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May 4, 2005                                                                      Wendy Davis, wdavis@usapple.org

                                                                                                                              

 U.S. APPLE ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS MCDONALD’S NEW PREMIUM SALAD

Nation’s Largest Food Chain Includes Apples in its Fruit ‘n Walnut Salad®

Vienna, VA. — As apples continue to provide a multitude of health benefits, the U.S. Apple Association is excited to support the launch of McDonald’s new premium Fruit ‘n Walnut Salad®.  The Fruit ‘n Walnut Salad is expected to move an additional 55 million pounds of apples from farm to consumer at all U.S. McDonald’s restaurants.

In addition to crisp, sliced apples, this premium salad consists of red grapes and frosted walnuts, topped with a creamy, non-fat yogurt. The salad will be served all day, every day. 

“As McDonald’s continues to expand its menu, offering choices for a more balanced menu, we are thrilled apples have been incorporated into its newest premium salad,” said USApple President and CEO Nancy Foster.  “McDonald’s is helping make it easier for American’s to incorporate apples into their diet in order to ensure a healthy lifestyle.”

Apples are the good-for-you food that tastes great, too.  In addition to offering a range of appetizing varieties to tickle taste buds, apples provide “whole body” health benefits, and are linked to reducing the risk of stroke, Type II diabetes, cancer, asthma and Alzheimer’s disease.

 
Here’s some additional good news about the health benefits of apples:

A recent study conducted at Cornell University found apples play a vital role in breast cancer reduction by decreasing both the incidence and number of breast cancer tumors.

    •     Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber, which helps aid digestion and may promote weight loss.  A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, supplying 20 percent of the daily fiber recommendation.

    •     Apples promote bone health by providing a good source of the dietary mineral boron.

    •     Research suggests that apple juice may protect against oxidative damage that contributes to age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and may help to maintain brain performance—indicating that eating apples and drinking apple juice may impact our brain’s health and mental acuity throughout life.

    •     Apples may improve cardiovascular health by lowering LDL cholesterol and inhibiting LDL oxidation.


In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and among the key recommendations is a call for Americans to increase their consumption of fruit, including apples and apple products.  Suggesting two cups a day, or 9 - 13 servings, the guidelines encourage eating a variety of fruits, such as tasty, versatile apples.  The new Fruit ‘n Walnut Premium Salad is an easy way to incorporate one and a half cups of fruit into your day to help you reach your daily recommended serving.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry.  Members include 40 state and regional apple associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business.  USApple’s mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products. The text of this release can be downloaded from the News Releases section of USApple’s Media Web site, at http://www.usapple.org/media/newsreleases/index.shtml.