Is it healthy, not so healthy, or somewhere in between? If it’s not so healthy, you are part of a large number of Americans who feel that their diet is unhealthy. Recent research by Mintel, a market intelligence agency, found that “less than half (42 percent) of Americans consider their diet to be healthy.” Yikes!

While negative dietary influences vary greatly from person to person, there is one thing that impacts the majority of New York City consumers—being able to determine the validity of health-related claims on food packaging. As a consumer, how can you combat the uncertainty that often comes with reading food packaging?

Before looking at the packaging issue, it is important to understand what a food or health-related claim is. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) describes a health claim as “a relationship between a food substance (a food, food component, or dietary supplement ingredient), and reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition.” An example of an FDA approved health claim that explains the benefit of calcium on the risk of osteoporosis is, “Adequate calcium throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” For a manufacturer to be able to include this claim on the packaging of one of their products, the product must meet a list of specific requirements.

Given that it is often difficult to know those requirements while reading different packaging, the nutrition label and ingredient list are a great resource. Ingredient lists and nutrition labels often contain a large amount of information. To better understand that information, here are a few strategies for reading them.

Nutrition Labels

• Determine how big or small the serving size is for each packaged item. Often the serving size is different than the amount of food or drink in the package. To correctly understand the other information on the nutrition label, knowing the correct serving size is key.
• Understand that the “percentage daily value” listed on the nutrition label is not the same for everyone. Most nutrition labels are based on a 2000 calorie per day diet. If you are taller or shorter or male or female or 17 or 39 or 82 or super active or a couch potato, it is likely that your caloric needs are different. Use the amount listed, 2000 calories per day, and adjust it up or down based on your own needs.
• Pay special attention to the amount of sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium that are in a serving as those are ingredients that many individuals need to limit.

Ingredient Lists

• Look for recognizable ingredients. If it is an item that you have never heard of or cannot pronounce, look it up or ask someone what it is.
• Consider which ingredients are listed first or early in the list of ingredients. The earlier the ingredient is listed, the larger the amount is of that ingredient.
• If choosing a food that doesn’t come in a labeled package such as fruits or vegetables isn’t an option, choose products that have shorter ingredient lists. (See previous tip)

Now that you are armed with a few strategies for understanding the information on packaged foods and beverages, you are ready to head out and make healthy snack and beverage choices.

We at Healthy Vending would like to help make things a little easier for everyone by offering a selection of all-natural and organic snacks and beverages in your New York City school lunch room or office breakroom. For more information about our products and services, call us at 917.572.3671.

The definition of the word snack has changed. It no longer refers only to something that has very little nutritional value and is eaten between meals. Snacks need to be healthy, delicious, and convenient as they are often eaten as a meal replacement.

This shift gradually occurred as Millennials became more influential consumers. Together with Gen Xers, the two demographic groups created an increase in demand for healthy or alternative-ingredient snacks, and that demand continues to grow. According to Packaged Facts, a market research firm, “sales of alternative ingredients snacks in 2017 are forecast to rise to $1.2 billion.”

But what is an alternative ingredient snack?

An alternative ingredient snack is a snack that is made from ingredients including pulses (dry peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas), vegetables, ancient grains, multigrain and whole grains. Snacks made with these ingredients include salty snacks and crackers, and often offer both flavor and textural variety. In vegetable-based snacks, sweet potatoes and spinach are the most frequently used vegetables. Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are used most often in pulse based snacks, the fastest growing snack subcategory.

Why spinach, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas? Because each one offers a different combination of vitamins and minerals, and a wide variety of health benefits.

Spinach

• is a great source of vitamins K, A, C, and B2 as well as folate, iron, fiber, magnesium, manganese, and calcium
• is known to help with energy production and to improve blood quality because of the role that iron plays in red blood cells’ ability to function
• is known to help maintain bone health because of the vitamin K
• contains carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) which have both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties

Sweet Potatoes

• come in 3 different flesh colors: orange, purple and white
• are a great source of vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese
• are known to help guard against health risks caused by carcinogens and toxins
• are known to help maintain healthy blood pressure and healthy bones as well as help with healing wounds

Chickpeas

• are a great source of protein, fiber, manganese, folate, and antioxidants
• are known to help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and to support colon health
• are known to help combat cancer development, especially colon cancer
• are known to help wounds heal and to maintain healthy bones

Which alternative-ingredient would your New York City employees like to try in their next salty snack? Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 to learn more about which healthy snacks and beverages you can include in your school or healthy breakroom vending machine.

Snacks. Depending on whom you ask, snacks are either a temptation or an integral part of one’s diet. Healthy snacks can be eaten daily as they have many benefits such as keeping blood sugar levels stable, helping with weight management, and providing nutrients that aren’t eaten at meals. Besides improved health, healthy snacks also play a role in improving one’s mood, increasing energy levels, and decreasing stress. And we all need a bit of that.

New Snack Choices

KIND, a healthy foods company that offers products made from whole ingredients, has recently introduced three new bars to help New York City consumers enjoy a healthy snack— KIND Healthy Grains Cinnamon Oat bar, KIND Healthy Grains Double Dark Chocolate bar, and Pressed by KIND Strawberry Apple Chia bar. While the bars are from different product lines, they all contain healthy ingredients. Both KIND Healthy Grains bars contain one full serving of whole grains, while the Pressed by KIND bar has no added sugar and contains two full servings of fruit.

Whole Grains

Both the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association recommend eating a wide variety of whole grains as each grain offers different nutrients. But what exactly is a whole grain? According to the Whole Grain Council, a whole grain is a grain that not only includes the bran, germ, and endosperm but also includes them in the same proportions as when the grain was still in the ground. The KIND Healthy Grains bars include five different whole grains which have the following nutrients and benefits (per the Whole Grain Council):

• Oats: help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, contain soluble fiber that helps control blood sugar, contain healthy fats, and contain avenanthramides which have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching properties
• Brown Rice: contains manganese and selenium, and helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Millet: contains antioxidants and magnesium, and helps control diabetes and inflammation
• Buckwheat: contains zinc, copper, manganese, and potassium, and has high levels of protein and soluble fiber
• Amaranth: contains 13 to 14% protein (much higher than the majority of grains), calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium

Strawberries

Berries, as a subgroup of fruits, contain antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, and could all be part of a student’s healthy snack. Strawberries, in particular, increase “good” or HDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and contain fiber, high levels of antioxidants, manganese, potassium, and vitamin c (per WebMD). It’s not surprising then that strawberries are one of America’s favorite fruits. As of 2013, the USDA Economic Research Service found that the annual per person consumption of fresh strawberries in the United States reached a new record at 7.9 pounds. Now that’s a lot of strawberries!

Which KIND bar do you want to try for your next healthy snack? They are all a great choice. Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 to learn about healthy snack and beverage vending options or to add KIND bars to your current offerings.

What are the ingredients in your favorite healthy vending machine snack or beverage? Do you know? If you do, you belong to a growing group of consumers who not only know which ingredients are in their food but also know the number of ingredients. According to Andrew Mandyz, Director of Strategic Insights at Nielsen, “There’s a shift in how people are thinking about ‘better for you.’ People are looking for back-to-basics, simpler ingredients.”

Ingredient Labels

Seeing the recipe for your snack or beverage would be the best way to learn about what is in it, and how much of each thing was used. But since that is rarely an option, there is another way for New York City students to learn about what is in their food and drink—by reading ingredient labels. Ingredients are listed in a very specific order. The largest ingredient is listed first, followed by each ingredient until the smallest ingredient. For example, a ready-to-drink cold tea that lists the ingredients tea (water, tea), sugar, and lemon is letting the consumer know that there is more tea than sugar and more sugar than lemon in the beverage. Nielsen found that “about 61 percent [of consumers] said that the shorter the ingredients’ list, the healthier the product.”

Online Resources

In addition to reading ingredient labels, consumers are researching health information online. Mandzy found that the number of consumers who went online for information went from 48% in 2014 up to 68% in 2016, a 20% increase. With a large amount of health information available online, and more New York City consumers using the internet, it is important to know how to determine if a website contains reliable information. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center offers some tips:

• Don’t search the entire Internet. Start with the Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library [or other hospital website] or MedlinePlus.gov.
• Evaluate commercial (“dot com”) sites carefully for bias and conflict of interest.
• Check to see if the information is current (less than three years old).
• Look for the credentials of the author (i.e. doctor, nurse, psychologist) to make sure the information is written by a health professional.

Technology as a Tool

Using technology to track health-related activities and numbers are also on the rise. There are apps that are worn during activities such as running or walking, ones that track the number of hours slept and the quality of sleep, ones that track what an individual has eaten and count calories, and others that track heart health or healthy habits. With so many apps available, it can be challenging to find one that meets a New York City user’s needs. Harvard Health Publications recommends several things to consider when looking for the right app.

• Have realistic expectations of the technology and watch out for unrealistic claims.
• Read reviews. Try out a few different ones.
• Read the fine print.
• Ask for recommendations.
• Look for ones “sponsored or created by established health advocacy groups, medical organizations, or universities”

Reading ingredient labels, researching health information and monitoring one’s own health-related activities are just a few of the many ways that consumers can become more knowledgeable. Sharon Allison-Ottey, MD and health educator, recently expressed that “the overall trend of a more-educated consumer is excellent” especially when it comes to a person’s diet. Which snack and beverage ingredients do your consumers want to see in their New York City energy star rated vending machines?

Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 to learn more about our healthy vending options.

What was your favorite food or drink trend in 2016? Did you try kale or black raspberries? Both were on 2016’s top trends’ list. In 2017, we will see new trends in addition to some old ones from 2016 such as exploring new ways to decrease food waste and trying new-old foods. Mintel, a global market intelligence agency, recently published a report outlining 6 trends that will influence the global food and beverage market in 2017.

Plant Life

In 2017, plants will play a starring role in food and beverage choices. With the growing focus on health and wellness, New York City consumers are searching for products that will contribute to health-related goals. Multiple individuals are adopting natural, nourishing, and adaptable diets that prioritize fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and botanicals. Rather than a complete dietary change, though, vegetarian and vegan products are only eaten occasionally. Consuming more plant-based products to improve one’s health will create an opportunity for growth for companies who manufacture healthy snacks, beverages, or meals with plant-based ingredients.

Historical Inspiration

Craft, artisan and homemade are favorable terms that describe a food or beverage’s story and create an emotional connection. As the world changes at a swift pace, consumers look to traditional foods from their heritage to provide safe and trustworthy experiences. Companies that are willing to develop new products will find interested consumers. Jenny Zegler, Global Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel, described it best when she connected traditional foods to the future. “The trust in the familiar does not eliminate the need for innovation; instead, it [emphasizes] the opportunity for manufacturers to look to the past as a dependable source of inspiration.”

Accessible Nutrients

As individuals in New York City realize that an unhealthy diet contributes to an increase in health problems, they begin searching for healthier options. The lack of cost-friendly and healthy choices requires a variety of solutions. Lowering the price of healthy foods, creating apps that help consumers locate affordable produce or meat, and decreasing food and beverage waste by finding other ways to use it are just a few of the approaches that have increased access to healthy food.

Missing Valuables

Food waste is an issue that should be addressed from multiple angles. Rather than disposing of them, “ugly” or imperfect fruit and vegetables are sold at lower prices as well as use to create new recipes. Companies are altering supply chains to decrease the amount of wasted food, and addressing packaging as the type of packaging can impact spoilage.

Functional Relaxation

Just as consumers use energy drinks during the day to boost energy, there are now healthy snacks and beverages such as chamomile tea that help consumers relax at night. By combining the use of daytime functional beverages with the familiarity of night-time beauty products such as creams and serums, companies hope that New York City consumers will easily make the jump to nighttime functional foods and beverages. Teas, cereals, and athlete recovery products are already available to help the user fall asleep, avoid middle of the night cravings, and recover from athletic activity while asleep.

Fast & Slow

Time is a precious commodity, especially when it comes to meal preparation. Depending on the time of day, consumers either demand fresh, nutritious, and on-the-go food, or “slow,” time-intensive foods that are already partially prepared. Time of day and the day of the week are the key criteria for deciding if the meal or healthy snack must be fast or slow. For example, breakfast foods should require little or no preparation, but weekend meals can require more prep and cooking time. Depending on the product, companies will need to include “specific time-related claims” to appeal to consumers.

Which trends will your New York City students and employees gravitate toward in 2017? Will they look for healthy snacks and beverages with a twist of history or ones that are plant-based, fresh and full of nutrients?  Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 for more information.

What is a calorie?

A calorie is a unit of energy that measures the amount of energy our bodies receive after eating or drinking. For example, if a healthy beverage or snack contains 100 calories, then your body gets 100 calories worth of energy from that snack or beverage. Reading nutrition labels are a great way to learn how many calories, among other things such as protein or carbohydrates, are in a specific healthy snack or beverage. Paying attention to the number of calories consumed is one of several tools available that can help us live a healthy lifestyle.

Calorie Counts and Labels

Because of the ongoing U.S. obesity epidemic, the medical and public health communities have sought out alternative ways to educate the public and begin reversing the problem. One approach has been to encourage consumers in New York City to understand more about the food and beverages consumed outside of the home as those calories count for one-third of total calories consumed. To ensure that consumers have access to the appropriate information, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) developed new requirements regarding the placement of calorie counts on restaurant menus (effective May 5, 2017) and nutrition label placement on items purchased from vending machines (effective December 1, 2016, except for specific food items sold from glass-front vending machines).

Andrew Breck, a doctoral candidate at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in New York City and co-author of the Philadelphia study “The Current Limits of Calorie Labeling and the Potential for Population Health Impact,” stated that “the success of such a calorie-labeling campaign, however, requires that target consumers simultaneously see the calorie labels, are motivated to eat healthfully, and understand how many calories they should be eating.” Unfortunately, the study found that fast food consumers in Philadelphia have not changed their choices even with calorie counts placed on the menu. But, Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University and study co-author commented, “awareness is the first step in the change process, so if consumers begin to see the numbers, eventual change is possible.”

Healthy Eating

While not everyone is interested in considering nutritional labels, we would like to offer some motivation for those in New York City who might need it. Deciding to eat healthfully should be a personal decision as no two individuals are the same. For some, an increase in energy or feeling better is why they want to change their diet. For others, a stronger immune system and lower health care costs are the reason. In either case, making small simple steps and tracking your progress can help to avoid feeling overwhelmed. To maintain your new way of eating and keep food costs down, there are several things that you can do including educate yourself about how many calories you, as an individual, need and which foods offer which nutrients, find foods that taste good to you, and create a plan for menus and food prep that fits your lifestyle.

For those times when you need a snack or quick meal, cost and convenience do not need to outweigh nutrition. Healthy vending machines offer alternatives that not only meet nutritional requirements but are also cost-effective and convenient. Which healthy snacks and beverages will be available at your New York City office or school? Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 to learn more about healthy vending machine options.

A healthy lifestyle is the sum of many small parts. Each small part on its own may not seem important, but when it is part of something bigger, it is easier to see the role it plays. Making healthy snack choices from a vending machine when you are at work or your child is at school is one way to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. While most of us think about our food choices, many of us don’t realize that the vending machine itself is one of the small parts that plays a role in the bigger picture.

Lighting

An important and necessary component of every healthy vending machine in New York City is lighting; otherwise, it is difficult to see which healthy snack or beverage to choose. The switch from fluorescent light bulbs to light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs in breakroom vending machines continues to occur as LED bulbs offer unique benefits. Compared to other types of light bulbs, the LED light bulb emits light in a specific direction without substantial loss of light and emits less overall heat. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy states that “today’s LED bulbs can be six-seven times more energy efficient than conventional incandescent lights and cut energy use by more than 80 percent.”

Sweet or Sour

Conserving energy through light bulb choice is just one reason to consider using LED light bulbs in your New York City vending machine. According to a recent study at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) titled “Retail Lighting and Packaging Influence Consumer Acceptance of Fluid Milk,” the type of light and packaging used in retail beverage coolers has an impact on the taste of the milk stored in that container. The researchers found that LED light bulbs caused less oxidation of the milk than fluorescent light bulbs did regardless of packaging type. In other words, the LED light bulbs caused the least amount of change to the structure of the milk resulting in what their participants described as better tasting milk. 

A Healthy Beverage

The taste or flavor of milk is important for New York City residents as they are more likely to purchase milk again if it tastes good. Per the Virginia Tech study, milk stored under LED lighting also retains more nutrients such as riboflavin, vitamins A and D, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals because there has been less breakdown. Calcium, another mineral in milk, helps to build and maintain bones, teeth, and muscle mass in adults and children. In addition to the vitamins and minerals it provides, milk is an excellent source of high-quality protein as there is more protein in one cup of milk than in one large egg.

What combination of small parts do you use to help maintain a healthy lifestyle? Have you considered adding healthy snack and beverages to your office breakroom or local school lunch room? Contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 for more information.

Have you seen the Capital One TV commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” It’s no longer just about what’s in the object that holds the cash and credit cards that you carry in your back pocket or handbag. It’s now about what type of wallet you use – a mobile wallet that holds a variety of credit card, bank account, and loyalty program information, or the one that holds actual cash and credit cards.

Historically, vending machines accepted only cash. As technology changed, so did the types of payments that vending machines allowed. Today, a new option is available that has the potential to increase sales at New York City’s healthy vending machines–the contactless transaction. This type of transaction is not only cashless but also credit cardless. The person purchasing a healthy snack or beverage needs only to carry a smartphone that has a mobile payment app, and he or she can quickly buy that item. Many universities and colleges have already seen an increase in the use of mobile wallets by students. Some of the more well-known mobile payment systems are Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Android Pay, but banks and credit cards are also creating their own mobile payment apps.

Do you use a mobile wallet? If you do, you are part of a segment of the population that is moving toward a cashless society. A June 2016 Gallop Poll found that fewer Americans are using cash for purchases today than they did five years ago. In November 2016, Capital One surveyed 1,805 individuals and found that 24.4% of the participants use a mobile wallet for purchases, and 63.3% of those individuals adopted the technology during the past year. That leaves 76.7% of those who participated in the study who do not use a mobile wallet. Another way to look at it is that there are 1,364 potential new mobile wallet users in the Capital One survey. Or 1,364 potential vending machine users in New York City that could purchase a healthy snack using a mobile wallet.

Digital advertising for contactless transactions or mobile payments also impacts the volume of sales at vending machines. A recent study by USA Technologies, Inc. (USAT) examined the relationship between digital advertising and the use of mobile wallets, specifically Apple Pay, at 35 vending machines in New York and Louisiana. They found that there was a 36.5% increase in overall sales at the machines that promoted the availability of Apple Pay.  Maeve McKenna Duska, senior vice president of marketing and sales at USAT, stated, “Based on our study, we believe that when businesses and operators present consumers with the option to pay for items with Apple Pay, the number of mobile payments made and the amount spent increases.” Given the large volume of vending machines currently being used in New York City and the increasing number of individuals who are switching to mobile wallets, there is an opportunity for growth as sales typically increase when mobile payments are available.

If you are looking for mobile payment options for your New York City healthy breakroom vending machine, contact Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671.

Winter is coming. Holidays are coming. Desserts are coming. It’s the season of your grandma’s irresistible sugar cookies, piled mashed potatoes, and a plethora of holiday parties. In addition, this is the season of spending with Christmas approaching. How do you keep your mind and body sane?

While exercising, sleeping, and coffee dates with understanding friends are necessary in this season, what else can you do? One of the best ways to keep yourself in check – in mind and body – depends on your food choices. Understandably, you’re already overwhelmed at even the thought of your checklist. Don’t worry; choose a superfood. Superfoods are nutrient-rich food which benefits your health and well-being. The following 10, mood-boosting superfoods will help you keep your sanity, as well as make you happier.

• Asparagus

If you’re looking for something to fight depression, asparagus is a solid choice. They’re also easy to prepare because they can be quickly roasted in the oven. They raise low folic acid levels (linked to depression) and contains vitamin C, which also helps ease depression.

• Blueberries

If you’re the baking type, this is a perfect superfood to add some balance in your diet. Blueberries prevent aging and cell damage through phytonutrients. Since their antioxidants fight aging, it can reduce age-related problems, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. They also protect against cancer.

• Broccoli

Vegetables related to the cabbage family, such as broccoli, can be extremely helpful to your body. They contain phytonutrients that discourage tumor growth or risk of cancer. In fact, one cup alone of broccoli can sustain you for the whole day, as it fulfills your daily dose of vitamin C.

• Dark Chocolate

Maybe eating healthy foods is not your first choice. This does not mean, however, that you have to give up everything sweet. Dark chocolate in moderate amounts, such as 3.5 to 7 ounces a day, is actually more than okay. Cocoa flavanols, which dark chocolate is chalked full of, is known for reducing stress levels.

• Eggs

Exercise is great. But without proper food to fuel you, it can make your energy feel depleted. Thankfully, eggs are very high in protein, making it the perfect breakfast food. Plus, it helps your body create serotonin, which is a natural way to fight depression. Three eggs are safe for consuming daily. They can be made in the morning with a cup of coffee or incorporated into your salad. Easy, quick, and healthy.

• Honey

Do you tend to be an anxious person? If so, consider trying honey. This natural sweetener is known for having a calming effect. In addition, you can add this to your tea. Try this while curled up on your couch, reading a book to keep your mind at peace. Honey also has tryptophan, which is an amino acid. This amino acid creates serotonin, a hormone known for reducing stress and increasing relaxation. The recommended maximum amount per day is ten tablespoons.

• Kale

A lot of hype seems to be around kale. Isn’t it just a trendy food for health nuts? Actually, maybe not. Kale has become a superfood for a reason. It contains phytonutrients, which prevents cancer. In addition, scientists suggest phytonutrients in kale tell the liver to produce enzymes. What does this mean? These particular enzymes can help stabilize substances that potentially cause cancer.

• Oats

Have you ever wondered why horses eat oats? Their sensitive stomachs need something that’s easy to digest, but also healthy and tasty. Most of us could use that as well. These natural, whole grains are full of fibers. They’re also rich in magnesium, potassium, and phytonutrients. Oats also have a special fibers known for reducing cholesterol and preventing heart disease. In fact, research suggests that eating whole-grain oats can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Plus, you can add your dark chocolate chips to oat cookies for an easy, healthy alternative to typical holiday desserts.

• Salmon

If you aren’t a vegetable fan, it might be hard to find superfoods. Fish, on the other hand, might be a fantastic alternative. In particular, salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids (something our bodies cannot produce on its own). Omega-3 fatty acids can do a plethora of good. They can improve circulation, reduce inflammation, balance cholesterol, and may even reduce risk of cancer. Additionally, they have several B vitamins and can prevent cell damage through selenium.

• Tomatoes

Tomatoes are easy to throw in a sandwich, salad, or practically any meal. In addition, they are extremely healthy, even containing an antioxidant that’s not typically found in other foods: lycopene. This particular antioxidant suggest protection against harmful UV rays and cancers, according to studies. It can also lower cholesterol. Furthermore, tomatoes have high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.

Hopefully this small, but powerful list of superfoods can help you through the upcoming holidays. Whether it’s to keep your mind sane or your body slim, these options are easy to include in everyday life. With these superfoods, you can choose health without compromising your taste buds.

Are your New York employees finding the snacks and refreshments they want when they visit your break room? If not, call Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 to learn more about healthy break room options.

You’ve heard the famous saying: “Breakfast is the healthiest meal of the day.” But is that really true? Is it really that bad if you skip breakfast? You might be telling yourself, “who has the time to make eggs and toast with avocado on top?” In reality, there are many serious risks to skipping breakfast, ranging from your mood to obesity. Some even claim it can threaten your life to put off having a breakfast. Sacrificing ten minutes of sleep for a hearty breakfast is well worth your time for several reasons.

Moody

Skipping breakfast makes you more moody than necessary. According to a 2002 BBC News World Edition article, a moody temperament was improved if they ate breakfast. Furthermore, 26% of people had a large change in temperament by changing their diet. This included making breakfast a daily meal. Elizabeth Somer, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness, she admitted to being a “breakfast avoider for many years,” especially while working full time. When she stopped working full time, people said she would “gain tons of weight.” But she proved them wrong by making sure she ate a “sane breakfast and a light lunch,” which led to actually losing 30 pounds. Losing weight and having more energy makes her “a much happier human being.” Her changes can be implemented, even as a full time employee with enough effort.

Slowed metabolism

By skipping breakfast, you might be increasing your risk of obesity. In addition, losing weight may be harder for you,
simply because you are skipping breakfast. There are many benefits to eating breakfast. For example, you are less likely to overeat by making breakfast a priority in your day. It also quickens your metabolism and increases your energy throughout the day. This makes sense because when you are sleeping, you are fasting. “Prolonged fasting,” Leah Cahill warns, “leads to increases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, blood concentrations of insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acids and LDL-cholesterol, and to decreases in concentrations of HDL-cholesterol.” In an attempt to correct this, you are more likely to make unhealthy choices as your cravings, leading to obesity. Of course, obesity comes with a slew of problems, such as infertility. Fasting for extended periods of time can be stressful on your body – even life-threatening. Clearly, breakfast is worth implementing into your daily life.

Menstrual Irregularities

College students are guilty of skipping breakfast in exchange for a few more minutes of sleep. This certainly can apply to many adults in the workforce, who may work late nights and have early mornings. Female students who skipped breakfast, according to a 2010 survey study by “Appetite,” had more menstrual irregularities than those who ate breakfast. Pain, irregularity, and even constipation was heightened by choosing to forgo breakfast.

Heart Problems

This is accompanied with a slower metabolism. But the problem is quite serious, apparently, according to a Harvard study evaluating eating habits and its influence for coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. In a group of 27,000 male healthcare professionals, they evaluated their lifestyle choices (such as skipping breakfast) and their health over 16 years. They were 45-82 years old at the beginning of the study. During the 16 years, 1527 CHD cases were diagnosed. In fact, men who skipped breakfast had a 27% higher risk of CHD than those who did not skip breakfast.

Slower Cognitive Development

In a Centers for Disease Control report, they found that children skipping breakfast had more trouble problem-solving. Students who ate breakfast, however, tested higher in standardized tests, missed less school, and were timelier to classes. This does not apply exclusively to children, though. As an adult, your body needs the energy to work effectively. Skipping breakfast is like going on a trip without a suitcase – it is a lot harder. While many see the problem with unhealthy food, the significance of eating healthy food may prove to be just as important.

What do you think? Do you focus better by having breakfast? Do you notice a difference? The results seem to indicate a strong case for eating breakfast. While it’s an easy meal to skip, especially in the beginning of the day, your mind and body will thank you later for taking the extra time for breakfast.

If you are looking for breakfast options for your New York breakroom, call   Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671 for a free, no obligation consultation.