GIVE A Jamaican too much rice and pasta and your table will soon be abandoned.
Yam, bananas, potatoes and other foods known popularly as "provisions" are favourites in the Jamaican kitchen.
According to the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), they also contribute significantly and positively to nutrition and health.
These staples provide energy and a range of other nutrients in varying amounts. One hundred gram (100g) edible portion of provisions, on average is made up of 20 to 35 per cent carbohydrate, 1 to two per cent protein, 0.1 to 0.5 per cent fat and 60 to 80 per cent water.
These foods are good sources of carbohydrate for energy because of the number of starch-containing cells they contain. In their natural form, they supply less energy than the equivalent weight in cereals such as wheat and oats.
Protein
Provisions also provide a fair amount of protein but less than is found in cereals and very little calcium or iron. However, they provide fair amounts of potassium, one of the minerals needed by the body. Provisions, though rich in Vitamin C in the raw form, cannot be relied upon as an important source of this vitamin because of losses during cooking.
The yellow variety of sweet potato stands out as a rich source of vitamin A. Provisions are also regarded as good sources of dietary fibre/roughage. This is extremely important for maintaining bodily functions, especially elimination of waste, and preventing colon cancer. Because they contain an appreciable amount of fibre, provisions have been identified as having a role in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Together the fibre and starch content make up what is referred to as complex carbohydrates.
Since the starch in complex carbohydrates is digested slowly, the end product glucose (a simple sugar) is released slowly into the blood thereby allowing the body to cope better with distribution and storage. Complex carbohydrates absorb a lot of fluid, bulk up in your stomach and help you to feel full over a longer period. This feeling of fullness prevents you from eating sooner than is necessary and therefore contributes to weight control.
How we eat them
"Variety is the spice of life" and enjoying provisions is no exception. Traditionally, provisions were cooked mainly by boiling or steaming, sliced and included as part of a meal. Today a wide variety of dishes have provision as the main ingredient. They may be served either as a savoury or sweet dish. Some savoury food preparation methods include baking a single item plain, flavoured or as a pie, mashing, roasting, stuffing and sautéing.
They may be fried as in chips, chopped finely for hash brown, pickled (as in souse) run-down, (Jamaica) or oil down (Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago), one pot thick soup/sancoche/mettagee/ mettem (Guyana) or cold salads making use of either an individual provisions or a combination.
Dishes
Sweet dishes include puddings, pone and porridges. A creative cook can be very innovative with combinations of provisions and other dishes to provide interesting and nutritious meals. Provisions, when used along with peas or beans, raw and/or cooked vegetables, and food from animals can provide a complete and satisfying meal. Provisions are inherently low in sodium. However, fat or sugar is often added in the preparation of many of the provision-based dishes. If you do add fat or sugar be moderate with the amounts added.
Some provisions are being processed commercially and made into flours, cereals and even chips which are now packaged and used as 'snacks'. The more popular ones are plantain, banana and cassava. Although they may be a favourite especially among children, it must be noted that the nutritional content, especially fat and sodium will be different from the foods in their natural state (usually higher).
Source: Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute, Food Composition Tables for Use in the English-speaking Caribbean, 1995.
