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Diabetics and the People Who Love Them

In Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) as of recent, there has been a salvo of diabetic cases. According to the International Diabetes Federation North America and the Caribbean  statistics have shown that the prevalence of diabetes in T&T is at 132,340 (2013) and has the possibility of rising to a much higher figure if measures are not properly put in place. 

As someone who's mother is diabetic I always try to look for something healthy for her to eat. Something that does not require her to compare the taste to a cardboard box. It's a constant reminder right there on the refrigerator door, a meal plan chart given to her by her dietitian - listing what she can and can't consume. Not only are the options bland they are limited, and very repetitive - how many oats and dry toast can my mom consume?. It's time to throw that chart into the chulha (the devil's fireplace that cooks the best curried duck) and reawaken my mother's taste buds.

Let's face it, our twin islands are a culinary gold mine. To give you a better understanding of what I mean by that I have to teach you a little of my country's history.

T&T is the Southernmost nation in the Caribbean, a few miles off the coast of Venezuela. The twin islands are a hodgepodge of Indian, African, Syrian, Chinese and European influences.Trinidadians  love to eat - we go by a traditional saying "we love we belly". As diverse people, the culinary landscape includes a fusion of four continents blended with Trinidadian flamboyance and trickled down from generation to generation.

But even with our rich food heritage Trinidad and Tobago has not escaped the lure of the fast food culture. Both local and international franchises all over the islands offer everything from fried chicken to hamburgers leading to an epidemic of obesity (no pun intended) with is a significant contributor of diabetes.

Managing diet is key for pre-diabetics and diabetics but frequently the food is boring and people get fed up. Diabetic food need not be boring when you can travel the world of cuisine and make managing diabetes a true international adventure.

That's exactly what this blog hopes to accomplish. In each and every entry, we will look at cuisines from all over the world and attempt to recreate them in a "healthier" way.