Ever wonder how food and cooking supplies magically appear in the student food labs, where the delicious food comes from for F&N luncheons, or how students and professors get some of the food and supplies they need for their research studies?  The Department of Foods and Nutrition storeroom is behind it all!  With a very cohesive team made up of the storeroom supervisor, Mrs. Jan Buckles, and a group of 5 undergraduate and graduate student workers, the storeroom facilitates the needs of students, faculty, staff, and guest presenters.

How does the storeroom answer the needs of the Department of Foods and Nutrition? 

Jan Buckles receives requests from F&N students, faculty and staff. Those individuals provide Jan with a list of items they need, dates, and locations. The staff plans, organizes, shops and arranges food for the following events, food labs, research, and catering. From a student’s perspective, the storeroom not only assists with the essential activities, but fosters professional development. Student workers in the storeroom get a “behind the scenes look” at the different tasks that are necessary to keep certain aspects of the department functioning.  In addition, these students gain experience working with different people, including faculty, visiting professors and presenters, and fellow students. Another benefit to student workers is learning to balance work and academia. While the storeroom is a special place in the Food and Nutrition Department because it serves so many, it is a silent partner to the functions it serves. In the words of a student worker, “The main reason why everyone loves to work in the storeroom is because it is so fun and enjoyable. Coming into the storeroom never feels like work at all. We are one big happy family that is the glue that really holds together the F&N department.” For more information about the storeroom, contact Jan Buckles at: jbuckles@purdue.edu.

Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas are rich in nutritional factors which help promote satiety, including fiber, resistant starch and protein.  Observational and multi-meal experimental studies suggest that consuming dry beans may help support healthy weight; however, randomized trials on legumes and weight loss are lacking.  Researchers at Bastyr University in Washington and Purdue University, led by Dr. Megan McCrory in the Department of Foods and Nutrition conducted a study on whether consuming legumes while intentionally restricting calorie intake can increase weight loss success as well as reduce the risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes that often accompany being overweight.

Initially overweight participants were given a total daily reduced calorie intake goal which allowed them to lose weight at approximately 0.5-0.7 kg/wk if they followed the guidelines given for reducing their intake.  The researchers studied whether people consuming legumes were better able to adhere to these guidelines, and whether the amount of legumes consumed also affected adherence.  24 unique recipes were developed for the study, including turkey chili, Mediterranean salad, Thai dip with pita, chocolate mint pudding, and peanut butter chocolate chip energy bars.  Results showed that while all 3 groups lost weight over the 6 weeks, the group that consumed the recommended amount of legumes (0.5 cups a day) had the greatest weight loss success compared to the group that consumed a lower amount of legumes (1 Tablespoon a day).  Interestingly, the group that consumed a higher amount of legumes (~2-2.5 cups a day) lost an intermediate amount of weight between the other two groups.  Benefits to chronic disease risk occurred in all groups, but for some markers of disease risk there were greater benefits seen in the medium and high legume consumption groups.  These findings suggest that consuming at least the recommended 0.5 cups a day of legumes may improve weight loss success and help to reduce chronic disease risk. For more information regarding this study, contact Dr. Megan McCrory at: mmccror@purdue.edu.

Diabetes is a major health and financial problem. In Indiana, 8.1 percent of the population reported that they had been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to the national average of 7.5 percent. Purdue CFS Extension, in collaboration with state agencies works throughout the state to educate citizens on the need to prevent diabetes and to help those with diabetes lessen their risk of long-term complications.

Purdue Extension specialists and educators offer the Dining with Diabetes program to help people learn how to prepare the foods they enjoy in a way that reduces calories, fat, and sodium and increase fiber. Changing these nutritional components in a person’s diet will reduce the risk of complications.

During 2008-2009, 12 Purdue Extension educators presented the program 19 times in 12 counties to 253 people, and 70 percent of the participants completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of the program.

When asked "What did you enjoy most about Dining with Diabetes," 45% of respondents indicated that they enjoyed seeing food prepared, tasting the food and receiving recipes to assist them in preparing the same foods at home. When asked about new things they had learned, 17% reported learning about nonnutritive sweeteners and 26% reported estimating portion sizes using "The Plate Method". Another 14% expressed surprise at learning that there was such a variety of healthy foods for diabetics that tasted good.

The Dining with Diabetes program was thoroughly revised in June 2009 to reflect current advances in diabetes nutrition education while taking into consideration today’s busy lifestyle. Over 40 Extension educators were trained. Task force members include: Jackie Baumann, Putnam County; Kristi Henry, Jay and Blackford Counties; Holly Murray, Franklin County; Laura Mueller, Tippecanoe County; Linda Reynolds, Vermillion County; Karen Richey, Marshall County; Linda Souchon, Johnson County; Edie Sutton, St. Joseph County; Beth Switzer, Hendricks County; Susan Tharp, Clinton County; Georgia

Wagner, Wayne County; and Bill Evers, Donna Vandergraff and Laura Palmer from Purdue University. 

For more information about the Dining with Diabetes program contact Donna Vandergraff at: dvanderg@purdue.edu.