UN Unilever NV

The Guidelines Can Help Consumers Make Smart Beverage Choices ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- To help consumers choose healthy beverages as part of a balanced nutritional diet, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published Healthy Beverage Guidelines proposed by a panel of nutrition experts. The Guidelines are designed to help consumers enjoy all types of beverages by providing them with the information necessary to make informed choices between high-calorie beverages that provide few nutrients and drinks that are low in calories and/or provide nutritional benefits. "The proposed Healthy Beverage Guidelines provide Americans with guidance on what to drink," said Douglas Balentine, Ph.D., Director Nutrition and Health, Unilever, North America. "To help consumers make healthier beverage choices, Lipton(R), the world's leading tea brand and provider of healthy and refreshing beverages for more than 100 years, turned to the Unilever Health Institute, North America* and asked for their help in developing the Healthy Beverage Guidelines." The Healthy Beverage Guidelines were funded by the Unilever Health Institute, North America* and created by an independent panel of leading nutrition experts led by Barry Popkin, Director, University of North Carolina, Interdisciplinary Obesity Program. Panel members included: Walter C. Willett (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA), Lawrence E. Armstrong (University of Connecticut Human Performance Laboratory, Storrs, CT), George M. Bray (Louisiana State University Medical Center and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA), Benjamin Caballero (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD) and Balz Frei (Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR). "Americans clearly need to pay attention to what they drink as well as what they eat," said Popkin. "The Healthy Beverage Guidelines aim to help Americans recognize the impact that liquid calories have on their overall diets and make healthier beverage choices. They were developed incorporating the principles of variety, proportionality and moderation similar to the USDA Dietary Guidelines." * Now known as Unilever Food and Health Research Institute To help consumers make healthy beverage choices, the panel segmented beverages into six levels based on caloric and nutrient content as well as related health benefits and risks. - Level VI: Calorie rich beverages without nutrients (up to one serving*, less if trying to lose weight) - Level V: 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices, whole milk, sports drinks (up to one serving) - Level IV: Diet beverages with sugar substitutes (up to four servings) - Level III: Nonfat or low-fat milk and fortified unsweetened soy beverages (up to two servings) - Level II: Unsweetened coffee and tea -- iced and hot (up to eight servings a day of tea, up to four servings of coffee) - Level I: Water (up to nine servings for women, up to 13 servings for men) * Serving sizes are all eight-ounces The expert panel making these recommendations was fully independent. The Unilever Health Institute, North America*, Lipton(R) and Unilever had no power to influence or veto decisions. For more information about the Healthy Beverage Guidelines, visit http://www.lipton.com/. * Now known as Unilever Food and Health Research Institute About Tea and Health Along with consistent physical activity and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, drinking tea is part of a healthy lifestyle. According to a May 2005 research review conducted by a team of researchers at Michigan State University and presented at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) annual Nutrition News Forecast meeting, tea is a natural source of flavonoid antioxidants and is the main source of flavonoid antioxidants in the US diet. Antioxidants help protect the body from free radical damage. As part of a healthy diet, regular tea drinking may help maintain a healthy heart. Numerous scientific studies in the U.S. and Europe have been conducted to compare the heart health of regular tea drinkers with those who do not regularly drink tea. Results suggest that people who drink tea may help maintain cardiovascular health as compared to those who don't drink tea but still have a healthy lifestyle. Tea can be just as effective as water in helping keep people hydrated. It is a common myth that tea or any other caffeine-containing beverage will cause a loss of body fluid and negatively impact the body's hydration level. Scientific evidence simply does not support this belief. Drinking tea can give your mind a gentle lift that can help you focus. Moreover, unsweetened brewed tea, black or green, is a perfect beverage to use as part of a weight management diet or lifestyle. About Lipton(R) Teas LIPTON(R) Tea, the world's leading tea brand, is available in more than 180 countries worldwide. With more than 100 years of tasting, buying, and blending expertise, Lipton Tea provides today's health-conscious consumer with a variety of convenient, great-tasting, healthy tea products across several beverage formats. Lipton Tea employs expert tea-tasters, mastered in the harvesting, production, purchase, transport and blending of the more than 3,000 types of tea, sourcing its teas from as many as 25-35 countries to ensure tea leaf integrity, quality and freshness. Lipton Tea is one of the only brands to operate its own tea estates and research facilities, which are located around the globe. In 2006, the brand will introduce several new innovative products including: Lipton Premium Pyramid Teas in revolutionary pyramid-shaped tea bags; Lipton Premium Tea Pods formulated for the Home Caf� Brewing System; and Lipton To Go Iced Tea Mix-Pitcher Size. Lipton Tea also is extending two of its popular product lines, including: two new flavors of Lipton Flavored Green Leaf Tea and three new flavors of Lipton To Go Iced Tea Mix-Individual Size. In the Ready-To-Drink format, the brand will introduce two new flavors of Lipton Original Iced Tea, the only leading national bottled iced-tea brand made with fresh brewed tea, not from powders or concentrate, and three new flavors of Lipton Iced Tea. All Lipton Teas are made from real tea leaves, and most feature the brand's proprietary AOX(TM) Seal, indicating the product contains a substantial level of flavonoid antioxidants. Dietary antioxidants are thought to help protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals. Lipton Tea is owned by Unilever (NYSE:ULNYSE:UN), one of the world's largest consumer products companies featuring a portfolio of brands that makes people feel good, look good and get more out of life every day. For more information about Lipton Tea, visit http://www.lipton.com/. About Unilever Unilever (NYSE:ULNYSE: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, 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 the Unilever Group of Companies. 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 more than $13 billion in sales in 2005. For more information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/. Media Contact: Corey Martin Ogilvy PR Worldwide 212.880.5364 Media Hotline: 1.866.851.4145 DATASOURCE: Lipton CONTACT: Corey Martin of Ogilvy PR Worldwide, for Lipton, +1-212-880-5364, ; or Media Hotline - +1-866-851-4145 Web site: http://www.lipton.com/ http://www.unileverusa.com/

Copyright