Spa Cuisine
If the idea of Spa cuisine conjures up visions of a solitary lettuce leaf, flavourless food, lengthy lists of what not to eat and pangs of hunger, get ready for a tasty surprise!
Modern spa cuisine is not about dieting, fads or weight loss programmes, but rather a celebration of what is good and natural. Of course health is an important issue but, even here, the main emphasis is on avoiding highly processed foods, artificial additives and added salt, and reducing intake of foods that are high in saturated fat or cholesterol.
There are many ways to achieve a healthy nutritional balance and the traditional Mediterranean diet is now widely recognised as a simple and delicious way of doing so. With its high intake of cereals, grains, vegetables, dried beans, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood, fruit, and moderate consumption of wine, meat and poultry, it is easy to see the relation between healthy eating Mediterranean style and the concept of Spa cuisine. Amongst other benefits, the Mediterranean diet is believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease and increase life expectancy.
In this area, known as the "La Huerta" or the garden of Spain, the fertile earth produces a wealth of excellent fruit and vegetables, whilst the proximity of two seas (the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor) means that fresh fish and seafood are also in plentiful supply. In addition, the region boasts three Denominaciones de Origen (the Spanish quality label for food and wine) for its wine: Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas.
At La Manga Club, this abundance of fresh local ingredients provides the basis for a tantalising variety of delicious and healthy dishes at the more than 20 dining venues on resort. Amongst numerous others, you will find Mediterranean cuisine at its finest in Amapola, wok-fried Asian specialities at Asia, fresh fish and seafood overlooking the sea at La Cala, not to mention garden-fresh salads, nutritious and filling wholegrain sandwiches and much more besides.
