Canyon Ranch’s gifted chefs work with our brilliant staff of nutritionists to ensure that every luscious meal that comes out of our kitchens meets an exacting set of nutritional standards.

Our recipes emphasize:

- A wide variety of ingredients from plants, since vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices are delicious and satisfying, and are the foods with the most power to prevent disease.

- Plenty of fiber from a wide variety of plant foods, because the good news about its health benefits appears to be never-ending.

- Minimal added sugar, and no artificial sweeteners. Our recipes call for a variety of natural sweeteners, including evaporated cane juice, honey and molasses, in moderate quantities. Our preferred non-caloric sweetener for table use is stevia, a natural, herbal sweetener.

- Balanced protein, carbohydrate and small amounts of healthy fat. Because this combination satisfies both nutritional needs and appetite, we strive to balance each of our meals, including our vegetarian options, with some protein-rich food. Our protein offerings include beans – which we particularly love for their versatility and many health benefits – soy foods, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy and the leanest cuts of poultry and red meat.

- Healthy fats in moderation. In the old days, spa food meant “no-fat.” We’re long past that idea, and our food could now probably best be described as “good-fat,” since we use special care in selecting fats and oils that are beneficial to health. Extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed canola oil, rich in flavor and antioxidants, are our preferred choices. We also emphasize Omega-3 fatty acids (found mainly in fish and flax seeds) and fats from other plant sources, including avocado and nuts and seeds. We minimize saturated fats and never use trans-fats.

About Salt

Our foods are seasoned with an array of herbs and spices, with moderate use of salt. Research that we find very exciting is showing that spices contain compounds with astounding benefits for body and brain – yet another reason to spice it up. We keep a careful eye on sodium, however, because most Americans regularly consume more salt than is recommended. This is a concern because excessive sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure, and is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer and kidney disease. We encourage you to become more aware of the amount of sodium in what you eat, and to consider using less salt.

Canyon Ranch chefs try to keep total daily salt to the recommended guideline for healthy individuals: about 2,300 mg of naturally occurring and added sodium per day. (This is equivalent to about a teaspoon of salt.) Does this mean our food lacks flavor? Absolutely not! Our chefs creatively season the highest quality, freshest, most flavorful ingredients with small amounts of Mediterranean sea salt along with delectable, health-promoting herbs and spices. Their goal is always to allow the natural flavors of the foods to shine.

The good news about reducing the salt in your diet is that a preference for excessive saltiness is an acquired taste. If you start cutting down, you’ll probably notice within a month or so that your desire for salt has diminished. We humans are highly adaptable: You’ll gradually get used to a lower-sodium diet, just as you adapted to an overly salty one. Try it and see.

The Last Word

When you make Canyon Ranch recipes or dine at the Ranch, you are in the happy position of knowing that every tempting thing set before you is good for you. Please, enjoy.