Love the beach? Visit Carlsbad! Love Food? Visit Carlsbad' s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour

You’ve heard of culinary tourism experiencing places through to their gastronomic offerings. Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour  allow food lovers to explore what Carlsbad’s restaurant scene has to offer. This healthy foodie tour encourages healthy lifestyle choices: walking, small frequent meals, Mediterranean diet, red wine, alkaline water, dark chocolate and socialization! Come and see for yourself why going on a food tour can be a healthy lifestyle choice!Top 10 Reasons “Why going on our Food Tour is a healthy lifestyle choice? And why Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour is a delicious choice as well.
Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour is a 3 hour guided walking tour of the village with stops at 6-8 unique eateries and wine tasting.  Below are the top 10 reasons why going on one of our tours is a healthy lifestyle choice.
It is a Walking tour – 2-2.5 miles round trip – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour
Remember “Walking is a step in the right direction”
Walking is the most popular physical activity among adults. Taking a walk is low cost and doesn’t require any special clothes or equipment.
Walking benefits:

• lowers your risk of health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes
• strengthens your bones and muscles
• helps you burn more calories
• lifts your mood

Healthy food tastings: Mediterranean foods including lots of marinara & garlic – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour
The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps even a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
Benefits of the Mediterranean diet
Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, an analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer, as well as a reduced incidence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends the Mediterranean diet as an eating plan that can help promote health and prevent disease. And the Mediterranean diet is one your whole family can follow for good health.
Red wine health benefits – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour

• Memory Protection against Alzheimer’s. The powerful antioxidant resveratrol protects against cell damage and prevents age-related mental decline.
  • Mimics Exercise: Resveratrol is also responsible for heart-healthy benefits, including improved physical performance and muscle strength. It also mimics cardiovascular enhancements similar to exercise.

• Cancer Treatment: Researchers aren’t exactly sure how, but another active antioxidant in red wine known as quercetin works against cancer cells, according to the American Cancer Society. It helps to induce natural cell death in certain types of cancers, most often colon cancer.
• Promotes Long Life: Red wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or vodka drinkers, according to a 29-year-long study. Resveratrol is the polyphenol that could be responsible for its longevity benefits. But researchers think any diet rich in polyphenols, which are known to protect against the development of chronic illness.
• Lowers Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke: Red wine tannins, which are what make red wine the color red, contain procyanidins — known for protecting against heart disease. Resveratrol also helps to remove chemicals responsible for causing blood clots, which is the primary cause of coronary disease. A daily dose of red wine cuts blood clot-related stroke rates by 50 percent.

 Carlsbad Alkaline Mineral Water – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour

• Alkaline water can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer.
• Alkaline water has a pH of 8 or 9.
• Regular tap water generally has a pH of 6 to 7.
• Studies have found that drinking alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 can help deactivate pepsin, which is the main enzyme that causes acid reflux.
• Another study suggested that drinking alkaline water may have benefits for people who suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Dark Chocolate – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour

• Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health.
• Made from the seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet.
• Studies show that dark chocolate can improve health and lower the risk of heart disease.

·        It contains a decent amount of soluble fiber and is loaded with minerals.
·        Dark Chocolate is a Powerful Source of Antioxidants
·        Dark chocolate is loaded with organic compounds that are biologically active and function as antioxidants. These include polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, among others.
·        Dark Chocolate May Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure

• Dark Chocolate Raises HDL and Protects LDL Against Oxidation

Olive oil – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour

• Olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, is a major component of the Mediterranean diet,
• Olive oil is the main source of dietary fat in the Mediterranean diet. Populations from that region have longer life expediencies and lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
• Olive oil helps prevent stroke
• Depression risk lower with olive oil, higher with trans fats
• Olive oil helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
•  Olive oil protects against Alzheimer’s disease
• Oleocanthal is a type of natural phenolic compound found in extra-virgin olive oil
• Olive oil helps prevent acute pancreatitis
• Extra virgin olive oil is rich in oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, which affect the development of acute pancreatitis(sudden inflammation of the pancreas).
• Olive oil protects from ulcerative colitis

Vegetarian tastings – health benefits -Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour 

• The term vegetarian generally means a person who does not consume animal products.
• Have a Live longer- several studies have shown that vegetarians have a much lower risk of becoming obese, developing diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
• Lower body weight – Carlsbad’ s Healthy Foodie Walking Tour
• Have better cholesterol levels
• Have a lower risk of developing cancer- several studies have shown a reduced risk of developing many different types of cancer among vegetarians, compared to meat eaters

Small frequent tastings

• Small, frequent meals are better for your metabolism
• Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help stabilize blood glucose levels. Small meals contain less glucose than larger meals and cause blood sugar to increase at a much slower rate. This fact makes eating smalls meals especially helpful for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia.
• Has been shown to produce a lower level of blood cholesterol
• Spreads the absorption of nutrients more evenly throughout the day
• Leads to a smoother insulin response which is beneficial for blood glucose control
• Does not lead to weight gain if calorie intake remains stable
• May help people control their calorie intake more effectively
• Helps active people and those with high energy requirements meet their calorie needs
• Helps those with a small appetite meet their calorie needs
• Resting between walking
• Research suggests that short rest periods are just as important as the exercise itself.
• Taking it easy now and again not only allows the muscles to recover, it also makes the body fitter faster

Social Interaction

• The benefits of being social

Specific health benefits of social interaction in older adults include:

• Potentially reduced risk for cardiovascular problems, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis
• Potentially reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease
• Lower blood pressure

Reduced risk for mental health issues such as depression

• Conversely, social isolation carries real risks. Some of these risks are:
• Feeling lonely and depressed
• Being less physically active
• Having a greater risk of death
• Having high blood pressure
• Social interaction helps keep your brain from getting rusty, but it’s most effective when coupled with an overall healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet and physical activity.

• We will visit a California-style cafe, a European-style restaurant, an Italian eatery, a Mexican deli and other restaurants and specialty shops that are uniquely representative of Carlsbad! With the combination of wine and food tastings most participants are comfortably full after our food tours. Tastings may vary but in general we will sample both sweet and savory items. Most of our tastings are vegan-friendly. Please be sure to let us know if you have any dietary restrictions when you purchase your tickets, we can often accommodate your needs. Come and eat like the Locals, find all the hidden gems in Carlsbad.

 

• Caldo Pomodoro serves up North County’s finest Italian fare with exciting dishes and unique ambiance. At Caldo Pomodoro, every dish is created with old fashion Sicilian zest. Family Owned & Operated Since 1991.

 

• Humble Olive Oils  is a family owned and operated olive oil store and tasting room located on State Street in beautiful downtown Carlsbad. We offer the finest olive oils from around the world featuring ultra-premium extra virgin olive oils and infused olive oils.

 

• Vigilucci’s Gourmet Market: Roberto Vigilucci is passionate about food. He prides himself on exceptional Italian home cooking reminiscent of his childhood in Milano, where families are raised in kitchens and food is the centerpiece of the culture.

 

• Witch Creek Winery began as a small country winery in the hills of Ramona, California, adopting our namesake from the area of Witch Creek, where they got some of our first grapes. For twenty years, they have honed the focus of their winery on producing a wide variety of outstanding, award-winning red wines. They have placed their emphasis on quality over quantity and take pride in producing small-lot, handcrafted wines using traditional wine making techniques.

 

• Gaia Gelato prepares gelato in small batches every day, using only our authentic Italian recipes. They have installed in the heart of Carlsbad an authentic gelato lab: all the machines and displays are imported from Italy, to combine the traditional preparation method with the freshest California ingredients. The pure alkaline Carlsbad water makes it even better!

 

• Gregorio’s nestled in the Northern San Diego County beach town of Carlsbad is our Italian kitchen and formerly known as Spirito’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, have been serving up great Italian food and pizzas for over 20 years

 

• Cafe Topes voted best breakfast in Carlsbad. Cafe Topes style is of new American with a modern twist on your favorite breakfast and lunch combinations. Also voted by San Diego Magazine as one of the 10 most fun things to do in San Diego is to eat their famous homemade Cinnamon Rolls!

 

• Lola’s hands down it’s the best Mexican food in the village. Authentic Mexican food since 1943! Oldest consecutive business in Carlsbad.

 

• Carlsbad Chocolate Bar offers an extensive variety of chocolates, full coffee and Espresso bar, and retail wines, ports, and champagne.

 

• Senor Grubby’s: Fresh Mexican food made with fresh ingredients. Always. Right in the heart of Carlsbad Village. The Al Pastor Taco is my favorite!.