AgriLife to host diabetes cooking class

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Although you wouldn’t guess it, 12% of Hopkins County residents suffer from diabetes, according to 2019 records. They’re just a small fraction of the more than 100 million people in the U.S. who live with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diabetes, while not curable, is often manageable through a course of careful attention to diet, according to Hopkins County Extension Agent Johanna Hicks, which is why AgriLife will be hosting a range of fall classes to help those who struggle with the disease eat healthy and support each other.

Cooking Well with Diabetes will run Mondays and Thursdays starting Sept. 16 through Sept. 26. at 6 p.m. A diabetes support group meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at noon.

“Because food choices affect blood glucose, the Cooking Well with Diabetes series explores: carbohydrate foods, making recipes with fat healthier, learning ways to increase fiber and decrease sodium, and how to celebrate sensibly with diabetes,” Hicks says.

The class plans on demonstrating how to make some of these tasty treats at home so participants can enjoy them, according to Hicks.

There is a $25 fee, payable at the first class, to attend the Cooking Well with Diabetes class, which goes towards recipes, cooking materials and door prizes. However, according to Hicks, scholarships are available for those who are not able to pay the $25.

“We don’t want to turn anyone away who needs help managing their diabetes,” she said.

The diabetes support group has been growing since its inception in February, and it allows both those who have the condition and their support system to meet and “share recipes, discuss new developments in diabetes treatment, offer encouragement to each other and learn more about managing diabetes,” Hicks says.

There is no charge to attend the support group.

All meetings are at the AgriLife Extension Office at 1200 B Houston St. in Sulphur Springs in front of the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center.

Although Hopkins County measures worse than both the U.S. average and the Texas average for diabetes, Hicks is hopeful.

“We have actually improved in a couple of areas since the 2018 report, so we are making progress,” she says.