Since it soon will be time whip up holiday meals and goodies, St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center is sponsoring a free diabetes evening class to offer guidance about sugar as an ingredient.
“Sugar: More than Just a Sweetener” is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, in the basement-level St. Dominic Room at St. Rose. Donna Krug of K-State Research and Extension in Barton County will be the presenter.
No registration is required for the free class. For more information, contact Siefkes by calling 620-786-6457.
“There is no doubt that the centerpieces of a diet should be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other fiber-rich and calcium-rich food,” said Krug, who is the Barton County family and consumer science agent. “But this program will focus on sugar and its role in food preparation.
“The use of natural sugar, as well as non-nutritive sweeteners will be discussed,” she added. “With the holidays fast approaching, we hope to answer questions that will help cooks plan their menus.”
United States consumers eat an average of 74 pounds of added sugars per year, Krug noted. This equals 23 teaspoons every day, or 345 calories.
“Added sugar is defined as any sugar that is not naturally occurring in food,” Krug explained. “If we understand the variety of sugars available and their functions in food, we can help consumers determine when sugar can be replaced or combined with non-nutritive sweeteners.”
Gloria Siefkes, R.N. and diabetes educator at St. Rose, encouraged anyone with questions about sugar and its role in meal preparation to attend this educational session.
“Those who are curious about the types of sugars and how to plan healthy holiday meals will learn a lot from Donna,” Siefkes said. “She is an expert on the topic and St. Rose appreciates her willingness to participate.”