Dive Brief:
- Survey results show that in the past five years, 64% of Americans have consumed "some" or "a lot" more whole grains, according to the Whole Grains Council.
- Of the more than 1,500 consumers surveyed, 31% "said they nearly always choose whole grains, up from 4% five years ago. And 32% said they choose whole grains about half the time," Food Business News reported.
- Breakfast was by far the biggest meal for whole grains consumption at 37%, followed by dinner, lunch, and snacks.
Dive Insight:
The Whole Grains Council said that one of the next objectives will be to inform more consumers about ancient grains, such as spelt, amaranth, farro, or Kamut. These grains carry their own additional health benefits and are becoming more popular in various products, from breads and snacks to cereals and other breakfast foods. According to the survey, fewer than one in five consumers had heard of these types of whole grains.
The increase in whole grains consumption comes with the continued rise of gluten-free foods — conflicting trends, since whole grains contain gluten.
More companies are jumping onboard the gluten-free trend, with General Mills' Lucky Charms going gluten-free and Snyder's-Lance introducing its own slew of gluten-free products earlier this year. In the year leading up to April 2015, one in 10 global product launches was for a gluten-free product, according to Innova Market Insights.
A recent article in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants claims that scientific research does not support benefits of a gluten-free diet for people without celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.