elements or compounds. Hydration is also used to harden fats of vegetable oils to produce margarine (Wilhelm Normann, 1901). In this procedure double compounds in the fatty acid chains of the fat molecules are saturated with hydrogen. As the compounds without double compounds have a higher melding point, liquid oil can be turned into hard fat. Hypertension Hypertension is the medical term for a high blood pressure. The opposite, i.e. a blood pressure below the common values, is called hypotension. Ischemic stroke An ischemic (literally caused by anaemia) stroke is a sudden circulatory disorder in the brain. A part of the brain tissue is no longer supplied sufficiently with oxygen and nutrients, which first leads to disturbed brain functions in the affected area. If the lack in oxygen and nutrient continues for a longer period of time, the brain tissue starts to die. About 80% of all strokes are ischemic strokes.

Oxides Oxides are chemical compounds of metals or non-metals with oxygen. Polyphenols Polyphenols are aromatic compounds which may be present in plants as bioactive substances such as pigments, flavours or tannic acids (tannin).

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These substances are usually undesirable for reasons such as shelf life, appearance, taste or technical processing of the oils. During the refining process the crude oil passes through various stages in which it is deslimed, deacidified, bleached and deodorised at high temperatures. Refining of vegetable oils is not really necessary. Cold-pressed oils are normally just filtered as usually no additives such as hexane, which help extract the oil from the seeds, are added. Sugar Refining of sugar means bleaching brown crude sugar (from sugar cane or sugar beet) by repeating the processing stages dissolving, filtering, centrifuging and crystallizing several times. The granulated sugar obtained in this procedure is called refined sugar. Its origin (sugar cane or sugar beet) can no longer be traced as in both cases refined sugar is chemically speaking nearly pure saccharose (99.8%).

Quinoa Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Quechua kinwa), also called Quinua, Inca rice or Peruvian rice is a species of goosefoot (amaranthaceae). The leaves are rich in minerals and are eaten as vegetables or salad. The seeds, which are about the size of a mustard seed, are similar in composition to grain. Quinoa as well as amaranth are Referred to as gluten-free â&#x20AC;&#x153;pseudo grainâ&#x20AC;?. Their content of protein and some minerals (especially magnesium and iron) is even higher than that of common species of grain. On the other hand quinoa seeds do not contain any vitamin A and C and little fat, and about 50% of the fatty acids are unsaturated. Quinoa can be used instead of rice. Refining Refining generally refers to a procedure used to purify or improve raw materials. This term is used for some technically very different procedures.

Grain Refining of grain means grinding the grain very finely and then sieving it in order to obtain very white flour. In this procedure coarse shredding products such as the skin of the grain or the germ buds remain in the sieve so that the white flour no longer contains the most precious nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

Vegetable oils and fats Many vegetable fats are refined after pressing the oilseeds as the crude oil still contains various substances such as pigments, odour- and taste-bearing substances as well as bitter substances.

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FOOTNOTES

Cf. “Kein anderes Fett ist in so geringer Menge so gefährlich“, Welt.de, www.welt.de/data/2006/11/10/1106338.html 26) Cf. “Transfette vom Markt verbannt“, Lebensmittel-Zeitung, No. 50, 15th December 2006, p. 30 27) Cf. “Kein anderes Fett ist in so geringer Menge so gefährlich“, Welt.de, www.welt.de/data/2006/11/10/1106338.html 28) Cf. “Kein anderes Fett ist in so geringer Menge so gefährlich“, Welt.de, www.welt.de/data/2006/11/10/1106338.html 29) Cf. “Noch so ein Diätwunder“, Joachim Müller-Jung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 255, Thursday, 2nd November 2006, p. 40 30) Cf. “Ist leicht erhöht schon zu viel?“ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wednesday, 28th February 2007, No. 50, page N2 31) Cf. “Fettschwemme im Blut“, Dr. Anette Huesmann, Focus-Online 32) Cf. “Kalorien treiben den Krebs an“, Martina Lenzen-Schulte, in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, page 32, Thursday, 15th February 2007, No. 39 33) Cf. “Viel Obst schadet nicht“ by Catherine Newmark, in Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung, Thursday, 26th April 2007, No. 97, page 9 34) Cf. “Fettsäure gegen Krebs“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 255, Monday, 14th November 2006, p. 34 35) Cf. “Zuviel ‘rotes Fleisch‘ steigert Brustkrebsrisiko“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 266, Wednesday, 15th November 2006, p. 11 36) Cf. “Die Krankheit des Jahrhunderts“, Siegfried Thielbeer and Claus Peter Müller, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 215, Friday, 15th September 2006, p. 9 37) Cf. „Viel Obst schadet nicht“, Catherine Newmark, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Thursday, 26th April 2007, No. 97, p. 9 38) Cf. “Schönheit von innen“, Susanne Donner, Die Welt, Saturday, 21st October 2006, page W2 39) Cf. “Fischesserinnen bekommen klügere Kinder“, Spiegel-Online, www. spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,466957,00.html 40) Cf. “Gesundes Fett, damit das Baby nicht zu früh kommt“, Eltern, 10/2006, p. 4 41) Cf. ”Fruit and veg juice may reduce Alzheimer´s risk“, Stephen Daniells, www.nutragredients.com, 31st August 2006 42) Cf. “Folsäure hilft dem Gehirn auf die Sprünge“, Spiegel-Online, www. spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,460918,00.html 43) Cf. ”The fishy link to low rates of depression“, Clarisse Douaud, www. nutragredients.com, 21st November 2006 44) Cf. ”Red wine, great for athletes?“, www.winespiritsdaily.com, 20th November 2006 45) Cf. “Gedopt – und trotzdem unschuldig“, Susanne Rohlfing, Spiegel Online, www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,497905,00.html 46) Cf. “Koffein schützt vor Muskelkater“, Die Welt Online, www.welt. de/data/2007/01/19/1182502.html 47) Cf. “Stressfett schmilzt weg“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tuesday, 3rd July 2007, No. 151, p. 9 25)

Published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 2007; Original title: This Book Will Save Your Life Cf. “Einfach essen“, Birgit Herden, Die Zeit, No. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 45 f. 3) Cf. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopaedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Ernährung (Latest update: 11th September 2007) 4) See Wikipedia. 5) Cf. Primavera 2007, pp. 32 – 35 6) Cf. “EU ministers to search for obesity solution“, Anthony Fletcher, Food navigator.com Europe, 9th November 2006 7) Cf. “Maß halten fällt schwer“, Lebensmittel-Zeitung, No. 31, 4th August 2006, p. 38 8) Cf. Martina Lenzen-Schulte, “Hunger ist schwer zu überlisten“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 136, 15th June 2007, p. 42 9) Cf. “Aus dem Bauch heraus zur Schlankheitspille?“, Hildegard Kaulen, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wednesday, 6th December 2006, No. 284, page N1 10) Cf. “Amerikanische Essstörung“, Euro-Toques Magazin, 2nd edition, November 2006, pp. 18 -19 11) Cf. “Arme Kinder, kranke Kinder“, Friedrich Schmitt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 224, Tuesday, 26th September 2006, p. 9 12) “Bitterschokolade“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wednesday, 7th February 2007, No. 32, p. N1 13) Cf. ”The Optimum Nutrition Bible“, Patrick Holford, Judy Piatkus (Publishers) Ltd. 14) Wikipedia. Die freie Enzyklopädie. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Spurenelement (Update: 11th September 2007) 15) Cf. “Eine starke Truppe“, Markt und Medien, edition June 2007, pp. 4 – 7 16) Cf. “Dickmacher im Fruchtgewand“, Jutta von Camphausen, Stern – Gesund leben, edition 05/06, p. 86 17) Cf. “Dickmacher im Fruchtgewand“, Jutta von Camphausen, Stern – Gesund leben, edition 05/06, p. 86 18) Cf. ”Fats that heal, fats that kill“ by Udo Erasmus, alive publishing group inc. 19) Cf. “Fat is not equal to fat!“ in Oswald, Vitale Themen, www.oswald.ch 20) Cf. “Wunder im Topf“, Kathrin Zinkant, Die Zeit, No. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 46 21) Cf. “Neues aus der Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung“, Aktuelle Informationen für Ihre Gesundheit 1/2007, pp. 1 – 2, Published by Prevent, IAS Institut für Arbeits- und Sozialhygiene Stiftung 22) Cf. “Werden Sie fit in acht Wochen“, Karin Zahner, “Gesund“ Migros Magazine, 9th October 2006, p. 5 ff. 23) Cf. “Werden Sie fit in acht Wochen“, Karin Zahner, “Gesund“ Migros Magazine, 9th October 2006, p. 5 ff 24) Cf. “Ein dicker Bauch kann tödlich sein“, Welt.de, www.welt.de/ data/2006/10/09/1065343.html 1)

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Footnotes

Cf. “Was langsam gart, wird richtig gut“, Simone Hoffmann, Slow Food Magazine, 04/2006, p. 24 49) Cf. “Techniker am Herd“, Katrin Hummel, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Monday, 19th March 2007, No. 66, p. 9 50) Cf. “Moleküle an die Macht“, Jürgen Dollase, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Saturday, 9th June 2007, No. 131, p. 32 51) Cf. “Zwei Drittel aller Erwachsener vertragen Milch nicht“, Hristio Boytchev, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/data/2007/01/13/1174343.html 52) Cf. “Die verträgt nicht jeder“, Barbara Hobom, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Tuesday, 27th February 2007, No. 49, p. 32 53) Cf. “Die Milch macht´s auch für Chinesen“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wednesday, 1st August 2007, No. 176, p. 9 54) Cf. “Das Futter zum Erbgut“, Birgit Herden, Die Zeit, Nr. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 47 55) Cf. “Das Futter zum Erbgut“, Birgit Herden, Die Zeit, Nr. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 47 56) Cf. “Das tödliche Quartett“, Norbert Lossau, Die Welt Online, www.welt. de/wissenschaft/article742896/Das_toedliche_Quartett.html 57) Cf. “Übergewicht durch Mitochondrien“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wednesday, 4th April 2007, No. 80, page N1 58) Cf. “Food Fictions. Radikale Food Trends“, Stephan Sigrist, GDI Study No. 22, 2005 59) Cf. “Bio – gestern und heute“, Peter Stäsche, Markt und Medien, edition March 2007, pp. 1 – 2 60) Cf. “Bio ist begehrt“, Lisa Nienhaus, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Saturday, 13th January 2007, No. 11, p. 20) 61) Cf. “Der lokale Klimafaktor“, Birgit Will, LZ 28, 13th July 2007, pp. 28 – 29 62) According to M. Demmeler: Ökologische und ökonomische Effizienzpotenziale einer regionalen Lebensmittelherstellung, 2007 63) Cf. “Öko. Logisch?“, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Wissen, September/October 2006, edition 11/2006, pp. 19 – 30 64) Cf. “Noch so ein Diätwunder“, Joachim Müller-Jung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 255, Thursday, 2nd November 2006, p. 40 65) Cf. “Hungerhormon zum Abspecken“, Nicola von Lutterotti, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Monday, 18th June 2007, No. 138, p. 34 66) Cf. “Die tägliche Dosis“, Britta Rosbach, Lebensmittel-Zeitung Spezial, No. 3/2006, p. 39 ff. 67) Cf. “Futter fürs Hirn“, Silke Biester, Lebensmittel-Zeitung, No. 48, 1st December 2006, p. 33 68) Cf. “Die tägliche Dosis“, Britta Rosbach, Lebensmittel-Zeitung Spezial, No. 3/2006, p. 39 ff. 69) Cf. “Die tägliche Dosis“, Britta Rosbach, Lebensmittel-Zeitung Spezial, No. 3/2006, p. 39 ff. 70) Cf. “Danone bringt Kosmetik-Joghurt“, Lebensmittel-Zeitung, No. 48, 1st December 2006, p. 18 71) Cf. “Immun mit System?“, Focus, No. 43, 2006, pp. 90 ff. 72) Cf. “Zaubertrank aus dem Euter“, Natur + Kosmos, edition 8/2007, p. 50

Cf. “Das frühe Stück Genuss“, Andrea Jungwirth, Genuss Magazin, 03/2007, p. 13 74) Cf. ”Office Diät“, Genuss Magazin, 03/2007, pp. 70 – 71 75) Cf. ”Food experts examine benefits of olive oils, Med diet“, Lorraine Heller, www.foodnavigator-usa.com, 11th September 2006 76) Cf. “Nüsse und Olivenöl gegen Herzerkrankungen“, Pia Heinemann, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/wissenschaft/article993514/Nuesse_und_ Olivenoel_gegen_Herzerkrankungen.html 77) Cf. ”Food experts examine benefits of olive oils, Med diet“, Lorraine Heller, www.foodnavigator-usa.com, 11th September 2006 78) Cf. ”Food experts examine benefits of olive oils, Med diet“, Lorraine Heller, www.foodnavigator-usa.com, 11th September 2006 79) Cf. “Länger leben mit dem richtigen Rotwein“, Welt.de, www.welt. de/data/2006/11/29/1128808.html 80) Cf. Focus 40/2006, Seite 63 ff. 81) Cf. Focus 40/2006, Seite 63 ff. 82) Cf. “Glückliche Fleischberge“, Barbara Hobom, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Friday, 5th January 2007, No. 4, p. 32 83) Cf. www3.ndr.de/ndrtv_pages_std/0,3147,OID3669816_REF13274,00.html 84) Cf. “Einfach essen“, Birgit Herden, Die Zeit, No. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 45 f. 85) Cf. “Doping vor dem Herd“, Jürgen Dollase, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 28th July 2007, No. 173, p. 34 86) Cf. “EU will Öko-Nahrung billiger machen“, Thomas A. Friedrich, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/data/2006/12/20/1151420.html 87) Cf. http://www.mypyramid.gov/ . (Latest update: 11th September 2007) 88) Cf. “Die neue Fit For Fun Diät“, Dörte Helberg, Südwest Verlag 89) Cf. http://www.fitforfun-food.de/ (Latest update:11th September 2007) 90) Cf. “Machen Sie den Pfunden Beine“, Torben Müller, Stern – Gesund leben, edition 05/06, p. 21 ff. 91) Cf. “Die neue Fit For Fun Diät“, Dörte Helberg, Südwest Verlag, p. 53 92) Cf. ”Verputzen Sie die lästigen Kalorien“, Sandra Winkle, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/lifestyle/article770007/Verputzen_Sie_die_laestigen_ Kalorien.html 93) Cf. “Welcher Sport wirklich schlank macht“, Tinka Wol, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/wissenschaft/medizin/article1003668/Welcher_Sport_ wirklich_schlank_macht.html 94) Cf. “Welcher Sport wirklich schlank macht“, Tinka Wol, Die Welt Online, www.welt.de/wissenschaft/medizin/article1003668/Welcher_Sport_ wirklich_schlank_macht.html 95) Cf. “Die neue Fit For Fun Diät“, Dörte Helberg, Südwest Verlag, pp. 55 - 56 96) Cf. “Die neue Fit For Fun Diät“, Dörte Helberg, Südwest Verlag, p. 58 97) Cf. “Einfach essen“, Birgit Herden, Die Zeit, No. 46, 9th November 2006, p. 45 f. 98) Cf. “Amerikanische Essstörung“, Euro-Toques Magazin, 2nd edition, November 2006, pp. 18 - 19 99) 17th October 1930 in Columbus, Ohio; † 17th April 2003 in New York

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star.â&#x20AC;? Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, French writer and philosopher

Credits

Idea and text: Christoph Heidt Conception: Julia Laibl Graphic design: Petra Hennrich Recipes and photos: VOM FASS, Thomas Sixt (www.besterezeptesuche.de) Proofreading and editing: Lingua Viva / Doris Fackler Print and binding: Chytra Druck 2nd edition – October 2009 Copyright © Pressel Publishing Services, Wien Printed in Germany ISBN-10: 3-902326-08-5 ISBN-13: 978-3-902326-08-9

Preface

The famous German chef Heinz Winkler once said: “Cooks are no alchemists who isolated in their culinary laboratories turn lead into gold. The quality of what is produced in a kitchen largely depends on its suppliers – no gourmet temple without top ingredients. For many people this is still a surprisingly political dimension of culinary pleasure. Culinary delights inevitably have an organic touch, require a dense network of livestock breeders, wine growers and farmers who produce their specific products in harmony with nature and according to traditional recipes and farming methods.” VOM FASS has made this approach its philosophy. We use only the best products and exclusively work with producers who we know personally and with whom we have established a very special relationship over many years. This creates confidence in quality and reliability – confidence that you will benefit from when cooking and eating many delicious dishes, regardless of whether you try our select oils, vinegars or balms, our wines, liqueurs, schnapps or spirits or our unique whiskeys. So savour and enjoy! Our primary concern is to motivate people to cook and to enjoy their food. So one of our most important principles is “Learn to enjoy”! To enjoy something means to love doing the things you do. Eating and drinking, two of the most basic human needs, have dramatically deteriorated during the past few years. A contradiction in itself: On all TV channels cooking shows rank amongst the programmes with the highest viewing rates. There are even specialised channels that deal exclusively with eating and drinking. Cookery books rank top on the bestseller lists and top chefs have achieved the status of pop stars. But instead of imitating them we watch them eating potato crisps out of a bag or helping ourselves to a serving of chips. We have decided to join those tireless people who have taken up the cause of rediscovering the pleasure of eating and drinking. Gain pleasure from experimenting and improve with every meal you cook. We have compiled a number of great recipes for you that vary in difficulty and which will certainly tackle your “appetite for more”. Discover the world of cooking and above all savour and enjoy!

Christoph Heidt

Contents

s t n e t n o C f o e Tabl Preface

Antipasti Carpaccio of Smoked Fillet of Pork Prawns on Limes with Young Garlic Swiss Cheese Soup from the Valais Canton Salad with Seafood Styrian Beef Salad with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Vegetables

6 6 8 10 12 14

Salads Leaf Salad with Mango Waldburg Balsam Variety of Leaf Salads with Sliced Vegetables Frisée-Melon-Salad with Smoked Fish Grape Salad Antipasti Mushrooms Leaf Salad with Asian Dressing, Bacon and Clams

16 16 18 20 22 24 26

Main Dishes Medallions of Venison with Port-Wine-and-Fig-Sauce Guinea Fowl with Roasted Peppers Duck Breast in Honey Balm Risotto alla milanese Grilled Vegetables with Feta Cheese and Rosemary Salmon Fillet in Foil Sole in White Wine Vegetable Risotto with Chilli Oil Fillet Steak with Spinach-Radicchio-Salad St. Peter’s Fish in Truffle Sauce with Millefeuille Biscuits and Spinach

28 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46

Desserts Calvados Cream with Apple Slices Pineapple Turnovers with Vanilla Ice Cream and Honey Grape-Riesling-Sorbet Chocolate Parfait

48 48 50 52 54

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Antipasti

Carpaccio loflet of Pork Smoked Fi e

Ingredients for 4 people: 2.5 oz smoked fillet of pork 2.5 oz salami 1 tablespoon Waldburg Balsam Honey VOM FASS 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil VOM FASS

salt and pepper 4 leaves frisée salad 4 leaves radicchio 0.5 oz cress 1/4 bunch parsley

e Preparation: Arrange the thinly sliced fillet and salami on a big white plate. Make a dressing from the Waldburg Balsam Honey, hazelnut oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully coat the slices with the dressing. Wash the salads and cut them into small pieces. Place salad in the middle of the plate. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Recommended wine: Château de Lastours, AOC Rosé, France

Hint on all recommended wines: You can always choose from the newest available vintages.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Antipasti

s e m i L n o s Prawn g Garlic with Youn e

Ingredients for 4 people: 40 prawns 4 limes 8 tablespoons lime juice 4 tablespoons oyster sauce 16 tablespoons ”Madonia“ or “Agora“ olive oil VOM FASS

some dried chilli pepper some garlic 2 tablespoons “Madonia“ or “Agora“ olive oil VOM FASS for frying vegetable oil for deep-frying

e Preparation: Wash the prawns and pat them dry. Peel them and remove the black line. Set aside the prawns. Cut 10 thin lime slices for each serving and arrange them on a plate. Then prepare the vinaigrette mixing the lime juice with oyster sauce and olive oil. Season to taste with finely chopped chilli peppers. Slice the garlic with some of the skin (ideally young, green garlic). Put some vegetable oil into a pan and fry the garlic golden brown. Drain the garlic by placing it on a paper towel. Season with salt and set aside for the garnishing. Gently roast the prawns over medium heat in some olive oil in a pan or on the grill. Roast them on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange the prawns on the prepared lime slices, sprinkle with the lime-and-olive-oil vinaigrette, and serve the prawns garnished with the fried garlic. Recommended wine: Château de Capitoul, Rosé

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Antipasti

p u o S e s e e h C Swiss n o t n a C s i a l a V e h t m o fr e

Ingredients for 4 people: 7 oz Emmenthal cheese 7 oz stale white tin loaf 1/2 pint vegetable stock 1/2 pint dry white wine VOM FASS 2 onions

1 tablespoon flour 2-3 tablespoons grape seed oil VOM FASS 1 bunch mixed fresh herbs salt, pepper, nutmeg

e Preparation: Finely grate the cheese. Cut the crust off the bread and cut bread into small dice. Place diced bread in a bowl and pour hot stock over it. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Peel the onions, half them and cut them into very thin slices. Dust with flour and fry in grape seed oil until golden brown. Rinse herbs, pat them dry and chop finely. Pass the bread mixture through a sieve, mix with white wine and bring to a boil. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Season the soup with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour soup into soup cups and garnish with the herbs and onion rings. Recommended wine: Zeni Bardolino Chiaretto Classico Rosato, DOC, Lake Garda, Italy

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Antipasti

Salad eafood with S e

Ingredients for 4 people: 6.5 oz mixed leaf salads 4 oz aubergine (eggplant) 2.5 oz clams (fresh or canned) 2.5 oz shrimps 2.5 oz small squids, ready to cook 5 oz onion 0.3 oz garlic 4 oz tomatoes fine salt

8 tablespoons ”Maletti“ Aceto Balsamico di Modena VOM FASS black pepper, ground 1/2 chilli pepper 1 bunch fresh basil 1.5 fl oz “Pepone“ olive oil VOM FASS 3 tablespoons olive oil extra vergine di oliva al limone VOM FASS

e Preparation: Pick the leaf salads to small pieces and wash them carefully in cold water. Spin the salad leaves dry or place them on a kitchen towel to dry. Wash the aubergine (eggplant), cut it lengthwise into halves and slice it. Put some olive oil “Pepone” into a pan and sauté the aubergine (eggplant) slices on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, put into a bowl and set aside. Wash and drain the seafood in a colander. Peel the garlic and the onion and dice finely. Sauté the onion in some olive oil “Pepone”, then add the garlic and the seafood and sear briefly. If you use fresh clams, first cook them in some white wine. The stock can be used for preparing the marinade. Season the seafood with salt, pepper and chilli, sprinkle with Balsamico di Modena vinegar, add olive oil “Pepone” and mix everything well. Sprinkle olio extra vergine di oliva al limone on the seafood, mix with the aubergines (eggplants) and the leaf salads and arrange on plates. Cut the tomatoes into halves, salt and pepper them and arrange them on the salad.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Antipasti

h t i w d a l a S f e e Styrian B s e l b a t e g e V d n a l i O d e e S n i k p Pum e Ingredients for 4 people: 8 tablespoons Bordeaux red wine vinegar from France VOM FASS fine salt black pepper, ground 4 teaspoons sugar 0.1 oz garlic clove 20 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil VOM FASS

21 oz boiled beef 5.5 oz carrots 5.5 oz celery 5.5 oz spring onion 0.1 oz chives 0.5 oz pumpkin seeds

e Preparation: Mix Bordeaux red wine vinegar with salt, pepper, sugar and the finely chopped garlic. Slowly add pumpkin seed oil, first in small drops, later in a very fine stream. Stir steadily until an emulsified dressing is formed. Cut the boiled beef into thin rhombic slices and marinate in the pumpkin seed vinaigrette. Wash and pat dry the carrots, celery and spring onions. Peel the carrots and cut them into very thin slices. Slice the spring onion. Add the vegetables to the marinated beef and mix thoroughly. Finely chop the chives. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a pan. Dress the beef salad with pumpkin seed oil and vegetables. Leave to marinate and then arrange on a plate or in a bowl. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds and chives and serve. Hint: The vinaigrette should taste slightly sweet. Instead of spring onions you can also use white or red salad onions. If you do not like raw vegetables, briefly steam them in a steamer or in a sieve over boiling water. In this way the vegetables remain crisp, their colour becomes even more intensive and the vitamins and mineral nutrients do not get lost.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Salads

h t i w d a l a Leaf S ldburg Balsam Mango Wa e

Ingredients for 4 people: 1 lettuce (iceberg lettuce, lambâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lettuce, head lettuce or chicory) 1 cup creamy yoghurt 1 tablespoon sour cream juice of half a lemon

salt pepper sugar WALDBURG BALSAM Mango VOM FASS (to taste, about 1.75 to 3.5 fl oz)

e Preparation: Carefully wash the salad. Put yoghurt, sour cream and lemon juice into a bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. Pour this refreshing salad dressing on the salad just before serving. Tip for gourmets: Mix our balsams with mineral water to prepare a healthy and refreshing drink or an alcohol-free aperitif.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Salads

s d a l a S f a Variety of LVeegetables with Sliced

Ingredients for 4 people: 20 oz of different leaf salads 7 fl oz Aceto Balsamico di Modena “Senza” VOM FASS 4 teaspoons crème fraîche 12 tablespoons Cretan olive oil “Agora“ VOM FASS

6.5 oz potatoes 4 leaves white cabbage 2 carrots 8 quail eggs fine salt

e Preparation: Bring about 2 pints of water to a boil in a pot. Cook the quail eggs for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Cool the boiled eggs in cold water. Cut the quail eggs into halves. Carefully remove the shell with a small spoon and set aside. Heat some oil in a pan. With a vegetable slicer cut the potatoes into thin slices and fry them in “Agora” olive oil until crispy. Salt and pepper the crisps and set aside. Prepare a creamy dressing from the Aceto Balsamico di Modena “Senza”, the crème fraîche / sheep milk yoghurt and the olive oil “Agora”. Season with salt and pepper. In a bowl mix the salad with the dressing, and then arrange it on plates. Garnish with potato crisps, pumpkin seeds, quail eggs, carrot slices and the finely chopped cabbage.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Salads

d a l a S n o l Fri´see-Me ish F d e k o m S h t i w e Ingredients for 4 people: 1 smoked trout, in fillets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 melon (e.g. Charentais) 1 frisée lettuce (or endive salad)

Dressing: 1/2 red chilli pepper 1 tablespoon Waldburg Balsam Raspberry VOM FASS 3 tablespoon Prosecco Giano VOM FASS salt and some lemon

e Preparation: Cut the melon into quarters and remove the seeds. Scoop melon balls out of the pulp. Purée about 3.5 oz of the remaining pulp with a hand mixer and then pass through a sieve. Seed the chilli pepper and slice it thinly. Mix it with the pulp, Waldburg Balsam Raspberry, Prosecco and spices. Pick the frisée lettuce into bite-sized pieces (or cut the endive salad into thin slices). Carefully mix the salad with the melon balls and trout bits and sprinkle with the dressing.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Salads

d a l a S e p a r G e Ingredients for 4 people: 1 red oak leaf salad 1 lb white and black grapes 2 pears some lemon juice 8 slices of bacon 4 tablespoons Trebbiano wine VOM FASS

2 tablespoons cold pressed grape seed oil VOM FASS 1 tablespoon walnut oil VOM FASS 2 tablespoons WALDBURG BALSAM Grape VOM FASS 2 oz walnuts

e Preparation: Wash the red oak leaf salad and cut it into small pieces. Cut the grapes into halves and seed them. Wash the pears. Cut them into thin slices and sprinkle them with lemon juice. Roast the bacon in a pan until crispy. Prepare a dressing from the Trebbiano wine, the WALDBURG BALSAM Grape, the walnut oil and the grape seed oil. Mix the dressing with the grapes, the pears and the salad leaves. Arrange the salad on four plates and add the bacon. Finely chop the walnuts and scatter them over the salad.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Salads

Antipasti ooms Mushr e

Ingredients for 4 people: 8.5 oz courgette (zucchini) 11 oz mushrooms 4 teaspoons sunflower oil VOM FASS fine salt white pepper, ground

0.1 oz parsley 0.75 fl oz Aceto Balsamico di Modena Golden Quality VOM FASS 1.5 fl oz “San Mauro“ olive oil VOM FASS

e Preparation: Clean mushrooms. If they are very dirty briefly rinse them under running water and pat them dry. Cut mushrooms into quarters. Quickly sauté mushrooms in a pan with some sunflower oil and season with salt, pepper and the chopped parsley. Leave to cool a bit and then marinate with some Balsamico di Modena and cold “San Mauro“ olive oil. Arrange the mushrooms in a bowl or on plates and serve. Hint: The antipasti mushrooms may be served lukewarm or cold. You can also prepare the mushrooms ahead and keep them in a closed box. Just before serving, grate some Pecorino cheese over the mushrooms. Aphrodisiac effects: This is an ideal snack for romantic hours. If you want to make things hot and spicy, add some freshly ground chilli to the mushrooms. Recommended wine: Serve a Cuvée Clémence Entre Deux Mers VOM FASS with this dish.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Salads

n a i s A h t i w d Leaf Sala acon and Clams Dressing, B

e Ingredients for 4 people: 2.5 oz radicchio 2.5 oz iceberg lettuce 1.5 oz frisée lettuce 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar Reserva VOM FASS 4 teaspoons soy sauce 4 teaspoons Teriyaki marinade

2 tablespoons garlic oil VOM FASS 4 pinches of dried chilli peppers 2 tablespoons chilli oil VOM FASS 8 tablespoons sunflower oil VOM FASS 2.5 oz bacon slices 2.5 oz courgette (zucchini) 3.5 oz clams, fresh or canned

e Preparation Shred the radicchio, iceberg lettuce and frisée lettuce into small pieces and wash carefully in cold water. Place the salads on a kitchen towel to dry or spin dry in a salad spinner. Mix the sherry vinegar with the soy sauce and the Teriyaki marinade as well as the garlic, garlic oil, chilli and chilli oil. Then slowly stir in the sunflower oil. Roast the bacon in a pan until crispy, drain and set aside. Cut the courgette (zucchini) into thin slices and add to the leaf salads. Dress the salad with the Asian dressing and arrange it on plates. Put the bacon and drained clams on top of the salad and serve with freshly baked white bread. Hint: The Asian dressing can be prepared ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge. After washing the leaf salads, always dry them or spin them dry. Dry salad can be dressed more easily, as the dressing does not stick to wet salad. Dry-spun salad can be kept in the fridge for several days if covered with a moist cloth.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

n o s i n e V f o s Medallion d-Fig-Sauce n a e n i W t r o P with e Ingredients for 4 people: 8 venison medallions (about 2.5 oz each) 2 figs 2 fl oz Portuguese fortified wine VOM FASS 6 tablespoons ”Pepone“ olive oil VOM FASS 1/2 pint venison stock freshly milled salt and pepper

2 chopped bay leaves 6 crushed juniper berries 4 crushed allspice berries chopped parsley 1 tablespoon rosemary

e Preparation: Make a marinade from 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the freshly milled salt and pepper, the bay leaves, juniper and allspice berries, parsley and rosemary. Coat the venison medallions with it and leave to marinate for 2 to 3 hours. Then quickly fry on both sides in hot olive oil. Finish cooking in the oven for about 5 minutes at a temperature of 180° C / 350° F. Lift meat out of the pan and keep warm. Pour port wine over the meat juices in the pan and add venison stock. Slightly reduce the sauce. Then pass the sauce through a sieve. Briefly heat the medallions in the sauce. Cut the figs into dices and add them without cooking. Serve with croquettes and broccoli. Recommended wine: Château de Capitoul Rocaille, AOC rouge, La Clape, Languedoc, France

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

l w o F a e n i Gu eppers P d e t s a o R h t i w e Ingredients for 4 people: 2 guinea fowls (or 1 chicken) 5.5 oz each of red and yellow peppers 4 oz aubergine (eggplant) 4 oz mushrooms 3.5 oz courgette (zucchini) 4 oz fennel 2 oz shallots 0.1 oz dried chilli pepper

8 cloves of garlic 1 bunch fresh basil 4 tablespoons cashew nuts (or pine nuts) 4 teaspoons sunflower oil VOM FASS 5 fl oz “Crue Calanquet“ olive oil VOM FASS salt, white pepper, ground

e Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200° C / 390° F. Wash the vegetables and pat them dry. Cut them into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the guinea fowl inside and out and pat it dry with some paper towels. Season with freshly milled salt and pepper and briefly sauté on all sides in a big pan. Add peppers and shallots and sauté too. Place everything into the preheated oven. After 20 minutes, add the rest of the vegetables as well as the chilli and the peeled and quartered garlic. Carefully pierce the skin of the guinea fowl with a fork to make the meat juice ooze out. Season again with salt and pepper. Place the guinea fowl on a platter for carving on the dining table. Finish the vegetables and gravy by adding basil and pine or cashew nuts. Arrange the meat and vegetables nicely on the plates and serve.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

Duck Breaasltm in Honey B

e Ingredients for 4 people: 2 tablespoons “Pepone“ olive oil VOM FASS 4 duck breasts 1 medium-sized onion

8 tablespoons WALDBURG BALSAM Honey VOM FASS 8.5 fl oz white wine VOM FASS salt and pepper (freshly milled)

e Preparation: Salt and pepper the duck breasts. Finely dice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a coated pan and fry the duck breasts on both sides over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm. At the same time prepare the sauce. Sauté the diced onions in a saucepan, then add WALDBURG BALSAM Honey and the wine. Keep stirring the sauce and reduce down over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Pour the juices from the duck into the sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Slice the duck breasts and baste with the sauce. Recommended wine: Bidoli Merlot DOC, Friuli, Italy

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

Risotto anese alla mil e

Ingredients for 4 people: 4 shallots 2 cloves of garlic 6.5 oz risotto rice 4 fl oz white wine VOM FASS 16 fl ml stock

1 pinch of saffron threads or powdered saffron 2 oz butter 2.5 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 1 tablespoon “Pepone“ olive oil VOM FASS salt and pepper

e Preparation: Finely dice the shallots and garlic and sauté in olive oil. Add the risotto rice and sauté it also. Pour white wine over the rice and then slowly add the stock. Continue adding stock by and by. The rice should always be covered with some liquid and simmer over a low heat. Add the saffron threads. After 12 to 15 minutes the risotto rice is cooked, but not too soft. Stir in the butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Recommended wine: Zeni Valpolicella DOC Ripasso, Marogne, Lake Garda, Italy

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

s e l b a t e g e V Grilled Cheese and Rosemary with Feta

e Ingredients for 4 people: 8.5 oz courgette (zucchini) 8.5 oz aubergine (eggplant) 6.5 oz cherry tomatoes 4 cloves of garlic 1 bunch rosemary

2 fl oz “Santini“ olive oil VOM FASS 5 oz Feta cheese fine salt black pepper, ground

e Preparation: Cut the courgette (zucchini) and aubergine (eggplant) into 1/2-inch thick slices and season with salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil in a big pan and fry the vegetable slices golden brown. Remove the vegetables from the pan. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and fry them in the pan together with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the vegetables in small bowls. Put the Feta cheese on the vegetables, scatter some rosemary leaves over the vegetables and sprinkle with olive oil. Arrange on plates and serve the vegetables garnished with the tomatoes. Hint: If you do not have a garden and charcoal grill the grilled vegetables can only be prepared in a pan, preferably a cast-iron pan. When frying the vegetables with little oil, the result will be similar to that of the grill. Of course the typical charcoal flavour is missing, but you may achieve a similar taste by adding roasted bacon seasoned with curing salt. Recommended wine: Château de Lastours, Cuvée Simone Descamps. AOC, France

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

t e l l i F n o m Sal in Foil e

Ingredients for 4 people: 4 salmon fillets, 1/2 lb each fresh thyme and rosemary 8 bay leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons WALDBURG BALSAM Calamansi VOM FASS aluminium foil

e Preparation: Place each salmon fillet on a separate square of foil on top of some fresh thyme and rosemary. On top of each fillet place 2 bay leaves, pour WALDBURG BALSAM Calamansi over it and close the aluminium foil. Cook at 200° C / 390° F in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Serve with rice. Arrange the rice on four plates and place the salmon fillets wrapped in foil next to the rice before serving. Recommended wine: Bodegas Laus Flor de Merlot Rose, Samontana, Spain

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Main dishes

e n i W e t i h W Sole in e Ingredients for 4 people: 2 lb sole or plaice fillets 2 teaspoons lemon juice salt and freshly milled pepper 2 shallots 1 tablespoon olive oil with lemon VOM FASS

8 fl oz dry white wine Chablis AOC 1/2 cup cream (4.5 oz) 3 egg yolks pink pepper (pink berries) parsley for garnishing

e Preparation: Rinse fish fillets, pat dry and sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Peel the shallots and chop them. Heat VOM FASS olive oil with lemon in a pan, sautĂŠ the chopped shallots in the oil and add the wine. Place the sole fillets into it and steam for about 5 minutes in a covered pan. Lift the fish out of the pan and keep warm. Whisk egg yolks with cream and stir into the hot stock without cooking. Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve with the sole fillets. Before serving garnish the fish with pink pepper and parsley. Recommended wine: Chablis AOC, Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

o t t o s i R e l b a t Vege Chilli Oil with e Ingredients for 4 people: 4 oz courgette (zucchini) 4 oz carrots 2.5 oz cherry tomatoes 2.5 oz mushrooms 7 oz onion 2 fl oz ”Agora“ olive oil VOM FASS 0.75 fl oz chilli oil VOM FASS 5.5 oz risotto rice Arborio

4 fl oz Grüner Veltliner VOM FASS 2 pints vegetable stock 2.5 oz peas 2 oz Parmesan or Pecorino cheese fine salt white pepper, ground cayenne pepper

e Preparation: Wash carrots, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and courgette (zucchini) and pat dry. Peel the carrots and cut into thin slices. Slice mushrooms. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves and cut the courgette (zucchini) into thin slices. Salt the tomatoes and set aside. Sauté the courgette, carrot and mushroom slices in a pan in a little “Agora” olive oil. Salt and pepper and set aside. Cut onion into halves and then dice finely. Sauté chopped onion in a pot in some “Agora” olive oil. Add the risotto rice and sauté too. Pour Grüner Veltliner and some of the vegetable stock over the rice. Keep stirring as you add stock by and by. The rice should always be covered with some liquid and simmer slightly. After about 2/3 of the cooking time, add the peas to the risotto and heat them. Finish cooking the risotto until creamy but not too soft. Remove from the heat. Season with the grated Parmesan cheese, the salt and pepper and the cayenne pepper. Put the risotto on warmed plates and scatter some grated cheese over it. Add the fried vegetables and serve the risotto sprinkled with a few drops of chilli oil.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

Fillet Steachk-Radicchio-Salad with Spina

e Ingredients for 4 people: 18 oz beef fillet 5.5 oz fresh spinach 4 oz radicchio 8 tablespoons Waldburg Balsam Apple VOM FASS 4 tablespoons water

fine salt white pepper, ground 0.1 oz garlic 16 tablespoons peanut oil VOM FASS 4 teaspoons chopped peanuts 2.5 oz Pecorino cheese

e Preparation: Dress the meat and tenderize it. Place on a plate and prepare for frying. Carefully remove the thick stalks from the spinach leaves. Do not remove the tender stalks. Tear the radicchio into bite-sized pieces and wash the salad leaves in cold water. Then pat dry on a cloth or spin dry in a salad spinner. Set aside for marinating. Mix Waldburg Balsam Apple, salt, pepper and garlic with a mixer. Then slowly pour in the peanut oil until the vinaigrette thickens. Salt and pepper the beef fillet on both sides and gently roast in a pan with some oil. Then put the steaks into the preheated oven (grill) and finish cooking at a temperature of approx. 230° C / 445° F. Mix salad leaves in a bowl with the vinaigrette and arrange on warmed plates. Scatter some peanuts over them and place the sliced steak next to the salad. Sprinkle with peanut oil and with grated Pecorino cheese before serving. Hint: We recommend buying the fillet steaks from your trusted butcher. This dish requires top quality to guarantee full flavour. After washing and drying, the salad can be kept in the fridge for about two days, either in a closed plastic box or a bowl covered with a moist cloth. You can prepare the vinaigrette ahead and keep it in the fridge for about a week, either in a glass bottle or a closed jar.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Main dishes

e c u a S e l f f u r T in h s i F s ‘ r e t e P St. h c a in p S d n a s it u c is B e l il u e f e l il M with e Ingredients for 4 people: 8.5 oz puff pastry 11 oz spinach 1 lb St. Peter’s fish fillet 4 oz onion 14 oz mixed vegetables for the stock 2.5 oz butter 20 tablespoons Château de Lastours Rosé, AOC

1 pint vegetable stock 8 fl oz cream or soy sauce white pepper, ground fine salt nutmeg 2.5 oz butter 0.3 fl oz truffle oil VOM FASS

e Preparation: Preheat oven (fan) to 220° C / 430° F. Roll out the puff pastry and cut square or round cookies. Place on a baking try, bake in the preheated oven and leave to cool. Put part of the butter into the freezer for adding to the truffle sauce at a later time. Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry and prepare on a plate for frying. Sauté the cleaned and finely diced vegetables and chopped onions in half of the butter. Bring to a boil the white wine and vegetable stock. Slowly pour the cream into the boiling liquid. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Purée the sauce with the vegetables and simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Then pass through a sieve and reduce down to one third. Heat butter in a pan until foamy and fry the salted and peppered fish fillets on both sides. Heat the fresh spinach in some of the prepared sauce and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Arrange the spinach and millefeuille cookies on warmed plates. Place the fried St. Peter’s fish fillets next to the garnishing. Mix the reduced sauce with the chilled butter and the truffle oil to complete the truffle sauce. Pour some of the sauce on the fish and garnishing and serve quickly.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Desserts

m a e r C s o d a v Cal s e c i l S e l p p A h t i w e Ingredients for 4 people: 2 apples 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 oz sugar 10 fl oz cream 1.5 fl oz Old Calvados Reserve VOM FASS

e Preparation: Wash the apples, cut into thin slices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Put 3.5 oz sugar into 7 fl oz water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 3-5 minutes over high heat until syrupy. Remove from the stove and preheat the oven to 100° C / 212° F. Dip the apple slices into the syrup and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave to dry in the oven for about 70 minutes. Whip the cream with the rest of the sugar and add Calvados. Fill the cream into 4 dessert bowls and garnish with the cooled apple slices. Recommended drink: Calvados Reserve or Sherry Amontillado VOM FASS

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Desserts

r e v o n r u T Pineapple Ice Cream and Honey with Vanilla

e Ingredients for 4 people: 5 oz strudel dough 14 oz pineapple 8 tablespoons sunflower oil VOM FASS 4 teaspoons honey

4 teaspoons icing sugar 4 oz vanilla ice cream 4 teaspoons chopped pistachios

e Preparation: Peel the pineapple with a sharp knife and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Marinate with half of the honey and let it stand for some minutes. Heat some sunflower oil in a pan. Spread out the strudel dough. Put pineapple slices on the dough and wrap the pineapples in the dough forming a rectangular shape. Rub sunflower oil onto the margins to make them stick together. Fry the turnovers in the pan until golden brown. When baked, place them on paper towels to drain. Cut the pineapple turnovers into triangles. Arrange them on a plate with some vanilla ice cream and honey. Powder with icing sugar and scatter the chopped pistachios over the dessert. Recommended wine: Serve a GrĂźnen Veltliner VOM FASS with this dessert.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Desserts

g n i l s e i R e p Gra Sorbet e Ingredients for 6 people: 1 pint Zimmer Riesling Kabinett VOMâ&#x20AC;ŻFASS 3 tablespoons sugar 1.5 pints white grape juice juice of one lemon

7 oz white grapes 2 egg whites 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar some white wine to pour (Zimmer Riesling Kabinett VOM FASS)

e Preparation: Boil wine with sugar and leave to cool. Then add grape and lemon juice. Fill everything into a metal bowl and place in the freezer. Freeze for about 3 hours. Stir thoroughly every 30 minutes. Wash the grapes and pat them dry. Cut them into halves and seed them. Beat the egg whites with the vanilla sugar until stiff. Carefully stir the egg whites into the sorbet. Fill the mixture into an icing bag with a big icing nozzle. Put the grapes into cooled cups, pour over some white wine and dress the sorbet on top of it. Recommended wine: Zimmer, Riesling Kabinett from Rheinhessen or Il Colle Prosecco Borgo Frare DOC

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle – Desserts

t i a f r a P e t Chocola e Ingredients for 4 people: 2 egg yolks 7 oz dark chocolate 1.5 oz icing sugar 2 teaspoons Cioccolato Crème liqueur VOM FASS

2 teaspoons Amaretto VOM FASS 2 egg whites 1.5 oz vanilla sugar 8.5 fl oz cream

e Preparation: Cut the chocolate into small pieces and set aside. In a double boiler beat the egg yolks, icing sugar and chocolate in a bowl until creamy. Add Cioccolato Crème liqueur and Amaretto. Continue beating the chocolate mass until cool. Beat the egg whites with the vanilla sugar, and whip the cream. Then stir the cream and beaten egg whites into the chocolate mass. Fill the chocolate parfait into small bowls and chill in the freezer for about 1 to 2 hours. Take out of the freezer 15 to 20 minutes before serving the parfait. Hint: Serve the chocolate parfait with different kinds of fruits or on raspberry sauce. Recommended wine: Serve a glass of Madeira VOM FASS with the chocolate parfait.