A roast beef meal was enjoyed by 40 people at congregate dining hosted by Seniors for Excellence on Jan. 26 at the Knox United Church in Clifford.
Program coordinator Helen Edwards and assistant Mary Cain helped Donna Gingrich serve roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, and coleslaw with apple crisp for dessert.
Paula Trinier a dietiican with the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team discussed the latest research into the effects of sugar and saturated fats on overall health.
She explained diabetes is linked with high sugar intake. Sugar in any of its many forms as noted on the Sugars and Sweeteners flyer include sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, dextrose, and maltose is generally associated with any inflammation in the body. Honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, and white sugar have essentially the same nutrient content.
Looking at the Diabetes Food Guide, carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, milk, legumes, bananas, corn, potatoes, carrots, and peas break down into sugars in your body.
Another flyer showed the foods with a lower Glycemic Index that absorb more slowly into the body making you feel full longer. Trendy diets can not compare to a diet with food you find you like and can live with and stick to for life. The food industry markets ‘healthy’ packaging, but reading the food label will help you decide if this is a ‘healthy’ choice for you.
Trinier described sugar as a crystal. Think of those crystals cursing through your body. You may not feel bad, but there could be damaging affects to your body. Take a diabetes blood test to confirm your curiosity, especially if you are extra thirsty or feeling quite lethargic lately.
Trinier noted a lot of misunderstanding surrounds the three types of fats produced from plants, animals, or artificially. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and trans fats are hydrogenated, artificial. Some suggest cold pressed olive oil is the best choice.
Contact Helen Edwards at 519-638-1000 for any of the programs offered. The next congregate dining event in Clifford will be held at noon on Feb. 16 at Knox United Church, followed by stories about stamp collecting by Clifford resident Jim Measures.
