As of: March 19, 2024, 5:32 a.m
By: Fabian Hartmann
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Hardly any animal products, but instead fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes - this is what the DGE advises in its nutritional recommendations.
However, there was also criticism of this.
Frankfurt – The German Nutrition Society (DGE) continually updates its recommendations for a healthy and balanced diet.
However, as a result of their latest update at the beginning of March, there was also clear criticism of the DGE's specifications.
But first things first.
DGE recommends: “Eat colorfully and healthily while protecting the environment”
In its recommendations, the DGE advised consumers to eat more plant-based and less animal-based foods.
“Eat colorfully and healthily and protect the environment at the same time, these are the DGE recommendations,” is the short version on the nutrition society’s website.
Those who eat primarily fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes as well as vegetable oils “not only protect their health, but also protect the earth’s resources”.
The DGE also recommends choosing whole grain products over wheat products.
A selection of Eastern, vegetables, legumes and fish © IMAGO/Roman Möbius
But what exactly does that mean in numbers?
The DGE advises every consumer to only consume 300 grams of meat and sausage per week.
The DGE is thus lowering its recommendation for the consumption of meat products by half of the previously recommended value - previously the DGE recommendation for meat products was 600 grams per week.
According to the DGE, you should consume 25 grams of nuts every day, 300 grams of grain products and at least 125 grams of legumes such as peas or beans per week.
The DGE also recommends eating only one egg per week.
The latter already caused a stir during Easter.
German Nutrition Society recommends less meat – and slow food instead of fast food
Although meat contains plenty of trace elements such as iron, selenium and zinc, eating a lot of red meat and especially sausage increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer.
The DGE also warns that the production of meat and sausage products has a significantly greater impact on the environment than that of plant-based foods.
According to the nutrition society, caution is also advised when it comes to sugar, salt and some fats.
These are often hidden in processed foods - especially in sausages, pastries, confectionery, fast food and finished products.
Anyone who eats these products frequently runs an increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The DGE also advises taking your time when eating and enjoying meals consciously.
Eating consciously and slowly also promotes a feeling of satiety.
If you want to stay healthy in the long term, you should also make sure to exercise every day.
This can promote bone health and reduce the risk of developing diseases and obesity, advises the DGE.
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DGE food recommendation is sharply criticized – “serious errors in a number of content-related statements”
However, there is also clear criticism of the DGE's new nutritional recommendation.
For example from the German Academy for Preventive Medicine (DAPM).
With its updated recommendation, the DGE is moving even further away from the actual consumption of Germans than before, its representatives criticize.
In 2022, average meat consumption in Germany was around 52 kilograms per capita.
For 2023, initial forecasts assumed that it could fall to just under 50 kilograms - but it would still be more than three times as high as the amount of meat that the DGE recommends in its nutritional recommendations.
The academy criticizes the fact that the DGE's recommendations are generally applicable to all sections of the population.
The DGE recommendation is considered standard in daycare centers, schools and company canteens as well as retirement homes.
The DAPM warns that this cannot address individual needs for a healthy and balanced diet.
She also sees “serious errors in a number of substantive statements” in the DGE recommendation.
DAPM members criticize that these are often outdated and not evidence-based.
In addition, it seems to sometimes place the aspect of climate protection above the health concerns of the population.
“There cannot be uniform recommendations for the diet of all people in Germany because their initial health situation differs,” explains DAPM Vice President Dr.
Johannes Scholl from the online agricultural magazine
Top Agrar Online
.
Criticism of DGE recommendation: “Serious errors in a number of content-related statements”
In a population with a constantly increasing proportion of people with overweight and obesity, prediabetes and diabetes, in which slim and athletic people now represent a minority, decisions should not be made on the basis of theoretical considerations, explains the DAPM.
The new DGE recommendations are therefore not only unhelpful for large parts of the population in Germany, but could even harm many people.
Specifically, the DAPM criticizes the following aspects of the new DGE nutritional recommendation:
From a scientific point of view, the classification of foods into those of “vegetable origin” and those of “animal origin” is nonsensical, as there are both questionable and health-promoting foods on both sides.
Reducing dairy products by a third compared to previous DGE recommendations has no scientific basis.
According to current evidence, dairy products have positive effects on health as they help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The general avoidance of so-called animal foods could be worrying: the DGE recommendations do not guarantee that relevant sections of the population (e.g. children and seniors) are adequately supplied with sufficient, high-quality protein, essential amino acids and fatty acids as well as trace elements and vitamins.
The recommendation “for everyone” to consume 300 grams of grain products daily is not only unhelpful for many millions of people in Germany, but is even dangerous to their health.
For example for diabetics.
The recommended restriction on egg consumption has been outdated for decades and has long since been removed from the recommendations of leading professional societies worldwide.
The DGE’s nutritional recommendations are far from “healthy for everyone”
In conclusion, the preventive medicine experts state that the nutritional recommendations made by the DGE are by no means “healthy for everyone”, but at most for a smaller part of the general population.
They arise from a climate policy motivation in the sense of the scientifically controversial “Planetary Health Diet”.
The preventative medicine experts' advice to the DGE is therefore to seek contact with medical specialist societies and to include the health policy reality in Germany in their considerations.
(fh)