Heart Healthy Dining Program

Heart Healthy Choices
Everyone knows that eating out can be difficult on a health-conscious diet. That’s why the MCG Cardiovascular Center has teamed up with local restaurants to identify Heart Healthy menu items to provide you a healthful variety of food choices when dining out. Professional dietitians at MCG have assessed menu items at participating local restaurants to determine how heart healthy the nutritional content is. All menu items that have passed the test are identified with a Heart Healthy symbol. These items have no more than 20 grams total fat and no more than 10 grams of saturated fat. So when you choose an MCG-certified Heart Healthy menu item, you can rest assured that you are making a better choice for your heart, health and body. Consult your physician or nutritionist for specific nutritional needs.

Look for a MCG-certified Heart Healthy Dining Program decal in the window of participating restaurants, and the Heart Healthy logo on menu items. The program is slated to expand to other restaurants throughout the area.

Why eat a heart healthy diet?
Eating right has a lot of benefits, from helping to keep your body trim to giving you more energy. But research has also shown that enjoying a healthful diet considerably decreases your risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and cancer.

By incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in your diet, you can decrease your risk by as much as 30 percent.

At first, changing your diet may seem overwhelming. But by making small, manageable changes now, you can make big changes in the long run. Start by substituting healthful choices for foods with less nutritional value. And when dining out, choose MCG Heart Healthy menu items. You can still enjoy a nice meal at your favorite restaurant while making important changes in your diet that will make a difference for your health.

Ask a Dietitian
Have a tough nutrition question? Not sure how to lose weight in a healthy way? Confused over nutrition stories you hear on the news? We can help you sort it out!  Registered dietitians are the nutrition experts! Email us your questions and we'll either answer your question directly or refer you for further assistance.
Contact the MCGHI dietitians.

Participating restaurants include:

Heart and cardiovascular disease
Heart and cardiovascular disease are leading killers of both men and women in the United States. Some people are born with heart disease, but others build up risks over their lifetime – risks that can be prevented, and even reversed, with the proper measures.

The MCG Cardiovascular Center provides complete cardiovascular services including the evaluation of your heart health. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 706-721-CARE (2273).

To Become a Heart Healthy Restaurant
If you are a local restaurant owner and are interested in becoming a MCG-certified Heart Healthy restaurant, contact 706-721-5736.