Pilgrim’s Pride, the nation’s second-largest poultry company, introduces a new product line that makes it easy for customers to find and enjoy poultry products that are low-carb, low-fat, lo-calorie, low-sodium, low-cholesterol, low-sugar, and allergen-free.

EatWellStayHealthy™, which includes eight different poultry products, carries prominently on its packaging the American Heart Association mark of approval, meeting its criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.

Research shows three obstacles keep consumers from eating healthy: confusion about health claims, lack of awareness of healthy products, and a lifestyle that leaves little time to focus on eating a healthy diet.

“We know our customers have a limited amount of time to spend evaluating products, and we are making it easy for them,” says Bob Wright, Pilgrim’s Pride executive vice president of sales and marketing. “With our EatWellStayHealthy™ line, consumers can be assured they are getting healthy and delicious products. They can make the choice of ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat, and choose among three bold flavors: Italian, Key Lime and Szechwan.”

The eight different EatWellStayHealthy™ choices include:

• Fresh, uncooked Whole Chicken Breasts, specially trimmed to be 99 percent fat-free;

• Fresh, uncooked Split Chicken Breasts, specially trimmed to be 99 percent fat-free;

• Fresh, uncooked Breast Tenderloins

• Grilled Chicken Breast Strips

• Grilled Chicken Breast Fillets

• Szechwan Chicken Breast Tenderloins

• Italian Style Grilled Chicken Breast Fillets

• Key Lime Flavor Chicken Breast Fillets

The fully cooked chicken has less than 5 grams of fat per serving, with less than 2 grams of saturated fat, less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol, and less than 480 milligrams of sodium per serving.  

“EatWellStayHealthy™ offers a healthy, nutritional and great-tasting alternative for consumers who don’t want to give up anything…whether it be great taste, bold flavors, or new choices,” Wright says. “Pilgrim’s Pride is giving consumers exactly what they want for today’s healthy lifestyles: nutritious and healthy products that taste great.” Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. is the second-largest poultry producer in the United States and Mexico, and the largest chicken producer in Puerto Rico. The company employs more than 40,000 people and has major operations in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with other facilities in Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Utah, and Wisconsin. Its products are sold to foodservice, retail, and frozen entrée customers. The company’s primary distribution is through retailers, foodservice distributors, and restaurants throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and in the Northern and Central regions of Mexico.

To be certified by the American Heart Association, a product must meet all of the following nutritional levels, which are based on a standard serving size as specified by the Food and Drug Administration for an individual food. A serving of the food product must:

• Be low in fat (less than or equal to 3 grams).

• Be low in saturated fat (less than or equal to 1 gram).

• Be low in cholesterol (less than or equal to 20 milligrams).

• Have a sodium value of less than or equal to 480 milligrams for individual foods.

• Contain at least 10 percent of the Daily Value of one or more of these naturally occurring nutrients: protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, or dietary fiber.

Poultry must meet these nutritional requirements per standard serving and per 100 grams:

• Contain less than 5 grams of total fat.

• Contain less than 2 grams of saturated fat.

• Contain less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol.