BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- February is American Heart Month, a federally designated month that is an excellent way to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and pledge to a healthy lifestyle. This month, Taziki's Mediterranean Café will highlight heart-healthy menu items to encourage customers to make nutritious selections and reduce the risk of high blood pressure as well as heart disease.
According to the CDC, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both and women. Sadly, it claims a life every 36 seconds in the United States. These totals mean that 655,000 people die each year from what is considered by most health experts to be a preventable disease. Almost 50% of the adults in the United States live with cardiovascular disease, and without expanding awareness on this topic, that number will likely increase.
Taziki's fits into a unique niche with diners when it comes to creating heart health-conscious menu items. Inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, Taziki's colorful menu offers handcrafted, elevated, affordable fare the entire family enjoys.
"At Taziki's we search for the highest quality foods possible, this means, flavor, nutrition and quality go hand in hand," said Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki's Mediterranean Café. "Our Mediterranean menu is built on nutritious staples including fruits, vegetables, potatoes, whole-grains, beans, seafood, diary, nuts and herbs."
The U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking recently revealed the best eating plans for 2021 and for the fourth consecutive year, the Mediterranean diet was named the Best Diet Overall. The traditional eating pattern of the Mediterranean region has also grabbed the No. 1 spot in the Best Diets for Healthy Eating, Easiest Diets to Follow, Best Diets for Diabetes, and Best Plant-Based Diets and Best Heart-healthy categories.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the few oils that can be eaten without chemical processing and an item that Taziki's uses in many of its menu items.
"We have set our standards high for our partners that are responsible for the delicious flavors across our menu," said Keith Richards, Founder of Taziki's Mediterranean Café. "This includes sourcing the restaurant's olives, red peppers, olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice directly from the Greek cities of Leonidio, Plaka, Patras, Aiyion and Athens."
During American Heart Month, and always, Taziki's reminds customers to:
- Choose snack options to help avoid heart disease and its complications.
- A great example is Taziki's Hummus, a puree of chickpeas, tahini, touch of cumin, and lemon juice. This spread is loaded with protein, fiber, healthy fats and can be served with fresh vegetables, soft or baked pita chips.
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fewer processed foods.
- Taziki's Grilled Veggie Plate is a favorite featuring an array of zucchini, squash, red peppers, red onions, asparagus, and tomatoes, served on a bed of basmati rice with a garden salad.
- Select proteins that are low in fat.
- Shrimp and other shellfish are an important part of the Greek and Mediterranean diets. Taziki's Shrimp Kabobs are marinated and grilled to perfection, the perfect complement to Taziki's favorite feasts, salads and more.
- Add fish because not only is it high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but it is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Another favorite is Taziki's Mediterranean Salad topped with grilled Salmon. This classic is mixed with lettuces, garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, red onions, diced tomatoes, roasted pecans, and feta, served with Taziki's homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe understands the importance of providing complete and accurate nutrition information to their customers. Because every customer uses nutrition information differently, Taziki's website and app provide several ways to view nutrition information through the restaurant's own nutritional calculator, interactive nutrition menu and allergen menu.
Media Tools: Keith Richards, Founder of Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe discusses the restaurant's heart-healthy menu items in this video.
About Taziki's Mediterranean Café
Taziki's Mediterranean Café is a rapidly expanding brand, named one of America's fastest growing leaders by Inc. 5000 in the fresh-casual industry. Having more than tripled in size since 2011, Taziki's has over 90 restaurant locations, spanning across 18 states nationally. Development plans include building the brand in existing markets, as well as entering new areas across the country by 2023.
The essence of Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe is defined by serving fresh ingredients and hand-cut meats daily. The Mediterranean influence in their name echoes across their best-in-class, chef-inspired cuisine but is intentionally approachable for any person, anywhere. Taziki's takes pride in their made-from-scratch food that nourishes customers daily and the artisanship that goes behind doing so without the use of fryers, or microwaves.
Taziki's mission is to create an environment that combines extraordinary food with meaningful human connection.
Contact: |
Julie Wade, Senior Director of Marketing |
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe |
|
205-547-3645 |
SOURCE Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe
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