The most important food information for a healthy diet
Matthias Schmid
April 11, 2023
Why is food information important?
Nutritional information such as fat, carbohydrate, and protein content are important details that help us ensure a balanced and healthy diet. They enable us to better control our food intake to prevent health issues like obesity, diabetes, or cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, they can assist us in choosing suitable foods for special diets or food intolerances.
What information should you consider?
Nutritional information: Pay attention to the content of fat, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, and salt in food. This information helps you monitor your daily energy intake and find the right balance between the various nutrients.
Ingredients list: The ingredients list provides information about the components used in a product. This way, you can identify and avoid allergens or unwanted additives.
Allergen information: For people with allergies or intolerances, allergen labeling is particularly important.
Country of origin: The origin of food can affect its quality, taste, and environmental impact.
Organic and sustainability certifications: Look for environmental and animal welfare labels to shop responsibly and reduce your ecological footprint.
The importance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals)
A balanced diet consists of a combination of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide energy and are important for the body to function properly. Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are required in smaller amounts to keep the body healthy. It is important to eat a variety of foods to ensure that you get all the necessary nutrients.
The differences between simple and complex carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body. However, there are differences between simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, also known as sugars, are quickly absorbed by the body and can lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are digested more slowly and provide energy to the body over a longer period of time. Examples of complex carbohydrates include whole grain products, vegetables, and legumes, while simple carbohydrates are found in sweets, sodas, and processed foods. It is important to consume a balanced amount of carbohydrates and focus on complex carbohydrates to ensure a stable energy supply.
The importance of dietary fiber and how to incorporate it into your diet.
Dietary fibers are an important component of a healthy diet. They help to keep the gut healthy by promoting digestion and preventing constipation. Additionally, they can contribute to reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Fibers are found in foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. To incorporate more fiber into your diet, you could, for example, choose whole grain bread instead of white bread, include more vegetables and legumes in your meals, and opt for nuts as a snack.
The importance of proteins and how to obtain them from various sources.
Proteins are an important part of a balanced diet as they aid in the building and maintenance of muscles, bones, and tissues. They can be found in foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts. To ensure you consume enough protein, you should include a source of protein with every meal. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can get protein from legumes, nuts, tofu, and soy products. It's also important to make sure that you consume a variety of protein sources to get all the essential amino acids.
The importance of healthy fats and how to incorporate them into your diet.
Healthy fats are important for a balanced diet as they help to provide the body with energy and absorb essential nutrients. They are found in foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil. It's important to ensure that you consume saturated and unsaturated fats in a balanced ratio. Saturated fats, found in animal products like butter and meat, should be limited, while unsaturated fats, found in plant products like nuts and seeds, should be preferred. One way to incorporate healthy fats into your diet is, for example, to spread avocado on bread or eat nuts as a snack.
How can our food management app help you?
With our app, you can easily scan the barcode of a food item to instantly get comprehensive information. The app not only displays the expiration date and storage location at home, but also the fat, carbohydrate, and protein content of the product - even while you're on the go in the supermarket. This way, you can immediately determine whether a food item fits your individual diet and offers health benefits.
The best kitchen tools to turn leftovers into delicious dishes 🍲✨
Hand on heart: Each of us has them – those little leftovers in the fridge or pantry that somehow never get properly planned for. But it's exactly these remnants that can often be turned into the most creative and delicious dishes! All you need are a few clever kitchen tools that make the work easier and get the best out of your ingredients.
Here are our favorites:
🥣 1. The powerful blender
Smoothies, soups, dips – a good blender transforms leftover vegetables, fruit, or even bread into a new dish in seconds. Perfect when bananas are a bit brown or the vegetables no longer look crisp.
🔪 2. A sharp chef's knife
Sounds simple, but a really good knife is worth its weight in gold. It allows you to cut vegetable and meat scraps precisely and quickly. Moreover, cooking is just more fun when you have the right tools.
🍳 3. A cast iron skillet
The all-rounder in the kitchen: fried potatoes made from leftover boiled potatoes, frittatas with yesterday's vegetables, or crispy bread cubes from stale bread – everything tastes twice as good in a cast-iron skillet.
🥕 4. Vegetable Peeler & Grater
A modest tool with a big impact: grate carrot leftovers, turn zucchini into noodles, or finely shred cheese remnants. With a peeler and grater, you bring variety to your leftover cooking.
🥡 5. Storage Containers & Screw-top Jars
Without proper storage, nothing works. You can keep leftovers fresh, transport them, or even prepare them for the next meal prepping. Tip: Jars are also great for serving small amounts in style.
🌱 6. Kitchen Scale
It's practical to know exactly how much is left over, especially with leftovers. This way, you can adjust recipes and avoid waste.
🥄 7. Personal Blender
The little brother of the blender – perfect for soups or sauces right in the pot. When only a small amount needs to be processed, it's super convenient.
How Smantry additionally helps you 📲
With the Smantry App you can not only keep an eye on your supplies, but soon you'll also be able to discover recipes for your leftovers. This way, you'll immediately know which tool to take out of the cupboard to save your food and create something new.
👉 Because good tools and the right app are the perfect combo to combat food waste.
New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!
Sharing supplies together – why the Shared Economy is now moving into the kitchen
The concept of Shared Economy has long been more than a short-term trend – it's changing our everyday lives. More and more neighborhoods, shared apartments, and community projects are discovering how practical it is to organize groceries together and manage supplies transparently.
Why sharing supplies is becoming increasingly popular
- Save on costs: Bulk purchases become cheaper when more people participate.
- Save space: Not everyone needs their own package of rice or pasta.
- Better organization: Digital tools make it easy to see what is available.
- Experiencing community: Food brings people together – as does camping together.
From the flatshare to the neighborhood
Especially in shared apartments or families with multiple households it pays off to keep a communal stock of supplies. But neighborhood projects or small communities are also recognizing the added value: shopping, storing, and using together.
How Smantry helps
This is where Smantry comes into play:
- Community Feature: Supplies can be managed collectively.
- Transparency: Everyone can see which items are available.
- Efficiency: Duplicate purchases are avoided, leftovers are used up in time.
- Flexibility: Soon it will become even easier to manage entire communities (including new features such as categories or the option to completely delete communities).
👉 The shared economy doesn't stop with cars – it moves right into your kitchen. With Smantry sharing supplies becomes easier than ever.
At last, it's here: The categorization of articles 🎉
Over the past few months, we have collected numerous feedback from you – and the request for better organization of supplies was one of the most frequent wishes. Soon, it will be possible to sort your items into individual categories, so that you can keep track of everything even more quickly.
Why categories are so practical
- 🥦 More organization in your pantry: Instead of a long list, you can structure your products into categories such as "Vegetables", "Beverages", or "Household Goods".
- ⏱️ Faster Finding: No more long scrolling – jump straight to the right category.
- 👨👩👧👦 Improved collaboration: In communities or family households, everyone can immediately see where things belong.
- 🌍 Customization: You can create your own categories that suit your needs – whether for meal prep, stockpiling, or just your everyday life.
Your wish will become reality ✨
We know how important this feature is to you. That's why our development team has implemented categorization as a high priority. It will soon be available step by step in the app – fulfilling one of the biggest wishes of our community.
We are thrilled that we can make everyday life even easier for you with this. Stay tuned – as always, we will keep you updated on when the feature will be officially released.
👉 Do you already have ideas on how you want to structure your categories? Feel free to send us your suggestions or requests – your input might directly influence the ongoing development.