Can’t lose weight? Which foods slow down your metabolism

“The trigger is the sudden loss of water from the body,” explains Willand. “With snacks like crackers and chips, this fattening effect is increased even further by the generous addition of the water-thief salt.” But glucose from rice cakes, crispbread and toast is also too dry. On the other hand, pasta, bread and, of course, potatoes still contain considerable amounts of water for healthy use.

“Carbohydrate-rich foods do not provide enough magnesium to burn the energy they contain. This is then stored instead,” explains Willand. Therefore, they should be combined with vegetables if possible, as they provide plenty of magnesium. This is even more important with white flour products that are low in minerals.

To prevent blood sugar levels from rising too quickly, bread and pasta should be combined with fat. This slows down glucose absorption. A little acid has an even greater effect. That’s why you should prefer sourdough bread.

“If, on the other hand, blood sugar levels rise sharply, we release a lot of insulin. Then the glucose is converted into fat instead of being burned,” explains the nutrition expert. “This means that the brain loses the glucose as an energy source; there is practically no conversion back.” The blood sugar level then drops again, we feel a craving for something sweet – and the vicious circle starts all over again.

Problematic glucose is not only found in snacks and sweets such as chocolate, biscuits and cakes, but also in rice cakes and yeast bread.

5. Proteins

“Proteins on their own don’t make you fat,” explains Willand, “it depends on the ratio of amino acids contained in a meal.” Milk, especially whey, but also pure grains contain too much of the amino acid leucine. This strongly stimulates insulin secretion and displaces the amino acid tryptophan at the blood-brain barrier. We then produce too little serotonin and develop an insatiable appetite for carbohydrates.

For example, if you drink milk with your meal, your body automatically goes into fattening mode – and produces three times as much insulin – so that the carbohydrates you consume are sent straight to the fat deposits. The amino acid composition in cheese is much better. A slice of salmon or roast beef on your bread also balances out the imbalance in the grains.

Fresh milk, breakfast cereals with milk and legumes are particularly high in leucine.

6. AGEs

“AGEs are extremely unhealthy compounds made of proteins and sugar,” explains Willand. The abbreviation stands for “Advanced Glycation Endproducts”. Fructose in particular reacts very readily with proteins, for example when frying in a pan, browning and roasting substances are created. “These are particularly tasty, but they are also particularly inflammatory.”

Silent inflammation in the body increases the aging process and insulin resistance. This means that far more insulin is produced than the body needs. “This means that the food energy migrates back into our fat deposits.”

According to Willand, AGEs are responsible for the popularity of fast food. “Everything is made to contain AGEs,” he explains. “But we also produce AGEs at home when we fry meat or bake cheese in the oven.”

AGEs are found in crispy melted cheese, baked and fried meat, and fried eggs.

How to avoid fattening substances in your diet

“Don’t be afraid of the fattening substances,” says Willand. “It’s always a question of quantity. Reducing is enough, more is not possible. But to do that you have to know the fattening substances.”

To reduce AGEs, for example, he advises: “Marinate your meat with lemon juice and herbs before cooking. These not only give it a good taste, but are also rich in valuable antioxidants.” Then you should fry the meat briefly and then deglaze it with wine and let it simmer. “Chicken thighs braised in this way contain less than a tenth of the AGEs compared to chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant.”

To avoid the fat-building effect of fructose, Willand recommends eating fresh fruit instead of overripe fruit, fruit juice and jam. “It’s best to eat fruit as a dessert or with a snack, not on its own. This way, the body can burn the energy it contains straight away. Fresh or cooked vegetables are also virtually fattening-free.”

Willand also explains: “Soft drinks and juices, on the other hand, are real fatteners and should only be consumed as an exception, if at all – and then slowly and preferably as a drink with a meal.” Better thirst quenchers are water and unsweetened tea.

More than half of Germans are overweight

Eating a healthy diet is not only important for looking slim and good. It is also essential for our health. Being overweight is often accompanied by concurrent diseases such as diabetes. This makes the figures given by the German Obesity Society all the more alarming:

• In Germany, around two thirds (67 percent) of men and half (53 percent) of women are overweight, their Body mass index is therefore over 25.
• A quarter of adults are even severely overweight, i.e. obese. 23 percent of men and 24 percent of women are affected. Their Body mass index lies by over 30.