OJ Promises to Lower Cholesterol
By George Anderson
Minute Maid will begin rolling-out its new cholesterol-lowering orange juice with plant sterols, Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise, today with plans to have the product in national
distribution by Thanksgiving.
Reuters reports, “More than 41 million Americans have high cholesterol, a key risk factor for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Another 60 million
or so have moderately elevated levels of the fatty substance.”
Plant sterols have been shown to reduce the level of bad cholesterol by approximately 10 percent when consumed regularly. Minute Maid has received approval from the Food and
Drug Administration to market the product’s potential health benefits. Consumers will need to drink 16 ounces of the orange juice daily to get the sufficient sterols to alter
their cholesterol levels.
Moderator’s Comment: How will products with added ingredients such as plant sterols shape the beverage category in the years ahead?
Ponce De Leon’s quest continues. [George
Anderson – Moderator]