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With New Dietary Guidelines Icon About to be Unveiled, Hellmann's Survey Reveals Americans Know Very Little About Fat ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With the federal government getting ready to release a new, updated dietary guidelines icon for the first time in five years, a recent consumer survey by Hellmann's(R) Real Mayonnaise reveals that the nation is confused about a key component of the guidelines: fat. Just slightly more than half of respondents (55%) passed the Hellmann's(R) "Facts On Fat" survey, which was constructed in the form of a test, with the average "grade" being a dismal 58*. Not one person in the survey actually scored an "A" or above 90. A nation preoccupied with nutrition -- 94% express some level of concern about personal diet and nutrition, while six in 10 (60%) report limiting their intake of fat -- is ill-informed when it comes to fat, with little recognition of the positive role that fat can play in a balanced and healthy diet. For example, most people (93%) think they should consume less fat than is actually recommended-with half of respondents underestimating by 50%. And almost three out of ten (29%) don't realize that certain fats can help reduce or maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Weighing The Good and The Bad (Fats, That Is) When the survey drilled down on specific kinds of fats, particularly good versus bad fats, Americans really didn't make the grade. For example, although trans fats are consistently in the news due to their unhealthy nature a little over a third of the respondents (34%) erroneously believe that it is a good fat. The numbers for monounsaturated fats, prized for their association in lowering the risk of heart disease when substituted for foods high in saturated fatty acids (SAFA), are even more lopsidedly wrong. Almost the entire survey (96%) checked off the "bad fat" box when the opposite is true. Corn oil and common vegetable oil in general are routinely categorized as bad fats by almost two out of three respondents (average of 63%) but they actually fall into the good fats column. "Clearly Americans needs to buckle down and get an education when it comes to the dietary fats in their diets," said Lisa Hark, Ph.D., R.D., and author of the newly released book, Nutrition For Life. "With the imminent release of the new dietary guidelines icon, and with fat becoming an increasingly important part of the national discussion on nutrition, people need to have a basic understanding of fat and the beneficial health affects that certain fats have in their lives." Dispelling The Myths About Mayonnaise Not surprisingly, Americans' erroneous views about fat can leave a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to everyday foods, and mayonnaise is at the top of the list. According to the Hellmann's(R) "Facts On Fat" Survey, just one in four respondents (24%) agrees that mayonnaise contains a healthy fat. The fact is, mayonnaise has a balance of smart dietary fats and fatty acids including mono and polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 (ALA) and omega-6 (LA) essential oils. These are important to overall health and well being when substituted for other products high in saturated fatty acids (SAFA) & cholesterol or substituted for other healthy fats, when caloric intake is not increased. Almost eight out of ten (79%) believe that mayonnaise is high in saturated or bad fat, which is just plain wrong. And four in ten (41%) believe that it's best to never have mayonnaise in the diet, when simply adding a tablespoon of mayonnaise (10g fat/serving, 1.5g saturated fat/serving, 0g trans fat/serving and 5mg cholesterol/serving) a day is a smart way to include a balance of healthy fats while adding taste, when substituted for products high in SAFA and caloric intake is not increased. "What people don't realize is that, for many reasons, mayonnaise is the right food choice for your everyday diet," said David Blanchard, Senior Vice President of Research and Development & Supply Chain, Unilever. "It's a food made up of simple, wholesome ingredients -- oil, water, eggs, and vinegar -- that together form an excellent source of dietary fats, when substituted for other products high in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol and when caloric intake is not increased. And it's a great flavor-enhancer as well." Visit http://www.mayo.com/ for easy and delicious recipes using Hellmann's(R) Real Mayonnaise. * The Hellmann's Facts On Fat Survey was conducted online using the Ipsos-Insight Online Access Panel. The survey included a quiz to gauge knowledge of fats and general nutrition habits. The sample size was 364 adults ages 21+. The margin of sampling error is +/- 5 percent. About Unilever Unilever (NYSE:UL)(NYSE:UN), one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Eternity by Calvin Klein, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of Unilever. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating approximately $10 billion in sales in 2004. For more information visit http://www.unilever.com/. DATASOURCE: Unilever CONTACT: Camille Payne, +1-212-880-5366, , or Michele Benoit, +1-212-880-5363, , both of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, for Unilever Web site: http://www.unilever.com/ http://www.mayo.com/

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