Consumers Shifting Toward Whole Grains and Lower Carbs

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After several decades of public health recommendations that have focused on high-carb, low-fat diets, more attention is being paid toward diets that contain lower levels of high-quality carbs and higher levels of high-quality fats. Research on the Mediterranean diet has served as a focal point for understanding this higher fat, lower carb balance, and a variety of public health organizations have voiced support for a Mediterranean diet approach to disease prevention as well as disease treatment in some areas.

Along with this increasing interest in a lower carb, higher fat diet has come two changes in the approach of consumers to grain products. First has been an overall decrease in the use of grains like wheat. According to the Economic Research Service at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), consumer use of wheat has dropped by about 10% over the past 10 years (1997-2007), with 26 U.S. grain mills actually closing during that period of time due to this decrease in consumer demand. However, even though consumers have wanted less wheat overall, they have wanted more products made from whole wheat. According to the USDA, consumers regard whole wheat products as a better source of fiber and protein than products made from refined wheat. (Whole wheat products are indeed a better source of fiber than refined wheat products under all circumstances. With respect to protein, however, they are sometimes a better source and sometimes only an equal source since wheat flour manufacturers will sometimes utilize processing steps to mechanically increase the amount of protein in refined wheat flour. Still, you are always better off nutritionally with whole wheat rather than refined wheat—and for that matter, with any whole versus processed food.)

Consumer demand for more whole wheat products led to the introduction of 86 new whole wheat flours into the marketplace in the year 2007 alone. That change allowed whole wheat products to jump up from 2% of wheat flour production in 2003 to 4% in 2007. While this percentage is still low, the USDA is expecting an upward trend to continue along with increasing consumer interest in higher fiber whole grains.

It’s common for the food marketplace to be responsive to consumer demands. But what’s exciting here is the market investment in whole, natural foods and their increasing appeal to consumers. The idea of shifting downward in total carbs, but upward in whole grains is right in keeping with a Mediterranean diet approach to nourishment and the Healthiest Way of Eating Plan that we have developed from the WHF. It’s a trend we are definitely delighted to see!