The Houlton Chapter of TOPS met Friday, May 4, at Kelleran Street in Houlton.
There were 12 TOPS and 3 KOPS members present. The loser of the week was Marsha Reed and the runner-up was Betty Wyman. Good job, ladies. The skinny dish was won by Diane Folsom and the 50/50 was won by Opal Adams. Joanne Scott won the healthy basket.
Christine Finnemore was our guest speaker this week. She talked about “hidden sugars” — the sugars that are added to foods, such as sodas, yogurt, cereals and cookies, and the sugar you add yourself. How much sugar do you use in your coffee, on your cereal and in your iced tea?
Natural sugars are in fruits, veggies and milk. Added sugar adds calories to your diet, but no nutrients. The average American gets 270 calories from added sugar each day. That’s 17 teaspoons of sugar each day. So much better to get your sweetness from natural sources, such as real maple syrup, honey and milk. For instance, buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit.
We took two important points from this. We need milk for the calcium our body needs and drinking water helps us stay hydrated without the added sugar from sodas, rich coffees or sugar-laden cookies, cakes and even ice cream. Oh my, I have to go easy at the dairy bar. Summer is coming and along with that, walking, swimming and exercise.
Great program, Christine.
We can all plan our meals and snacks a lot better. Eat fresh or frozen fruits, and fresh veggies are soon to be here. For more information on our meetings call Pam Richardson at 538-8760.
