Germany's center-left Social Democrats (SPD) are taking aim at the food and beverage industry in an effort to make sweet and savory treats a bit healthier, according to a report published late on Wednesday.

An SPD position paper calls for limits on salt, sugar and fat in processed food, the German daily Bild newspaper reported. The plan received unanimous approval from the SPD's parliamentary group.

Read more: WHO: Curb ads for junk food, sweets and beer to fight obesity

A panel of independent nutrition experts, doctors, health insurance companies as well as health and consumer organizations should establish "binding reduction goals for sugar, salt and fat content," Bild reported, citing the SPD paper.

"Health must take precedence over economic interests," SPD politician Ursula Schulte told the newspaper.

She added that the "national reduction strategy" for processed foods should be inserted into the next coalition agreement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister-party the Christian Social Union (CSU).

Read more: What fats are best in food?

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar makes you fat! Sugar is converted to fat in the body about two to five times more quickly than starches. In other words, when we consume sugar, we’re feeding our fat cells. The fructose in sugar is also metabolized by the liver, which can contribute to fatty liver disease. That can promote insulin resistance and lead to Type 2 diabetes – with a lifelong impact on your health.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar affects your mood! In small amounts, sugar promotes the release of serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood. But too much sugar can promote depression and anxiety. Sudden shifts in blood sugar levels can also lead to irritability, anxiety and mood swings.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar contributes to aging! We already know that sugar has a variety of health effects, but it also affects the skin. That’s in part due to glycation, the process whereby sugar molecules bind to collagen fibers. As a result, the collagen fibers lose their natural elasticity. Excess sugar also damages microcirculation, which slows cell turnover. That can promote the development of wrinkles, make you look older than your age.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar is harmful to your gut! The microflora of your gut promote digestion and protect your digestive system from harmful bacteria. Consuming too much sugar gets your gut microflora out of whack. Fungi and parasites love sugar. An excess of the Candida albicans yeast can lead to a host of annoying health symptoms. And sugar also contributes to constipation, diarrhea and gas.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar can be addictive! In overweight people, the brain responds to sugar by releasing dopamine, in much the same way that it responds to alcohol or other addictive substances. Test it yourself: avoid all sugary foods and beverages for ten days. If you start to get headachy and irritable after a day or two, and start craving sugar, then you could be suffering from sugar withdrawal.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar makes you aggressive! People who consume excess sugar are more likely to engage in aggressive behavior. Children with ADHD are also affected by sugar. For these children, too much sugar affects concentration and promotes hyperactivity. That’s why it’s a good idea for children to avoid eating sugar during school hours.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar weakens the immune system! Excessive sugar consumption makes it harder for the immune system to ward off disease. After consuming sugar, the immune system’s ability to kill germs is reduced by up to 40 percent. Sugar also saps the body’s store of vitamin C, which white blood cells need to fight off viruses and bacteria. Sugar also promotes the inflammatory response, and even minor inflammation can trigger numerous diseases.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar promotes Alzheimer’s disease! Studies have shown that excess sugar consumption increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A 2013 study showed that insulin resistance and high blood sugar values – both of which are common in diabetes – are associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar increases cancer risk! Cancer cells need sugar to proliferate. An international research team headed by Lewis Cantley of Harvard Medical School is researching how sugar might contribute to the growth of malignant cells. He believes that refined sugar may be what causes cancer cells to develop into tumors. He’s still testing that hypothesis but recommends that even slender people consume as little sugar as possible.

Bitter truth about sugar Sugar makes you stupid! Excess sugar consumption may have a negative impact on memory. According to a study carried out by Berlin’s Charité University Hospital, people with high blood sugar levels have a smaller hippocampus – the part of the brain that’s key to long term memory. In the study, people with high blood sugar also performed more poorly on tests of memory than those with low blood sugar levels.



Slimming down fatty foods

The SPD is also pushing for a binding time plan for implementing the sweet, salty and fatty reductions, as well as a law to enforce the plan if companies do not comply.

Similar strategies to roll back sugar, salt or fat in foods and drinks are already in place in several European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Austria and Poland.

Read more: How sustainably do Germans eat?

"Politics can no longer cave in to the food industry lobby and delay the issue of sugar, salt and fat reduction. The SPD's initiative is, therefore, very welcome," Martin Litsch, the head of health insurance company AOK, told Bild.

The top 10 fat fighters Avoid crash diets! Crash diets can help you lose weight quickly, but most of it comprises water and muscle mass. The little fat that is actually broken down will be replenished by the body once you’ve finished dieting – as a reserve for extreme situations. Crash diets also have side-effects such as headaches, nausea and bad breath. For a long-term solution, the only way is to completely reform your eating habits.

The top 10 fat fighters Yes to slimming agents! People determined to keep their weight low after shedding the pounds should have fruit and vegetables dominating their daily intake. Most varieties contain a lot of minerals and vitamins, are largely comprised of water, and have a very low calorie content. You should also drink plenty of water to stimulate digestion. The same applies for spicy food.

The top 10 fat fighters No to calorific concoctions! The worst culprits include not only fat but also refined carbohydrates such as processed flour products, instant meals, and all foods with a high level of regular supermarket sugar or fructose – not forgetting sweet drinks and fast food. Plus: avoid alcohol, because it has twice as many calories as protein or sugar.

The top 10 fat fighters Change your eating habits! There are various steps of action that will help your dieting … Eat three regular meals a day, with breakfast optionally the biggest. The slower you eat, the faster you will feel sated. Stop eating well before you are 100% full. And use smaller plates, as this gives you the feeling of having eaten enough.

The top 10 fat fighters Exercise! Regular physical exercise is crucial for losing weight. Sporting activity increases our energy consumption and burns off fat. Power walking or aqua aerobics are sound options to start off with, as they take the load off your spine and joints. Later you can move on to endurance sports such as running, cycling and swimming – in 30-minute sessions at least three times a week.

The top 10 fat fighters Sleep sufficiently! Sleeping badly will leave you hungrier the next day. Getting insufficient rest leads to a hormone malfunction that causes sudden cravings, while your metabolism rate plummets because you’re eating more. Your leptin level that triggers that full feeling decreases, while the appetite-producing hormones ghrelin and orexin increase. Losing weight therefore means sleeping enough as well.

The top 10 fat fighters Take cold baths! Cold baths stimulate fat combustion, and help you lose weight. In particular, cold water boosts our metabolism by activating the brown fat on the thighs, hips and behind. The water temperature should begin at 20° Celsius and drop to 15° C (but no lower) by the end. Taking a cold bath for 15 minutes a day will give you a turbocharged metabolism all day long.

The top 10 fat fighters Build up your muscles! Muscle mass makes up around 40% of your body weight, and even without activity burns up three times more calories than fat tissue. Muscles consume calories day and night, and are a major fat killer. Trained muscles are far more efficient fat combustion engines than untrained ones. The more muscle mass, the higher the burning of energy and fat!

The top 10 fat fighters Reduce stress! Stress is among the most significant mental factors promoting excess weight. Relieving stress is therefore helpful. Stress hormones play a big role in our hunger and eating behavior, and can lead to uncontrolled cravings – even when the body does not in fact need any food. A stress-free life is among the best fat fighters.

The top 10 fat fighters Never go shopping while hungry! If you’re feeling peckish when out shopping, you are bound to end up with items in your basket or trolley that have no place on a diet menu. It’s best to do your groceries after eating. With a full stomach you are less likely to succumb to the countless temptations on display.



The SPD's plan received pushback from the food industry, who said the issue encroaches on the rights of citizens to "enjoy" their food.

"The SPD is attempting to replace diversity with simplicity. The food industry must remain responsible for the recipes, otherwise party platforms will turn into cookbooks," Christoph Minhoff, the head of the Federation of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE), told Bild .

Read more: Americans told to cut their sugar intake in half

Food and Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt, a member of the CSU, presented a draft fat and sugar reduction strategy last summer, but it never made it to the cabinet to start the approval process.

Schmidt's plan, however, did not call for a law to enforce the new limits, instead focusing on voluntary participation from food and beverage corporations.