NOLA Restaurants Take it to Heart
Eating at local restaurants may be a challenge for Alisha Reed, a 44-year-old pharmacist who has been living with high blood pressure for 25 years. "I have had hypertension since college," said Reed. "I have to pay attention to my salt intake and how much processed foods I eat."
However, when her husband passed away in 2019 from a heart attack, the need for dietary changes became imminent for her and her 8-year-old son. "My husband passed away at 43 years old from a heart attack," said Reed, who is also involved at the American Heart Association as a board member and community advocate. "I wanted to introduce and make healthier choices, particularly for my son. He is now at a greater risk since both parents have heart disease risk factors."
Given her family history with high blood pressure, Reed decided to work with a nutritionist to find out her heart-healthy options while dining out. "I have to be cautious when eating out since I really don't cook a lot," said Reed. "And New Orleans is a hard place to do that because our food is heavily seasoned."
Like Reed, approximately 120 million adults have hypertension in the United States, according to the American Heart Association statistics. Hypertension or high blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 80mmHg. While hypertension is a chronic condition which cannot be cured, you can effectively manage it with lifestyle modifications and medication.
In an effort to ensure a heart-healthy lifestyle, Reed turned to the Eat Fit app, a quick access software program on her cell phone that gives health-conscious menu options at local restaurants, markets, and other foodservice establishments. Managed by a team of Ochsner Health dietitians and under the leadership of Molly Kimball, RD CSSD, who is a local registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit, the Eat Fit app follows certain guidelines to provide ample menu options that support heart health.
"With the Eat Fit mobile app, it takes the guesswork out of selecting heart-healthy menu options at local restaurants," said Kimball, the past president of the American Heart Association and current AHA board member. "We have 550 restaurants across the state that are Eat Fit approved and listed on the app."
According to Kimball, the Eat Fit app provides the consumer with a current list of Eat Fit approved places, photos of the Eat Fit dishes, full nutritional information, and recipes. The restaurants offering Eat Fit options generally list the Eat Fit logo next to the dish on the menu.
Kimball explained that the Eat Fit criterion is focused on lean proteins, plant-based fats, vegetables, whole grains with no white carbs, and minimal added sugars and animal fats. "We look at these things before it is Eat Fit approved because you want to eat more of the plant-based fats, fish, vegetables, and less of the added sugars, refined white flour, and animal fats, which promotes inflammation, elevated LDL cholesterol, as well as elevated triglycerides," said Kimball.
More AHA tips to heart-healthy menu options when dining out include:
-Choose skinless chicken, fish, seafood, and lean, unprocessed meats.
-Select broth-based soups rather than cream-based soups.
-Ask for vegetables that are grilled, sautéed, steamed, roasted, or baked.
-If the portion is big, split your meal in half and save the other half for another meal.
-Ask for sauce and toppings on the side.
-Ask the restaurant staff to tell you about the ingredients, preparation methods, and/or substitutions.
"Now when I go out to eat, I make substitutions with healthier options," said Reed. "I order the lunch portion rather than the main entree, stay away from creamy sauces, and opt for grilled seafood rather than fried. It is very important to make these changes and set an example for our children."
For the list of Eat Fit participating restaurants around the city, Kimball suggests:
A Tavola Italian Restaurant, located next to the Lakeside Shopping Center, serves dishes that are Eat Fit approved.
Cafe Degas, located at 3127 Esplanade Ave., has been recognized for its outstanding French cuisine, particularly the tasty local crab meat dishes.
Carmo Seafood Restaurant, located at 527 Julia St. in the Central Business District, features innovative seafood, vegan, and gluten-free dishes.
Commander's Palace, located at 1403 Washington Ave. in the Uptown area, creates delicious dishes that support heart health with a wide variety of Eat Fit approved meal options.
Fat Boys Pizza, with multiple different locations, surprisingly serves three different Eat Fit pizza options with gluten-free crust.
Mosca's, a Louisiana Creole-Italian restaurant in Westwego, has a few interesting Eat Fit options, which includes Shrimp Mosca, a delicious chicken dish, and a fabulous crabmeat salad.
Miss River Seafood Restaurant, located in Canal Place, serves local ingredients with a seasonal menu that is Eat Fit approved.
Saba Mediterranean Restaurant, located at 5757 Magazine St., is highly recommended for its fresh ingredients and healthy dishes with intense flavor.
Vincent's Italian Cuisine, located on 7839 St. Charles Ave., has the Eat Fit seal next to menu options on their menu for easy reference. Kimball mentioned that she enjoys the salmon and tuna dish.
Ye Olde College Inn, located on 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., offers Eat Fit grilled fish with farm fresh vegetables.
