As a nutrition scientist, he says he is often asked the question: “Mr. Knopp, what do you eat yourself? Do you have a secret recipe for perfect health?” The answer surprises many – and disappoints those who expect a strict diet plan.
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“Because I don’t follow the latest superfood trends, scientific studies, rules, or strict calorie counting. I follow what I call ‘culinary body intelligence’ – the ability to listen to my body’s hunger and satiety signals without external rules that suppress those sensations. In short: I am a passionate intuitive eater,” emphasizes U. Knopp.
A day in the kitchen: cooking instead of restrictions
A typical day for him might look like this, for example:
Late morning: 5–7 small cups of freshly prepared black “Café Crèma” coffee.
At lunch: a large, homemade, fresh diurium – a Turkish fast food dish where meat together with vegetables and sauce is wrapped in thin lavash. Filling: homemade red cabbage salad, red onions, crispy lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes, complemented with organic chicken, sheep’s milk cheese, or falafels. Side dish – oven-crispy baked fries.
In the evening: after a long break – a plate of spaghetti with aromatic homemade tomato, herb, and vegetable sauce and freshly grated Parmesan – real, preferably aged “Parmigiano Reggiano.”
Daily compass: intuition instead of dogma
According to U. Knopp, science provides valuable knowledge about nutrients. However, it cannot replace the individual feeling of hunger, desire, and satiety, so the daily rhythm is based on trusting one’s body.
“Every day I start only with black ‘Café Crema’ coffee. Five to seven small cups, freshly prepared with a home coffee machine, are my daily breakfast. By the way, recent studies do not consider this amount problematic for healthy people – it’s just good to know, that’s all. In the mornings I don’t eat but consciously wait until real hunger appears – usually around lunch,” emphasizes the scientist.
Intuitive intermittent fasting
“I am practically an ‘intuitive intermittent faster.’ Not because I follow any trend, but because this model fits my chronobiology and natural hunger sensation. I don’t force anything – the rhythm is dictated by my body,” adds U. Knopp.
Some days hunger comes earlier, other days later. Then he eats accordingly earlier or later. He focuses not on the clock but on what the body truly asks for.
He likes to eat most when he is very hungry
One thing is especially important to him: he likes to eat most when hunger is really clearly felt – in other words, when he is “hungry as a wolf.”
“Only a strong feeling of hunger allows me to experience true pleasure. When we eat feeling real hunger, the reward system activates, and that is when the unique deep satisfaction feeling arises,” says U. Knopp.
When we eat feeling real hunger, the reward system activates, and that is when the unique deep satisfaction feeling arises.
That first bite, relaxed leaning back, pleasant chewing, and that “cozy sigh from the depths of the belly” – for me, this is the clearest body signal that everything fits. That this food is exactly right now. That the body is getting what it needs at this moment. For me, this intense feeling of goodness is an inseparable part of good eating.”
According to the scientist, those who constantly eat according to a plan, clock, or app often miss this very experience.
A person who likes salty and spicy flavors
By nature, he says he is a person of saltier, richer, and spicy flavors. Sweets, cakes, or pastries simply do not interest him.
“My palate wants intensity and spices – especially I am drawn to all the spicy ‘powerful phytochemicals,’ such as chili, peppers, onions, and garlic. This intense flavor direction is also reflected in my drink choices: I like juices as homemade diluted drinks – quality organic juices, supplemented with mineral water and flavored with a strong splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice. For me, this is the embodiment of refreshment,” says the scientist.
Cooking is a craft and self-care for him – also for his family. The secret lies in the “culinary trinity”: freshness, variety, and quality.
Science meets calm
“Research shows us connections, but we must admit that health is not just a technical project that can be managed with tables and prohibitions. Many people have stopped listening to their body’s signals because they constantly want to be guided by experts,” notes U. Knopp.
His approach is the opposite. Calm prevails when you learn to listen to four essential signals:
- hunger,
- desire,
- tolerance,
- satiety,
then there is no need for apps or point systems. U. Knopp is convinced that whoever accepts their culinary body intelligence as an advisor gains true freedom.
“Nutrition should be a very natural part of life, based on pleasure, culture, and individual experience. For example, in the evening, when I cook spaghetti and the smell of stewed tomato sauce spreads in the kitchen, for me this is not a nutrition program. It’s simply delicious life,” he concludes.
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