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Beef Gets First AHA Heart Logos

DALLAS — The American Heart Association here has announced that three extra-lean beef cuts meet the criteria for low saturated fat and cholesterol set by its Food Certification Program. Boneless top sirloin petite roasts, top sirloin filets and top sirloin kabobs can now display the AHA's heart-check mark, which helps customers identify heart healthy foods throughout a supermarket. Lean beef helps Americans

DALLAS — The American Heart Association here has announced that three extra-lean beef cuts meet the criteria for low saturated fat and cholesterol set by its Food Certification Program. Boneless top sirloin petite roasts, top sirloin filets and top sirloin kabobs can now display the AHA's heart-check mark, which helps customers identify heart healthy foods throughout a supermarket.

“Lean beef helps Americans build a healthy diet and manage their waistline because one 3-ounce serving provides 10 essential nutrients for about 154 calories, helping you meet the new Dietary Guidelines,” Cheryl Hendricks, a registered dietitian with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said in a release. “With today's focus on obesity, lean beef is a solution that satisfies our appetites and provides more nutrients for fewer calories than many other foods.”

Although it is unclear how use of the logo might impact sales of these particular cuts, the AHA heart-check mark is one of the most widely recognized health-and-wellness logos found in food packaging today. Almost 75% of primary shoppers say the heart-check mark improves the likelihood that they'll buy a product. And, the heart-check mark boosts incremental sales by an average of 5% when retailers use shelf tags to highlight a certified item, and distribute additional information at checkout, according to AHA research.

Hendricks said that NCBA is in the process of obtaining certification for other extra-lean cuts as well.