Fruit With Breakfast (NAPSA)—Is your breakfast bearing fruit? If you’re like many Americans, it probably is. According to a poll conducted in January 2008 by the Opinion Research Corporation, 7 out of 10 Americans say they add fruit to their cereal, with 48 percent of respondents reporting they do so at least once a month. The survey also shows that many of us are increasing the amount of fruit we eat. Nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) say they’re including more berries in their diets than they were five years ago. “Research shows that many of us may be looking for new waysto add fruit to our everyday menu,” said Tom Nientimp, marketing manager, General Mills. “In fact, more than half of Americans sur- veyed said they would add berries to their diet if they were able to purchase their favorite berries year-round.” In keeping with Americans’ berry-eating trend, General Mills recently added a new twist to a classic breakfast favorite with the introduction of “Berry Burst Cheerios” cereal. The two new products —Berry Burst Cheerios Strawberry and Berry Burst Cheerios Triple Berry (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)—offer the firstever pairing of wholesome Cheerios with real berries right in the box. The new cereal is made possible thanks to “freeze-drying,” a process that allows the fruit to maintain its original appearance, texture and nutritional benefits. The freeze-dried fruit quickly rehydrates when milk is added. “Berry Burst Cheerios cereal gives consumers an easy way to eat fruit with their breakfast,” Nientimp said. “It also enables Americans to enjoy the hearthealthy benefits offered by wholegrain oat foods like Cheerios.” Berry Burst Cheerios cereal offers the cholesterol-lowering benefits of whole-grain oats. Studies show that whole-grain oat foods provide a natural source of soluble fiber, which has the special ability to lower blood cholesterol levels and potentially decrease the risk of heart disease when consumed as part of a lowfat diet. For additional information about Berry Burst Cheerios cereal, including links to nutritional information and the hearthealthy benefits of whole-grain oat foods, visit www.berryburst cheerios.com. Fun Berry Facts The strawberryis a memberof the rose family. |f all the blueberries grown in North America in one year were spreadout in a singlelayer, they would cover a four-lane highwaystretching from New Yorkto Chicago. Belgium boasts an entire museum devoted to strawberries. North America is the world’s leading blueberry producer, accounting for nearly 90 percent of world productionat the present time. In medievaltimes, strawberries were carved into cathedralpillars to symbolize perfection.
