The German nutrition society Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE) has updated its dietary guidelines, taking into account sustainability as well as health.
Developed with a mathematical optimisation model, the guidelines recommend that diets should be made up of at least 75% plant-based foods. Legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils) now have their own separate recommendation, while eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is emphasized more than previously.
The guidelines advise that meat consumption should be limited to a maximum of 300g a week, while dairy recommendations have been reduced from three to two daily servings. Plant-based fats such as vegetable oils are preferred over animal sources like butter, while water and unsweetened tea are the recommended beverages.
For those who do not eat meat, the DGE recommends consuming additional legumes, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and oils. Dairy products can be replaced with plant-based alternatives, as long as adequate calcium, vitamin B2, and iodine intake is ensured. Some foods and beverages — such as alcohol and processed products high in fat and sugar — have been omitted entirely from the new nutrition wheel, as they are not considered healthy in any quantity.
“We have to change our diet now”
The new guidelines echo the updated Nordic Nutrition Recommendations published last year, which recommend a diet centred around unprocessed plant-based foods. They suggest restricting meat consumption to 350g a week and consuming dairy in moderation, with high-fat dairy products excluded altogether.
There is mounting evidence of the health benefits of plant-based diets, which include better cardiovascular health, lower Alzheimer’s risk, and slower aging. The benefits are so great that some hospitals are even offering plant-based meals by default.
“If we want to eat a healthy diet and at the same time protect the environment, we have to change our diet now,” said Prof. Dr. Bernhard Watzl, DGE President and head of the DGE working group Food-Related Nutrition Recommendations. “Eating mainly fruit and vegetables, whole grain cereals, legumes, nuts and vegetable oils does not only protect your health. The production of animal foods such as meat and dairy products, on the other hand, pollutes the environment more strongly, and a high level of meat consumption is associated with a higher risk of the development of certain diseases.”
