Peruvian Avocado Commission Receives the Heart-Check Mark from the American Heart Association

Washington, DC May 17, 2017— Following the 2016 USDA announcement claiming Hass Avocados are a “healthy” food, the AHA has now granted the Peruvian Avocado Commission certification rights to the Heart-Check mark for its marketing promotions and campaigns.

“The valuable Heart-Check mark has served as a trusted resource for consumers, and by adding the heart-check to our efforts it will help to complement the official seal of approval from the FDA and USDA that avocados are a healthy food- something that all consumers will be culturally aware of. The new tools that we have to promote avocados as officially healthy will also help us to educate consumers that not all fat is bad. Avocados, along with other healthy fats like nuts and olives, are crucial to our daily diets.” Said Xavier Equihua, CEO and President of PAC.

With heart disease being a leading cause of death in both women and men in the U.S., the confusion about dietary fats can result in missed opportunities for those who are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. The Heart-Check Food Certification Program helps consumers identify foods that can be building blocks of a heart-healthy diet.

Nutrient-dense Avocados From Peru is considered one of Peru’s most popular superfoods, and certainly the most popular superfood in the U.S. One ounce of avocado contains 50 calories and provides nearly 20 important vitamins and minerals including 150 mg of potassium, 2 g of dietary fiber and has zero cholesterol or sodium. In 2015, Avocados from Peru was also the first origin to be approved by AMS to use the words Superfood Nutrition to describe the fruit.

The primary marketing goals and efforts of the Peruvian Avocado Commission in the U.S. is to reflect the organization’s commitment to supplying top-quality fruit during the peak summer season, while educating the public about the health benefits of Peruvian Avocados.

To find heart-healthy Peruvian Avocado recipes, visit: www.avocadosfromperu.com, or click here to download a free copy of the Avocados from Peru Cookbook.

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About the Peruvian Avocado Commission
The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was established in 2011 to increase the consumption/demand for Avocados from Peru through advertising, retail promotion and public relations. The PAC’s promotional activities are conducted under the guidelines of the federal promotion program for Hass avocados, which is under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For more information about the PAC please visit www.avocadosfromperu.com.

About the Heart-Check Mark

The American Heart Association established the Heart-Check mark in 1995 to give consumers an easy, reliable system for identifying heart-healthy foods as a first step in building a sensible eating plan. Nearly 900 products that bear the Heart-Check mark have been screened and verified by the association to meet criteria for heart-healthy foods. To learn more about the Heart-Check mark, and to see a complete list of certified products and participating companies, visit www.heartcheckmark.org

Media Contact:
Xavier Equihua, CEO and President
Peruvian Avocado Commission
(302) 547-3625
[email protected]