I just returned from working in Africa for several weeks. When I travel, I am always reminded of how much sugar is in our foods compared to other countries. Our van driver never ate the “snacks” many of us wanted to share — all with a good sugar content — nor would he even chew gum! “Too sweet”, he would say. With diabetes quickly becoming the #1 health issue in the United States, maybe we should all take a lesson from the driver.

We know that refined sugar plays a big part in the upswing of this disease, as well as the obesity epidemic facing our children. One is hard pressed to find anything purchased at a store that does not contain some kind of sweetener. Hence the need to read labels and eat more “home grown”.

For those who are diabetic, managing it means more than just monitoring blood sugar levels. It also means making wise choices concerning diet in order to prevent the risk factors of common diseases associated with diabetes, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

With November being Diabetes Awareness Month, this a good time to work with your physician and a dietician to create a meal plan that best suits your needs if you are at risk for diabetes. Research has shown that several nutritional elements may be helpful in managing diabetes-related issues:

1. Eat more magnesium-rich foods such as spinach, tofu, almonds, broccoli, lentils, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.



2. Increase intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially cold-water oily fish such as wild Alaskan salmon. While providing much less omega-3s than fish, vegetarian sources such as walnuts and freshly ground flaxseed are also good choices.

3. Choose foods that are lower on the glycemic index and have a low glycemic load, such as beans, lentils and true whole grains (that is, grains such as brown rice or bulgur wheat that are intact or in large pieces, not ground into flour). To help you, here are a few recipes that you can begin using.

(Studies have shown that eating at least 2 apples per week lower the incidence of asthma and type 2 diabetes, as well as promotes overall lung heath!)

Apple Cake Squares

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter or Spectrum Spread
2 eggs
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, finely shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped dates
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Garnish (Optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and stir thoroughly.
3. Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs and whisk until smooth. Stir in the shredded apples and dates until they are completely distributed throughout.
4. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly into the batter.
5. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and pour in the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes.
6. Put the confectioners' sugar in a sifter and dust it over the cooled cake a few times until all the sugar is gone. If you want to garnish, mix the walnuts with the maple syrup and drizzle over individual serving plates. Cut the Apple Cake into 9 squares and arrange each one on top of a decorated plate and serve.