A New Twist On Heart Health

Lemons provide consumers with a fast, easy and delicious way to enhance the natural flavor of food without exceeding their daily sodium limit.

Oranges and other citrus fruits are a good way to cut down on sodium.

With heart disease the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, American Heart Month in February serves as an important reminder that it's never too early to start improving heart health.

While heart disease isn't new, what isn't well known is that citrus fruits can play a vital role in heart health. Sunkist is educating consumers about simple steps they can take to help prevent this chronic disease.

The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. This is called coronary artery disease, which often manifests as a heart attack and happens slowly over time.

Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce the chance of getting heart disease. These include practicing everyday healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet that's high in fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, avoiding tobacco and moderating alcohol intake.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, another way to reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall health is to limit sodium intake. While sodium is a mineral essential for human health, most consumers take in more than is recommended on a daily basis, primarily from processed and restaurant foods, which contain high levels of "hidden salts."

"Excessive sodium intake, especially when accompanied by inadequate potassium intake, raises blood pressure, a well-accepted and extraordinarily common risk factor for stroke, coronary heart disease and kidney disease," the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report found. Other health conditions linked to excess sodium are cancer and osteoporosis.

Pass the Lemons, Not the Salt

To help consumers cut down on their sodium intake while still enjoying flavorful food, Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based Sunkist Growers has developed the "Sunkist S'alternative" health initiative. S'alternative aims to get consumers thinking about an all-natural way to boost potassium intake and cut down on sodium by using a fresh squeeze of Sunkist lemons instead of salt.

Lemons provide consumers with a fast, easy and delicious way to enhance the natural flavor of food without exceeding their daily sodium limit. Sunkist has developed a microsite, www.SunkistSalternative.com, to provide facts on sodium, helpful tips, lower-sodium recipes and more.

As consumers increasingly look to grocers to advise them on how to improve their eating habits, encouraging them to eat more citrus is a simple way to promote positive health on a daily basis. Citrus fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C and good sources of fiber, contain fewer than 80 calories per serving and contain no sodium. Research shows that regularly including citrus fruit in a healthy diet can help control appetite, lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases.