Top 5 Healthy Coffee Shop Options!

Eating healthily at home is relatively easy, right? However, hectic schedules mean it’s commonplace to grab something from the nearest coffee shop for breakfast or lunch, because, well, it’s convenient! Knowing which options are healthy can be a bit of a minefield, so we’ve taken the hassle out it for next time you’re caught in the convenience trap. Read on for our Top 5 Healthy Coffee Shop Options!

1. Tea
Us Brits love our tea, and for good reason! It’s warm, comforting and just seems to fix any problem. It’s also really good for you, a cup of tea is low in calories (sans milk and sugar), count towards your daily fluid intake and contains polyphenols. The latter are thought to act as potent antioxidants, protecting your cells from environmental damage and stress. Craving more traditional American favourites? Watch the video below to learn how to make your order healthier!

2. Porridge, banana and nuts
Next time you find yourself grabbing breakfast on the go, turn to another warm and comforting British classic: porridge. Oats offer slow-release carbs and fibre to keep you going for longer. Pair it with a handful of nuts and banana for an extra dose of protein, fibre, as well as some healthy fats.

3. Bircher
Prefer a more continental approach to breakfast? Rather than croissants and Danish pastries, go for a Scandi favourite: Birchers. These contain slow-release carbs (again, thanks to the oats) as well as a generous amount of fibre from fruits and protein from milk and yogurt. Tracking back, it may interest you to know that the creation of muesli as we know it, came from Swiss physician and nutritionist, Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner. The recipe used oat flakes, raw apples, lemon juice, nuts and condensed milk (think “Alpen”) and Dr Bircher-Benner found it contributed to major improvements in the health of several of his patients.

4. Chicken salad wrap
Okay so breakfast has been and gone, how about lunch? Whilst you could always go wild and still order one of the above breakfast options (hey, who doesn’t love a bit of brunch!), go for a chicken salad wrap if you’re craving a more traditional lunch option. High in protein, vitamins and minerals and with the perfect balance between enough and too many carbs, this will set you up nicely for the afternoon.

5. Soup with hard-boiled eggs
In need of something a little more warming now that the temperature has fallen? Go for the soup option! A great one for fixing any comfort food cravings. Pick veg-based soups over creamier options to reduce the saturated fat and calorie content and it’ll send you well on your way to meeting your 5-a-day. Pair with a side of hard-boiled eggs for a satiating hit of high-quality protein.

Coffee shops are notorious for their calorie-dense, nutrient-poor food and drink menus. However, most chains now offer healthy food options for both breakfast and lunch. Knowing how to tweak your drinks order can also really help you swerve away from any unnecessary added sugars and calories. Indeed, being time-poor doesn’t have to mean forfeiting your health. So next time you’re grabbing your food on the go why not try one of the above options? Got a healthy coffee shop secret to share? Tell us about it below, on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Elizabeth Cole

Passionate about communicating high-quality nutrition advice, Lizzy holds an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and is currently completing her MSc in Nutrition at Kings College London. Alongside this, she runs her own business; Nutrition by Lizzy (www.nutritionbylizzy.com) offering bespoke meal plans and diet consultations. She’s also a keen sportswoman, qualified teacher and aspiring Personal Trainer.

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

Leave a reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Keep Fit Kingdom
Logo