Orlando, Fla. – Building on the Registered Dietician (RD) Ambassador program created in 2011, the National Mango Board (NMB) enlisted three seasoned media RDs as mango ambassadors in 2012 as part of a Nutrition Outreach Program. RDs offer their expert credibility and help spread mango nutrition messages to consumers through various media channels such as television, radio and online.
The NMB enlisted media RDs Tara Gidus, Sylvia Melendez and Michelle Dudash to obtain mango nutrition coverage both in their local markets and in national outlets. The NMB equipped them with mango knowledge, including mango key messages, nutrition facts, recipe ideas and more to share with consumers.
“With our RD team, we are able to educate even more consumers about the significant nutritional benefits that come from adding mangos into a daily diet,” said NMB Director of Marketing, Megan McKenna. “Mangos are a wholesome fruit providing a good source of dietary fiber and more than 20 different vitamins and mineral, including vitamins C and A.”
The NMB’s RD team has extensive media and nutrition backgrounds with appearances on network television shows, online health sites and prominent print media. Utilizing their established media relationships and a mix of channels to reach audiences, the RDs have gained enormous coverage for the NMB both in their markets and across the country. At the close of Quarter Two in 2012, mango nutrition messages reached consumers a total of 70 million times through this nutrition outreach program, significantly exceeding the 3 million impressions earned this time last year.
Gidus is a nationally recognized expert and media spokesperson on nutrition, fitness, and health promotion. She appears frequently as a medical expert on various television shows and has been quoted in over 1,000 magazines, newspapers and websites. She currently appears regularly as the “Diet Diva” on the national morning television show,The Daily Buzz. She is based in Orlando, FL.
Melendez is a bilingual registered dietitian and trainer who uses her multicultural background to promote healthy eating habits to the Hispanic population. Her nutritional influence can be seen in media outlets including television, radio, academic journals, websites and magazines. Melendez’s media background includes appearances on NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN Spanish, Univision and a variety of Hispanic cable stations. She is based in Chicago, IL.
Last but not least, Dudash isa celebrity chef, registered dietitian, “Healthy Dish” columnist for The Arizona Republic and author of the upcoming book Clean Eating for Busy Families (December, 2012). Dudash frequently receives media attention through her quotes in national publications such as Prevention, USAToday.com, MSN.com,Family Circle and Woman’s Day. Dudash also appears on other major Phoenix programs and national programs such asBetter, FOX and Friends and Radio Disney. She is based in Phoenix, AZ.
For more information about the NMB’s RD Ambassador program, please visit www.mango.org.
About National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is a national promotion and research organization, which is supported by assessments from both domestic and imported mangos. The board was designed to drive awareness and consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S. One cup of mango is only 100 calories, an excellent source of vitamins A and C, a good source of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor.
Mango availability per capita has increased 35 percent since 2005 to an estimated 2.53 pounds per year in 2011. Mango import volume for 2011 was 810 million pounds. Learn more at www.mango.org.
Source: National Mango Board
