On November 12th, Operation Diabetes brought Annette
Hottenstein to speak at the University of Maryland. Annette is a Registered
Dietician and is involved with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the
American Diabetes Association. From her presentation, students learned about th
history of nutrition therapy in diabetes. She pointed out that being overweight
is not the only risk factor for diabetes. People who are not overweight can
also be at risk. She taught that diabetics shouldn't skip meals, they should
avoid sugary drinks, and eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fish. In fact, the diabetic diet is the same as the recommended American diet. Unfortunately,
the typical American diet is far from the recommended diet and she passed
around bags showing the typical amount of fat and sugar in a fast food meal.
Amount of butter in a fast food meal: Amount of sugar in a fast food meal:
Annette also talked about foods that are good for diabetics.
Oatmeal has been shown to be good for controlling blood sugar. Some diabetics
feel that cinnamon is helpful but there is unclear evidence about its benefits.
Fenugreek spice has some data showing its benefits and it tastes like maple.
Whey has more evidence supporting it, but Alpha Lipoic Acid has the strongest
evidence that it will effect glucose levels in the blood.
MOD learned a lot from Annette Hottenstein's talk!
