Cranberry Juice for School Vending Machines?
According to several recent news stories, it appears that the US government is considering how to monitor what goes into school vending machines and eateries. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has created a ‘Let’s Move’ initiative to counter obesity. One of the many issues that the administration plans to examine is whether or not beverages which have been sweetened, such as cranberry juice, are appropriate for children.
It has long been understood that there is significant nutritional value to cranberries – they have high antioxidant properties, in addition to other positive characteristics. However, those in the cranberry industry argue that they are too ‘mouth-puckeringly tart’ for consumption unless they are sweetened.
So if companies that can provide an office drinks dispenser to businesses, such as Flavia, want to branch out into the education sector, they may want to consider this new-found interest in the nutritional value and sugar content of drinks provided to children.
There have been some objections to the targeting of cranberry juice. In one notable example, the spokesman for the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association has been quoted as objecting to the classification of this drink as unhealthy. This, he argued, ignores the other healthy properties of the drink.
The government has been asked to make an exception for cranberry juice in its assessment of these school vending machines. It has been pointed out that cranberries also have a role to play in combating urinary-tract issues and may also have the potential to fight cancer.
However, the general initiative is widely held to be a good thing in principle. With obesity reaching almost epidemic proportions in many Western economies, there is clearly a need for action. What our children consume while at school will undoubtedly have a long term effect on their health. Thus any effective programme must address the nutritional habits formed in the early years.
You may or may not want to become involved in the debate about the nutritional value of products made available to school children. But if you are considering reviewing vending machines and drinks dispensers, it is worth taking the time to browse the relevant pages of this site. Alternatively, you can always contact our team to ask questions or to obtain further information about the products available.