Janine Freeman, RD,LD,CDE UGA Extension Nutrition Specialist.

Janine Freeman, RD,LD,CDEJanine Freeman, RD,LD,CDE

UGA Extension Nutrition SpecialistUGA Extension Nutrition Specialist

‘‘Tis The Season For Tis The Season For TemptationTemptation

• Out-of-control blood sugars

• Extra pounds

Holidays Are A Time To:Holidays Are A Time To:• Share with family

and loved ones• Become spiritually

connected• Shop, decorate the

house, wrap gifts• Bake and cook • Eat, eat, eat...

Focus On Holiday Activities Focus On Holiday Activities That Don’t Involve FoodThat Don’t Involve Food

• Decorating for the holidays

• Attending holiday musicals or plays

• Christmas caroling • Shopping• Gift-giving

Make Time for Physical Make Time for Physical ActivityActivity

• Relieves your stress• Improves your

mood• Lowers your blood

glucose levels• Helps with weight

control

Fit Physical Activity Into Your Fit Physical Activity Into Your Busy Schedule Busy Schedule

• Split your activity into 2 or 3 intervals of 10-15 minutes each

• Make physical activity a family event

• Walk around the neighborhood after dinner

• Go mall-walking• Park farther from your

destination

Stay Active While TravellingStay Active While Travelling• Wear walking shoes• Get to airport early and walk

concourses • Take very little carry-on luggage

and walk during layovers• Look for hotels with exercise

facilities

Lighten Up Your Favorite Lighten Up Your Favorite Holiday Foods Holiday Foods

Make changes in recipes to:• lower the carbohydrate

– less effect on blood glucose

• lower the fat or change the type of fat– healthier for your heart– fewer calories

Holiday BakingHoliday Baking

Desserts can be made with:

• sugar • low-calorie

sweeteners

Use of Sugar in Diabetes Use of Sugar in Diabetes Meal PlanMeal Plan

• Raises blood glucose levels in similar way to starches

• Can be used in moderation

Use of Sugar in the Meal PlanUse of Sugar in the Meal Plan

• Substitute sweets for other carbohydrate in the same meal

• Check effect on your blood glucose after meals

Role of Sugar in BakingRole of Sugar in Baking• Sugar provides

volume, texture, moistness, and browning

• Low-calorie sweeteners only provide sweet taste

Sugar in BakingSugar in Baking

• Sugar is needed in yeast breads to raise

• The quality of many cakes and cookies suffer with reduced sugar or no sugar

Low-calorie Sweeteners in Low-calorie Sweeteners in BakingBaking• Sucralose (Splenda)• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)• Acesulfame-K (Sweet-One)• Saccharin (Sweet ‘n Low, Sugar-

Twin)• Neotame (recently approved by

FDA)

Sucralose (Splenda)Sucralose (Splenda)

• 600 times sweeter than sugar• Stable at high cooking

temperatures• Recipes available on web site

– www.splenda.com

Consider Heat Stability of Consider Heat Stability of Sweeteners for Cooking or Sweeteners for Cooking or BakingBaking• Unstable at high temperatures

– Aspartame (loses sweetness)– Saccharin (becomes bitter)

• Stable in cooking and baking– Sucralose

– Acesulfame-K

Increase Stability of Increase Stability of AspartameAspartame

(Equal, NutraSweet, store brands)• Add to food after cooking• Combine with more stable

sweetener• Add acidic ingredient

Low-calorie SweetenersLow-calorie Sweeteners• In general, use when sugar is primarily

for sweet taste– Fruit fillings (pies, cobblers)– Custards– Puddings– Beverages– Frozen desserts– Sauces and marinades

Low-calorie SweetenersLow-calorie Sweeteners

Do not work well as the sole sweetener

in these foods:• Meringues• Angel food cake• Pecan pies• Pound cake

Tips for Using Low Calorie Tips for Using Low Calorie Sweeteners in BakingSweeteners in Baking

• Cookies, muffins, quickbreads:– Honey or molasses

will add some flavor and moistness

– Add baking soda– Check for doneness

early

Tips for Using Low Calorie Tips for Using Low Calorie Sweeteners in BakingSweeteners in Baking

• Cakes: – Use molasses or

cocoa for browning – Add 1/2 cup nonfat

dry milk and 1/2 tsp baking soda for every cup of sugar replaced

– Combine sugar with low calorie sweetener

Tips for Using Low Calorie Tips for Using Low Calorie Sweeteners in BakingSweeteners in Baking

• Fruit fillings, sauces, puddings, custards– Add thickening – Reduce cooking

time

Choose A Sweetener for Choose A Sweetener for Pumpkin PiePumpkin Pie

• What is the purpose of sugar in pumpkin pie?

• Primarily sweet taste

• Which sweeteners could be used?

• Equal, Splenda, Sweet-One, or others

Choose a Sweetener for Red Choose a Sweetener for Red Velvet CakeVelvet Cake

• What is the purpose of sugar in a red velvet cake?

• Volume, texture, tenderness, moistness

• Would you use a sweetener? If so, which one?

• Sugar would work best

Choose a Sweetener for Choose a Sweetener for Christmas CookiesChristmas Cookies

• What is the purpose of sugar in cookies?

• Texture, tenderness, browning, moistness, taste, volume

• What sweetener would you use?

• Sugar alone or sugar with Splenda, Equal, Sweet-One

Sugar vs Low-calorie Sugar vs Low-calorie SweetenerSweetener

Pumpkin pie with Pumpkin pie with sugarsugar

38 grams carb

Pumpkin pie with Pumpkin pie with low-calorie low-calorie sweetenersweetener

20 grams carb

Sugar vs Low-calorie Sugar vs Low-calorie SweetenerSweetener

12 ounces Iced Tea 12 ounces Iced Tea with Sugarwith Sugar

33 grams carb

12 ounces Iced Tea 12 ounces Iced Tea with Low Calorie with Low Calorie

SweetenerSweetener

0 grams carb0 grams carb

Reduce Fat in RecipesReduce Fat in Recipes

Non-baked foods:• Substitute fat

with non-fat or low-fat ingredients

• Reduce the fat

Reduce Fat in RecipesReduce Fat in Recipes

In baking: • Some fat

needed for flavor, moisture, and tenderness

Reduce Fat in RecipesReduce Fat in RecipesIn baking:• Use low-fat yogurt or sour cream in

place of regular sour cream in cookies and muffins

• Replace fat with 1/2 amount of fruit puree or applesauce– 1/2 cup prune or banana puree in place of 1 cup margarine

Traditional vs Traditional vs Healthy Pumpkin PieHealthy Pumpkin Pie

TraditionalPumpkin Pie

Low-caloriesweetener,evap skim milk

Calories 290 194

Carbohydrate 40 22

Fat 12 9

Holiday MealsHoliday Meals

Holiday Meal TipsHoliday Meal Tips• Identify carbohydrate foods: (carbohydrates raise the blood

glucose the most)StarchesStarches bread and rolls, stuffing, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, butter beansSugarsSugars fruit, candy, desserts, milk, sodas, sweet tea, eggnog

Holiday Meal TipsHoliday Meal Tips• Eat usual daily amount of

carbohydrate– Space out carbohydrate based

on timing of holiday meal

• Adjust insulin based on carbohydrate if you’ve been trained

• Check blood glucose regularly

Holiday Meal TipsHoliday Meal Tips• Fill up on low-calorie

salads and vegetables• Avoid second helpings• Use high-fat

condiments sparingly• Small portion of dessert

can be eaten in place of other carbohydrate foods

Estimating Portion SizesEstimating Portion Sizes• 1 cup pasta = woman’s clenched fist

• ½ cup vegs = ½ tennis ball

• 1 fruit serving = 1 tennis ball

• 3 ounces meat = deck of cards

• 1 teaspoon = thumb-tip

• 1 tablespoon = 2 thumbs pressed together

Make Smart Food ChoicesMake Smart Food Choices

63 grams carb63 grams carb• 1 piece pecan pie

(1/8 of pie)

58 grams carb58 grams carb• 1/2 cup mashed

potatoes• 1/2 cup stuffing• 1 roll• 1/2 cup green beans• 3 ounces turkey• 2 Tbs. gravy• Tossed salad with

Italian dressing

Holiday Meal Holiday Meal • 3 ounces turkey • 1/2 cup stuffing (20 grams carb)• 2 Tbs. gravy• 1/2 cup green beans (5 grams carb)• Tossed salad with Italian dressing• 1 slice pumpkin pie (38 g carb -

sugar)– (20 g carb with sweetener)

Total carb: 63 grams (45 grams)Total carb: 63 grams (45 grams)

Traditional Holiday DinnerTraditional Holiday DinnerTraditionalTraditional

Waldorf SaladRoast Turkey/gravyGreen Bean CasseroleMashed Potatoes/GravySausage Stuffing/gravyCranberry SauceDinner rolls with butterPecan Pie

AlternativeAlternative• Low-fat

mayonnaise• Without gravy• Plain beans or ff

soup• Eliminate gravy • Avoid sausage• SF cranberry relish• Eliminate butter• Pumpkin Pie

Attending Holiday PartiesAttending Holiday Parties

• Plan ahead what you will eat • Offer to bring a healthy dish • Eat something light at home to

curb your appetite

Attending Holiday PartiesAttending Holiday Parties• Skip second

helpings• Avoid lingering

near buffet table• Mingle with

guests - you’ll eat less

Limit Alcoholic BeveragesLimit Alcoholic Beverages

• Reduces willpower• Adds extra pounds• Can cause

hypoglycemia if taking insulin

• Always eat something when drinking

Holiday EntertainingHoliday Entertaining• Reduce stress by

planning ahead• Ask people to

bring a dish• Don’t try to be a

Martha Stewart• Get enough sleep

Reduce Your StressReduce Your Stress• Plan ahead• Make a shopping

list• Take a vacation

day to do your shopping or holiday baking

• Schedule physical activity

Enjoy Your HolidaysEnjoy Your Holidays• Don’t set your

expectations too high

• Enjoy your holiday festivities

Happy Holidays!Happy Holidays!

Practical Non-food Gifts to Practical Non-food Gifts to Give or ReceiveGive or Receive• Pedometer• Exercise video• Walking shoes• Exercise clothes• Fitness class• Gift certificate to

spa• Healthy cookbook