Month: November 2017

Healthy Snacks in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. Employees Crave Healthy Snacks

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Healthy Snacks in Washington D.C.

The increase in demand for healthy snacks is not only about which ingredients are in a snack; it is also about the ingredients that aren’t there. According to Mintel, a global market research firm, 84 percent of consumers want to reduce the amount of natural sugar and artificial sweetener in their diets. Participants indicated that weight management and future health concerns were the top reasons to cut sugar. In fact, 31 percent of participants agreed that removing sugar from their diet causes more weight loss than cutting out fat. Millennials or 18 to 34 year olds had additional concerns about sugar and its negative impact on dental health and the appearance of their skin.     

Decreasing the amount of sugar consumed has many more positive effects on a Washington D.C. individual’s health than the few previously mentioned. Some additional health benefits of eating less sugar are

  • lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol (LDL) levels,
  • decrease risk of fatty liver disease, diabetes, and heart attack,
  • Lower chances of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia,
  • improved cognitive function, memory, and responsiveness,
  • increased energy levels.

Avoiding sugar isn’t always as easy as it sounds though. Sugar is frequently hidden in products that aren’t usually associated with sugar. It is also referred to by other names and found in many different forms including molasses, organic cane sugar, fruit juice concentrate, malt sugar, corn syrup, honey, syrup, and words ending in “ose” dextrose, lactose, maltose, fructose, glucose, and sucrose. The following suggestions are a few ways that can help Washington D.C. employees and students choose healthy snacks and reduce sugar consumption:

  • check the ingredient list for hidden sugarHealthy Snacks in Washington D.C.
  • eat as close to natural as possible
  • check the nutrition label to see how much sugar is actually in the product
  • gradually lower your sugar intake
  • eat more protein and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and olives
  • drink naturally flavored seltzer water as an alternative to sugary beverages

The increase in demand for snacks and beverages with less sugar has led to new, easy-to-find, healthier choices including kombucha teas and drinking vinegars. Since Washington D.C. employees are looking for a wide variety of flavors and sweetness levels, there are many new opportunities to offer healthy snacks and beverages at all sweetness levels in the office break room.

Consider offering all of your Washington D.C. employees the chance to enjoy a healthy snack or beverage while at work. Whether enjoying a can of flavored carbonated water or a healthy snack from the vending machine, there is an option for everyone. For more information about adding healthy snacks and beverages to your office break room or updating your current vending machine options, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.

Office Coffee Service in Rockville, MD

A New Coffee Service Benefit for Rockville, MD Employees

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Office Coffee Service in Rockville, MD

Enjoying coffee and tea from the office coffee service may provide Rockville, MD employees with additional health benefits. Scientists from Boston Children’s Hospital recently found that consuming caffeine may help decrease pain sensitivity in those with chronic pain. The consumed caffeine caused dopamine, a carrier of messages between nerve cells in the brain, to flood the brain’s pleasure center resulting in decreased pain sensitivity, a huge benefit for chronic pain suffers.

Healthy levels of dopamine help regulate emotions, cognition, food intake, and the endocrine system. Chronic pain, on the other hand, often causes endocrine, cardiovascular, immune, neurological, and musculo-skeletal system problems resulting in decreased immune health, spikes in blood pressure, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, and disruptions of daily activities. It appears that caffeine causes a boost in dopamine which works against some of the negative effects of chronic pain.

This new information is great news for the 25.3+ million adults who live with chronic pain. But caffeine has other benefits that can improve workplace productivity too. Caffeine has been known to decrease fatigue, offer short term mental boost, and improve memory. Coffee, tea, and chocolate are a few of the more familiar sources of caffeine. The different levels of caffeine in caffeinated beverages is a result of different places of origin, varying processing and preparation methods (including brewing time), and the amount of milk or cream added.

Office Coffee Service in Rockville, MD

Typical levels of caffeine in tea and coffee include:

  • Coffee: 8 fl oz. mug includes 95 mg to 165 mg
  • Espresso: 1 fl oz. shot includes 47 mg to 64 mg
  • Black Tea: 8 fl oz. mug includes 25 mg to 48 mg
  • Green Tea: 8 fl oz. mug includes 25 mg to 29 mg
  • Ready-to-Drink Bottled Tea: 8 fl oz. bottle includes 5 mg to 40 mg

If coffee and tea have too much caffeine or are too acidic for your Rockville, MD employee, enjoying a bar of dark chocolate or a mug of hot cocoa from the office break room is another option. Both dark chocolate and hot cocoa have less caffeine than the traditional office coffee service choices.

Typical levels of caffeine in chocolate include:

  • Hot Cocoa: 8 fl oz. mug includes 9 mg
  • Dark Chocolate: 3.5 oz. bar with 70% to 80% cocoa includes 80mg
  • Dark Chocolate: 3.5 oz. bar with 50% to 69% cocoa includes 70mg
  • Milk Chocolate: 3.5 oz. bar includes 20 mg

Consider offering all of your Rockville, MD employees the chance to enjoy a caffeine pick-me-up while at work. Whether enjoying coffee or tea from the office coffee service or a bar of dark chocolate from the vending machine, there is an option for everyone. For more information about adding coffee service or updating your vending machine options, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.