Heart Healthy Guide to Dining Out: Dishes that will Satisfy Both Your Taste Palate’s and Heart’s Desire

Whether you want to go Mexican or Chinese for the night, there is really no reason why you can't find joy in your plate and not follow your doctor’s advice at the same time. We all love to eat, and that doesn’t mean that eating out couldn't be friendly to your health, particularly your heart health. We are sure there are dozens of restos that serve good food that pleases both your taste palate and heart’s desire. In fact, there are restos that offer sumptuous and seemingly-sinful meals without the guilt of putting your heart health at the backseat. And we tell you, these items are unbelievably low in cholesterol, trans fat, and saturated fat.

So how come we know why it’s a guilt-free pleasure? Because everytime we dine out, we simply follow these heart healthy-eating out guidelines:

Be straightforward about it.It is important that you choose a resto served by staff who understands that special needs of their patron. To get what you want, and we mean in the most courteous way, experts recommend that people with special needs must be forthright about what they want and, of course, really need. There’s no point of being shy about making special requests. After all, you’re not making a fuss about a menu because it’s a special night; remember, with every bite, it’s really your health that’s on the line.

With today’s advances in the food industry, most items that are printed on their menu will still qualify as heart healthy dishes. By simply preparing it with less salt and low-fat ingredients, a rich and sinful course menu can be easily spun into heart healthy by any chef who knows his fundamentals. There’s no point of hunting for a resto that advertise that they are the only place that serve healthy heart foods because we’re sure every chef in your area knows how to alter their dishes to meet your needs and expectations.

A simple pre-dinner tip: Say, you’re on the phone, are you going to book a reservation right away just because a friend recommended it? We say no. Before you look forward to having a healthy heart complete course with your hubby, ask this crucial question first: Can the chef alter the preparations without sacrificing the taste? If they say that they have, indeed, accommodated a lot of special requests in their kitchen, then, go ahead and pay in advance. However, when you came and end up doubting what you are served with, never hesitate to send it back.

If, however, you’re surprised by your hubby with a lovely dinner – yes, imagine you eating without all the fuss of reserving a table and detailing what you’re expecting – DO take your time in studying what’s on the menu. DO choose heart healthy; don’t make unhealthy decisions just because your hubby has moved heaven and earth just to get the best spot for the evening. Again, ask the kitchen to do some altering; after all, a special evening calls for special menu.

What To Choose For…

Breakfast. If you have planned a special getaway with your hubby, make sure that you bring with you a pocketful of determination to steer clear of sumptuous and fatty breakfast items. If you think that you can get away with eating high in fat and calorie-laden breakfast menu since, well, you’ll burn it at the end of the day, you thought wrong. Eating the wrong menu can always lead to an elevated blood sugar and cholesterol, which means you’ll be spending the whole morning in bed, and not in a good way.

Strive to just walk away from breakfast menus that are loaded with baked goods and high in fat items like sausage and, yes, bacon. But who says you can’t have a healthy breakfast that also tastes good? Experts recommend saying yes to choices that include a lot fresh fruits and fiber.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• Is breakfast your favorite meal of the day? Instead of getting too conscious about your food portions, start your breakfast by drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. This can help you curb your appetite by making you feel full even before you finish what’s on your plate.
• Go for whole-grain breads instead of picking up that white toast. To help you enjoy this heavy weight bread, spread a little sweetness with the help of preserved jam and your choice of low-fat cream cheese.
• Need to warm up a bit? We recommend heading to that oatmeal station before you head to that honey jar to get some brrr off your body.

Chinese food. These items are really one of the most popular menus on every American’s food wish. While the dish portions can be quite large, Chinese food is definitely one healthy flair you can really devour. If you and your hubby are craving for some Oriental feast, head straight to an upscale, family-oriented Chinese restaurant in your area – not the fast food and take out types. Fancy Chinese restaurants do accommodate special requests and orders, especially those that need some adjustments in terms of their main ingredients. Most Chinese dishes are high in sodium, that’s why they are really savory and you often end up asking for more. Call for fewer entrees. And, oh, don’t forget your fortune cookie.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• One no-brainer choice is to skip everything that’s fried. Noodles, dumplings, and even duck meat that are fried should give way to a bowl of stir-fry vegetables.
• Duck meat is, indeed, a tasty option. But with the flavor comes all the fat that it isn’t too healthy for the heart. Limit your desire for meat with light ones like chicken, fish, and seafood. But don’t throw all your efforts of committing to healthy heart foods by dropping these light meats to the frying pan. Again, stick to healthy prep methods like steam, light stir-fry, broiled, and boiled.
• If given the option of munching some nuts and have been advised by your doctor to lose weight, a safe choice comes in the form of water chestnuts. Chinese food is popular for their nutty texture, an attribute that can be credited to their fondness of peanuts and cashews. These two nutty staples of Chinese cuisine cross are dietary DON’Ts to women working to shed extra pounds.

French food. French cuisine is always associated with rich, creamy, and velvety dining experience. And what does it take to have all those words ending up on your plate: Lots and lots of butter. And that only boils to another unhealthy heart word: Fat. But good news to all those who have amour for French cuisine, Nouvelle cuisine shows that French cooking has definitely a lighter side.

Can’t find nouvelle cuisine on the menu? Ask for restos that proudly present haute cuisine and you’ll find an interesting and highly favored fusion of nouvelle cuisine and cuisine classique.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• We all know how not easy it is to pass an item on the menu, especially when French cuisine tells us the story of the whole course as it progresses from one item to another. If you and your hubby can’t help but say Oui to your heart’s desire to go French, strive to skip, ugh, rich entrees, sauces, and, yes, even desserts. So days before the big day, exercise your willpower and determination to pass everything that looks sinfully delicious.
• Sauces play a vital role not only to French menu but to all distinguished members of the world cuisine. Play safe and opt for not-too flamboyant dishes. As much as possible, hold the sauce, especially the thick and creamy ones.

Mediterranean food. If you have read about our earlier post about Mediterranean diet, you know that following Zorba the Greek’s diet is really good for you. But before you finish that plate that’s really recommended for two, hear this: Mediterranean dishes are really prepped with lots and lots of olive oil. Though olive oil is really a healthy and safe option, these dishes can add up some serious calories when you weigh in. Olives and feta cheeses are great appetizers but make sure that you keep tabs of what you’re munching before the main dishes arrive as these two yummy seemingly-innocent appetizers are high in sodium.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• When asked if you would want fillo pastry, hold yourself and just say no. These flaky items may be light and really savory but fillo pastries are also known for using loads and loads of butter. No matter how small these delicate pastries look, just skip them.
• Ordering for low fat and low in sodium Mediterranean dishes can be quite hard, especially if you’re in a, well, Greek-themed resto. But be straightforward about your request, ask for something that is heart-friendly, and you know that your heart will thank you for it.
• V-day is, after all, a once-a-year event. If you and your hubby want to finish the whole course, with all the harmonious transition and all, ask the wait staff for a favor: Split the single serving to two. There’s really a lot of benefit in splitting each dish; aside from looking really sweet (oh, look there sharing their food), you instantly cut the calories in half plus you get to make sure that you have enough room to savor everything, from antipasti down to that velvety dessert.
• Don’t we all love meat-stuffed appetizers? Though these tiny meat-full pockets seemed healthy at first, we still recommend asking for antipasti that involves rice or eggplant.

Indian food. Grains filled with fiber? Check. Lots of veggies and legumes? Great. All these points make Indian cuisine really a heart healthy choice. But all these good points can go down drain when these healthy items are prepared the wrong way. Remember, Indian food can be smothered with ghee, or butter, before they are sautéed or thrown in the fryer. Another not-so good fact about Indian cuisine is that they use a lot of milk and coconut oil. Sounds healthy? Not really. Dishes that feature milk as its base may please your taste palate but not your heart.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• Start the evening right. Instead of ordering for samosas, or fried veggie turnover, we recommend starting with yogurt topped with chopped vegetables.
• Whether you call for vegetables or protein, here’s a good rule of thumb: Make sure that the kitchen will prepare your dishes without gee.
• For your protein, stick to seafood or chicken. These are tasty substitutes for lamb or beef, which are essentially staple proteins in all Indian restaurants. And because protein are essentially sautéed or fried, we recommend that you ask for a bowl of vegetable dish so you can cut down all unwanted calories and tons of saturated fats found in your meat plate.

Mexican food. Nothing says go eat and be merry than a Mexican family table. Expect nothing but saturated fats as most Mexican dishes are generously topped with cheese and deep fried with lard. Another feature that drives almost everyone who watches their heart health away is sodium, which seemed like the secret “ingredient” to most every Mexican soup we know. But there’s no reason to contain your desire when you and your hubby are just tempted to go Mexican that night. Given the right menu and the basics of healthy heart foods, you can find that Mexican cuisine also boast of tasty, fresh, and really healthy dishes.

Quick heart healthy tips:

• If you’re waiting for your plate to be served, just do exactly that: Wait. Almost every family I know goes to Mexican restaurants because of the free tortilla chips that they are served with when waiting for their orders. Enjoy the evening, savor the festivity, and ask that the wait staff do not bring the bowl of tortilla to your table.
• Salsa is really one of the healthy heart foods that you can enjoy to any Mexican restaurant. So instead of asking for sour cream, dance to the beat of healthy heart foods and just go for salsa. If you’re in for some genuine Mexican flavors, ask for tomato-based sauces or Veracruz for a healthier, tastier treat.

Steaks. A lovely night calls for a great bottle of red wine and, of course, a juicy, grilled-to-perfection steak. But is it really safe to include steak to your list of heart healthy foods? As long as it’s served in a reasonable portion and it’s lean beef that you chose, then, definitely, yes.

If you’re on a dinner date with your hubby, make sure that you have prepped for a 6-ounce lean beef steak by savoring only non-meat treats from breakfast down to the last minute before you arrive at the steakhouse. A good of rule of thumb is to never, ever, order king-sized cuts. When ordering, specifically request that all visible fats be removed from the meat before the kitchen throws it on the grill. But if you don’t want to devour a slab of meat but your hubby specifically wants to, order for a dish of seafood. It’s a well known fat that all steakhouses offer amazing seafood plates; fish is always a favored meat of heart health-watchers, so ask for the catch of the day while your hubby orders the place’s best steak.