Image courtesy of Fit Donut
 
In Meridian, Idaho, a donut shop is redefining health food. Fit Donut was started by Emily Knigge, a health and fitness enthusiast. According to Boise Weekly, her shop “feels more like a gym than a bakery.” The aesthetics conjure up a fitness atmosphere, with slogans like 'If you are going to cheat, cheat clean' and employees wearing gym clothes.

Fit Donut helps its customers satisfy their sweet tooth without having to consume high-calorie snacks. These donuts are baked (not fried) and made with health-conscious ingredients, such as nut flours, whey protein, gluten-free oats, Stevia, honey, cocoa powder, and more.

The donuts are high protein, low fat, low carb, and low sugar, which make them ideal for the customers that walk over from the Crunch Fitness gym next door. Knigge tries to keep her donuts under 103 calories and thus much healthier than the average donut.

“I have found it difficult to find a delicious, but healthy way to satisfy my sweet cravings. I am constantly in the kitchen creating and baking new treats for my family,” Knigge says. “And then it occurred to me.... I can't be the only one with these cravings, or desire to find a healthy, yummy alternative to pre-packaged snacks, or high calorie desserts.”

Fitness snacks have long been popular, but in the past several years that hadn’t been much of a priority with gourmet desserts on the rise. Now, bakeries like Fit Donut are starting to pop up as the health crowd looks for tasty treats.