Published: September 15, 2009 11:16 pm      

Supermarket smarts: Joslin Diabetes Center hosts grocery tour to help people make healthier food choices

With pens and pads of paper in hand, nearly two dozen people hit the aisles of Kroger to learn how to make better, healthier choices when it comes to what they put in their carts.

The group met as part of the Grocery Shopping for Diabetes Guided Tour Tuesday morning at the State Street location, along with Beth Ackerman, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator from the Joslin Diabetes Center at Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services. “This is to help people learn how to make good choices and how to read a label [on food],” Ackerman said. “This will help them when they are making their grocery plans and help to cut down on the time it takes to go shopping, because they already know what they are looking for.”

She took half of the group around the store, aisle by aisle, showing what is correct and what isn’t as good. Another dietitian took the rest the opposite way through the store.

Ackerman started with the snacks, showing the participants the fat to calories ratio, saying that a low fat option should have 3 grams or less of fat per 100 calories. She also said a major problem with the snacks is portion control. She recommended buying the items sold in portion controlled packaging or to use small bags at home to create similar packages.

Other tips include to shop from a list to limit impulse buying, shop after eating to avoid temptation to buy extra food, select most foods from the outer aisles of the store and read food labels carefully. She said to keep fat, cholesterol and sodium low, adding that 5 percent or less is low and 20 percent or more is high. She said to make sure to get enough fiber and vitamins in foods.

She also recommended that people keep a food log of everything they eat and update it throughout the day.

“It’s like balancing your checkbook. You know what you’ve got,” Ackerman said, adding that keeping up with it allows people time to make changes in their diet before the day is over.

Mary Coker, of New Albany, was one of the participants. She said she has had diabetes for three years now. She said she has worked as a nurse for 18 years, but that doesn’t make grocery shopping any easier.

“This helps me find out where I should look for the more appropriate choices, because you get into a routine and buy the same stuff all the time,” Coker said. “This keeps you from going blindly into the store.”

Not all who went have diabetes. Some shop for those who have diabetes and others are trying to prevent it in themselves or someone in their household.

Maria Wheatley, of Floyds Knobs, was one of those. She said she is working to prevent her teenage son from developing diabetes.

“I’m just learning what he should be eating and what we all should be eating,” Wheatley said.

Wheatley said she plans to incorporate more of the single servings packaging like Ackerman recommended.

Barbara Payne, of Georgetown, came out because she shops for her husband, who has diabetes.

“I really didn’t pay a lot of attention to labels before, because it seemed like a lot of trouble,” she said. “It’s not that hard once you know what it all means. That helps to know the serving size and to make good choices.”

Ackerman said diabetes is becoming a growing concern in the area, especially with type 2 diabetes in children. She said that is most often due to overeating, obesity and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million children and adults have the disease.

Ackerman said people seeking information on how to manage their diabetes can call the Joslin Diabetes Center at 812-949-5700.