Healthy vs. Harmful Coffee

A large iced Irish cream latte from Dutch Bros and a grande iced vanilla latte from Starbucks were just a few of my go to coffee drinks during high school. I remember one of the very first places I went after passing my drivers test was Dutch Bros to get a sweet and creamy caffeine boost that happened to have over 30 grams of added sugar. As a 16 year old, the calories in my coffee were not something I was the least bit interested in, all I cared about was how delicious it was, but now that I am older and more educated I am well aware of what I should and shouldn’t be putting in my body.

Thankfully I moved across the country where there wasn’t a Dutch Bros Coffee within a 2,000 mile radius, and the cost of Starbucks drinks add up real fast so my sugar drink addiction fizzled out, but I was still looking for a healthier and delicious alternative. Working at Fit Bar has opened up my eyes to a whole new world of rewarding coffees that I never knew existed. I love experimenting with different supplements and milks to find the best combinations.

Here are a few of my favorite coffee drinks available at any Fit Bar cafe that happen to be dairy free, refined sugar free, and DELISH‼️ For those avoiding caffeine, don't worry I gotcha covered too.

Brain Boosting Cafe au Lait

1 packet of Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Elixir

6-8oz pour-over Coffee or regular drip coffee

2-4oz non-dairy milk, oat is the best for frothing

*Make your pour-over or drip coffee, mix mushroom elixir until completely dissolved, add steamed milk or creamer, and serve!

Refined Sugar-free Mocha

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp vanilla monk fruit syrup or your choice of liquid sweetener (honey works well)

2 shots of espresso 

8oz non-dairy milk

*Add cacao powder and liquid sweetener to cup and melt down with the two shots of espresso, mix until cacao powder is completely dissolved, add steamed milk, and serve!

Caffeine-free Iced Elixir  

1 packet of your favorite Mushroom Elixir 

8oz non-dairy milk

1 tbsp sweetener of choice - try classic monk fruit for a sugar free option! 

Ice

Decaf coffee or espresso - OPTIONAL

*Add mushroom elixir and sweetener to bottom of cup and melt down with 1oz hot water (add in decaf coffee now if using), add in non-dairy milk, stir, pour over ice, and serve!

Try replacing one of your weekly Starbucks drinks with one of these delicious and nutrient packed coffees! All of these drinks are available at any Fit Bar location and are customizable. Give ‘em a try and tag us on Instagram! @fitbarcafe 

ENJOY ♡

Coach Liv

Pn1

Going Greener

Given that I am writing this blog on earth day, it seemed fitting to focus on something we all need to do a better job of in our everyday lives… reducing waste!

It is something that I strive to be better at and is always in the back of my mind when I’m at home, at work, the store, and pretty much anywhere else. Given the circumstances we are all under right now during this pandemic, it has made going green a little more difficult but that just means we need to get creative. 

Some positive changes I was making before this mayhem was using my own dishware and utensils when out. Packing my reusable coffee cup, water bottle, and utensils made it easy to say no to “to-go” containers and is a small and easy step that can make all the difference. 

Some ways to support those in need and be kind to Earth would be investing in a solid reusable coffee mug from your local coffee shop or a nice stainless steel water bottle. I know it may be more convenient to just grab a plastic water bottle out of the fridge and go but when you think of the 8 extra seconds it takes you to fill up your reusable water bottle that can replace up to 1,400 plastic bottles a year, I’d say it is worth it!  Along with my reusable drink containers, I keep a metal straw, a wooden spoon, fork, and knife with me at all times so I can avoid using and tossing plastic utensils whenever I am out. I find that the wood is heavy duty but not bulky and obnoxious which makes it easy to pack around. 

If there was only one piece of advice I could give you on how to be more eco friendly it would be to STOP USING PLASTIC BAGS. Between paper bags, totes, reusable bags, your hands, and literally everything else you have no excuse to be using plastic bags from the grocery store. I like to keep two or three reusable totes in the back of my car so on those last minute trips to the store where you’re not prepared, you have a back up. They even have foldable totes that you can clip onto your keys so it never leaves your side. 

To some people these may seem like small tasks or big adjustments to others, but even with the tiniest changes I promise Mother Nature will thank you! Below are some of my favorite brands, companies, and products to jumpstart your Go Green journey

1. https://healthyhumanlife.com/ 

2. https://zerowastestore.com/collections/travel-kits

https://www.coconutbowls.com/ - These hand-crafted bowls are currently sold at all of our Fit Bar locations along with coconut spoons and bamboo straws, so stop by and support your local cafe! ♥

Coach Liv, Pn1

Our Superfood ABC's

As most of you know, Fit Bar is known for our hand crafted and delicious acai bowls including our classic and best selling bowl, the Brazillian, and others like the PB Power, and my personal favorite the Admiral.

We strive for the highest quality and always keep health as our number one priority which is why we use an all natural and organic Acai with no added sugar to limit those added sweeteners that often sneak into our diets. For those of you who are not familiar with acai and its amazing benefits, here are a few things you should know:

1. Acai is an antioxidant packed berry that originates in South America and is considered a superfood.

2. Not only is it high in fiber, it’s packed with Vitamin C, can help improve brain function, and low in sugar. . 

Let us introduce you to the best smoothie bowl you’ll ever experience, the flavor itself is enough to fall in love and all the benefits are just an awesome bonus. 

Another superfood we use in our bowls, smoothies, and even our house-made jam, is Pitaya also known as Dragonfruit.

Although the bright pink color is eye catching, the flavor is more mild and sweet. It is the perfect compliment to more tart fruits like raspberry and strawberries to balance out the flavors. Pitaya is low in sugar and high in Vitamin C similar to Acai, packed with several nutrients and a good source of iron, magnesium and fiber. One of our more popular summer bowls, the Pitaya Twist, is made with fresh pressed lemon juice to add more of a tropical flavor for those days when you want something more refreshing. For something more on-the-go, we have a creamy PP&J smoothie, one of my favorites, that is loaded with peanut butter and pitaya for a take on a classic peanut butter and jelly. 

Stop by any Fit Bar location to try out these amazing superfoods and ask our crew for more information on our nutrient dense bowls and smoothies! Tag us on Instagram @fitbarcafe with any of your favorite recipes, questions, and share your FIT BAR experience with us!