Bratwurst goodbye: Eat like a former chancellor: This is how Gerhard Schröder feasts himself slim
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There is no genetic engineering in the plant
But don’t worry: they are genetically modified
Politicians are just normal people: Gerhard Schröder and his wife So-yeon Schröder-Kim changed their diet because of high cholesterol levels. What’s on the couple’s plates, how healthy the food is and how much it costs.
“You will be surprised, because I know how to surprise,” sang Gerhard Schröder – or rather a doll with his likeness and the voice of “Gerd Show” parodist Elmar Brandt – in the “steuersong” from 2002.
The former chancellor could and can truly surprise – be it with unexpected tax increases, friendships with dubious political actors such as Russia’s warmongering ruler Vladimir Putin or lobbying for the Russian gas giant Gazprom.
Now Schröder is trying to amaze again – not with his political behavior, but with his appearance. In current pictures that his wife So-yeon Schröder-Kim uploaded to Instagram, the 79-year-old appears significantly slimmer. This is no coincidence: after all, the former Chancellor and Schröder-Kim have changed their diet.
Former Chancellor Schröder and his wife So-yeon Schröder-Kim have changed their diet
The couple had previously been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels. The 56-year-old even had higher values than the former chancellor – even though she said she doesn’t eat meat or drink alcohol. The doctors then gave her the choice of either taking cholesterol-lowering drugs or changing her diet. The couple, who have been married since 2018, decided on the latter – with success.
Since then, not only the cholesterol levels have been positive: the SPD politician in particular appears more vital and slimmer – thanks to his wife’s passion and skill in cooking.
On the social media platform, the South Korean woman, who has the wooden spoon in her hand in the relationship, documents what is on the Schröder-Kim couple’s plate.
Chancellor breakfast: oatmeal with fruit
According to the interpreter, for breakfast there is oat flakes with oat milk, kiwi, pear, apple, blueberries, raspberries, walnuts and/or flax seeds.
How healthy is the meal?
Apples, pears, kiwis, raspberries and blueberries provide plenty of vitamins A, B, C and E, folic acid, iron and other nutrients. Walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed, oat flakes and oat milk provide fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels.
The breakfast is not only nutritious but also affordable. FOCUS online calculates:
Oat flakes (1 pack, 500 grams): 79 cents Oat milk (1 bag): 2.19 euros 1 kiwi: 33 cents 1 pear: 40 cents 1 apple: 27 cents Blueberries (1 pack, 200 grams): 2.99 euros Raspberries (1 pack, 125 grams): 2.49 euros Walnuts (with shell, 500 grams): 2.49 euros Flaxseeds (250 grams): 1.39 euros
Fish and vegetables for lunch
On Tuesdays and Fridays there is usually fish for lunch, writes Schröder-Kim. The couple eat the fish, for example mackerel, with onions, garlic, carrots, sprouts, peppers and cauliflower. There is also a small salad with tomatoes, avocado, pumpkin seeds and onions.
How healthy is the meal?
Meanwhile, mackerel is a real all-rounder: it contains a huge amount of high-quality protein, making it an important source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Carrots also provide plenty of vitamin A, while vitamin C is found in sprouts, peppers, tomatoes and onions.
Tomatoes also contain potassium and fiber, and avocados have folic acid and vitamin E. The vitamin is also contained in pumpkin seeds. Cauliflower is also a source of calcium. Onions and garlic also have an anti-inflammatory effect and lower cholesterol levels.
The costs:
Mackerel: 7.90 euros/kilogram Carrots (1 kilogram): 1.29 euros Sprouts (100 grams): 1.49 euros Peppers (500 grams): 1.89 euros 1 cauliflower: 3.49 euros Tomatoes (100 grams) : 33 cents 1 avocado: 1.49 euros Pumpkin seeds (125 grams): 2.69 euros Onions (on the net, 350 grams): 1.59 euros Garlic (on the net, 200 grams): 1.29 euros
Artichoke dinner
The former chancellor and his wife like to eat boiled artichokes for dinner – a dish that very few people will find on their plate. The couple forgoes any side dishes and eats just the artichoke, which is cooked in water with lemon juice and a pinch of salt for 30 to 45 minutes.
How healthy is the meal?
The vegetable is not a nutritional revelation: it has comparatively few proteins, vitamins, fiber and no healthy fatty acids. The artichoke is considered a medicinal plant because it stimulates bile production and promotes digestion, especially of fatty foods. It also has a positive effect on blood fat and cholesterol levels. With around 41 calories, the slightly bitter vegetable is perfect for diets.
The costs:
3 artichokes: 8 euros Lemons (on the net, 500 grams): 0.89 euros
Ex-Chancellor Schröder explains how to eat the vegetables in this video:
Korean “power bar” kimbap
A dish that the South Korean woman likes to prepare is kimbap. The South Korean “power bar,” as Schröder-Kim calls it, is a type of sushi that consists of rice, pickled horseradish, spinach, carrots or even eggs. The ingredients are rolled in seaweed paper (nori sheets) and then cut into small slices.
How healthy is the meal?
Carrots are known to contain vitamin A, horseradish provides potassium and calcium. Spinach has vitamin B and vitamin C, while eggs are a source of protein and other calcium. Rice, on the other hand, contains satiating carbohydrates and potassium. The seaweed paper, the nori sheets, contains proteins and vitamins A and B12. However, there is also a lot of iodine in nori sheets – people with thyroid problems should therefore only consume a small amount of seaweed paper or avoid it entirely.
The costs:
Basmati rice (500 grams): 2.29 euros Carrots (1 kilogram): 1.29 euros Spinach leaves (250 grams): 2.69 euros Horseradish (250 grams): 4.20 euros Eggs (6 pieces): 2, 59 euros Nori sheets (6 pieces): 3.49 euros
Natural yogurt with cocoa nibs as dessert
After eating, Schröder and Schröder-Kim treat themselves to a bowl of natural or oat yogurt with cocoa nibs and pumpkin seeds. “If you like eating chocolate like we do, but want to avoid the ‘side effects’, you should try this dessert,” recommends the interpreter.
How healthy is the meal?
Pumpkin seeds provide vitamin E, while yogurt is an important source of calcium and protein that keeps you full for a long time and is good for the intestinal flora with its lactic acid bacteria. Cocoa nibs, which taste more bitter than sweet, are real magnesium and calcium bombs and rich in antioxidants.
The costs:
Natural yogurt (3.5 percent fat, 500 grams): 1.19 euros Pumpkin seeds (125 grams): 2.69 euros Cocoa nibs (200 grams): 4.99 euros