cover image Diabetic Cook Intl

Diabetic Cook Intl

Ann Watson. Perigee Books, $7.95 (128pp) ISBN 978-0-89586-466-6

This is a basic cookbook designed to introduce those suffering from diabetes (or anyone concerned with good health) to the virtues of Far Eastern, Middle Eastern and Latin cuisines. Diabetes is most common in the ""developed'' worldin Western countries where diets are high in calories and low in fiber. By contrast, the cuisines featured here offer the combinations of low fat, high fiber and complex carbohydrates essential to non-insulin-dependent diabetics. Thus the authors offer a healthy repertoire of dishes, from Chinese corn and crab soup, and Egyptian falafel to Mexican steamed fish with avocado, while many foods will be familiar to patrons of ethnic restaurants. The recipes are well written, relatively easy to prepare and each includes a tally of ``food exchanges'' by which diabetics can balance their diets. (August)