OMAHA, Neb., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As the American
Dietetic Association kicks off National Nutrition Month®, ConAgra
Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) one of North
America's leading food makers, reminds people to "Eat Right
with Color" by enjoying Hunt's® tomatoes as part of a healthful,
nutrient-rich diet. Tomatoes are America's favorite non-starchy
vegetable and account for 85 percent of the lycopene consumed in
the U.S.
Eating more tomatoes and tomato products can make people
healthier and help decrease the risk of diseases such as cancer,
cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, according to a review
article published in the March issue of the American Journal of
Lifestyle Medicine. The article was co-authored by ConAgra
Foods' Nutrition Manager Kristin
Reimers, Ph.D. and R.D.
"Tomatoes contain high levels of the powerful antioxidant
lycopene and canned products such as tomato paste, tomato sauce and
spaghetti sauce have approximately seven times more lycopene than
raw tomatoes,"(1) Reimers said. "In addition, tomatoes serve as a
significant source of vitamin C, fiber and potassium in the
American diet."
Both potassium and fiber are underconsumed nutrients, and
according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, consuming more of these
nutrients could improve people's health. Calorie for calorie,
tomatoes contain more than twice the potassium of other common
sources such as bananas, potatoes, milk and orange juice. Also, one
cup of pasta sauce contains 6.5 grams of fiber, approximately
the same amount of fiber as one cup of whole wheat spaghetti(2),
with studies showing that people who eat tomato products average a
30 percent higher fiber intake than those who don't consume
tomatoes regularly. (3)
"At a time when consumers are as concerned about getting the
most for their grocery dollar as they may be about their long-term
health, products like Hunt's canned tomatoes can help people
balance value with nutrition," Reimers said. "Encouraging greater
tomato consumption may help increase overall vegetable intake since
canned tomatoes, such as Hunt's, are readily available year-round,
widely accepted by consumers, convenient and economical."
Because of the tomato's nutritive value and popularity, the 2010
Dietary Guidelines define a new red-orange vegetable sub-group that
provides a greater focus on tomatoes. This guideline can be easily
met by consuming just one more half-cup serving of tomatoes each
day.
About Hunt's
Hunt's tomatoes are available in many varieties, including No
Salt Added options, making it easy to incorporate the health
benefits of tomatoes into your daily meals. Only Hunt's uses the
natural FlashSteam® process to lock in natural tomato goodness of
every tomato in Diced, Whole and Stewed varieties.
About ConAgra Foods
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG), is one of North America's leading food companies, with
brands in 97 percent of America's households. Consumers find
Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Hebrew National,
Hunt's, Marie Callender's,
Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Peter
Pan, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Snack Pack and many other ConAgra
Foods brands in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise and club
stores. ConAgra Foods also has a strong business-to-business
presence, supplying frozen potato and sweet potato products as well
as other vegetable, spice and grain products to a variety of
well-known restaurants, foodservice operators and commercial
customers. For more information, please visit us at
www.conagrafoods.com.
(1) U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient
Database for Standard Reference, Release 22, 2009. Lycopene content
per serving: 18.84 mg per 1/4 cup tomato paste; 17.12 mg per 1/2
cup tomato sauce; 15.82 mg per 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce; 2.32 mg per
1/2 cup raw tomatoes.
(2) U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient
Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Fiber content 6.5
grams per 1 cup pasta or marinara sauce; 6.3 grams per 1 cup cooked
whole wheat spaghetti.
(3) Victor Fulgoni,
Debra Keast, Kristin Reimers, Patty
Packard. Tomato consumption is associated with improved diet
quality and lower C-reactive protein in adults. J Am Diet
Assoc (2008):108(9):S3:A-27.
For more information, please
contact:
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Becky Niiya
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ConAgra Foods
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(402) 240-5312
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becky.niiya@conagrafoods.com
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Christine Cotter
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Ketchum Public
Relations
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(202) 835-9476
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Christine.Cotter@ketchum.com
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www.conagrafoods.com
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SOURCE ConAgra Foods, Inc.