Healthy inspiration

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best for you," it's a bittersweet reminder that the sooner any of us learns about smart food choices, the more we can benefit.

The U-M Health System's Cardiovascular Center (CVC) cafe is a great place for a crash course in Healthy Eating 101. Chefs and registered dieticians have designed the food here to be good for you--and much of it actually tastes good, too. Creamy yogurt parfaits with berries, Asian salads, and raw and grilled veggies line up colorfully in a cold case, packed in plastic so that docs in scrubs, patients in wheelchairs, and anyone else can grab and go. The sandwiches show a frill of lettuce between thin slices of multigrain bread. Meat mainly checks in as chicken or turkey, although salmon and tuna make frequent appearances. In fact, the most refreshing warm-weather sandwich I know is the CVC cafe's barely dressed tuna salad, wrapped in a fresh, chewy lavash with slices of crisp Granny Smith apples and layers of shredded carrots and lettuce. Contrasting flavors and textures bring out the best in both fish and fruit, supporting the cafe's goal of "low-fat high-flavor selections in healthy proportions."