When a press release about childhood diabetes came into my inbox I was quite interested to read up on it. I did a stint reporting on illnesses/diseases so things like this always peaks my interest.
According to the South African Journal of Child Health,type 1 diabetes is increasing in all age groups, with a disproportionately steep increase in preschool children. The South African Diabetes Research Group estimates type 1 diabetes is growing by 3% a year in children and adolescents and by 5% a year in preschool children.
The “Simple things, like going to a birthday party, playing sports, or staying overnight with friends, all need careful planning,” says non-profit organisation, Diabetes SA. “Every day, children with diabetes may need to take insulin or oral medication. They also need to check their blood glucose several times during the day. For school-age children, these tasks can make them feel ‘different’ from their classmates.”
It has also been noted that there is a disturbing increase in type 2 diabetes; which is usually associated with an unhealthy lifestyle in older, overweight adults.
All is not lost though, as they accompanied their scary facts with a list of things you can do to combat diabetes.
Team effort
“Coping with diabetes means major lifestyle changes for children and their families,” says Canderel SA brand manager, Marcelle Pienaar. “The most effective way of managing the condition and staying healthy is for the entire family to make a team effort.”
Diabetes SA recommends creating a personal diabetes plan together with a health care provider in order to help the child follow a healthy diet, get regular exercise, check their blood glucose levels and take insulin or oral medication as prescribed.
A child diagnosed with diabetes, also needs to follow a meal plan developed by a physician or a registered dietician that is designed to keep blood glucose levels in the target range. Portion size the right amount of calories for the child’s age and ideas for healthy food choices at meal and snack times should be discussed.
Healthy alternatives
Diabetes SA recommends the following general guidelines for choosing food for diabetic children:
· Limit fat intake
· Include a food from each of the food groups at each meal
· If overweight, prepare smaller portions and reduce intake of fat
· Cut back on salt
· Drink plenty of water
“When it comes to adapting to a diabetic-friendly diet, the key challenge is to keep meals exciting for kids while still adhering to the meal plan and retaining nutritional value,” says Pienaar, adding that the Canderel Kitchen has several exciting recipes that make healthy eating easier and more appealing to children.
“Cooking with Canderel and baking with Canderel Yellow instead of sugar will increase your range of dishes without risking your child’s health. You’ll get the same sweetness as sugar – with ten times less kilojoules,” says Pienaar.
The following recipes have been specially developed by Canderel are perfect for kids:
Tomato pasta sauce
Serves 4
386 Kilojoules per serving
Ingredients
800g tin of whole plum tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slithers
1 1Ž2 tsp of sea salt
1Ž2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Handful of fresh, chopped basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp Canderel granules
Method
Heat one to two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic until soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes, some salt and pepper and cook fiercely, stirring constantly. As they cook, the tomatoes will break up and release their juices. When this liquid has evaporated, remove from the heat. Add the remaining olive oil, basil, oregano and Canderel. Serve immediately.
Tip: If you aren’t going to serve the sauce immediately, cool it quickly and store. When you’re ready to use it, re-heat it thoroughly and only then add the Canderel.
Homemade ice cream sundae
Serves 8
Ingredients
Homemade vanilla ice cream
6 large egg yolks
500 ml fresh cream
1 vanilla pod
5 – 6 sachets Canderel Yellow
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sundae layers
16 Sugar free choc chip cookies (or vanilla)
250ml fat free milk
250ml fresh cream
1 sachet Canderel Yellow
Chocolate sauce
85g Canderel dark chocolate
1 tbsp fresh cream
1Ž2 tbsp butter
Toppings
Hazelnuts (or any other nut of your choice)
Fresh or Maraschino cherries
Method
To make the ice cream, separate the eggs, lightly beat the egg yolks in a deep bowl and set aside. Place the cream in a deep pot. Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds and place in the cream. Add the Canderel to the mix and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod. Cool slightly before slowly pouring the cream mix into the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly with an electric whisk. Strain the mix through a sieve into a freezer proof bowl. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Place the bowl into an ice bath to cool down before covering and freezing.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer every 45 minutes and churn with an electric whisk to break up the ice crystals and make a smooth ice cream. Repeat this process until the ice cream has almost set. Freeze for another 45 minutes before serving.
To create the layers of the sundae, break the cookies into quarters and soak in the warm milk. Just before they become soft, carefully remove and set aside. Whip the cream into stiff peaks and sweeten to taste with Canderel Yellow. Refrigerate until needed.
To create the chocolate sauce, gently melt the Canderel Dark Chocolate slab over a bain-marie, adding the cream and butter once the chocolate has melted. Stir well and remove from the heat. Start the assembly of the sundae immediately.
Assembly
Take 8 tall glasses and layer the ingredients, starting with the soaked cookies in the bottom of the glasses. Add a layer of whipped cream, then another layer of cookies. Place two small scoops of ice cream on top of the cookie layer. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the ice cream and garnish with hazelnuts and cherries or your choice of topping.
For more delicious recipes and sugar-free cooking inspiration, visit the Canderel Kitchen.
*info from press release
