How healthy is the trend?

Lose weight healthily quickly and easily without having to give up much. What seems like a fairy tale to many people is now being promised by more and more companies selling so-called “reduced sugar products”. One of the companies is currently particularly criticized for misleading advertising, among other things. Jan Böhmermann and his team took a closer look at the company “More Nutrition” with “ZFD Magazine Royale” and “Strg_F” – and identified contradictions and addressed the danger.

In a recent Instagram post, consumer advocacy organization Foodwatch warns against taking the “brazen tactics of the fitness junk food company” seriously. Foodwatch explains that the company’s flavor powder (Chunky Flavor) is a highly processed food that has little to do with healthy eating. Nutritionists see it the same way. Flavoring powders are “the worst thing in terms of nutrition” that Matthias Riedl, doctor and medical director at Medicum Hamburg, has encountered in recent years.

Sweeteners do not help with weight loss

According to the Robert Koch Institute, more than half of the German population (53.5%) is considered overweight. 46.6 percent of women and 60.5 percent of men are affected. Many of these people find themselves in a constant cycle of gaining and losing weight. “The number of overweight people will increase with these powders,” Riedl is sure. But what are flavoring powders really?

So-called flavoring powders (or aromatic powders) are said to help you lose weight because they contain little fat and carbohydrates. The powder is added to protein foods such as cottage cheese or yogurt instead of sweeteners and is intended to “give them flavor,” says Antje Gahl of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). In any case, its consumption is not absolutely necessary – because “adult amateur athletes do not need an increase in protein intake”.

“Pure chemistry” powder ingredients

Professor Johannes Georg Wechsler, President of the Federal Association of German Nutritionists, also doubts the benefits of powdered flavors. All powdered flavors available on the German market have one thing in common: they contain sweeteners. And even though the opposite is often announced: sweeteners do not help with weight loss, explains Wechsler. The problem is that sweeteners are a compensatory business due to their sweetening effect. If we eat a lot of sweet foods, sweets always taste better to us – this creates a certain dependence on the sensation of sweetness for the brain. For this reason, the DGE recommends consuming sweeteners in moderation and not in large quantities, “for example, through drinks”, says Gahl. According to Wechsler, the guidelines of the German Diabetes Society (DDG) no longer recommend sweeteners for weight loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recently changed its guidelines to “advise the use of sugar-free sweeteners for weight control”.

In addition to sweeteners, powdered flavors contain other ingredients that, according to Riedl, are “pure chemistry.” “Our food regulations specify what foods can contain – powdered flavors also adhere to these regulations,” explains Wechsler. But that doesn’t automatically mean the powders are healthy. “Powders contain a mixture of artificial sweeteners and other artificial substances—so there is nothing medical or scientific in favor of their use,” says Wechsler. There is also no evidence that the powders are actually helpful.

Recommended amount of sweeteners quickly exceeded

The sweeteners contained in powdered flavors are intended to replace sugar. According to Wechsler, sugar causes serotonin to be released in the brain. “We still don’t know which sweeteners release in the brain,” he explains.

“Sweeteners are subject to maximum quantity regulation and it has been proven that exceeding the maximum recommended quantity can have a carcinogenic effect,” says Wechsler. The problem: Recommended amounts are usually exceeded very quickly and consumption can therefore be fundamentally dangerous. Before consuming foods containing sweeteners, the consumer must therefore find out about the maximum recommended amount. Information on this subject is available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Priceless

Our newsletter accompanies you with valuable tips and basic information about the energy crisis and inflation – every Wednesday.

Flavors can interact with intestinal flora

Fans of powdered flavors particularly praise the intense flavor they give to cream cheese and yogurt. It is done through flavors. Only approved flavorings can be used in foods. But: “Flavors have been so little studied that flavors have been repeatedly recalled in recent years because they can cause cancer,” criticizes Riedl. The flavors are therefore only tested on animals and not sufficiently on humans before being put on sale. The magazine “Ökotest” also criticizes the fact that flavorings are used to simulate a quality in food that does not exist and that there is always a risk to the health of those with allergies. “We now know that flavors interact with the intestinal flora,” explains Riedl. This could not only have a beneficial effect on many diseases – the aromas could also damage the intestinal flora. “This can promote the development of diabetes and fatty liver disease and, in the worst case, even cause cancer,” says Riedl.

But what should a healthy diet look like? “Eating and drinking whole foods keeps you healthy, promotes performance and well-being,” states the German Nutrition Society (DGE). This can be achieved through a variety of foods, fruits and vegetables or whole grain products.

The consumption of sweeteners can hardly be avoided

Riedl explains that you don’t need highly processed foods like powdered flavors to lose weight and recommends a homemade shake. To do this, take one or two tablespoons of almond or cashew butter, a fruit of your choice – but preferably low-sugar fruits, oat flakes, vanilla or cinnamon depending on your taste and milk or plant-based milk. . Mix everything well and enjoy. “This shake is very healthy and delicious and also contains all the important vitamins, minerals, trace elements, vegetable proteins and healthy fats,” says Riedl. “You can easily replace a meal with it.”

Otherwise, it’s worth simply taking a closer look at what a food actually contains. “Today it is almost impossible to avoid consuming flavor enhancers and sweeteners – but you should not consume them consciously and, above all, you should not expect any benefit from them,” says Wechsler.