Chartwells has recently installed a new drink dispenser in the Turner Dining Commons. Created as part of the company Aquahealth’s Healthy Beverage Program, the drink dispenser delivers flavored water without the large amounts of sugar found in other beverages. Installed over the break, Chartwells representatives hope that the Aquahealth will provide students with a healthier alternative to soda or juice.
With the current national concern over unhealthy eating habits, specifically in the case of New York’s ban of over-sized soft drinks, Chartwells’ decision to implement the Aquahealth comes at a very relevant time.
The Aquahealth serves multiple flavors, including lemon-lime and green tea with honey. The green tea with honey is the only flavor to contain calories, and even then only ten per serving. At 8 oz. of beverage per serving, 10 calories is perhaps more than allowable.
James Rich, marketing manager for ISU Chartwells, views the Aquahealth as “a place for students to get something more flavorful than water, but healthier than soda or even fruit juice.”
Rich quips that the Aquahealth, as well as other healthier options recently implemented by Chartwells, may not fully prevent the proverbial freshman 15, but “maybe only make it the freshman five.”
Chartwells has instigated multiple healthier options over the last year. Increased signage detailing caloric information and common allergens have helped students make smarter choices as they eat.
Rich comments, “We’re really trying to help students make more wise decisions. How they eat in college will affect how they eat after they graduate.”
Matthew Johnson, the resident dining director of Chartwells feels that Aquahealth represents the larger picture of Chartwells’ goals.
“Our goals on campus eating,” he comments, “is to provide healthy options for students living on campus, as well as to provide variety and more flexibility. We want healthy, fit kids to graduate.”
When commenting on the Aquahealth beverages themselves, Johnson says, “they’re really good. I’ve been drinking them all day.”