How safe is grated lemon zest?

Is it safe to use grated citrus peel in a dish?Grating the outer layer of the orange, lime or lemon zest can give a dish that extra bit of flavor. But citrus fruits often use antifungals, and they may still be present on the peel. Therefore, wash the skin of the fruit extra well before you start grating. Even better, you can choose to use organic citrus fruits; these pesticides are not permitted during their cultivation, so the peels are not ‘contaminated’ with toxic substances.

Is it true that fresh orange juice is best served with breakfast?The dawn has gold in the mouth, but… it doesn’t necessarily have to be golden orange juice. It doesn’t matter whether you drink fresh orange juice in the morning, in between or with lunch. But it sure is a nice start to the day! Drinking orange juice offers two benefits: the vitamin C has a beneficial effect on iron absorption, so that the iron in the (breakfast) sandwich is better utilized, and it is an easy way to get your daily portion of fruit. But drinking only fruit juices instead of eating fruit is not a healthy option: you miss the fiber of the pulp and also get quite a lot of sugars, because you quickly squeeze three oranges for one glass. A glass of orange juice contains just as many calories as a glass of Coke and is just as bad for your teeth. So enjoy fresh orange juice, but keep it to one glass a day.

Do you lose more weight by constantly changing your diet?If you follow a strict slimming diet for a long time, it will have no effect in the long run: you will no longer lose weight or gain weight yourself. The main reason for this is that your body has become accustomed to doing it with fewer calories. Eating even less is not an option, because you run the risk of serious nutrient deficiencies. Ultimately, you will have to find a way of eating that suits you and that keeps your weight stable. Research shows that successful dieters have a regular and ‘normal’ healthy eating pattern that they hardly change. It is certainly not advisable to follow another diet after one diet. What is good: working on your muscle building, for example with resistance or strength training (machines and weights). Because the more muscle tissue, the higher the metabolism, the more energy the body uses. And that gives a lasting slimmer effect.

What are the healthiest choices at the cheese shop?When it comes to fat content and calorie count, there is no difference at all between goat cheese, sheep cheese or ‘regular’ cow’s milk cheese. It is true that soft, fresh cheese contains a lot of moisture and therefore much less calories and fat than hard cheese. This applies not only to soft goat cheese, but also to feta cheese, cottage cheese or mozzarella, for example. An excellent choice for those who want to keep an eye on the line.

How do you know that you have a vitamin deficiency?Because many processes in our body run on vitamins and minerals, a deficiency of them can cause many different complaints. Well-known examples are anemia due to a deficiency of iron, scurvy with a deficiency of vitamin C and muscle complaints with a deficiency of vitamin D. If you suspect that your complaints are due to a deficiency of vitamins or minerals, go to your doctor. In most cases, the deficiency can be demonstrated by means of a blood test. Keep in mind that vitamin deficiencies are relatively rare in the Netherlands. Those who eat a varied diet and are not sick will not quickly run into a deficiency. Exception: vitamin D. This vitamin is produced by the body itself under the influence of sunlight. As we get older, the body does less well. That is why women from 50 years and men from 70 years are recommended to take a daily vitamin D supplement.