NO MORE BLOOD SUGAR BLUES
Eat a Diet of Protection!
By Alice Osborne
Those of us with blood sugar issues want to be scrupulous with our diet and menu planning. There are several vitamins and minerals which have historically helped diabetics, that we would be wise to include in our food choices on a regular basis. The list includes:
Vitamin A & D:
Needed for body repair. The top ten vitamin A-rich foods are liver, sweet
potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach, cantaloupe, dried apricots, milk, egg yolks, mozzarella cheese. A word of caution: Too much
vitamin A, either from animal sources or supplements, can prove toxic and is
particularly dangerous during pregnancy.
Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Some mushrooms provide vitamin D2 in variable amounts. Other foods that contain some Vitamin D are milk (nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup); orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup; fortified yogurt; beef liver; some fortified ready-to-eat cereals; Swiss cheese.
Vitamin B Complex:
Vitamin B-complex
is vital to metabolism—their role is important in growth and development.
Eating a variety of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and meats will ensure that your body gets all
the mandatory vitamins that make up the vitamin B-complex. Cutting out a major
food group could potentially put your body at risk for a vitamin B deficiency disease.
B vitamins are water soluble, which means that if our bodies do not require them at the time they are digested, they are excreted in the urine. Therefore, the only way to reach toxicity levels is possibly through supplements.
Vitamin C:
Helps renew glands. The top 10 foods highest in vitamin C are red and green hot chili
peppers, guavas, bell peppers, fresh thyme and parsley, dark leafy greens
(kale, mustard, garden cress), broccoli and cauliflower and Brussels sprouts,
kiwi, papaya, oranges and tangerines, strawberries.
Vitamin E:
Increases gland production. The top 10 foods highest in vitamin E are sunflower
seeds, paprika and red chili powder, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, basil and
oregano, dried apricots, pickled green olives, cooked spinach, cooked taro
root.
Niacin:
Promotes Circulation. The top 10
foods highest in niacin are yeast extract spread, rice and wheat bran,
anchovies and tuna and swordfish, liver, paprika, peanuts, lean veal, chicken
breast, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes.
Lecithin:
Emulsifies fat. Foods high in lecithin include cooked cod and salmon and canned
shrimp, dairy products and eggs, cooked Brussels sprouts and broccoli, cooked
kidney and black beans.
Iodine:
Provides minerals for cell growth, repair, and maintenance. Foods high in
iodine are sea vegetables (dulse, wakame,
arame, kelp).
Chromium:
Mineral required for blood
sugar balance. Good sources of chromium include turkey breast and meat cubes,
whole grains, apples and bananas and grape and orange juice, broccoli and
mashed potatoes and green beans and basil some spices.
Potassium:
Increases gland production. The top 10 foods highest in potassium include dried herbs
(chervil, coriander, parsley, basil, dill, tarragon, turmeric, saffron,
oregano), avocados, paprika and red chili powder, cocoa powder and chocolate,
dried fruit (apricots, currants, raisins, prunes), nuts (pistachios, beechnuts,
ginko, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pine nuts,
coconut, walnuts), seeds (pumpkin, squash, sunflower, flax), fish (pompano,
salmon, halibut, tuna), beans, Medjool dates.
Zinc:
Aids glands. The top 10 foods highest in zinc are oysters, toasted wheat germ, veal liver, sesame seeds and tahini (sesame butter), low fat roast beef, roasted pumpkin and squash seeds, dried watermelon seeds, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, lamb, peanuts.Trace Minerals:
Essential building
blocks. Foods high in trace minerals include beans, beef and seeds.
Garlic:
Provides enzymes, cleansing and detoxification.
After studying the list, we can see it’s not that hard to create menus that combine several of these vitamins and minerals per course. Here is just one example using the recommended pompano fish and the herb, chervil:
ONION CRUSTED POMPANO WITH CHERVIL JUS
2 vidalia onions (shaved into 14-inch rings)
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tbsp essence
24 oz fillets (pompano)
1/4 cup bacon fat
3 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp dried chervil
1 tsp shallots (minced)
1 tsp minced garlic
salt pepper
3 cup mashed potatoes (hot)
1/2 cup red pepper paint (hot)
sprig chervil (fresh)
2 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dried leaf oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season each filet with Essence. Lightly rub each fillet with the Dijon mustard. Using a cloth napkin, folded in half, cover the bottom half of the napkin with a fourth of the shaved onion. Place the fillet directly on top of the shaved onions. Roll the fish up tightly to the end. This will secure the crust around the fish. In a saute pan, heat the bacon fat. When the fat is hot, saute the fish for 3 minutes on one side, or until the onions are seared and crispy. Flip the fish over and finish cooking in the oven. Roast the fish for 8 to 10 minutes or until the fish is done. In a sauce pot, combine the chicken stock, chervil, shallots, and garlic. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid for 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Remove the fish from the oven. Mound the potatoes in the center of the plate. Place the crusted fish directly on top. Spoon the sauce around the fish. Garnish with the red pepper paint on the rim and fresh chervil. 3 Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning): 4 Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. 5 Yield: about 2/3 cup (Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch.)
