Many of us love to indulge in a sweet or salty treat here and there! However, sometimes, a bag of crisps or our favourite milk chocolate bar isn’t exactly what our body needs.
If your inspiration for healthy snacks capable of making your mouth water has hit a low patch, Esquires Coffee is here to spark your creativity!
Our coffee shop in the UK is renowned for providing our customers with the health-based and ethically sourced food and drink that they crave! So who better to offer some guidance?
We cover all types of snacks, from on the go fruits to delicious nibbles you can make in advance to brighten up your day at work! All with sufficient nutritional value.
What is Meant by Nutritious?
So, what exactly do we mean when we refer to food as being nutritious?
Well, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition offers a simple but clear explanation; they describe ‘nutritious food’ as a consumable that ‘provides beneficial nutrients’ while reducing ‘potentially harmful elements’.
Beneficial nutrients, under the GAIN description, include:
- Major and trace minerals
- Essential amino acids
- Essential fatty acids
- Dietary fibre
- Vitamins
On the other hand, harmful nutrients refer to:
- Quantities of saturated sugars and fats
- Antinutrients
All in all, when it comes to choosing foods which are high in nutritional value but low in any harmful qualities, they are often sourced from unprocessed foods including:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lean meats
- Unsweetened dairy products
However, foods which provide significant amounts of nutrients aren’t limited to this list and can also be found in food sources where nutritional value has been enhanced such as staple grains.
Always check the label when choosing foods to gauge what exactly is in it and the nutritional value it holds.
Daily Nutritional Guidelines
To help visualise the daily intake of nutrients expected for adults, take a look at our diagram below:
Roasted Chickpeas
Chickpeas are extremely nutritious and good for us, not to mention they can be incredibly tasty!
For some perspective on their nutritional content, 82g of chickpeas contains:
- 7.5g of protein
- 6g of fibre
They are also known to be high in:
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Copper
- Manganese
- Folate
If you are after a delicious way to eat chickpeas in a snack form, then roasting them is a great way to enhance their flavour. Add olive oil and seasoning of your choice.
When they are roasted, chickpeas become crunchy, and the moreish snack is easy to transport with you if you’re on the go!
Ground cumin smoked paprika and ground coriander offers a spicy twist on this snack!
Hummus and Dip
Another way to eat chickpeas is as hummus!
Hummus is created from cooking and mashing chickpeas with added tahini or olive oil for taste!
Approximately 82g of hummus contains 4g of protein, so it is excellent if you are peckish and want to fill a hole!
Of course, hummus is eaten as a dip or spread so, unless you’re happy to scoop it out with a spoon, you need something nutritious to dip with!
Some healthy ideas include vegetables or vegetable sticks such as:
- Carrot
- Celery
- Pepper
- Sugar snap peas
A low-fat hummus dip is a great option for those who are looking to minimise their additional fat intake.
Cold-Pressed Juice
Cold-pressed juice is the perfect way to gain many nutrients in a simple liquid form.
How does it differ from other juiced drinks you may wonder? It is all to do with the way it is pressed. Without using any heat or oxygen, the fruits or vegetables used aren’t pasteurised. This means that all ingredients are raw, and nutrients remain intact as much as possible.
Commercial juicing can cause vitamins to be lost, whereas cold-pressed juice sufficiently juices ingredients to get the most nutrients and liquid possible.
In terms of nutritional content, each cold-pressed juice will differ according to what is put in it.
Cold-pressed juice doesn’t contain any additional sweeteners or sugars which often feature in bottled juices.
Here at Esquires Coffee, many of our stores offer cold-pressed juices; when you feel like you need an energy boost, a cold-pressed juice is the way to go.
Egg Soldiers…With a Twist
The great thing about eggs is that they are small in size but packed with lean protein.
While being low in calories, around 77 calories in a boiled egg, an egg offers about 6g of lean protein.
An appealing way to snack on an egg is to make it into a dippy egg. However, for added nutrients, swap the expected slice of bread for asparagus!
Asparagus is highly commended for its nutritional value. It contains :
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Folic acid
In fact, an adult’s recommended folic acid intake (200mcg) is provided by 150g of asparagus.
As you can see, the combination of egg and asparagus is a good one!
Frozen Berry Yoghurt
This is a great idea for you to whip up at home when you crave a healthy snack!
Simply blend together 250g 0% fat-free Greek yoghurt, 250g frozen berries and a splash of honey to make yourself a delicious treat!
Each serving contains around 2g of fibre and 7g of protein, not to mention being fat-free. Sugar is at 10g for this nutritious snack, so make sure you eat it as part of a balanced diet. Alternatively, if you are in an Esquires, try the house-made yoghurt bowl for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack.
Remember to Stay Hydrated!
A little extra tip about maintaining a healthy diet is to ensure you are drinking plenty of water!
Staying hydrated helps you to remain alert and reduces feelings of tiredness. Ideally, you want to drink around six to eight glasses of water a day.
Other drinks can contribute to this. However, it is recommended to stick to water. You certainly want to avoid any sugar enhanced drinks!
Are you feeling curious to learn more about food and drink that keep energy levels up?
Check out our blog and discover our top pick of foods to keep you energised throughout the day!
Hopefully, we have inspired you to try some new, healthy snack ideas!
Like what we do and want to get involved? If you’re passionate about providing people with healthy and ethically sourced products and services, franchising opportunities may interest you!
Get in contact and enquire about our coffee franchising opportunities to discover how you can develop with our reputable coffee brand in one of the UK’s fastest-growing industries!
About the author - Jack Anderson
Jack has been working in the franchise sector for over 12 years and is our in-house guru on all things business! Jack is also a keen hiker and can be found in some of the UK's best walking spots on the weekends.