DALLAS, March 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grocery shopping can be daunting, especially when trying to eat healthy, but the trusted American Heart Association Heart-Check mark is making things much easier. Now, even more kinds of heart-healthy foods can be identified by the Heart-Check mark on product packaging – including fish, nuts and other foods higher in the "better fats."
The Heart-Check mark has the strongest aided brand awareness and trust among leading on-package nutrition icons. Since its creation in 1995, the Heart-Check Food Certification Program has helped consumers eat healthier and lead by example for friends and family. Identifying heart-healthy foods is a solid first step in building a heart-healthy lifestyle.
The American Heart Association announced in September that foods higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – also known as the "better fats" – would be included in the Heart-Check program. The association also announced that in order to be certified, some product categories must be lower in sodium and added sugar, and higher in dietary fiber. Those changes will be incorporated by 2014, to allow food manufacturers time to reformulate their products.
To jumpstart your way to a healthier heart this March during National Nutrition Month, be sure to stock your kitchen with American Heart Association certified products. Visit heartcheckmark.org and click the "Certified Products" tab for a full list of delicious, heart-healthy foods that will help develop a sensible eating plan.
Visit heart.org/nutrition to find healthy food options, recipes for dinner tonight, grocery list builder and more. Start living, and eating, with heart-health in mind. For more information on the Heart-Check Food Certification Program and the new modifications, visit www.heartcheckmark.org.
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the association's science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at www.heart.org/corporatefunding.
About the Heart-Check mark
The American Heart Association established the Heart-Check mark in 1995 to give consumers an easy, reliable system for identifying heart-healthy foods as a first step in building a sensible eating plan. Nearly 900 products that bear the Heart-Check mark have been screened and verified by the association to meet criteria for heart-healthy foods. To learn more about the Heart-Check mark, and to see a complete list of certified products and participating companies and the nutritional criteria, visit www.heartcheckmark.org.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.
The American Heart Association logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9940
Contact: Alexandra Paterson
(214) 706-1345