Part 4: HLC Diabetes Prevention: Cooking Class Planted-Based Cooking Class Prepares Final Meal

By Melissa Spellman
Staff Reporter
New Journal and Guide

On January 31, 2024, participants in the Healthy Living Center’s Diabetes Education: Plant Based Cooking Class held its final session at the HLC facility in Norfolk, Virginia. The four-week course was taught by Dr. Olivia Newby and her team of medical professionals and volunteers. During the four weeks, participants learned how to manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, read nutrition fact labels, how to get more active, and ultimately how to eat better with a plant-based diet.

In this final class, Newby discussed how cholesterol clogs the vessels in the body making you more at risk for stroke and heart attack. What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fat like substance that comes from two sources “food” and “body.” Cholesterol is found in foods from animal sources only. Cholesterol travels in the body by lipoproteins (LDL and HDL). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good kind of cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad kind of cholesterol. HDL helps keep LDL from sticking to artery walls and reduces plaque buildup. This process can lower risks of heart disease and stroke.

Dr. Newby is avid about this topic.  She shared how her father had high cholesterol, “The fat had clogged up the arteries to his brain and subsequently he had a stroke. That’s why I am very passionate about the fat content of foods.” Heredity is a small part of high cholesterol. Three main causes of high cholesterol are diet, lack of exercise, and fatty foods. It’s important to know your numbers. If your LDL is above 100 you are at a higher risk for a heart attack.

Newby added, “Your LDL is the first sign I look at because it signifies where your risk factor lies. We want more HDL. The “H” stands for happy. You get this number from walking and more dietary changes.” Newby says the LDL and HDL guide physicians on how to treat, how aggressively they treat, and whether to adjust a patient’s medication. “If your numbers are not good you are sitting at such a high risk for heart attack and heart disease moving forward. Culturally and personally, these are the things we are at risk for,” she said.

Dr. Newby discussed the traditional breakfast foods the participants typically grew up on. “We all love a biscuit,” she said. The doctor described the old-fashioned biscuits made with lard or Crisco, flour, and salt, and the use of fatback to season our vegetables. Soul food is something we grew up with or during football seasons we sit around and eat for hours. This sedentary lifestyle or “siting down” increases abdominal girth, triglycerides, and LDL. This is how the numbers are evaluated. Sitting down and eating processed foods affect your numbers. Smoking increases the risk factors and complications. We want to approach cholesterol and fatty foods with a different perspective.

The educational part of the class ended with reading the nutrition facts on some of our favorite breakfast foods, fast-food breakfast items, and discussing fats and oils. Dr. Newby showed the class the nutrition facts for Chick-Fil-A and Hardees breakfast menu. The shock rang out as the participants read the calories and salt contained in entrees that they considered a healthier menu choice. Although some foods had lower calories like the chicken biscuit with 450 calories it contained 1510 mg of salt. One chicken biscuit exceeds the daily recommended salt intake. Dr. Newby says this is where planning comes in. “It’s so easy just to pick something up. You will eat out if you don’t plan,” said Newby.

The doctor asked the class how many of their fathers or grandfathers ate yogurt and fruit for breakfast. No one could attest to this. Eggs, cheese grits, bacon, and sausage are the common foods on our breakfast plates. These foods are high in fat, calories, and salt. Two Jimmy Dean sausage patties contain 290 calories, 250 calories are from fat, and 510 mg of salt. Essentially eating a sausage, a person consumes all fat, 50 percent of which is saturated fat.

What is saturated fat? Saturated fat is animal fat. Anything non-animal is unsaturated fat such as an apple, avocado, and nuts. Saturated fat and trans-fat are the unhealthiest fats. They are often solid at room temperature which is how you can identify them. Liquid oils are your good oils olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and vegetable oil. “How we eat is so cultural. You all already know and experienced the benefits of diet change,” said Newby.  She continued, “Now they show that heart disease is even reversible with a plant-based diet because you have taken the fat out.”

She closed the class with some final encouragement and advice.  Transitioning to a plant-based diet can become a challenge because of the culture we are used to, the cost, the concern for taste, and lack of knowledge. From the cultural perspective we have a hard thing to do since many of the foods we eat have saturated fats like butter and cheese. However, your health is more important and you can do it. You can transition. If you want to lose weight have breakfast because it starts your metabolism and gets your mind and body going. The class dismissed into our cooking portion with Chef Patricia Louis.

*****

On the menu for the final meal of the course was breakfast, a change from the usual lunch and dinner recipes. The class made avocado toast, plant-based sausage, and overnight oats. The avocado was sliced, mashed, and mixed with finely chopped celery, red onion, and Chile lime seasoning. The avocado mixture was spread on to two slices of toasted whole grain bread and topped with the remaining celery, onion, and slices of whole avocado. The class grilled two beyond sausage patties browning them on both sides.

Next, the class prepared their overnight oats which included oatmeal, a banana, cranberries, cinnamon, honey, walnuts, and almond milk. Using a small container, the process began by layering oats, cinnamon, slices of banana, honey, cranberries and repeating. The second layer was topped with walnuts, and almond milk was added leaving enough space for the oats to expand. The overnight oats were to be taken home and placed in the refrigerator ready to eat cold or hot in the morning.  The final take home ingredients included Chile Lime seasoning, oatmeal, honey, and a bag of dried cranberries.

Participants received a certificate of completion for successfully completing the healthy living center plant-based cooking educational series. Dr. Newby also debuted her cookbook Newby Seeds For Healthy Cooking. It’s the plant-based recipe book with healthy, delectable, nourishing recipes for everyday cooking. A quote from the book reads, “A journey to health and hope. A recipe book that redefines the way we nourish our bodies and our spirits.”  Dr. Newby’s plant-based cookbook is a culinary prescription to health. The book can be purchased by calling the HLC office.

The Healthy Living Center offers a variety of classes that are free and open to the public. If you are interested in attending the Diabetes Prevention: Plant Based cooking class you can register for the next session at www.hlcnorfolk.com, call (757) 622-0542, or email hlcnorfolk@gmail.com for more information.