"Regain control of our diet" - ex-star chef declares that cooking is a must

Those who cook a lot themselves save money, prevent diseases like cancer and protect the environment. A professional chef reveals what you should pay attention to. 

• Are you one of those who are reluctant to swing the wooden spoon themselves? Ex-star chef Franz Keller advocates cooking more often himself. 
• Those who cook themselves generally eat healthier because ready meals contain more fat and sugar than homemade ones. 
• Cooking should be taken for granted again , says Keller - and has some tips ready to motivate you. 

Especially in the city, temptation lurks on every corner: If you walk or drive home in the evening after work, you will often pass countless restaurants and snack bars. The idea of ​​cooking at home * is quickly forgotten. But that's exactly what people should learn again , says ex-cook Franz Keller, who is now a farmer. 

Preventing diseases such as cancer and saving money: that speaks for evening cooking

In our hectic world, we would have rationalized healthy eating and made eating a minor matter. That is neither good for our health nor for our satisfaction, the Focus Keller quotes from its new book. In an interview with Focus Online, the expert says: "For me, real food means that you make yourself as much as possible. Even if you don't cook all the time, the homemade food is still better than what you buy ready or half-finished ". 

The problem with finished products is obvious: Too much sugar and hidden, low-quality fats * are included that make you sick in the long run. " It is terrible that no more people realize that they can avoid many diseases if they eat properly, " said Keller. The connection between the development of diseases and improper nutrition has long been proven; unhealthy fats, for example, promote silent inflammation in the body that promotes chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer *. 

But amateur cooks don't just live healthier, they also save their wallets . Anyone who likes to order or eat from an Indian or Italian knows: In the long run, that's pretty expensive.  

Read also : Researchers recommend: This diet should protect against diseases and slow global warming.

"I don't need strawberries for Christmas" - regional shopping conserves resources

Franz Keller recommends the following to hobby cooks who want to eat a healthy and balanced diet: 

• "Good food comes from our own preparation and, if possible, from staple foods that are bought with confidence . We should go according to the seasons. That means I don't need strawberries for Christmas," says Keller.
• Those who shop regionally and pay attention to a balanced mixture of animal products, vegetables and fruit not only eat healthy, but also protect the environment. Because those who constantly eat avocados from South America *, pears from South Africa or other foods with long transport routes do nothing for their ecological footprint. 
• Fresh goods can be found primarily at weekly markets and directly from local farmers. 
• " You can also eat a decent vegetarian diet . You just have to be careful that no important nutrients are missing," said Franz Keller.
• When shopping, make sure to use mostly unpacked products , so avoid packaging waste.
• No savings should be made on animal products . Those who buy cheap meat, cheap sausage and inexpensive cheese indirectly favor animal welfare and unfair working conditions. 

Read more : We unconsciously eat plastic waste every day: these eating habits are dangerous.

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