Consumers in New York and elsewhere are following healthier diets, 
according to a recent Gallup Poll. The poll found consumers are more likely to avoid soda than 14 other foods, including sugar and fat. At least six in 10 U.S. adults say they are trying to steer clear of soda altogether.
This is good news for everyone in New York. When people follow healthier diets, they live longer and they are more productive. As a result, everyone wins. Employers pay less for health insurance. Government spends less of our tax dollars on health care. Taxpayers face fewer tax increases to pay for health care costs.
It is a drastic change from 15 years ago. Consumers are far more likely today (61%) than in 2002 (41%) to say they are avoiding soda.
Likewise, the percentage of who actively include soda in their diet has dropped since 2002, from 36% to 22%.
It is not only regular soda consumers are avoiding. They are also avoiding diet soda out of concern for artificial sweeteners. In this year’s poll, Gallup asked half of the respondents about diet soda and the other half about regular soda. The results were nearly identical, with 61% saying they avoid regular soda and 62% saying the same for diet soda.
Doctors advise that lower-calorie and natural beverages, such as skim milk or water, are healthier choices than soda.
The poll also found consumers have become more likely to avoid sugar. In 2002, 43% were avoiding sugar compared to 50% in 2015.
In addition, consumers have recognized the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. The Gallup Poll reports that at least nine in 10 consumers try to include both fruits and vegetables in their diet. At least three in four try to include chicken and fish in their diet. Nutrition experts often recommend chicken and fish to help with heart health, in lieu of beef and other red meat.
Healthy Vending applauds the progress New Yorkers are making in following healthier lifestyles.
But there is still work to do. The vast majority of consumers in New York and elsewhere say they are trying to follow healthier eating habits. But they are not always able to meet their goals, hard as they may try. One reason is that the healthy choices are not always readily available. This is especially true in today’s New York, where workers are often eating on the run.
We launched Healthy Vending in 2000 to help New Yorkers who wanted to maintain healthy diets and consume less calories. One of the most unique aspects about our company is that we provide these healthy products conveniently for consumers. Healthy Vending only carries those products that are part of what most consumers consider to be a healthy diet.
For more information about healthy snack and beverage options available to the vending industry, contact your New York City vending partner, Healthy Vending, at 917-572-3671 to discuss your customized break room solution.
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Bottled Water: A Healthy Way To Beat The Summer Heat in New York
Looking for a healthy way to stay hydrated during this hot New York summer? Healthy Vending has you covered with its array of bottled water choices. Bottled water continues to grow in New York as consumers recognize the importance of staying hydrated during the day.
“Consumers’ thirst for bottled water appears on track to persist in the years ahead,” says Michael Bellas, chairman and CEO of the New York City-based Beverage Marketing Corp. (BMC), which researches beverage trends. “Changes in per capita consumption indicate enthusiasm for a product that consumers regard as a healthful alternative to other beverages. Americans upped their annual bottled water consumption by almost 11 gallons during the period 2004 to 2015. It went from 23.2 gallons per person in 2004 to 34 gallons in 2014.”
During the same period, per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks dropped by more than a dozen gallons, Bellas notes. “Per capita consumption of other major beverage categories, like milk and fruit beverages, also declined.”
Reflecting a clear trend of consumers increasingly choosing healthy, convenient, zero-calorie bottled water, BMC reported that over the past five years alone, bottled water has increased its “share of stomach” of the overall beverage market from 14.4 percent in 2009 to 17.8 percent in 2014. “If current trends persist, bottled water could emerge as the largest beverage category by volume in the country by the end of the decade,” says Bellas.
Many attributes that contribute to bottled water’s undeniable appeal to U.S. consumers, says Chris Hogan, vice president of communications at the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), based in Alexandria, Va. Among them are bottled water’s healthfulness, convenience, and safety.
Bottled water’s versatility makes it suitable for consumption at any time of day and in just about any setting. It doesn’t need to be kept ice cold (like soft drinks or juice) or warm (like conventional coffee or tea).
Consumers’ interest in beverages that deliver benefits above and beyond simple refreshment also contributes to bottled water’s ascension in the beverage rankings. Amid worries about obesity, diabetes, and other health matters, bottled water’s lack of calories and artificial ingredients, convenience, and refreshing taste attracts health-conscientious consumers.
Bottled water is regulated as a food product by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regulations governing the safety and quality of bottled water must be at least as stringent as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for tap water. And, in some very important cases like lead, coliform bacteria, and E. coli, bottled water regulations are substantially more stringent, according to IBWA.
The bottled water industry is utilizing a variety of measures to continue reducing its environmental impact. All bottled water containers are 100 percent recyclable and many bottled water companies are already using recycled plastic in their bottles. Some are even producing 100 percent recycled PET plastic bottled water containers.
“Although it has occasionally been compared with tap water, bottled water in fact realized its prominence as a healthful choice for consumers seeking to reduce their consumption of other less healthy packaged beverages. While some consumers have turned away from regular, full-calorie sodas in favor of their diet versions, many others transitioned to bottled water instead,” says Bellas.
“Bottled water has the smallest water and energy use footprint of any packaged beverage,” adds Hogan. “The results of a 2014 benchmarking study show that the amount of water and energy used to produce bottled water products in North America is less than all other types of packaged beverages. On average, only 1.32 liters of water (including the liter of water consumed) and 0.24 mega joules of energy are used to produce one liter of finished bottled water.”
For more information about healthy snack and beverage options, contact your New York City vending partner, Healthy Vending, at 917-572-3671.
New York Vending Providers Embracing Healthy Products in Newer and Better Ways
Common negative stigmas are associated with vending machines. 
Can’t think of any? We’re sure you can but just in case you can’t here are a few:
• They steal your money or don’t take your money
• Product gets stuck
• They only offer junk food
To combat these negative images the vending industry has:
• Embraced cashless technology
• Installed SureVend technology – using infrareds to detect whether or not a product has vended, ensuring your employees either get their product or their money back
• Added healthy beverages and snack options to our product lines.
Perhaps the greatest advances have been in regards to point #3. 
Fitnessmagazine.com listed 10 healthy vending machine snacks that were low fat or fat free including: baked chips, kale chips, pretzels, dried fruit, Cliff bars and even some gluten free cookies.
Although the acknowledgement that it’s possible to find healthy snacks in vending machines is appreciated, this list fails to do justice to the vast variety of healthy alternative options available in vending today.
If we were to make our own list it would include some of the following products:
• Gluten free items
• Organic items
• Vegan items
• Beef jerky
• Be Kind bars
• Go Picnics
• Trail mixes
• PopChips
• Coconut water
• Sparkling water
• Fresh fruit
This list could continue for quite a bit longer but to save your scroll finger let’s just say this: healthy and vending are no longer antonyms but synonyms. Vending machines have progressed with the times and so have the products they offer.
For more information on healthy snack and beverage options available to the vending industry contact your New York City vending provider, HealthyVendingNY.com at 917.572.3671 today!