Conscious eating is the order of the day and ready meals have no place in it, because they are unhealthy, make you fat and can even make you ill. Although this is common knowledge, many people continue to reach for ready-made products - in 1978, per capita consumption of frozen products was 13.7 kg. In 2022, it totalled 47.7 kg. But why are these products actually so unhealthy? And why do we keep eating them anyway? Are there also healthy ready meals?
Processed foods - what makes them so unhealthy and why do they make us ill?
Ready meals contain lots of calories, little fibre, mostly sugar, lots of salt, flavourings and additives. Eating too much of it increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, bowel diseases and even cancer.
Ready meals usually contain the energy sources from the original tomato or grain. However, the micronutrients, vitamins and fibre are lost during processing. On the other hand, substances are added that the food does not need.
Why so many additives at all?
"Additives have different functions. They can be a colouring agent or a preservative that extends shelf life. Thickeners can be used to influence the appearance and mouthfeel. Or they can prevent fats from becoming rancid. Apart from that, manufacturers save money by using flavourings," reports Dr Stefan Kabisch, who conducts research into nutrition at the Charité in Berlin-Steglitz.
Are you one of those people who look at the ingredients list on every product they buy? If so, you will have looked through many an ingredients list and many a product and not bought it because of this. Far too often we find the following ingredients on the ingredient lists:
Sugar, glucose syrup, (natural) flavourings, artificial vitamin supplements, yeast extract, bulking agents such as rice flour, corn starch, too much salt.
A ready meal can already contain 1/3 of the daily requirement of salt. If we consume too much salt, we get used to it and want more and more of it. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. Some products also contain hydrogenated palm fat. The hardening process produces trans fatty acids. These are suspected to be linked to cardiovascular diseases. And let's not forget the numerous additives, which can be recognised by the E numbers in the list of ingredients. Although these additives have been well researched in detail and are not necessarily harmful, we do not know how the combination of different additives in large quantities affects us.
So one can conclude: Ready-made products contain too much salt, too many simple carbohydrates, bad fat and sugar. Too much of it makes us fat and sick.
Lots of simple carbohydrates, little fibre: it doesn't fill you up
Moreover, convenience products are highly processed and do not keep us full for long. The following little experiment from the HR programme "Alles Wissen" shows why this is so: the blood sugar level was compared after eating fresh potatoes and the same amount of instant mashed potatoes.
This happens with complex carbohydrates:
- The enzymes contained in the saliva break down the carbohydrate chains into smaller parts.
- With the help of digestive enzymes from the pancreas, the chains are broken down into their smallest parts in the small intestine: The glucose
- Glucose is absorbed by the mucous membrane of the small intestine and released into the blood.
- The blood sugar level rises.
Potatoes contain complex, long-chain carbohydrates. The longer these carbohydrate chains are, the longer our body needs to process them. This process begins when we chew: Our saliva contains enzymes known as amylases, which break down the chains into smaller pieces. After the stomach, the carbohydrates end up in the small intestine, where the pancreas adds more enzymes. Here they are broken down into their smallest components, glucose. Glucose is absorbed by the mucous membrane of the small intestine and released into the blood. This causes the blood sugar level to rise slowly.
What happens to the glucose?
For instant porridge, the potato is heavily processed and chopped so that it can be prepared quickly by simply adding water. The long carbohydrate chains in this product are therefore already largely broken down, which is referred to as simple carbohydrates. The glucose therefore enters the bloodstream much more quickly and causes the blood sugar level to rise, but it also drops again quickly after eating.
In a practical test, this means the following: After eating 2 potatoes, the blood sugar level after 2 hours is still higher than the initial value. This means that the potatoes are still providing energy.
However, 2 hours after eating the ready-made puree, the blood glucose level is below the initial value, i.e. it has plummeted and the test subject is already feeling hungry. When we have a low blood sugar level, we are not only hungry, but also quickly crave sweets: our body wants something that gives it a lot of energy quickly and pushes the blood sugar level up quickly. The infamous craving arises.
Fibre also has an influence on satiety. Fresh potatoes contain four times as much fibre as mashed potatoes. Fibre plays a major role not only in keeping us full, but also in our digestion, immune system and metabolism.
So we can see: ready-made mashed potatoes don't fill you up for long, even though they have significantly more calories than the same amount of fresh potatoes.
Everyone says healthy & natural, but not everyone can!
It is frightening how many companies advertise that they produce healthy, "pure" and regional food. Sometimes the marketing is so good that we only realise on the second or third look that behind many of the claims are empty promises, or worse still, deception. With so much good marketing, it is not easy to find the honest and really good food companies.
An example of good marketing but poor ingredients is provided by a new instant meal company. They advertise with the slogan "Fast food. No junk food. - Balanced meal. Sustainable & vegan. Perfect nutritional values. Lots of protein. Full of variety. Simply uncomplicated. Super tasty."
The first thing you think is: "Wow, that sounds really good!" And even if you take a closer look at the product pages, you will only find positive things. The ready-made products are high in protein, low in calories, plant-based and made from natural ingredients. One click on the list of ingredients and it quickly becomes clear that this is not natural:
Instant Meal Spaghetti Carbonara
Only a drinkable meal is ready even faster than instant noodles. Here too, suppliers advertise with lots of vitamins, proteins, fibre and all the important nutrients in one product or drink. Unfortunately, the list of ingredients does not live up to its promises:
Instant Drink 500ml
Why do we eat ready meals anyway?
It sounds exaggerated, but it's true: we can become addicted to convenience foods. While we eat, the hormones insulin and leptin rise. The satiety hormone leptin normally dampens the endorphins, we get full and don't want to eat any more. However, if the meal is extremely fatty or sugar-heavy, so much dopamine and endorphins are released that the satiety hormone can no longer compete with it and is, so to speak, suppressed. Dopamine stimulates the reward centre in the brain and we then want to have this "kick" more and more often. By the way, this is the same mechanism of action as with alcohol and drugs - frightening, isn't it?
And last but not least, ready meals are of course practical: they can be prepared quickly without much cooking skill or effort and, thanks to the high salt content and flavour enhancers, they sometimes don't taste bad at all. In our fast-paced world, at work or with a large family, there simply isn't always time to cook balanced and fresh meals every day. The temptation to quickly reach for the frozen food shelf is simply great.
Are there also healthy ready-made meals?
"Honesty in every bite" - this is how we live and create our products, because far be it from us to deceive you and all our other customers and sell food that doesn't deliver what it promises. Because there are enough of these types of food companies out there. We're not going to join them.
That's why we've made it our mission to show you what it means to taste "honesty in every bite" without compromise and without playing hide-and-seek.
Our products
- fulfil a health benefit: they are natural, contain an optimal nutritional profile and are good for your body.
- give you time: because they are quick, easy and quick to prepare.
- are unprocessed: they contain natural ingredients, we always avoid added industrial sugar and emphasise the purity and naturalness of our ingredients.
To guarantee all this, we have brought in nutritionists who are responsible for ensuring that our products really only contain what is good for you and us and what we would eat ourselves.
Why are we coming up with ready meals now?
As already mentioned, it makes us sad and angry that there are so many ready meals on the market that don't deliver what they promise. From 5-minute terrines to tinned ravioli and frozen meals, there are so many ready meals on the market. We want to offer you healthy, quick and tasty alternatives in this unhealthy jungle of ready meals. Our products are not intended to replace fresh cooking. Rather, they are intended to make your life easier with a clear conscience when you don't have the time or inclination to cook, but the bread roll from the bakery is not the solution either. With us, you shouldn't have to look at the ingredients list every time, but should be able to trust that our products always contain only natural and healthy ingredients.
As a result, we develop our products according to the Ordinances of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) for nutrition and health claims for foods. Our ready meals and other product groups therefore also have health claims:
Our Ruckzuck dishes
Our Couscous ready meals are low in fat and sugar. So if you're looking for a quick, tasty AND healthy ready meal, this is the solution. No more guilty conscience, but a healthy alternative to the bakery and co.
Other products with health-promoting ingredients
Do you often feel tired, stressed and prone to colds? Our energy booster contains your daily dose of vitamin C and
- thus supports your body's immune defence.
- prevents cell damage.
- reduces stress.
- contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Order now your Weekly energy pack and get your tiredness under control.
Do you love eating pasta with tomato sauce? Then why not try our sprouted fusilli, which not only takes 3 minutes to prepare, but also contains a good portion of zinc, unlike conventional pasta. Eating pasta and doing something good for my body? Sounds great! Thanks to the zinc they contain, our sprouted fusilli contribute to the maintenance of normal bones, normal hair and normal skin.
Order now your Tasting Pack Sprouted Pasta with 5 Sauces Organic.
Snacking can be healthy! Don't believe us? Then you should get to know our fear bars. Our banana and almond bars, for example, contain potassium. Potassium is an essential element that contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, normal muscle function and the maintenance of normal blood pressure. Let's be honest, that makes snacking even more fun! 🙂
Order now your Organic snack pack and always have something sweet but healthy in stock.
Trust is good, control (sometimes) better
Especially when we reach for ready meals, it's worth taking a look at the ingredients list. This is usually easier in the supermarket than in online shops, as the ingredient lists can sometimes be very well hidden. This is also an indication that the food brand probably has something to hide. If there's one thing you should take away from this article, it's to take the time to look at the ingredients list on products when you're out shopping. What do you notice? How much "goodness" is there in the product? Which ingredients do I perhaps not even know?
You can't go wrong with ready meals from Wacker. We stand for healthy, natural, fast, uncomplicated and transparent nutrition that you can trust 100%. There are no flavour enhancers, additives, preservatives or cheap fillers in our products. They taste like home-cooked food, make your everyday life easier and offer you the healthy alternative that your body needs and deserves.
Healthy cooking in just a few minutes - with our organic ready meals. Order your tasting pack now:
Sources: NDR, German Frozen Food Institute, ARD media centre, BMEL, BVL
Picture 5 minutes terrines: Adobe Stock, PhotoSG, #530141694
