Food for diabetics

“I was diagnosed as being in a pre-diabetic state in 2003,” television chef Worrall Thompson’s explains. “I was fat, unfit and smoked. I thought my food life was over and, looking at all the diabetic cookbooks back then, it was. They were pants.”

Diabetes is a condition in which too much glucose builds up in the blood, because the body cannot process it properly. Diet is an important part of treatment. Worrall Thompson is probably not the only person to perceive diabetic recipes as ‘pants’. ‘Diabetic food’ evokes images of dishes that are good for you, but dull. So unless you’re a diabetic, or cook for someone who has diabetes, you may not be instantly drawn to this addition to the genre.

Yet The Essential Diabetes Cookbook is a little different. It’s a glossy affair that, despite the title, could appeal to non-diabetics who want to eat more healthily. Covering cuisines from South America to the Far East, the book includes recipes for lamb tagine, fried noodles and even curries. By featuring food from around the world, Worrall Thompson is keen to demonstrate that diabetic meals can still be full of flavour.

“Most Far Eastern dishes are fine for someone with diabetes. Diabetics do miss Indian curry because classic ones contain a lot of ghee. I’ve added more pulses and removed the heavy fats,” explains Worrall Thompson. “My main criteria for the book were that first it must have good food, and second that it should be healthy.”

As you’d expect, desserts are the hardest to adapt for diabetics, but there are tempting recipes, such as Citrus and honey cheesecake with plum compote. “Diabetics can’t have lots of chocolate, cream or sugar, so they have to have more fruit- and muesli-based desserts,” says Worrall Thompson.

Diabetes is a major health issue today. There are more than 2.6 million people in the UK with diabetes, and a further 500,000 estimated to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes (this usually develops in people aged over 40, and is linked with obesity).

It is a serious condition, but it’s a common misconception that people with diabetes need to drastically change their diet. In fact, there is nothing that they cannot eat; according to Diabetes UK they just need to apply some simple rules (see below). The book is not just full of recipes, but also has a useful section explaining exactly what Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are. There’s also plenty of health advice that is relevant to everybody and tips on how to fit more exercise into your life.

The Essential Diabetes Cookbook is good for people affected by diabetes, especially if newly diagnosed and drowning in a sea of information. It certainly changes the image of ‘diabetic food’ and shows that if you have diabetes, your food life is definitely not over.

The Essential Diabetes Cookbook by Antony Worrall Thompson with Louise Blair BSc, in association with Diabetes UK, is published by Kyle Cathie, priced £20.

Diabetes UK healthy eating tips

• Eat three meals a day
• Include starchy carbs in each meal, such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and cereals
• Eat your 5-a-day
• Reduce fat in your diet by cooking with a light oil spray; swap full-fat milk for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, and choose low-fat spreads
• Cut down on sugar by having smaller portions and sometimes going for fruit rather than a pudding
• Reduce your salt intake by using other flavourings such as lemon juice, herbs, spices and garlic
• Drink sensibly; intersperse alcoholic drinks with something non-alcoholic and never drink on an empty stomach
• Avoid foods labelled as specifically for diabetics – surprisingly they contain just as much fat and calories as regular food.