Better’n Eggs Fit2Fight Diabetes Awareness Campaign

Type 2 Diabetes affects 25.8 million children and adults in the United States. Chances are high that you know someone who is living with this disease or you may have it yourself. In my family, we have a few relatives who are having to deal with Type 2 Diabetes on a daily basis and it affects many aspects of their lives. One example is my grandfather, who was diagnosed a few years ago.

If you were to meet my grandfather, you would see a strapping, healthy looking 84 year old man who doesn’t appear to have any medical issues. He’s a healthy weight for his height, exercises nearly every day by walking outside or at the mall, and takes good care of himself. So it was quite a surprise to all of us when he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Since his diagnosis, he monitors his blood sugar frequently, takes his medication when he should, and eats on a schedule and tries to choose healthy food options. So far it seems to be working for him and keeping his blood sugar in check but it hasn’t been easy to make some of these lifestyle changes. Many people living with this disease have to make major changes in order to maintain their health and prevent the complications that can be caused by out of control blood sugars. For those who have not developed the disease, risk factors can be cut and the disease can possibly be prevented by making healthy food choices.

Fortunately, there are more diabetic and/or alternative food options now than in the past and that can make it a little easier for anyone, diabetic or not, to eat a more balanced, healthy diet. Two such alternatives are Crystal Farm’s egg products: AllWhites Egg Whites and Better’n Eggs. Love eggs but worried about the cholesterol and fat content? These two options give you all the benefits of eggs (protein, vitamins and minerals) without the cons. Both are low-calorie, fat-free, cholesterol free, gluten-free, hormone-free, and 100% natural real eggs.

For diabetics, egg whites can increase recovery time from hypoglycemia by building up adrenal glands. Additionally, lean protein can help balance a diabetic diet while controlling hunger and blood sugar levels and helps you feel full longer, which can help with weight loss.  AllWhites Egg Whites and Better’n Eggs can each be used as a substitute for eggs in almost any recipe for both cooking and baking. And if you love to eat raw cookie dough like my husband and kids do, then you don’t have to worry about salmonella poisoning if you use these products because they are also pasteurized to prevent food borne illnesses.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and Crystal Farms is helping to spread awareness through their Fit2Fight campaign. If you follow me on Twitter (@MomRN) you may have noticed the Twibbon across my avatar promoting the campaign. As part of the campaign, Crystal Farms will be throwing a Twitter party with health and fitness expert (and Oprah’s personal trainer) Bob Greene, who will share nutrition and fitness tips throughout the party. The #betterneggs Twitter party with Bob Greene will be held on Wednesday, November 16th from 8-10pm EST. To attend the party, visit http://bit.ly/sa9wmC for more information. (While you are there, be sure to check out the awesome info, support, and advice my friend, Leah Segedie, provides on her Mamavation site!)

Interested in giving Crystal Farms products a try? On their website, there are several recipes using the various products they offer and this one is a yummy and healthy recipe for Mini Turkey Meatloaves that can be enjoyed by anyone, diabetic or not.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Time-To-Table: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Meatloaves Ingredients:

4 Wasa® whole wheat crispbreads

1 package (20 oz.) lean ground turkey

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup celery, finely chopped

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup (2 oz.) Better’n Eggs®

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place crispbread in resealable plastic bag. Using rolling pin, crush crackers into fine crumbs. In large bowl combine all meatloaf ingredients; mix well, using hands if necessary. Form into 6 (4×2 inch) loaves. Place on aluminum foil lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. In small bowl combine all glaze ingredients; mix well. Spread glaze over top of each loaf. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until no longer pink.

Only 202 calories and 23 grams of protein per serving (see here for full nutritional information)

Sounds delicious, huh? You can find several more recipes on the Crystal Farms website.

What about you and your family? Are you living with diabetes or have a loved one or friend who is? Do you have tips or recipes that make it easier for you to eat healthy and control diabetes? Feel free to share with us in the comments below and don’t forget the Twitter party on Wednesday.

Want to do even more to promote awareness? Upload the Fit2Fight Twibbon to your Twitter profile for the entire month of November. You can find it at: http://twibbon.com/join/Fit2Fight-Type2.

Disclosure: MomRN was chosen by Global Influence to help promote this campaign and will receive a small compensation for the research and work required to share this information with my audience. Regardless of compensation, all thoughts and opinions are my own. MomRN chose to participate in this campaign because diabetes is a disease that impacts millions of lives and in many cases, Type 2 diabetes can be prevented with the proper information, resources, and diet.