I’m not one to pile on. Nor am I one to kick someone when they’re down. But I am quite bothered by the announcement that celebrity chef Paula Dean has type 2 diabetes. Well, I’m not bothered by the actual announcement. I’m bothered by the public face she’s putting on it. I went to her new website. And I watched her video. And I looked at the one lighter recipe that she posted. And I gotta tell ya, I’m appalled.
Where do I begin? Well, she has an incredibly unique pulpit where she can help people address this preventable and treatable epidemic. She even mentions how people have asked her for years, without success, for lighter versions of her recipes. But until her ox is gored, she did nothing. Now that it is gored, she’s offering up eliminating sweet tea and taking walks. And a drug from her new sponsor, Novo Nordisk. Did you notice that more than half of the home page of her website lists the side effects of this drug she’s promoting?
I realize (and support!) that in a free society, people can eat whatever they’d like, including one of her famous recipes of a hamburger served between two Krispy Kreme donuts. And she can promote whatever kitchen gadgets or prescription drugs she’d like. She’s obviously worth it to her advertisers. Personally, I’d be thrilled with a fraction of her income.
So why am I annoyed with her? She has the chance to show people how they can make significant inroads with their diabetes, or to even help prevent it completely. Instead, she offers up a 22-ingredient recipe for a “lighter” lasagna. Will anyone who’s ever cooked anything actually make this thing? She’s implying that there’s an easy path to address type 2 diabetes: easy exercise, don’t change your life, and drugs.
What do I think she should do instead of this? She should show people some simple-to-make recipes with the help of nutritionists, and encourage exercise that’s more than a walk around the block. While a walk around the block is terrific for those just starting to exercise, she was diagnosed three years ago. I’d hope she’d offer up something that requires a bit more effort.
Me? I’ve cooked for a number of people with diabetes over the years. Yes, it is an adjustment for people to change their diets, especially when we’ve become used to lots of salt and fat in our daily lives. But a healthy diet doesn’t have to be a tasteless and boring one. I’ve proven it, as have many other chefs who’s names are not Paula Dean.
While I don’t expect any kind of apology for her previous food offerings, I would have liked to hear something like this from her: “Well, y’all, things have changed. Many of these old recipes should be used occasionally for fun and entertaining. But now, let me show you how to make some great tasting food that’s also good for y’all.”
Yeah, I’m sure that’s what we’ll hear from her real soon.
