Plantains: A Versatile Wonder Staple

Plantains are a member of the banana that contain more starch and have a lower sugar content than the more popular fruit. It is sometimes called cooking bananas. In the Caribbean, plantains are consumed both in the green and ripened state just like bananas. They are widely available here in the Caribbean and used in a wide array of meals. The fried version is used as a side option for meals, the ripe or green version is used in porridge for breakfast, ripe or green plantain chips. 

Plantain tends to be firmer and lower in sugar content than bananas. Bananas are almost always eaten raw, while plantains tend to be cooked or otherwise processed, and are used either when green or unripe (and therefore starchy) or overripe (and therefore sweet). An average plantain has about 220 calories and is a good source of potassium and dietary fiber.

Jamaica Blog Awards 2011

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Diabetes Mellitus; A Chronic Metabolic Disease

The Jamaican population has a high prevalence of people living with Diabetes. This is due to genetics, our general diets, low activity levels, and lack of knowledge. We refer to Diabetes as 'sugar', and the majority of the population knows of or is related to at least one person who has or was affected by the disease. 

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. This means there is too much sugar in the blood. You may not have enough insulin being produced by the body. Insulin is the hormone that ‘unlocks’ your body’s cells to let blood sugar in and give you energy. If your insulin is not working properly, your blood sugar will get too high. There are two types of diabetes that can affect the body, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. 

• Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed before age 20. If you have Type 1 Diabetes, your body can no longer make insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes usually starts after age 40, but younger people can get it too. It is often linked to being overweight. Your body may still make insulin, but your cells resist its effects or you cannot make enough insulin.