IF LIFE on the road has you grabbing a quick sandwich from your favourite service station, or munching on Minstrels mid-afternoon to stop flagging energy levels, then I have a few ideas that can refuel your pit-stop a little better.
Whether you drive for a living, or find yourself commuting for work, or a summer road trip, I have a some simple guidelines to help you make a slightly healthier choice, no matter whether you are grabbing food on the go, tempted by the sweet treats, or just popping in for a coffee.
Generally speaking, the garage forecourt is not a place to find nourishing, healthy food, so rather than thinking about choosing healthy options, consider choosing ‘healthier’.
I like to think of this as the nutrition version of Fiona Bruce’s ‘good, better, best’ on the Antiques Roadshow, but instead it’s more ‘bad, better, best’.
Power up on protein
I’d say one of the most important things to get right when you’re driving and want to avoid drowsiness is adding a little pop of protein to your snack or lunch. Protein will help to stabilise blood sugar levels (reducing the chances of a sugar slump) and fill your belly (to help to minimise sugar cravings).
Generally speaking, if you are lunching out at a garage forecourt, you’re more likely to find a high carbohydrate meal deal than a decent source of protein, but there are a few tricks, if you know where to look:
- Look out for salad boxes packed with chicken, ham or eggs for a pop of protein.
- A houmous and falafel wrap could be a decent option, but take a look at the ingredients label before you buy. If it has a list of ingredients that you don’t recognise, or can’t pronounce, then leave it on the shelf.
- Grab a yoghurt, some nuts, and see if you can seek out a piece of fruit.
- If all else fails, then add a protein bar to your lunch box. Try to find one that is as natural as possible. I’d suggest a nut bar like Kind Bar that is a little lower in sugar and not as processed as some of the most popular protein bars.
Choose the higher fibre option
For some reason wraps have a healthy image which they definitely don’t deserve.
Most wraps are made with white, refined flour that has a very high glycemic index to spike and crash your blood sugar in a flash. Then you’ll be hankering after a chocolate bar or a frappuccino to get your sugar hit sooner or later.
If caught between the choice of a sandwich or a wrap, I’d say choose the sandwich (if it is wholemeal). At least you have a little bit more fibre in your lunch that will help to sustain your energy and concentration.
Rethink your drinks
Take your coffee black – although the mocha, whopper frappucino might look good on the coffee menu, you could be getting a mega sugar hit, with some of these seasonal specials punching above their weight in terms of sugar levels.
If you are looking for a natural energy drink, water is the perfect choice, as the first sign of dehydration is fatigue – so get yourself better hydrated and you’ll feel less drowsy behind the wheel.
Making slightly better choices on the road could help with energy, concentration, and even stress levels – all of which could have a really positive effect on road safety too.
