"People have begun to see the problem with some of the beverage choices that are readily available," explains Dan Negroni, chief executive officer and president of Fresh Healthy Vending Cafe. "We identified that problem years ago, and it is our mission to make a change by offering a lot of healthier choices in our vending machines."

According to "Circulation," the Journal of the American Heart Association, between 1970 and 2000, the per-person daily consumption of caloric soft drinks rose 70 percent, from an average of 7.8 ounces per day, to 13.2 ounces per day. They report that the mean sugar intake for children ages 14-18 is around 22.2 teaspoons per day, which comes out to around 355 calories. The recommendation for adults, when it comes to daily sugar intake, are for women to consume no more than 100 calories from sugar, and men to consume no more than 150 calories from sugar per day.

For children, it is recommended that those under 8 have no more than 3 teaspoons per day, and older children have no more than 5 to 8 teaspoons per day. For many people reading beverage labels, figuring out the sugar content can be a bit confusing. Sugar is listed on the nutrition label in grams. To determine how many teaspoons it equals, divide the grams by four. One teaspoon of sugar equals four grams. For example, if you are looking at a soda that contains 40 grams of sugar, simply divide by four, and you will quickly see that it contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. Each teaspoon of sugar has around 16 calories, so a single can of that soda has around 160 calories of sugar. Fresh Healthy Vending's mission focuses on providing people with healthier food and beverage options.

In its vending machines, consumers will find a variety of healthier drinks that are either low in sugar or naturally sugar-free, including:

• Coconut water and coconut juice -- Coconut juice contains 12 grams of sugar and 95 calories, while coconut water has zero calories and zero grams of sugar. Flavors include mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and pink guava.
• Hint Premium Essence Water -- For those who want to hydrate but like a little flavor, these waters have zero calories and zero sugar, and come in tangerine, lime, and kiwi.
• Honest Tea -- Drinking black tea offers antioxidants and no calories or sugar. Those who want to opt for lemon or peach tea will find it has just 8 grams of sugar.
• Coffee -- Leaving the sugar behind, Fresh Healthy Cafe machines offer freshly brewed organic coffee. No sugar, and it offers health benefits.
• Mayesa -- For the person who wants something unique, there is Mayesa, an all-natural chocolate drink that comes in original and mint flavors. It's made from organic cacao, the purest form of chocolate, along with hemp protein, rice, and spices. Also, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, kosher and vegan. It has 13 grams of sugar.

"There is a whole world of healthier beverages beyond sugary sodas," adds Negroni. "We have helped make these healthier drinks convenient, so people can grab them on the go. The large sugary sodas may be banned, but flavored and guilt-free options are more bountiful than ever before!" Fresh Healthy Vending offers high-tech vending machines that offer healthy foods and beverages, including gourmet organic coffee. The machines are located in such places as workout facilities, military bases, office buildings, and hospitals. They are also ideal for such places as car dealerships and buildings with high traffic.

To learn more, visit  www.freshhealthyvending.com.