What is Diabetes?

  Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by high glucose levels in the body caused by insulin related abnormalities within the body. That is, when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin.

  Insulin is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreas. This hormone facilitates the production of energy from glucose provided by carbohydrates in the food we consume.

  Types of Diabetes.

1.) Type 1 Diabetes

2.) Type 2 Diabetes

3.) Gestational Diabetes

  Type 1 Diabetes.

 This occurs most frequently in children and adolescent ( young adults ), but can develop at any age. This is caused by autoimmune reaction where the body's defence system attacks the cells that produce insulin, and as a result of this, the body produces very little or no insulin.

   Type 2 Diabetes.

 This is common in the adults. It occurs when your body does not make proper use of the insulin it produces. This Diabetes exhaust the pancreas, resulting in the body producing less and less insulin, causing even higher blood sugar levels.

 Gestational Diabetes.

This consist of high blood glucose during pregnancy and is associated with complications to both mother and child.

 Gestational Diabetes usually disappears after pregnancy but women affected and their children are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetic Patient are strictly warned and prescribe to on the kind of food they eat in order to have a healthy life. Not all food are good for a diabetic Patient, except the ones prescribe to them by a Doctor.

  Here are 5 Best Nigerian Food for a Diabetics Patient.

1.) Bitter leaf Soup

     This is a traditional ingredient in Africa soups. It is known as Vernonniamydalia, it's bitter taste makes it distinct from many other ingredients used for preparing soups.

   Bitter leaf helps to reduce blood sugar levels. The aqueous extract of bitter leaf at a high concentration decrease the level of blood glucose. It's efficacy to lower blood glucose level is comparable with that of chlorpropamide.

2.) Water Leaf Soup

     This helps to regulate the blood sugar level which contains Talinum Triangular, essential for managing diabetes mellitus. The high dietary contents of this vegetable can help to slow down the digestion and conversion of starch to simple sugar.

3.) Ewedu & Amala

    This is known as Jute Leafs which is found to be nutritious. It contains vitamin A, C and E which aids the body from certain diseases such as diabetes, indigestion and high blood pressure.

    Amala contains dietary fiber. It helps to reduce the level of Cholesterol in the body which prevent cardiovascular diseases.

4.) Unripe Plantain

    This is one of the most healthy food which serves as a curative agent for diabetes. It is a natural way to manage diabetes which helps to control blood sugar.

5.) Wheat

     This is high in fiber and have a low glycemic index. It helps to level the glucose in the blood and also maintains it.

    To the very known soup. This is regarded as one which cannot be outdated, most especially in the Yoruba tribe. Omi Obe (Soup) is very known and we'll served in different and many occasions.

    Omi Obe is made with the combination of different kind of pepper. Such as Tatashe, Shombo, Fresh Tomatoes, Onions, Scotch Bonnet Pepper . Grinded together to give a watery paste.

     It is very simple to cook. It does not require much ingredients to taste good. It is also combined to any type of food.

    INGREDIENTS

 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

 Tatashe

 Shombo

 Onions

 Ginger

 Garlic

 Meat

 PROCEDURE

 Note: All ingredients listed above should be measured according to the quantity enough to produce a good texture and taste to the mouth.

 1.) Blend pepper, onions, ginger, garlic,tomatoes all together still it becomes smooth.

 2.) Seasoning meat with Curry powder, thyme, Onions, salt and Maggi. Then leave to cook for 20minutes.

 3.) Boil blended pepper for 15 minutes on medium heat.

 4.) Add meat water, palm oil, salt and Maggi.

 5.) Leave to cook for 5 minutes.

 6.) Then add your meat to cook for 10 minutes.

 7.) Your Omi Obe Soup is ready.

     Lemon Grass is a herb that is currently grown in a variety of locations across the world. The plants stalk are commonly used in Asian cooking, but lemon grass can also be used to produce tea.

      Long leaves resembling those of seagrasses covers the plant. Only the East and West India kinds of lemongrass are acceptable for cooking, despite the fact that there are an estimated 55 species of lemongrass.

How To Prepare Lemongrass Tea.

. Cut Grass into short pieces.

. Rinse into a clean pot.

.Add enough water

.Apply fire to let it boil

. Your tea is ready.

Benefit Of Lemon Grass Tea.

. It Prevents Infection

. Relieve Anxiety

. Reduce Cholesterol

. Relieve Bloating

. Relieve Pain

. Boost Red Blood Cell Levels

     Semo Fufu is a Nigerian popular swallow food which can be paired with varieties of soup. It is well served in parties, prepared at home, and in any places.

 INSTRUMENT

Pot

Turning Stick (Omorogun)

Good Cutter (Igbako)

 INGREDIENTS

2 Cups of semolina powder

3 Cups of boiled hot water

1 Cup of cold water in a bowl.

 PROCEDURE

Measure 3 Cups of water into a pot to boil..

Alongside, measure 2 Cups of water into a bowl, you place the turning Stick and food cutter inside the water.

After the water is being boiled, measure out a cup of boiled water. Then begin to add the Semo powder gently and gradually while turning with the turning Stick, still it get thicker.

Take it down from the cooker, and begin to turn still it get smoother, and no lumps or powder are found.

Then add the cup of the remaining boiled water to it, spread it out, and begin to cook again on a low heat. If water is not enough, simply add a little cold water, then leave it to cook for 5 - 7 minutes.

After 7 minutes, begin to stir on the cooker still water get dried, take it away from the cooker. Then begin to stir with the turning Stick, still it get smooth and able to eat.

Your Semo Fufu is ready to eat. Kindly pair with any Choice of soup.

 OBSERVATION

1.)The water must be boiled to 100°C

 2.)When applying the semolina into the hot water, stir gently and pour gently. Do not turn the stick otherwise.

3.)The less motion you give to pour the Semo powder, the greater motion you give to the turning Stick. Why? To avoid bubbles.

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          Tomato Stew is a Nigerian red stew recipe prepared in many styles and types of attachment such as meat, chicken, Goat meat, Ram meat, fish, egg e.t.c

          Tomato Stew is pretty much a staple in almost every Nigerian household, and also eaten all over West Africa with some ingredient variation based on culture and individual preference.

         INGREDIENTS.

 * Tomato

 *Oil

 *Onions

 *Garlic

 *Ginger

 *Tumeric Powder

 *Chicken

 *4 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

 *2 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme

 *1 Teaspoon of Curry Powder

 *Season & Salt to Taste.

       TOMATO

     Plum tomatoes are the best for the Nigerian Tomato Stew. This is because all other types of tomatoes either have a very strong taste or contains a lots of water and seed. It gives the best texture of the kind of stew you want to cook.

       VEGETABLE OIL

         Nigerian Tomato Stew can be made with different kind of oil, pertaining to choice. Flavorless oil can be used such as vegetable oil, corn oil, avocado oil, and canola oil.

     CHICKEN

      Chicken is a preferred choice to prepare Nigerian Tomato Stew. It gives the stew a lovely and digestive aroma, and also a pleasant look when being mixed up. They vary in different kind of measurements (pieces,kilo cartoon, e.t.c)

      PROCEDURE

  *Blend The Tomatoes

Simply blend the Tomatoes,a large onions,bell peppers,Scotch Bonnet, garlic and ginger. Blend still smooth,and set aside.

  *Cooking The Chicken

Rinse the pieces of the chicken very well. Place inside a washed and clean pot. Apply seasoning cube, Curry powder, Dried thyme, salt to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Place on the cooker to cook for 20 minutes. After being done, set aside.

  *Prepare The Tomatoes Mixture

Gently pour the tomato mixture from the blender to another pot. Add the chicken water, then cook until it becomes dry. Prepare still it form a tomato paste ready enough to fry.

  *Slice Onions And Add To The Tomato Paste

After being done, scoop the paste out of the pot and set aside. Into the same pot, add your vegetable oil to heat, fry onions for 1mins. One at a time, begin to add your cooked Tomato Paste.

  *Apply Meat Stock and Spices

After adding your Tomato Paste to the vegetable oil, cook for 5minutes, then apply your cooked chicken and season (salt, Maggi, Curry, tumeric Powder, and thyme) to taste.

Mix well, add a little water.Cover to cook well for another 5minutes.

After 5minutes, your delicious stew is ready. Tomatoe stew is usually paired with beans, yam, plantain, rice, Eba, e.t.c

    Due to the diverse environment, Nigeria is endowned with an abundance of Food, including fresh organic produce with a wide range of flavors. Nigeria's climate shifts from North to South,from Savannah to forest,  which is mirrored in the vegetation and food availability in each region.Both in terms of type and quantity, they are diverse. The differences can also be seen in the way the ingredients are used in each region.

   For example:In the north,where there is a lot of sun but not much rain, dehydrated veggies are used most time,whereas in the south,where there is a lot of rain, vegetables are utilized fresh.

1.) JOLLOF RICE

         Jollof Rice is extremely popular among Nigerians. It's a staple of Nigerian dinner tables,eateries, and social gatherings.

        Rice cooked in a thick tomato sauce is known as Jollof Rice in Nigeria. The word Jollof means "One Pot". If you can only learn one Nigerian cuisine,make it Nigerian Jollof Rice. It can be eaten alone or with a variety of side dishes such as fried Plantain,banana slices,moi - moi and so on.

2.)EGUSI SOUP

         EGUSI soup, is without a doubt,the most widespread of all Nigerian soups. EGUSI soup is made for differently by almost every Nigerian tribe. Before using in the soup, egusi is melon seed that has been shelled and grounded into a powder. It's nutty and gently served, with a delightful taste due to the egusi seeds' rich oil.

          The soup of its kind is so adaptic that it can be served with a variety of other soups, such as Egusi and ogbono soup,or different starches such as Fufu, or white rice.

3.) TOMATO STEW

          This is a good place to start if you're unfamiliar with Nigerian food. Tomatoes,peppers, onions (tomato stew foundation), and spices are the main ingredient in this Nigerian tomato sauce. It is delicious and easy to make.

           When you have stew,as it is known,y cannot have menu weariness, and most people always have a bond of stew hidden away in their freezers. It goes well with pasta, Irish potatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, white rice, bread, yam, e.t.c

4.) DODO 

         Deep fried ripe Plantain are sweet and delicious, and they are particularly known in Nigeria, where Plantains are plentiful. Before it's fried, it's peeled and sliced diagonally. It takes a lot of self control to fry Plantain without sampling a couple before serving, out of all Nigerian cuisines.

         It can be taken on its own with rice and other dishes such as yam, noodles, custard,tomato sauce,and other dishes.

5.) CATFISH PEPPER SOUP

          Pepper soup is a hot meat or fish broth with a bitter herb added that Nigerians adore. Guests at Nigerian parties always ask for catfish peppersoup, which is the most common Pepper soup cooked in Nigerian homes, bars, and restaurants.

        It is highly presentable to a nursing mother. The flavor combination of species, pepper, and herbs is exquisite, and a bowl of peppersoup leaves you feeling refreshed.

6.) BEANS PORRIDGE

         Beans can be made in a variety of ways in Nigeria, but beans porridge is a popular and global dish. Beans porridge is incredibly nutritious, and mother feels it will help their children grow taller.

          Bean porridge is a delicious one - pot recipe that is simple to prepare. It can be taken alone or with rice and stew, water-soaked garri, boiled or fried plantains or yam and other dishes.

7.) OKRO SOUP

          OKRO soup, also known as Lady's finger soup, is one of Nigeria's national meal. It is prepared throughout the country both in the North and South, where dry okro is used and fresh okro is used.

         The techniques of preparation differ, even within the same community some people tends to cook their okro soup, while others simply add it raw to their soup water. This type of Okro soup is known as Ila. It is a finger linking excellent vegetable soup that cooks quickly.

8.) NOODLES

          Noodles, the dry instant sort, are consumed in such large quantities in Nigeria that you'd believe they were invented here. When it was first introduced to Nigerian embraced it wholeheartedly. Kids adore it alot. It's not expensive, simple, and quick to prepare.

          Many method are being used to cook noodles with different kind of species and local herbs.

9.) MOIMOI

       Moi moi is a popular Nigerian food primarily prepared from beans (either white or brown). Moi moi can be made with beans powder or rehydrated beans puree.

       It can be served as a dinner on its own, or with a side of soaked garri, vegetable salad, pap and as a side dish to rice. It is frequently served with Nigerian Jollof Rice.

10.) JOLLOF SPAGHETTI

           When a cuisine component is liked and accepted in Nigeria, it get so many amazing twists that you'd swear it's homegrown. Jollof spaghetti is served at events and also offered as street food, gourmet and fast food.

       Spaghetti is used in replacement of rice (both in plain,and Jollof). It is the classic way to prepare spaghetti in Nigeria.

11.) PUFF-PUFF

           Puff is a very known food loved by Nigerians. It is a staple Nigerian fried dough or batter. It is so appealing, soft, yeasty, and fried. It is eaten in parties as part of small chop platter.

12.) YAM POTTAGE

           Yam pottage is popularly known as yam porridge. It is made with yams and vegetables. It can be served as breakfast,lunch or dinner.

            It is a Nigerian one - pot dish that is loved to be made for parties and at home. Yam pottage can be prepared in many methods, due to taste and choice.