PARAMUS, N.J., Sept. 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today,Smart Balance debuts an updated Food Plan containing 14 days of meals and snacks designed to help those managing their cholesterol or simply pursuing a healthier diet. The plan's launch comes during National Cholesterol Education Month and is one of many ways Smart Balance is building heart health awareness this September.
The Food Plan, available for free at smartbalance.com, features a diet that helps eliminate trans fats, balances daily fat intake, and provides other parameters to help support healthy cholesterol levels. Recipes such as oregano-balsamic grilled pork and peanut butter chocolate buttons comprise more than a dozen meals that balance the ratio of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This balance, along with other criteria of the Food Plan, supports healthy cholesterol levels by improving the ratio of "good" HDL cholesterol to "bad" LDL cholesterol. Additional benefits come from Omega-3s, vitamins, calcium, protein and plant sterols found in many Smart Balance® products that are featured in the Food Plan.
"Most of us know we should eat a heart-healthy diet, but aren't quite sure how," said Smart Balance Senior Vice President and General Manager John Becker. "The Smart Balance™ Food Plan removes the guesswork from the equation, making it simple and tasty to do the right thing for your health."
The Food Plan contains 14 days of menus to choose from, as well as menu variations that can be mixed and matched into the plan to accommodate a variety of tastes. All Food Plan recipes are available online, where they can be printed individually or in their entirety as a standalone recipe book. Also available online are tips on incorporating exercise into your daily routine, an important criteria of the Smart Balance™ Food Plan.
In addition to the Food Plan, Smart Balance is spreading heart health awareness during National Cholesterol Education Month through content, contests and a heart healthy pledge on its Facebook page. If 5,000 users take the pledge during the month of September, Smart Balance® will donate $5,000 to Mended Hearts, a national non-profit that offers hope to heart disease patients through visiting programs, support groups, and educational forums.
About Smart Balance
Smart Balance, Inc. (Nasdaq:SMBL) is committed to providing superior tasting, solution-driven products in every category it enters. The Company's health and wellness platform consists of four brands that target specific consumer needs: Smart Balance for heart healthier diets; Glutino and Udi's for gluten-free diets; Earth Balance for plant-based diets; and Bestlife for weight management. The Company markets the Smart Balance line of products, which avoids trans-fats naturally and balances fats and/or reduces saturated fats, such as Smart Balance® Buttery Spreads and Enhanced Milks. The Company's Glutino and Udi's brands are trusted pioneers and leaders in the gluten-free category, with a wide variety of great-tasting gluten-free foods consumers trust across a number of product categories, such as Glutino® Pretzel Twists and Breakfast Bars and Udi's® Gluten Free Breads. The Company markets the Earth Balance line of non-GMO plant-based products, which include Earth Balance® Buttery Spreads, Nut Butters and Soy Milks. The Company also markets weight management products under the Bestlife brand, which include Bestlife™ Buttery Spreads and Sticks. For more information about Smart Balance, Inc., please visit www.smartbalance.com.
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