Eats good for your heart

So, where are you off to for your Valentine date today? There are a thousand and one restos in the metro to cater to people’s assorted appetites. And it won’t hurt to go for something that’s good for the heart. Such as what you’ll find at the Healthy Eats organic cafe and store at the MediCard Lifestyle Center, corner of Paseo de Roxas and Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Urdaneta Village, Makati. 

“While trends come and go, Healthy Eats organic cafe and store believes that wholesome food is here to stay,” says Angelo Songco, co-owner and head of marketing, business development, and media relations. “Despite many challenges in terms of sourcing, procurement, production, etc., we will continue to fight for good food for everyone.  In a small way, we have participated in groups advocating for legislation to promote organic.  And we will continue to seek ways and means to further this cause.”

Healthy Eats has a new and improved menu that’s bound to tickle the heartstrings while being kind to the pursestrings (old regulars and new customers will be delighted to know that the prices have been adjusted and MediCard members will enjoy bigger discounts).

For starters, the organic soup of the day can now be enjoyed with homemade breads. How about  tortilla chips fortified with malunggay and paired off with kesong puti (soft white cheese) to tease the appetite? Or try the organic salad served with homemade vinaigrette — toss in either some fruit toppings or free-range chicken, turkey pastrami or smoked salmon. 

The burrito is back with a delicious vengeance! Now, it’s chock-full of non-GMO tofu and mushroom, free-range chicken or grass-fed beef, turkey pastrami or Angelo’s favorite chorizo Iberico Bellota — all served with healthy chips.

No rice in this healthy resto? No way! For here you can take your pick from organic red rice meals, all served with a side salad.  And surprise, surprise — prices start at only P99!

Among the resto’s certified bestsellers are the tofu steak, tofu omelet, rosemary-tarragon grilled chicken, lemon-pepper grilled pork (yes, they do serve pork), organic meatballs, and smoked bangus. Yummy! Yes, healthy doesn’t have to be tasteless!

If it’s pasta you want, you can have homemade fettucini or ravioli with a choice of blanco (white mushroom cream), verde (organic basil pesto) or tomato-based rojo.  Enjoy your pasta on its own or topped with mango, salmon, turkey or chorizo.

But if you want to do it at home, Angelo Songco, a passionate health buff, suggests you add these heart-healthy food items to your grocery list.

• Fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, and sardines, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that promote good blood circulation.  Go for the ocean caught, as opposed to farmed fish.

• Legume vegetables, such as chickpeas and other beans, as well as other fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, eggplants, and okra.  Their high fiber content helps maintain good cholesterol levels.

• Raw and unsalted nuts and seeds such as walnut, almonds, cashew, pistachio, flax and chia seeds for their good type of fats (monounsaturated) to ward off bad cholesterol. Flax is best ground up or added to a smoothie so it is easier to digest. 

• Berries, berries, and more berries for their antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body.  Strawberries, local wild blueberries, and even duhat have a lot of fiber and vitamin C which help lower the risk of stroke.  Also avocados for their good kind of fat.

• Olive oil, a main ingredient of the Mediterranean cuisine, is the best oil to use as long as it is kept ideally raw — like in salads and other raw food preparations.  It loses a lot of its beneficial properties the moment it is heated

Take double note: Research shows that people who follow the Mediterranean diet are more likely to live longer and less likely to get fat. The diet has been shown to lower our risk of developing high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease.

• Raw cacao or chocolate (the darker, the better) contains flavonols and antioxidants which help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots.  Go for the darkest you can find versus commercial chocolate bars.

Angelo gives more juicy tips, “Our friends from Matstone slow juicer also suggest a simple way of determining heart-healthy foods by color.  For instance, for good heart health, opt for red fruits and vegetables, and consume these as raw as possible to maximize nutrition and help maintain good blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  So, go grab some beetroots, apples, grapes, strawberries  —and remember to go organic as much as you can to reap all the benefits, minus the potentially harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides.”

So, remember to eat for your heart. Your heart will love you for it.

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Healthy Eats organic cafe and store is located at the ground and second floors of MediCard Lifestyle Center, corner of Paseo de Roxas and Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Urdaneta Village, Makati.  It is open Mondays to Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with telephone number 812-7323, mobile 09178039 055.  Like it on Facebook Healthy Eats organic café and store, Instagram @healthyeatsph. Sign up onwww.healthyeats.ph to be added to its monthly newsletter which features updates, recipes, tips, and more about health and wellness. For catering, contact the store at 812-7323 or Gina at 09178651212 for information on meal delivery.  Like @healthyeatsorganicmeals on Instagram.