Balanced diet: the diversity of food

Supermarket shelves are stacked with countless varieties of bread, cheese and sausage, while fruit and vegetables in all the colours of the rainbow are on offer at the market: Germany has an abundance of food on offer. On 31 July, Food Diversity Day, which was launched in 2020 by the German Food Association, aims to draw attention to this.^1,2 But how can you make the most of this culinary diversity to eat a ‘colourful’ and balanced diet in everyday life?

Germany: a wide range of food

Anyone who goes shopping in Germany is spoilt for choice: around 170,000 food products are available in Germany. Around 40,000 products are added every year and just as many disappear from the shelves.³ Whether vegan or meat-based, cheap or high-priced: every customer can put together their own menu according to their own preferences (and budget). When choosing food, however, there is another criterion to consider in addition to flavour and price: the contribution to your health.

A balanced diet: what do experts recommend?

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has published its updated ‘Food-Related Nutritional Recommendations’ in 2024.⁴ They apply to healthy adults in Germany aged 18 to 65 whose diet contains both plant and animal-based foods.⁵

The DGE recommendations – ‘Eat and drink well’

• It’s best to drink water: It’s better to drink water or unsweetened teas than sugary drinks such as soft drinks. You should drink 1.5 litres a day. ⁶
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables: At least five portions of fruit and vegetables provide you with sufficient vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals.⁷
• Eat pulses and nuts regularly: Beans and lentils are valuable vitamin and mineral packets, nuts contain vital fatty acids⁸
• Wholemeal is the best choice: When it comes to bread, pasta, rice and flour, it is best to choose wholemeal varieties. These keep you full for longer and provide valuable fibre.⁹
• Favour vegetable oils: Oils from rapeseed, walnuts, soya, olives and linseed oil are good sources of important fatty acids and vitamin E¹⁰.
• Milk and dairy products every day: They are important for bone health. Plant-based drinks made from soya, oats, almonds, rice or peas can be an alternative, but you should make sure you have a sufficient supply of calcium, iodine, vitamin B₂ and vitamin B₁₂.¹¹
• Fish once or twice a week: oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring provide you with valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Microalgae are a good alternative for people who don’t eat fish.¹²
• Only a little meat and sausage: No more than 300 grams per week. This is because a high consumption of red meat (pork, beef, goat or sheep) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer.¹³
• Sweet, savoury and fatty foods only in small quantities: Too much sugar, salt and fat in the diet increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. These substances are often ‘hidden’ in highly processed foods and fast food.¹⁴

Are there fewer nutrients in our food than in the past?

We buy fresh fruit and vegetables, cook with the best of intentions – and yet our bodies may be absorbing fewer vitamins and minerals today than they did a few decades ago. This suspicion has been fuelled by several studies. Comparisons between food tables from the 1930s and 1950s with current measurements show a clear trend: the content of vital nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium or zinc has decreased noticeably in many types of fruit and vegetables – in some cases by up to 30-40 per cent.
However, it can sometimes be difficult to compare data from different eras. For one thing, the methods used to determine the concentration of nutrients have changed. In addition, experts emphasise that the values determined at the time only represent a snapshot in time. However, the content of vital substances in food can fluctuate naturally and is dependent on various factors. These include, for example, soil conditions, climatic conditions or the time of harvest.
Varieties play an important role: studies have shown that modern wheat varieties achieve higher yields than older varieties. However, the grains of the new varieties contained fewer micronutrients such as zinc, copper, iron or magnesium. The problem: new varieties are bred for high yields and rapid growth. They cannot absorb enough nutrients in the short time in the field. As a result, they have a lower content of calcium, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C^15-22, for example.

Can you get enough vitamins and minerals from your diet?

Basically, yes. Germany is an industrialised country that is generally well supplied with food. Therefore, lower nutrient levels in individual plants do not automatically lead to malnutrition.²¹ The DGE advises people to take advantage of the diversity of foods and to eat a varied diet.^{23, 24}
However, many people find this difficult in everyday life: stress and deadline pressure often take away time – and at the same time the desire and peace of mind to cook in a variety of ways.²⁵ Not to mention the leisure to sit down and enjoy a meal. Parents can tell you a thing or two about how challenging meal planning can be for the whole family. There are also life circumstances (such as pregnancy or illness) that can increase requirements or result in a deficiency of certain micronutrients. It may then be advisable to take specific dietary supplements in consultation with a doctor or therapist.²³

How to make it work in everyday life: 5 tips for more variety on your plate

With a few tricks, you can manage to eat a balanced diet in everyday life even when you don’t have much time.

Tip 1: If you want to eat more ‘colourful’ food, take this advice literally. Make your meals colourful: for example, have a vegetable stir-fry with red peppers and spinach for the main course – and yoghurt with blueberries for dessert. In addition to vitamins and minerals, this will automatically add healthy plant substances to your plate.²⁶ Red and blue-black fruits, for example, are particularly rich in anthocyanins.

Tip 2: Many supermarkets now offer a delivery service. This can be a time- and stress-saving option for you if the trip to the supermarket no longer fits into your tight daily schedule. It may also be worth subscribing to a so-called ‘organic box’. There are several providers on the internet who will deliver organic fruit and vegetables from farms in your region directly to your home.

Tip 3: Cooking fresh doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours chopping vegetables. Frozen vegetables save time and often come ready-cut but still full of nutrients straight from the bag into the pot.²⁷ The same applies to cooked pulses from the jar.²⁸ But be careful with tinned fruit: there is often a lot of sugar²⁹ in the juice.

Tip 4: Pack healthy snacks when you are travelling. Raw vegetables, fruit and nuts, for example, are practical. The great thing is that many types of fruit come in their own packaging. A banana, for example, is peeled just as quickly as a chocolate bar is unwrapped – and therefore no less practical.

Tip 5: Have you heard of meal prep? The term comes from the English word ‘meal preparation’. The trend is all about planning the meals for the coming days at the weekend, for example, and ideally preparing them in advance. With just a few simple steps, a healthy meal is then on the table during the week. However, for some people, creating weekly plans and pre-cooking can cause additional stress. It is therefore best to set yourself small goals for a healthy diet that are easy for you to realise. For example, plan two to three colourful dishes per week that you like and can prepare easily.

References:

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