Kingsport Diet is able to shake up wholesome choices | Information

KINGSPORT – There aren’t many places to find a quick meal that you won’t regret later. But the Kingsport Nutrition folks hope to change that.

Kingsport Nutrition offers meal replacement shakes and charged teas as a healthy alternative to typical on-the-go meals.

“This is fast food for healthy people,” says Betsy Gray, one of the co-owners of Kingsport Nutrition. “We have a lot of good healthy alternatives for people. It makes a good healthy breakfast and lunch. You can compensate for that with a healthy dinner and you are fit for the day. “

The shop has been open for two weeks. Customers are already filtering in and reading the long list of protein-rich shakes and fruity teas. On Friday, just an hour before the shop closed, a young girl came to a Fun Fest tea with a little raspberry flavor. Later two women came by to try an orange cream shake.

“We already have regulars who come by every day,” said Gray. “Some come in and get the same thing, and some say they work their way down the menu. You want to try everything. “

The shakes have 200 to 250 calories, 24 to 27 grams of vegetable protein and 24 vitamins and minerals. They also contain five to 10 grams of sugar and 15 grams of carbohydrates. There are 50 different shake options, ranging from decadent chocolate options like the Chocolate Elvis to fruity variations like the Lemon Shortie or Strawberry Banana.

The teas contain 24 calories, antioxidants, vitamins B and C and aloe for digestion and absorption and no sugar. Choices range from options like Georgia Peach and Vol Tea to the Miami Vice to the Kingsport-inspired Fun Fest Loaded Tea, which Gray says has been a favorite so far.

“Fun Fest Tea is a lavender lemon,” said Gray. “It’s mild, refreshing and you can add strawberries, topping, orange aromas or grapes. It is delicious.”

The Kingsport Nutrition team includes Gray and her son Drew Korzybski, as well as Gray’s husband, Aaron, and Korzybski’s wife, Savannah. Gray said the group decided to move the store to Kingsport to offer healthy options that the family would also enjoy.

“We started visiting some (similar) stores in Knoxville and really enjoyed it,” said Gray. “We have always been health conscious. Drew was a student athlete throughout college. That piqued our interest, but when we started trying everything we thought, ‘This is fantastic.’ “

Korzybski played baseball at East Tennessee State University. He said he felt that a place that offers healthy eating on the go is a great alternative to normally unhealthy fast food – and one he may have used during his college days.

“They now have meals before the game,” said Korzybski, “but we always had to go to Bojangles or Subway. … I really wanted (the shop) to be close to the DB. I have a couple of pals who played baseball at DB and they said, ‘It would be really helpful if there was something here that wasn’t fast food or greasy,’ something that would fill you up and fill you up, but don’t make you dizzy. “

For Cheryl Rice of Kingsport and her friend Ann Gross, the decision to try Kingsport Nutrition for the first time was an easy one after seeing the healthy details.

“These are low in calories and plant-based. There’s hardly any sugar, ”said Rice. “I wanted something refreshing and that was the first thing that crossed my mind because I’ve never been here.”

Kingsport Nutrition not only wants to offer healthy shakes and teas, but also wants to offer a welcoming atmosphere.

“Children are rolling around on the carpet and couch and (their parents) will say, ‘They just feel at home,'” said Gray. “That’s exactly what we wanted. We didn’t want people to feel that this was anything other than a comfortable place. “

The store also has WiFi, tables, and a couch that Gray hopes will be used by customers looking for work or meeting in small groups.

It’s also a place Gray and Korzybski want to share with their family, friends and community in the heart of Kingsport – with maroon and gray walls inspired by DB just down the street.

“If you are going to open a business in Kingsport, what other colors will you choose?” Gray laughed.

For Gray, it’s also about bringing the store to the place she and her family will always consider to be home.

“We just believed this was an option Kingsport needed,” said Gray. “We have so many customers who come and say, ‘We’re so glad you came here and not Johnson City.’ This is the home of our family. Our hearts are in Kingsport. “

Kingsport Nutrition is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store is located at 1137 N. Eastman Road in the Green Acres Shopping Center. More information is available at www.kingsportnutrition.com