Thinking of cooking a delicious, romantic meal for a loved one? Show them extra love by caring for their heart health with some tasty dishes using Equal Exchange's fairly traded products, for a meal that benefits your loved one and the farmers who grew the delicious ingredients. A heart healthy diet is low in saturated and trans fats (mostly found in animal products), high in omega-3 fatty acids, high in fiber, and low in salt and sugar.
To help you out, we created some fun, heart healthy recipes for your special dinner.
- Start off the meal with a tasty Almond Spinach Salad using Equal Exchange Organic Tamari Roasted Almonds. Nuts contain mostly unsaturated fats which make them a great source of healthy fats that promote heart health.
- Enjoy this with a colorful fresh fruit salad using Equal Exchange bananas and seasonal fruit. Bananas are full of good nutrients from fiber to potassium, vitamin C, iron and more.
- Wrap up with a Low Fat Dark Chocolate Pudding topped with low fat whipped cream. Dark Chocolate contains flavonoids from the cocoa bean. Studies report that small amounts of dark chocolate can maintain heart health and the health of blood vessels.
- Finish off the meal with Equal Exchange Organic Love Buzz Coffee. Coffee may lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
- After enjoying your delicious meal, end with a romantic star-gazing stroll. Keeping active alongside a healthy diet is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy.
To learn more about heart health, see the websites of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Heart Association.