Flavour enhancers are often added by food manufacturers to make your food tastes muuuch more intense or even to replace certain ingredients completely, e. g. if the product contains seasonal or expensive raw materials. They are often less expensive than natural, "real" ingredients and easier to process. Many manufacturers like using these cost-saving strategies. This is especially disappointing if the product name promises high-quality ingredients which are then only found in very small quantities in the actual product, if at all, and the taste is only being mimicked. If you consume a lot of products that contain aromas, you will get used to them. This means that suddenly, the real ingredient, like a tomato, tastes of nothing, simply because you have become accustomed to the exaggerated flavour. Your natural hunger and fullness cues may also be negatively affected.

We at Dr. Karg's say "no" to added flavour enhancers and aromas - because we believe that natural tastes best! A recipe we like must have real ingredients like tomatoes, cheese, onions or rosemary - and no superfluous frills.

"Empty" calories are foods that, while they give a lot of energy in the short term, contain hardly any important nutrients like vitamins, mineral nutrients, certain proteins, and fatty acids. These calories are "empty", so to speak, because they do not contain much that is beneficial apart from energy. Examples for this are highly processed foods like sweets, greasy crisps, and lemonade. After eating, you get a boost of energy and your blood sugar levels spike high - only to fall again shortly after, meaning that you will be hungry again very quickly. Thus, you should consume empty calories in moderation and favour foods with high nutrient density (e. g. vegetables, legumes and pulses, and wholegrain products).

All our products are based on the "nutrients instead of null-trients" principle. For example, we use whole grains and rich, natural fibres instead of empty calories.

"Organic" refers to foods that come from organic farming. In the EU, the term "organic" is defined by law. Food products that are called "organic" have to at least comply with the EU Organic Production Regulation. Only then can they be labelled as EU certified organic or use the term "organic". Here are some important points:

• Foods are grown without the use of chemical, synthetic plant protection products, chemical fertiliser or sludge.
• They must not have been genetically modified.
• Animal products are derived from animals that usually have not been treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.
• The additives in organic foods are more strictly-controlled compared to those in non-organic foods.

In total, a product that is labelled as "organic" has to contain at least 95 % organic raw materials.

Tip! How to recognise organic products:There are brand names or certain terms that sound like the product is organic (e. g. "unprocessed", "near to nature", "controlled farming"). However, these are not terms defined by law. In the EU, if the product is actually organic, it has to carry the organic seal including the control body number (= EU organic leaf) on the packaging. This may be complemented by other organic farming association logos, e. g. Demeter, Bioland or Naturland.

For wholegrain flour, the whole grain is milled, as opposed to what is done for white flour. This means that beneficial mineral nutrients (e. g. zinc, magnesium) are preserved, since those are mostly found in the bran. Wholegrain products are high in fibre, which is responsible for keeping us full for longer and it also has a positive effect on our gut biome. Wholegrain products have a lower glycemic index than refined products. This means that after consumption, the blood sugar level only rises slowly, which makes them advantageous for diabetics as well.

Tip! How to recognise wholegrain products:
A dark brown colour does not necessarily indicate that something, e. g. bread, is made from whole grains. It might have been dyed with malt to evoke the idea that it is wholegrain. Therefore, you should always check the ingredient list: A product may only be called "wholegrain" if the amount of wholegrain flour in the total amount of flour used is at least 90 %.

Proteins play an important role in cell growth, because they support the growth and preservation of our muscles and bones.
Since your body does not produce all the necessary protein building blocks, you shoul take them via a balanced diet. The best way is to rely on natural protein sources, such as grains, legumes, pulses, and nuts.

The "Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung" (DGE; German Dietary Society) recommends 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight daily for adults. However, every person has individual protein needs. These depend on different factors (e. g. age, weight, activity level).

We come across sugar daily, because it is part of nearly every food - even those you might not think of at first, like savoury ones. The fatal flaw is it can make us addicted and happy at the same time.
However, there are different kinds of sugar: Natural sugar (e. g. in fruits and vegetables) and complex sugar (carbohydrates, e. g. in potatoes) are important sources of energy and fibre for our bodies. Added sugar, however, e. g. in baked goods and soft drinks, can be detrimental to your health in large quantities.
It is thus the dose that makes the poison. A high sugar consumption has potential health risks and is well-known to be related to excess weight. The World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of 25 to 50 grams of added sugar per day.

You do not have to cut out sugar completely, but you should consume it in moderation. Sometimes, you just need something sweet for the soul. Here at Dr. Karg's, we always strive for a delicate and light sweetness that provides pleasure and still makes conscious snacking possible.

Tip! How to recognise if a food contains sugar:
Always check the ingredient list and the nutritional information. But be careful: Sugar has many names, e. g. glucose, sucrose, dextrose, sugar syrup, lactose, grape sugar, sweet whey powder.

Gluten is part of grains like wheat, spelt or rye. Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease which causes the body not to be able to handle gluten. Gluten free products are vital to people with coeliac disease. Some people are sensitive to gluten, meaning they experience unpleasant symptoms like bloating, fatigue or digestive issues after consuming gluten. Cutting out gluten may be beneficial to them. Even if no symptoms are present, gluten free products can be a delicious part of a balanced diet and provide variety. People who are looking for new flavour experiences may also find them interesting.
However, oftentimes the ingredients of gluten free foods are not fully natural. That is not in line with the promise we make to you. Here at Dr. Karg's, we make sure our gluten free snacks have no-frills ingredient lists - so you can snack gluten- and worry-free.

You just ate a whole bag of crisps - sound familiar? It's not coincidence. The "gorging formula" describes an interesting phenomenon relating to our food consumption habits. It is based on a certain ratio of carbohydrates to fats in foods. If a product contains about 50 % carbohydrates and 35 % fat, it becomes especially hard for us to stop eating it.

The reasons for why we react so drastically to this combination are only speculative at this point. We like carbohydrates because they give us energy quickly.

Of course, some manufacturers make use of this. Why? Well, because the faster you empty the bag, the sooner you will purchase more. We at Dr. Karg's consciously do not use such "addicting factors" in our product development - we want you to find pleasure in snacking, but keep it conscious as well.