Ms. Saumweber, what are the biggest mistakes you can make with your diet?
JUTTA SAUMWEBER: Big mistakes are high alcohol consumption and frequent consumption of meat. You shouldn’t actually eat highly processed products, i.e. ready-made foods. Many people also consume too little fruit and vegetables and too little fiber.
In Bayern According to a recent study, around five percent of people eat a vegetarian diet. That is significantly more than a few years ago, but of course still little. Why is high meat consumption so worrying?
SAUMWEBER: Red meat has been linked to the development of cancer. In addition, high meat consumption is problematic from a sustainability perspective. That’s why it would be sensible to reduce meat consumption to once or twice a week.
You had just mentioned finished products. Where are the problems? In the many additives?
SAUMWEBER: These products often have a very high salt content and a lot of saturated fatty acids – but you should especially consume unsaturated fatty acids, such as valuable oils. And yes, the additional lists for finished products are long; they often contain a lot of substances. Of course they can be used and have also been tested. But still: There is debate about the negative effects that highly processed foods have on health.
Many of these products are labeled with the Nutri-Score, which is intended to show consumers how healthy the food is. What do you think of it?
SAUMWEBER: I actually think the Nutri-Score is good. However, there are fewer and fewer products on which this Nutri-Score is shown, and companies are currently taking a step back. The score is actually there so that you can compare product groups. If you want to buy a muesli and out of six products on the shelf only one has a Nutri-Score printed on it, then you have no comparison.
So is the score not very meaningful?
SAUMWEBER: It’s already meaningful. If you have a product that is very high in sugar, it will not get a green Nutri-Score, even though all other values such as saturated fatty acids are okay. In this respect, the classification already has a meaning. But there is often a lack of comparability within a product group.
You had also previously touched on the topic of fiber. Why are they so important and which foods can I use to cover my needs?
SAUMWEBER: Fiber is very important for digestion and intestinal movement. They are mainly found in whole grain products. But legumes, oat flakes, wheat bran and linseed are also high in fiber. According to the recommendation of the German Nutrition Society, we should consume around 30 grams of fiber per day. But the average population in Germany cannot do this.
How do you achieve these 30 grams?
SAUMWEBER: For example, with three slices of whole grain bread and a few more oat flakes and bran. And fruits and vegetables also contain fiber.
Many people eat fruits and vegetables primarily because they believe that the vitamins they contain are important.
SAUMWEBER: When it comes to vegetables, it’s not just about the vitamins. You also have the mentioned high fiber content, lots of secondary plant substances and minerals. This is all very important. Vegetables also have few calories, which is good for your body weight. We should therefore really eat a lot of vegetables, even more than fruit; certain types of fruit such as grapes or pineapples sometimes contain a lot of fructose. What vegetables don’t have in high amounts is protein. You have to get that in other ways. For example with legumes. Or with a handful of unsalted nuts.
Fish also provides a lot of protein.
SAUMWEBER: Yes, that is of course correct. The German Nutrition Society recommends fatty sea fish once or twice a week. Mackerel, herring and salmon are particularly suitable.
Let’s talk about sugar. How much is still ok? And do we actually notice how much sugar we eat? It is quite hidden in many products.
SAUMWEBER: There are of course many foods to which this applies. And they are often foods that don’t taste sweet at all, for example tomato ketchup or red cabbage salad from a jar. There’s quite a lot of sugar in there. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of 50 grams per day, preferably 25. That’s a small amount. With just a handful of gummy bears you’re actually over it.
To person: Jutta Saumweber is a nutritionist and heads the food and nutrition department at the Bavarian Consumer Center.
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Jutta Saumweber from the Bavarian Consumer Center. Photo: Marcus Schlaf/Bayern Consumer Center Icon Close Close
Jutta Saumweber from the Bavarian Consumer Center. Photo: Marcus Schlaf/Bavarian Consumer Center
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