Natural food guide

Nickel allergy from kitchen appliances: What you need to know

A nickel allergy is primarily caused by objects containing nickel, such as jewelry, buttons, or doorknobs, coming into direct contact with the skin. In severe cases, however, symptoms can also develop through an excess of nickel in your diet.

Many common kitchen utensils contain nickel, and the potential danger they pose to consumers is an important question to consider, both for allergy sufferers and those without an allergy to nickel. We have analyzed the effects of three types of kitchen utensils on your exposure to nickel: cookware (pots and pans), kettles, and taps.

nickel-allergy-stainless-steel
Read More...

How to create recipes with our apps for iOS

We just finished our latest updates for our iOS apps Food Intolerances, Natural Food Guide and OxiPur, which give you great new features and countless improvements. You can now add foods to your list of favorites and, more importantly, enter you own recipes. This enables you to quickly assess the ingredients of your meals.

create_recipes_cropped

Read More...

Glutamates: Are they really dangerous?

Every food can be turned into a tasty meal, but some seem to have an especially savory flavor that just makes your mouth water. What's their secret?

chips-glutamate
Read More...

How can vegetarians improve their omega-3 fatty acid status?

The omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) almost exclusively occur in fish. This raises the question: How can vegetarians meet their needs for these essential fats? This matter is also relevant in the context of maritime overfishing, which is an environmental threat on a global scale. Farmed fish, which are raised in questionable conditions and with the massive use of pesticides and antibiotics, are not always a better alternative. Is it possible to meet one's dietary needs with plant based fatty acids?

vegetarians-omega3
Read More...

Magnesium deficiency and chronic diseases

Most people probably know magnesium deficiency in connection with muscular cramps. But its potential role in the development of chronic diseases hasn't received much attention from medical researchers: It may in fact have been underestimated for a long time. In the following you will learn more about potential risk factors and how to prevent a deficiency.

Magnesium_deficiency
Read More...

What is the glycemic index of beer?

The glycemic index of beer is subject of a heated debate: The values you can find on various websites vary considerably. But what is the correct value? The answer is a lot more complex than you'd think.

beer-glycemic-index
Read More...

When does restricting your diet make sense?

If you suffer from food intolerances, certain constituents of the food may be responsible for a broad variety of symtoms. The obvious conclusion would be to cut all foods from the diet, that contain these constituents. However, such an avoidance strategy also carries risks.

food-intolerance-restricted-diet
Read More...

A small sugar compendium: fructose, sorbitol and FODMAP explained

If you suffer from certain kinds of carbohydrate malabsorption you are often confronted with names of chemical compounds – it is often very easy to become confused. Therefore, we put together a small compendium that can be used, whenever needed.

sugar-compendium-fodmap
Read More...

Why is too much salt bad for our health?

The excessive ingestion of salt (sodium chloride) has been known to be a risk factor in the development of high blood pressure for decades. There is compelling evidence from a multitude of studies indicating a relation of high sodium intake, high blood pressure and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand low salt diets exhibit a blood pressure lowering effect. What is the reason for this? Which factors cause the rise in blood pressure?
salzkonsum
Read More...

Do you know how much fructose you are eating?

From a historical point of view, fruits and honey were the only fructose-rich foods in our diet. In the 17th century the average sugar intake of each person was as low as 5 g per day. Big changes of dietary habits only occurred after the industrial scale production of sugar from sugar cane or sugar beets. Suddenly, sugar was available to everyone in large quantities – at low costs.

daily-fructose-intake
Read More...