Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise for your heart

10/06/05 Minute Maid has reminded consumers that Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise is the only orange juice clinically proven to help reduce cholesterol. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently settled a complaint against another major orange juice company that the FTC said misled consumers by making claims not substantiated by reliable scientific evidence.

"A clinical study showed Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise orange juice with CoroWise(TM) plant sterols was effective in decreasing total blood and LDL cholesterol," said Dr. Rhona Applebaum, vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs for The Coca-Cola Company. "For most consumers, being able to enjoy orange juice that has the added benefits of naturally sourced plant sterols is a simple step toward healthier cholesterol levels."

A major risk factor for coronary heart disease is elevated LDL cholesterol. Foods that contain at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols, consumed twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. An 8 fluid-ounce serving of Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise contains 1.0 gram of plant sterols.

In a clinical study conducted at the University of California at Davis Medical Center, participants significantly lowered their LDL cholesterol by drinking two 8-fl.-oz. servings of Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise orange juice daily with meals for eight weeks. Benefits of Heart Wise were demonstrated in men and women with normal to "borderline high" total cholesterol levels.

Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise orange juice contains plant sterols, naturally sourced plant extracts that have been clinically proven to help lower total and LDL cholesterol. Plant sterols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol.

According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 105 million American adults have been classified as having total blood cholesterol at borderline high or higher levels (200 mg/dL or above), and forty-two million adults have "high" levels of total cholesterol (240 mg/dL or above).