Cooking classes starting again soon at USA Health demonstration kitchen

Cooking classes will start again soon at the USA Health demonstration kitchen at University Commons, and everyone is invited to learn more about how to prepare healthy, tasty meals. The first of the four-session series is set for Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 5:30-7 p.m., with additional classes on Aug. 22, Aug. 29 and Sept. 12. 

Employees, patients and the general public are welcome to attend and get an introduction to the plant-forward diet. Plant-forward describes a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes the consumption of plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes) but is not strictly limited to them. In other words, meat can still be part of your diet, but it’s recommended in lower quantities relative to plant-based options. 

Robert Israel, M.D., F.A.C.P., who spearheads the USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness program, will discuss how plant-forward diets relate to culinary medicine, a relatively new, evidenced-based field that helps people understand how what they eat can help prevent and treat disease.

Specifically, a plant-forward diet can help decrease the risk of many health conditions and diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, and many cancers.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Israel, who follows plant-forward practices himself. The class is limited to 10 participants, and the registration fee is $40 per class or $130 for all four, plus a bonus fifth class on preparing healthy breakfasts to be announced after the four-class series ends. Email IHWP@health.southalabama.edu or call 251-660-6441 to reserve your spot.