I have been trying to drink tea, preferably green tea, at some point every day. But on an early morning when variable factors aren’t going your way (think lost lids, weak burner, time crunch!), heating up some water and throwing in a tea bag, a once simple task, somehow morphs into an unmanageable feat. It was on one of these tumultuous days that serene looking products from a company called Sencha Naturals whispered to me at my desk. At first I was confused. Green tea? Where? I saw no tea bag, no loose leafs. I had yet to scald myself with a hasty sip or spill half of the beverage on my week’s to-do list. I soon realized the company makes these little green tea mints and bars that pack the same nutritional punch as a mug of green tea and have a fantastic, clean flavor. more

With all the news lately on efforts to decrease salt intake in America, this morning the New York Times reports a backlash of sorts from experts who claim that it might not be possible to induce people to eat less salt — and even if they do, it might not make that much of a health difference after all. As the article says, “The estimates about all the lives to be saved are just extrapolations based on the presumed benefits of lower blood pressure.” more

Recently I tried a sample of Essensia 2007 orange muscat dessert wine from Slow Food Madera, California, member Quady Winery. Available throughout the U.S. and online, it’s a surprisingly refreshing (not cloying) supersweet wine that would be perfect with dark chocolate-almond truffles; serve both at the end of your Valentine’s Day dinner and you’ll look like a romantic genius.

More news on the fair-trade chocolate front: Green & Blacks has just become the first subsidiary of a major chocolate company (it’s owned by Cadbury) to decide to go Fair Trade certified with its entire chocolate line worldwide by 2011. (Until now, only one Green & Blacks chocolate bar was Fair Trade certified.) According to the notice from Global Exchange, “This will bring a crucial lifeline of Fair Trade prices, premiums, and standards to cocoa growing communities that grow cocoa for Green & Blacks.  This is a huge victory for Fair Trade farmers, and their supporters! Send Green & Blacks a valentine thank you for this important step; this kind of support will show the company’s owners, board of directors, and staff that there is consumer support to continue their commitment to Fair Trade.”

Global Exchange also notes that chocolate companies Equal Exchange, Divine, Alter Eco, Sweet Earth, and others “have done the right thing, from day one! In ADDITION to thanking Green & Blacks, we encourage you (and your kids/students, if applicable) to send thank you valentines, by either mail or email, to at least one of these companies, too.”

Why should you care if your chocolate is fair trade and/or organic? Because, according to watchdog Global Exchange, chocolate can have a dark side, including environmental degradation and child slave labor, as I note in this month’s Think About It column, “Chocolate: The Raw Truth.” When shopping for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, be sure to look for eco- and fair-trade chocolates, such as these cute heart-shaped dark or milk chocolate morsels from Divine Chocolate, available at your natural products store. And check out more picks for delectable, organic chocolates.

The latest in Chocolove’s delectable chocolate line: A dark chocolate bar with almonds and sea salt. Aside from having the perfect Valentine’s Day packaging (each Chocolove bar includes a love poem inside the wrapper), this bar features everything I like: a sweet-dark taste and good antioxidants, due to the 55 percent cocoa content, heart-healthy almonds, and a touch of sea salt for a zippy contrast. (Other great Chocolove flavors include Chilies & Cherries and Toffee & Almonds.) You’ll find them nationwide at Whole Foods, Target, and other major stores. Love it.

In addition to pushing for nutrition labeling on the front of packaged foods, the FDA is also hoping to tackle misleading portion-size information, the New York Times reports today. “The problem is important because the standard serving size shown on a package determines all the other nutritional values on the label, including calorie counts. If the serving size is smaller than what people really eat, unless they study the label carefully they may think they are getting fewer calories or other nutrients than they are.”

Accurately and prominently displaying serving size on foods could go a long way toward helping people avoid excess calories by understanding and practicing portion control … for example, seeing up front that a muffin you’re about to eat is actually “supposed” to serve 2, or knowing how much is considered a single serving of chips or ice cream.

Have you heard of the Guiding Stars nutrition rating system? Look for the Guiding Stars logo (below) on all kinds of foods (fresh and packaged), which are evaluated using an algorithm that assigns credits based on the presence of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and whole grains … and debits for the presence of the trans fat, saturated fats, cholesterol, added sugars and added sodium. Rated foods are awarded zero, one, two or three stars; zero means no nutritional value (e.g., fishy crackers); one star means good nutritional value (e.g., oat-bran pretzels); two stars, better nutritional value (e.g., raisins); and three stars, the best nutritional value (e.g., oranges). It’s simple to understand, and the scientific experts they use are reputable (I checked). Guiding Stars recently ran a “Big Game” recipe challenge for readers to come up with a three-star entry for Super Bowl Sunday, and Mindee Curtis of Omaha, NE, submitted the winning entry of Baja Barley Salad, bursting with great ingredients like bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, and lime zest. I’m going to try it this Sunday while cheering the Saints! And try our Super Bowl party spread for even more delicious, healthy, and unusual finger foods to cheer.

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Certain healthy foods are traditionally considered aphrodisiacs, and what better time than Valentine’s Day to try them out? Add these aphrodisiac foods to your grocery cart, suggests the fortuitously named Melody Hart, ND, PhD, of ChicagoHealers.com.

1. Nuts and sesame seeds. These, says Hart, contain the amino acid L-arginine that enhances blood flow throughout the body. Try our nut-and-seed-laden Coconut Almond Crunch Granola for your Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed.

2. Dark chocolate (70% or more cocoa). Chocolate “releases pleasure-enhancing endorphins in the brain, plus contains the feel-good chemicals phenylethylamine and serotonin, released by the brain when you are happy or feeling loving or passionate,” says Hart. These Chocolate Lava Cakes ought to do the trick.

3. Oysters. The richest food source of zinc, which does good things for sperm, oysters also boost blood health with iron. Try one of my favorite Valentine’s Day recipes, Warm Oysters on the Half Shell with Spicy Ponzu — it’s easy, and a showstopper.

4. Licorice improves circulation, acts as a stress reliever, and has a stimulating smell, especially for women. Anise, an herb often mistaken for licorice because of the similar smell, adds a wonderful scent to these Anise-Orange Rye Rolls, perfect to serve with dinner. And look for Panda all-natural Licorice Chews at your natural foods store.

5. Chile peppers. Capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, increases circulation and releases feel-good endorphins. For a spicy and superhealthy vegetable dish, try Kale with Ginger and Chiles.

Check out even more libido-loving foods … and get cooking!

This luscious recipe for Heart-Shaped Pasta with Proscuitto, Peas, and Arugula is courtesy of Colorado chef Eric S. Lee, author of the new book, Sweeping Her Off Her Feet: The Ultimate Guide to Romance and Seduction in the Kitchen (Dreamworld, 2010). With his simple directions for combining delicious, real food, even a novice cook can make a “wow” dinner for his or her sweetie. Look for heart-shaped pasta at your natural foods store; it’s often carried seasonally. For more great Valentine’s Day menu ideas (including breakfast!), go to deliciousliving.com and search for “valentine.”

Heart-Shaped Pasta with Proscuitto, Peas, and Arugula

6 ounces heart-shaped pasta (or bow-tie noodles)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

Optional: 10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup chicken broth (or 1 teaspoon bouillon dissolved in 1 cup warm water)

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (dissolve it into chicken broth)

6-8 paper-thin slices prosciutto, cut into 1-inch ribbons (ask for it this way at the grocery deli)

3/4 cup frozen peas

2 small Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (just cut into quarters and scoop out the seeds)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups roughly chopped arugula or 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta until just barely tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

2. Preheat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, and sauté garlic until it begins to soften, approximately 20-30 seconds—do not let it brown. Add white wine and cook until reduced by half. (If using shrimp, add now; stir for 2 minutes, until nearly opaque.)

3. Add broth with dissolved cornstarch and bring to a boil; add reserved 1/4 cup pasta water, prosciutto, peas, and tomato, and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat, and let stand another 30 seconds. Fold in cooked pasta and arugula or basil. Salt and pepper to taste, divide between two dinner plates or pasta bowls, and top with shredded Parmesan.

Suggested wine – Sauvignon Blanc, Vouvray