Sweets and Desserts

I thought this article had lots of good information.  If you are not a diabetic...these rules can and should still apply to you and your family.  It's all about the choices we make and what we choose to put into our body.  I am in charge...not the tv or the grocery store ad.  Say it with me "I am in charge of what I eat"

The Hype About Sugar

The myth that sugar causes diabetes is commonly accepted by many people. Research has shown that it isn't true. Eating sugar has nothing to do with developing type 1 diabetes.

The biggest dietary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes is simply eating too much and being overweight—your body doesn’t care if the extra food comes from cookies or beef, it is gaining weight that is the culprit.

In the past, people with diabetes were told to completely avoid sugar. Experts thought that eating sugar would raise blood glucose levels very high.

Research around this issue has shown that while the type of carbohydrate can affect how quickly blood glucose levels rise, the total amount of carbohydrateyou eat affects blood glucose levels more than the type. Now experts agree that you can substitute small amounts of sugar for other carbohydrate containing foods into your meal plan and still keep your blood glucose levels on track.

That doesn't mean you can eat all the sugar you may want. Most sweets contain a large amount of carbohydrate in a very small serving. So you need to be sure to have a small serving.

Saving sweets for a special occasion is the most healthful way to eat so you focus your meal plan on the most nutrient dense foods such as vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruit, non-fat dairy, fish and lean meats.

If you tend to overeat on sweets, don't buy them. Instead, plan to have dessert when you are away from home. Split the dessert with a friend to keep yourself on track.

Including Sweets into Your Meal Plan

Most sweeteners have calories and carbohydrates. Examples are:

• Table sugar (sucrose)
• Honey
• Brown sugar
• Molasses
• Fructose
• Maple syrup
• Cane sugar
• Agave nectar
• Confectioners sugar

The key to keeping your blood glucose levels on target is to substitute small portions of sweets and sweeteners for other carb-containing foods in your meals and snacks.

Carb-containing foods include (but are not limited to):

• bread
• tortillas
• rice
• crackers
• cereal
• fruit
• juice
• milk
• yogurt
• potatoes
• corn
• peas.

For many people, having about 45 to 60 grams at meals is about right. Serving sizes make a difference. To include sweets in your meal, you can cut back on the other carb-containing foods at the same meal.

For example, if you'd like to have cookies with your lunch, you need to substitute for another carb-containing food. If your lunch is a turkey sandwich with two slices of bread, here are the steps you would take to make the substitution.

1. Your first step is to identify the carb foods in your meal. Bread is a carb.
2. You decide to swap two slices of regular bread for two slices of low-calorie bread (with ½ the carbohydrate) and have the cookies—it's an even trade.
3. Your total amount of carbohydrate remains the same for the meal.

Using the Nutrition Facts Label

You can also use the Nutrition Facts Label on foods to guide you. The first thing to check is the serving size. The second is the total carbohydrate. The total carbohydrate tells you how much carbohydrate is in one serving of the food.

Label claims
Foods labeled as sugar-free, no sugar added, reduced sugar, and dietetic may still contain carbohydrate. Sugar is only one type of carbohydrate that affects blood glucose levels. To get the complete amount of carbohydrate, look at theNutrition Facts Panel instead of relying on claims on the front of the box.

Sugar on the label
Sugar is listed under the Total Carbohydrate on the Nutrition Facts Label. Keep in mind that it includes both added sugars and naturally occurring sugars, such as the natural sugar in raisins.

Sugar listed on the label does not include sugar alcohols that are in the product. It is voluntary for food manufacturers to list sugar alcohols on the label. (Total carbohydrate does include sugar alcohols in the total.) Some manufacturers list sugar alcohols on the label and some do not. If a food doesn’t list sugar alcohols on the label, you can look for it in the ingredient list. Look for ingredients that end in "ol" like maltitol or sorbitol.

The Most Important Thing to Look For
If you don't have a lot of time when reading labels, simply look at the total carbohydrate in a food. The total carbohydrate includes starch, fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohols. Using the amount of total carbohydrate will give you a pretty good number to use for carbohydrate counting.

It is more helpful to check the total carbohydrate because it includes both sugar and starch. If you only look at the sugar content, you are not accounting for the starch in a food.

What to Drink

Ok, I admit that this article came from the ADA (American Diabetes Association) website. But the information is good for all of us.  The same rules apply to a non-diabetic as to a diabetic.  It's interesting that everything we eat or contemplate eating has an effect on our bodies, whether they are working properly or not. 

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Food often takes center stage when it comes to diabetes. But don’t forget that the beverages you drink can also have an effect on your weight and blood glucose!

We recommend choosing zero-calorie or very low-calorie drinks most of the time. This includes:

• Water
• Unsweetened teas
• Coffee
• Diet soda
• Other low-calorie drinks and drink mixes

You can also try flavoring your water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for a light, refreshing drink with some flavor. All of these drinks provide minimal calories and carbohydrates.

What to Avoid

Avoid sugary drinks like regular soda, fruit punch, fruit drinks, energy drinks, sweet tea, and other sugary drinks. These will raise blood glucose and can provide several hundred calories in just one serving! See for yourself:

• One 12-ounce can of regular soda has about 150 calories and 40 grams of carbohydrate. This is the same amount of carbohydrate in 10 teaspoons of sugar!
• One cup of fruit punch and other sugary fruit drinks have about 100 calories (or more) and 30 grams of carbohydrate.

Tired of Water?

As you can see, you have many other options!

Most diet drinks (like diet soda or diet tea) have zero grams of carbohydrate per serving, so they will not raise blood glucose on their own. These diet drinks are sweetened with artificial sweeteners instead of added sugars. Removing the added sugars and replacing them with artificial sweeteners  removes most of the calories and carbohydrates.

One good thing about low-calorie drinks and drink mixes is that they are available in several flavors. They may be a good alternative to regular lemonade, iced tea, fruit punch, etc. These drink mixes are also usually sweetened with low-calorie sweeteners. They are very low in calories (about 5-10 per 8-ounce portion) and have less than 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

Milk and Juice

Low-fat milk and 100% juice with no sugar added are also healthy drink choices. These drinks provide more calories and carbohydrates than the other recommended choices, but they also provide us with important vitamins and minerals. Just remember to control portion size when you drink them, because the calories and carbohydrates can add up when you have too much. 

Choose low-fat 1% or skim milk, and make sure that you count it in your meal plan. One cup of skim milk provides about 12 grams of carbohydrate and 80 calories.

If you choose to drink juice, be sure the label says it is 100% juice with no sugar added. Juice provides a lot of carbohydrates in a small portion, so be sure to count it in your meal plan. Usually 4-6 ounces (not even a full cup!) contains 15 grams of carbohydrate and 50 or more calories.

If you like to have juice in the morning but don’t want the carbohydrate from fruit juice, try low-sodium vegetable juice.  At just 50 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrate in 1 cup, it is a great alternative.

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/what-can-i-drink.html

Making Healthy Food Choices

Knowing what to eat can be confusing. 

Everywhere you turn, there is news about what is or isn't good for you. Some basic principles have weathered the fad diets, and have stood the test of time.

Here are a few tips on making healthful food choices for you and your entire family. You may also be interested in our book, Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking.

• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Try picking from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety.
• Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans with meals.
• Choose whole grain foods over processed grain products. Try brown rice with your stir fry or whole wheat spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce.
• Include dried beans (like kidney or pinto beans) and lentils into your meals.
• Include fish in your meals 2-3 times a week.
• Choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in "loin" such as pork loin and sirloin. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
• Choose non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.
• Choose water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Choose liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and trans fats. Remember that fats are high in calories. If you're trying to lose weight, watch your portion sizes of added fats.
• Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream.
• Eating too much of even healthful foods can lead to weight gain. Watch your portion sizes.

For More Information

Our book, What Do I Eat Now? A Step-by-Step Guide to Eating Right With Type 2 Diabetes, is a great resource to keep in your kitchen as a handy reference guide when it comes time to preparing meals. Also we have a Registered Dietitian ready to answer your nutrition questions.

***This is a good little tidbit to get started on making healthier food choices.  I did buy the book What Do I Eat Now? It has a ton of good information in it.  Now I just need to hire a cook/dietitian and I'll be set! (dream on mom) Lori

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices.html

Whole Grain Foods

There is no end in sight to the debate as to whether grains help you lose weight, or if they promote weight gain. Even more importantly, do they help or hinder blood glucose management? One thing is for sure. If you are going to eat grain foods, pick the ones that are the most nutritious. Choose whole grains. Whole grains are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. Reading labels is essential for this food group to make sure you are making the best choices.

Every time you choose to eat a starchy food, make it count! Leave the processed white flour-based products, especially the ones with added sugar, on the shelves or use them only for special occasion treats.

What is a whole grain?

A whole grain is the entire grain—which includes the bran, germ and endosperm (starchy part). The most popular grain in the US is wheat so that will be our example. To make 100% whole wheat flour, the entire wheat grain is ground up. "Refined" flours like white and enriched wheat flour include only part of the grain – the starchy part, and are not whole grain. They are missing many of the nutrients found in whole wheat flour. Examples of whole grain wheat products include 100% whole wheat bread, pasta, tortilla, and crackers. But don’t stop there! There are many whole grains to choose from.

Best Choices
Finding whole grain foods can be a challenge. Some foods only contain a small amount of whole grain but will say it contains whole grain on the front of the package. For all cereals and grains, read the ingredient list and look for the following sources of whole grains as the first ingredient:

• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Whole wheat flour
• Whole oats/oatmeal
• Whole grain corn/corn meal
• Popcorn
• Brown rice
• Whole rye
• Whole grain barley
• Wild rice
• Buckwheat
• buckwheat flour
• Triticale
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Sorghum

Do you have celiac disease? Check out our gluten-free meal planning sectionfor some essential tips.

Most rolls, breads, cereals, and crackers labeled as "made with" or "containing" whole grain do not have whole grain as the first ingredient. Read labels carefully to find the most nutritious grain products.

For cereals, pick ones with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and less than 6 grams of sugar.

Best Choices of Starchy Vegetables

Starchy vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber . The best choices do not have added fats, sugar or sodium. Try a variety such as:

• Parsnip
• Plantain
• Potato
• Pumpkin
• Acorn squash
• Butternut squash
• Green Peas
• Corn

Best Choices of Dried Beans, Legumes, Peas and Lentils

Try to include dried beans into several meals per week. They are a great source of protein and are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals.

• Dried beans such as black, lima, and pinto
• Lentils
• Dried peas such as black-eyed and split
• Fat-free refried beans
• Vegetarian baked beans

Tips for Carb CountersStarchy foods are one of the main sources of carbohydrate in our diet—along with milk, fruits, and sweets. For most grains and starches, ½ cup or 1 oz contains 15 g of carbohydrate. A few exceptions are 1 cup of winter squash and pumpkin and ⅓ cup of rice has about 15 grams.

For the Plate MethodAbout ¼ of your plate should come from starchy foods. Remember, only the depth of a deck of cards! This is usually about ¾ to 1 cup of a starchy food.

For using the Glycemic IndexThe general rule of thumb when using the GI to select foods is that the closer to nature, or less processed a food, the lower the GI. For example, whole rolled oats have a lower GI than instant oatmeal. Dried beans, lentils and starchy vegetables all have lower GI values. Potatoes are an exception but a small serving can still fit into your meal plan.

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/grains-and-starchy-vegetables.html

LEAN BUDGET, HEALTHY DIET!

             Everyone is watching their spending during these tight economic times, but the good news is… you can still eat healthfully and keep your weight/cholesterol/diabetes in check on a lean budget! Honestly, you may improve your health by eating some of the least expensive foods in the market – beans, whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice – says the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

You may also be aware that the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) recently scrapped its old “food pyramid” for a simpler visual aid: the plate! –fruits and vegetables are heaped on half, while the rest is divided between grains (rice, couscous, whole grain pasta) and protein (limited portions of lean meats or other protein sources… sorry, guys… no 12-ounce steaks here…)

Here is a brief review of the basics of a healthy diet, and a few tips about healthy add-ons that won’t break the bank!

* Get over your aversion to the word “diet” … it doesn’t mean you’re denying yourself essential nutrition or even attempting to lose weight…a good diet is simply a plan for eating a variety of foods that provide you with the right nutrients to keep you healthy (no more and no less!) You may already have a balanced, healthy diet… or not….

* Choose fruits and vegetables in abundance: fresh produce that’s in season is easier to find, more flavorful and usually less expensive; frozen fruits and veggies are also a good choice, since they can be bought in bulk and pack the same nutritional “punch” (just avoid those packed in butter, heavy sauces and sugary syrups)

* Pack protein into every meal: lean cuts of meat are good choices, and oily fish (e.g., salmon and tuna) are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (think heart healthy!); also remember, protein doesn’t have to come from meat and fish: whole grains, beans and tofu are examples of non-meats that are also rich in protein

* Include calcium: low- or non-fat dairy foods like skim milk or yogurt are important (don’t include butter, cream cheese, ice cream which contain little calcium); valuable calcium is also found in spinach, kale, collard greensand turnip greens

* Portion size matters! –know what a single portion looks like (3 ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards) – get your measuring cups and spoons out of the drawers or cupboards and use them!

 Remember, a healthy diet can be achieved without robbing a bank:

* choose inexpensive snacks like popcorn or pretzels

* buy fruits and vegetables in season

* shop the local farmer’s market

* buy in bulk when it’s practical – share cost and food with a family member or neighbor

* use fat-free dry milk in cooking and baking (inexpensive, stays fresh a long time if the box is refrigerated)

* make it yourself: purchase whole foods and prepare them yourself… grate your own cheese, add fruit to plain yogurt… taking the time saves a lot of money!

* make meat a side dish… or stretch it by adding smaller amounts to a broth-based soup (no creamy chowders)

* minimize expensive alcohol, sweets and fats

“What’s on your plate?” A. Youdim, MD, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles CA

Source: www.wheatridge.org, Health Notes Feb 2012  

Good Nutrition

http://providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/122755_23BPHLR_pdf.pdf

Above is the link to yet another set of good information taken from the lds.org site.  It says "Chapter 3 Nutrition" but I wasn't able to locate what book it may have come from.  Not all of it may be typical for you, like building a food cooler.  I'm assuming that this information is also for world wide use.  Do scroll through and pick what may apply to you.  All in all it is good basic information that every mom should be aware of.  Who knows...you may learn something new!
Enjoy!

Here is a link to Wheat Ridge Ministries.  It has a Wellness wheel which I wanted you to see.  There are so many different aspects of Whole Health.  We each need to evaluation each area upon occasion.  I did find the quote from Martin Luther insightful.  Didn't really like the second paragraph as written. But we are a new creation after our baptism, guess I just didn't agree with how this information is worded. Anyway, so take a look at the different areas of your life...how are you doing?

http://www.wheatridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wholeness_Wheel_2011.pdf

Sanitation in the Kitchen

This information taken from http://providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/122755_23BPHLR_pdf.pdf


Sanitation in the Kitchen
Germs on dishes can make family members sick. When people get germs inside their bodies, they can become sick. When germs are on dishes, they can get into your body when you eat food from these
dishes. Germs can get on dishes in many ways. Flies and other insects can bring germs to clean or dirty
dishes, and dishes can be washed in water that has germs in it. When one person in the family gets sick,
he can give other family members his germs if the dishes are not properly sanitized. Remember that
when children in the family get sick often, they will grow too slowly.

Wash and sanitize dishes after cooking or eating.
To sanitize means to kill all the germs or parasite eggs on an object. You can sanitize your dishes by washing them in hot, soapy water. The soap helps get the food off the dishes. The heat and the soap kill the germs that make you sick. After washing the dishes, rinse them in hot water. Place them in a draining rack to dry. Because the dishes are hot, they will dry quickly.

If fuel is expensive, you can heat the water for washing dishes by putting a pan of water over the cooking coals after the meal is cooked and leaving it there until after the meal. You cannot sanitize dishes by washing them in cold water with soap. If you cannot use hot water, you can sanitize dishes in another way. First wash your dishes in cold water with soap and rinse them in cold water. Then rinse them again in a sanitizing solution made by adding one teaspoon of 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite bleach to one liter of water. Note that the amount of chlorine bleach in the sanitizing solution is much more than what is used to purify water for drinking. Be sure to clearly label the sanitizing solution so it will not be confused with drinking water.
You can use the rinse water with chlorine in it over and over during the day as long as the same strong smell of chlorine comes from the water. If you carefully wash and rinse the dishes in cold water before putting them in the sanitizing solution, the solution may last all day. Notice the strong smell of bleach and compare it to the smell of purified drinking water. Also notice the feel of your hands after rinsing them in the sanitizing solution.

Make sure the dishes do not get germs on them again after they have been sanitized. 
Many people wipe their dishes dry with a towel. Many germs can be hidden in towels and will get on the dishes during wiping. You should let the dishes dry on a clean drain rack after they have been sanitized. Cover the dishes with a clean, dry cloth while they are drying so dirt and insects will not get on them.

After sanitized dishes are dry, put them in cupboards or containers that keep dirt, flies, cockroaches, and other insects away. Closed cupboards are the best place. Regularly wash the ) cupboards with soap, rinse them, and sanitize them with sanitizing solution. Make sure the doors of the cupboards fit tightly. If you have separate boxes for dishes, knives, forks, and spoons, your cooking area will be organized and easier to keep sanitary. You may want to store sanitized utensils in clean tin cans or plastic containers with lids. If you cannot keep dishes sanitary, you must sanitize them just before using them by rinsing them in sanitizing solution.
Sanitized dishes and dishes with germs on them may look exactly the same. However, a microscope would show no germs on the sanitized dishes.

Keep the cooking area in your home clean.
You can get sick from germs that are in many places in the kitchen. These germs get on the food when it is prepared and served. You must sanitize cutting boards, utensils, food containers, and places where you prepare food. You can do this by rinsing these things with the sanitizing solution.

Sometimes cutting boards, wooden bowls, and tables have many deep scratches or cracks on them. The chlorine bleach cannot kill the germs in the deep scratches. Because of this, you should occasionally use sandpaper to remove the scratches. Then the wooden items will be easier to sanitize. If you cannot do this, you can put a plastic sheet or an oilcloth on the surface and sanitize it.

If you do not have a flat surface for preparing food, use flat plates (glazed or metal). Sanitize them after you use them, and store them away from dust and flies.It is also important to keep the floor of your eating area clean. Sweep it after each meal, and clean the floor of the entire cooking area at least once a day. If the floor is a hard surface, scrub it with soap and water frequently. If the floor is made of dirt, put a layer of smooth gravel or cobblestone on it to reduce dust, if possible. You can also oil and pack a dirt floor to reduce
dust.

Dust the walls and ceiling occasionally and wash them if possible.
It is difficult to keep your cooking area clean if the smoke from the cooking fire is not vented away from the area. If you have smoke in your cooking area, you should find a way to vent it. Store pure drinking water and leftover food away from insects and dust. You should always have a source of pure water in your cooking area. Contaminated water spreads many diseases. Keep the pure water in a closed container so dust and insects will not get in it. Label it “Drinking Water.” Make pure water by adding four drops of chlorine bleach containing 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite to each liter of clear or filtered water. After 30 minutes, the water is safe to drink. Store any leftover food in containers that seal tightly. If possible, put the containers in a refrigerator or on shelves protected by a screen door. Leftover food will store longer and stay safer at low temperatures. Cook all leftover food well before serving it again.

Keep garbage in a sealed container.
Keep garbage in a container that seals tightly until you dispose of it properly. This will help
to keep flies, rats, and mice away. You can use a simple pail with a lid that fits tightly or a closed
plastic bag. Dispose of the garbage as far away from the house as possible.


Sanitizing Solution: 1 liter water + 1 teaspoon fresh chlorine bleach (4–6%)
Not all of this information may apply to you right now...but when you are in Guatemala on a mission you may need it!