By Linda Wojcik
On an island where diabetes is a concern, is it time to look at the quality of foods that fill the market shelves? Better, yet, let’s take a look at what seems to be lacking.
Diabetes, heart disease and obesity can be directly linked to an overuse of refined sugars and carbohydrates. Cravings for these nutrient-lacking foods can be minimized by consumption of complex carbohydrates and good fats in the diet.
Since our arrival in January, I have yet to find a package of whole wheat flour. So white flours are a main staple for the people on island. Add white sugar and hydrogenated oils to the ingredient label and what you have is a very unhealthy product being consumed by many of the people on island.
Now let’s look at the lack of good fats on island. A great source of good fats are avocados. And because avocados are a tropical fruit, they should be easy to find. However, for the past few years, avocados are no where to be found or purchased. Instead, many market shelves are stockpiled with refined flours, refined sugars and products containing high fructose corn syrups and hydrogenated oils. A far cry from the food consumed by islanders of long ago. Yuk! It’s a wonder any of us are still functioning at all.
Where have all the avocados gone? It would be great if Montserrat were abundant with avocado trees; I would love to buy locally. However, that does not seem to be the case. And it does not take away from the fact that eating good fats every day helps us to decrease the cravings for bad fats, refined carbohydrates and sugars.
Good fats are found in extra virgin olive oils and we do a good job lining the shelves with an assortment of these oil. Goat and sheep cheese are another source of good fats; and although we find an abundance of goat and sheep, the only place I have found goat cheese is at Rams Market (thank you Rams!)… and one choice is better than no choice at all!
Where else can we get good fats in our diets? Good fats are found in fish such as swordfish, fresh tuna, mackerel, garfish, grouper, snapper and wahoo. Tilapia, the one fish often served in local restaurants, has the least amount of good oils of all the fish types.
Nuts and seeds are another excellent source of good fats. I appreciate that we can find a small variety of these products on the shelves. Is anyone eating them?
Good oils are essential for healthy skin, heart, hair and minds. We cannot function without them. Recognizing our island limitations, does it make sense to ensure a supply of fresh avocados to help support our ability to maintain healthy bodies and minds?
