Diabetes patients learn cooking techniques
Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, October 18, 2009
Although many adults worry about how to get through the holidays without putting on extra pounds, for those diagnosed with diabetes the challenge is only magnified.
And though the avoidance of too much Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie or Christmas treats is important primarily so blood sugar levels can be controlled, Midland County extension agent for family and consumer sciences Lindy Tefteller said maintaining one’s weight through diet and exercise often is part of controlling Type II diabetes.
“We’re so used to eating whatever we want,” Tefteller said.
Once diagnosed with diabetes, though, that’s no longer a possibility, so Tefteller said she’s working with the about 28 enrolled in a diabetes cooking class at Casa de Amigos to develop a diet they understand and can implement.
“People with diabetes typically have the hardest time during the holidays,” she said.
During the newly implemented course, which started Monday night, participants will learn how to read food labels, distinguish between carbohydrates and sweeteners, cut down on sodium and how to manage portion sizes. These skills then will be applied to various recipes participants will get the chance to concoct.
Casa de Amigos’ Health and Dental Director Silvia Lemos said they often hear from clients who say they wish they could watch someone put together dishes that fit into diabetes guidelines, as they understand what they need to be doing but don’t know how to translate that into their cooking.
Lemos said Monday the class was nearly full but that they would hold additional diabetes cooking classes in the future.
After learning how to survive Halloween without wrecking their health Monday, participants will learn about dishes they can make on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Super Bowl Sunday, Tefteller said.
Often, she said, diabetes patients simply don’t realize how many things they still can eat, so the class will also go over that, pointing out things like starchy vegetables and breads and grains that can become a staple.
With sugary treats like Pop-tarts, she said, they don’t always have to be eliminated, but simply limited. A diabetes patient, then, may be able to have one Pop-tart instead of the two that come in the package.
In reading labels, Tefteller said, they’ll also look at all the ingredients in pre-packaged foods that increase sugar content. Previously, she said, it was easier to discern how much sugar an item had, but now it’s not always obvious, as sugar content may be broken down into several various ingredients.
And though the methods will be useful for most patients, Tefteller said it’s also important for the class’s participants to understand everyone with Type II diabetes — the type being focused on in the course — is different and needs to manage their food intake accordingly.
Diabetes patients who are 55 and older, as well as other seniors, also can have their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels checked for free between 8:30 a.m. and noon Saturday at Casa de Amigos, 1101 E. Garden Lane.