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Suzanne Harrison

At many of Hong Kong's luxury spas,whole wheat pizzas, sushi platters, legumes and anti-diabetic salads are de rigueur for those who take care of their  well-being.
For other residential spas or wellness resorts, spa cuisine has come to typify the reason why people go - to eat well and hopefully either lose weight or get into good dietary habits.
According to InterContinental hotel spokeswoman Carole Klein,  the move to offer what has become popularly termed 'spa cuisine' in many places also stems from concerns about heart disease and type 2 diabetes, among other prevalent diseases.
Spa treatment menus are not going to leave you hungry. At the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong's Plateau spa, the menu includes dishes such  as traditional caesar salad, herbed salmon with cauliflower, buffalo mozzarella with avocado, and roasted capsicum and mushroom casserole with goat cheese and lemon couscous. But you can  say goodbye to cocktails because Evian and fresh juices are all that is on the drinks menu.
'Plateau's spa menu complements a spa programme which has been designed for improving guests' well-being,'  says Plateau spa  spokeswoman Gladis Young.
'This also enables our guests to enjoy a light and yet delicious meal, which is part of the experience of spending a day or longer in a self-contained residential spa.'
At The Landmark Mandarin Spa, they say that the Spa Cafe is not just another health food restaurant.  'Its culinary concept is based on the Cretan diet pyramid, namely, a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, cereals and olive oil, often supplemented with fish,' says spa spokeswoman Josephine Lee.
'The low-calorie dishes are made up from carefully selected products, most of which are of organic origin.'
For example, butter and cream give way to non-saturated oils. High-fibre and wholemeal breads are preferred. Most of the food items on the menu require little cooking time, retaining nutritional value.
'This ancient Cretan concept is a healthy diet combining wisdom and pleasure. The choice of drinks matches the cuisine, featuring a selection of mineral waters, fresh fruit and vegetable cocktails,' Lee adds.
The Spa Cafe is small and seats only 15. Most of its guests are those who have had a treatment and  want to continue 'their journey'  by eating healthy food. The concept, the hotel says, is based on longevity and not weight loss.
This kind of  cuisine on offer in day and resort spas is hardly surprising, considering how much a part of  life spa-going has become. Last year, there  were nearly 100 million active spa-goers worldwide, according to the International Spa Association (ISPA).  Its report included research from 12 countries - Australia, Austria, Canada,  France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Britain and the US.
The move to spa cuisine also makes sense, says ISPA.  'You'd be hard-pressed to find a better combination than spa treatments and delicious, healthy food,' ISPA's Lynne McNees  says in the report.
'Spas are responding to reports from the restaurant industry that the 'gastro-travel' phenomenon has taken off with more families organising vacations around food.
'In fact, 19 per cent of US spas offer cooking experiences, with these running the gamut from week-long schools with celebrity chefs to private lessons with tips on taking the healthy cooking experience home,' she says.
ISPA also reports that although many people still equate spa cuisine with starving themselves,   this is no longer the case.
'For many years, the words 'spa cuisine' were synonymous with bland and uninspiring low-calorie dishes,' ISPA reports on its site, www.experienceispa.com,  a guide for industry and consumers.
'Now, however, spas from destination resorts to day spas are redefining the role food plays in our lives, offering culinary experiences that are as varied as spa treatment menus. Spa cuisine is a delicious, healthy and creative part of a mindful lifestyle experience.'
This,  ISPA explains, is because contemporary spa cuisine can  be instrumental in attaining  optimal health.
'As more people make the connection between wellness of mind and body, day spas, destination resorts and even  some hospitals are finding themselves active participants in this growing trend.'
Furthermore, eating certain foods after a massage or other spa treatments can enhance their effects, says Hong Kong-based nutritionist and registered dietitian Denice Wehausen.  She says some foods will help purge your body of toxins faster, which is the aim of many massages.
'It's really important to look  for foods that can assist with detoxification and circulation,  as that's going to allow you to  make the most of the therapy,' says Wehausen. 'That's because the benefits  [of massage] result - in part - from improved circulation and reduced inflammation, and that  leads to detoxification.'
This process can be assisted before and after the treatment,  she adds. 'An opportune time to help with detoxification is prior to the massage. Eat foods containing molybdenum. This is an enzyme important in the detoxification  process and is found in foods like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cereal grains and nuts.
'Another important nutrient for detox is glutathione, and we get that in apples, carrots, spinach - again broccoli - oats, oranges, tomatoes and avocado.
'Post-treatment is a great time to take in antioxidants, such as selenium, which is in brazil nuts, tuna, turkey, chicken and sunflower seeds. Ellagic acid also 'binds' toxins. The binding process is the facilitator for the faster shuttling of toxins  from the body. Red grapes are ideal for improving the binding process, as are berries, cherries and limes,' says Wehausen.
Another dietary tip: avoid alcohol after a massage or body treatment if you don't want it to go to your head.
'The benefits from massage come from improved circulation  so you can imagine that digestion and absorption is improved after therapy and that includes the absorption of alcohol. Plus the body sees alcohol as a toxin so it will put all its efforts into metabolising that,' says Wehausen.
Make sure you are fully hydrated the night before as well 'because water does facilitate the detox process', she says.
Providing guests with  a healthy food and drink options  is taken seriously by the InterContinental.  Under the guidance of  Hong Kong Adventist Hospital,  the hotel has  put together a menu based on preventative health for spa guests who choose certain packages  (as well as  for those who are staying  at the hotel).
The menu of all-day dishes is designed to address the prevention of four key health concerns worldwide - diabetes, cardiac disease, hypertension and the need for antioxidants.
'ISpa has taken a holistic approach to well-being, thus promoting a healthy lifestyle,  which includes exercise, relaxation and a balanced and nutritional diet,' Klein adds.
Elsewhere, the Four Seasons Hotel Spa has created an executive escape package  - a weekday lunchtime respite,  comprising a  45-minute treatment  followed by a light lunch.
'We are definitely trying to develop a more spa-oriented  menu in the coming months,'  Four Seasons Hotel spokeswoman Nicola Chilton  says.
The concept of healthful spa cuisine has been taken much further at resorts such as The Farm  in the Philippines - where raw food detox holidays are available.
The concept now behind most general spa cuisine offerings is that  it is nutritious yet filling and flavoursome, and doesn't need to involve denial of certain foods or cooking techniques.
Spa enthusiasts, it seems,  now have all the more reason to  feel pampered.



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