Nutrition Series kicks off with cooking demonstration

For those with diabetes, one of the biggest challenges to keeping blood sugar at a safe level is eating a healthy diet. Giving up unhealthy eating habits can be difficult, but the educators at the Diabetes Education Program of the Texas A&M Coastal Bend Health Education Center teach those with diabetes that replacing unhealthy habits with good ones is a gradual process rather than an overnight change.

“Healthy eating can be difficult at first,” said Priscilla Benavides, registered dietitian for the center. “We address that challenge by showing people that making healthier choices is easier than they might think.”

To kick off the new nutrition series in Corpus Christi, Benavides and others from the center held a cooking demonstration at the Hector P. Garcia Memorial Family Health Center in early March. The 24 participants sampled fresh black-eyed pea salad prepared right in front of them.

“It’s very tasty,” said Romina De La Garza, as she speared a chunk of cucumber in her cup. “This would be good to take to a pot luck.” De La Garza said healthy recipes like this help her and her husband manage their weight.

“Everybody benefits from healthy eating,” she said.

The cooking demonstrations are part of the Nutrition Series hosted by the Diabetes Education Program. Upcoming events include Dining Out in the Real World, where participants can learn about making healthy choices when dining at many popular restaurants, and Grocery Shopping Tips, which teaches participants what to look for when shopping for healthy groceries.

For more information on upcoming Nutrition Series events, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coastalbendhealth .

-Les Cockrell