Superfoods of the Mediterranean
Our menu is jet-setting off to another destination during our Taste the World travels– this time to the Mediterranean! Full of flavor, the freshest ingredients and a variety of superfoods, dieticians often attribute the traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle as being beneficial to heart health. The following factors are popularly believed to support the heart-healthy notion:
- Meals are traditionally based around plant foods. From fruit and vegetables to whole grains, the meals of the Mediterranean include large amounts of high fiber options such as avocados, spinach, lemons, nuts and tomatoes.
- Lean sources of protein take center-stage. Red meat is often forgone in the typical Mediterranean diet, making an appearance only about once a month. Instead, fish, poultry and large amounts of eggs are eaten as sources of lean and more heart-healthy proteins.
- Dessert isn’t always packed with processed sugar. On a daily basis, dessert may take the form of fruit and honey instead of more sugary selections such as cakes and cookies. Next time you’re craving sweets, try reaching for an apple instead!
- Meals are a community affair. Dining with friends and family and focusing on the meal reduces the risk of mindless eating as well as is a great opportunity to reconnect.
- Physical activity is important. Along with a diet full of nutritious foods, being physically active is important to those in the region as well as is a necessity to leading a fit and heart-healthy lifestyle.
Will you be stopping into your local Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes for a taste of our Mediterranean inspired dishes (available September 1st-14th)? Don’t forget to enter our Taste the World contest after you dine for the chance to win 1 of 5 daily prizes and a Grand Prize – a $5,000 culinary vacation!
This post is meant solely for the general information of the reader and should not be taken as medical advice. Before starting upon any diet, or for any health questions, please consult a physician.
Resources:http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Meat-Poultry-and-Fish_UCM_306002_Article.jsp
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011/NSECTIONGROUP=2
http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-pyramid/overview
Have been going to ST’s for lots of years – my wife and i have always enjoyed it that is up until this year. The salads are still good, the soups have lost variety and the deserts, well they just suck….it started with doing away with the original brownie’s and in its place come the hard crunchy “brownie bites”, then we get chocolate lava “all the time”!! Then sadly we get the price increase, just last week….just what is happening??? We have always loved the restaurant – we love the staff, the manager and team at our local Sweet Tomatoes are the best, but this isn’t about them, it’s about Corporate and Management and what seems like a lack of ideas and cost cutting measures. Guys, please get back on track, otherwise it’s Adios from us!!! 🙁
Steve, I couldn’t agree more, The pasta bar, soups, even the salads are always the same old, same old ….. I used to visit Sweet Tomatoes weekly and now we rarely go. Even so, it always seems to be the same menu without any variety. They have cut all the good old recipes down to just the most basic and economical fare. What a shame.
Hi Marcus – We’re so sorry you feel that way. Be sure to take a look at our Mediterranean menu and upcoming Mexico menu to see if some of your old favorites will return!