Wheat  Foods News

How Much Grain Foods Should You Eat? Gallup Survey Indicates Americans Unclear
Results from a recent survey conducted by the Gallup Organization revealed notable discrepancies between what consumers believe about healthful foods and what they actually eat.

The Wheat Foods Council, in cooperation with the American Bakers Association, commissioned the Gallup survey, conducted last fall.  The survey of 1,000 primary shoppers, shows that although the majority of Americans recognize the multiple health benefits of grain foods, fewer than one in 10 consumes the recommended dietary allowance of bread and other grain foods.

According to the survey, 83% of consumer respondents were aware bread and other grain foods provide energy. More than 70% correctly agree whole and enriched grains can help prevent heart disease and cancer, and also can help with weight control.

Despite knowing the health advantages of breads and other grains, however, Americans don’t appear to have a clear idea of just how much grain foods they should be eating. Most believe — incorrectly — they need to eat an average of only 4.3 servings of bread and other grain foods each day.

The USDA Food Guide Pyramid, acknowledged by 85% of consumers as a sensible and healthful eating plan, recommends consuming an average of 6 to 11 servings of bread and other grain foods daily depending on age, gender, and activity level. When it comes to actual consumption, USDA data shows Americans are getting, on average, 6.8 servings of grain foods daily, barely meeting the minimum recommended serving, with women getting only 5.5 servings a day.

USDA data also shows Americans aren’t getting enough of the nutrients bread and other grain foods provide. Although more than three-quarters of consumers indicated they think they are getting enough fiber (78%) and complex carbohydrates (76%), in reality only 55% are getting enough fiber and 52% are getting enough complex carbohydrates.

Nutritional Conflict Not Surprising
“With the glut of nutrition data available to consumers, it’s little wonder their beliefs and practices don’t exactly coincide,” says Karin Kratina, M.A., R.D., nutrition consultant and author of Eating Well, Living Well: When You Can’t Diet Anymore workbook. “The average person is simply confused by all the conflicting health data that is available. Factor in the countless fad diets that have little nutritional basis but promise great results, and the nutrition knowledge consumers have about nutrient-rich foods, such as grains, just doesn’t play out in their everyday lives.”

Dietitians also are concerned about Americans’ eating habits. An independent survey of 390 registered dietitians showed 86% don’t think consumers ages 12 to 45 are getting enough grains in their diets. Ironically, weight management and disease prevention — the very health benefits consumers most commonly associated with bread and other grain foods — are among patients’ top concerns, according to dietitians.

“It’s good news that consumers recognize which foods are good for them and what those foods can do,” says Judi Adams, president of the Wheat Foods Council. “We need to find ways to give consumers permission to get more grain foods into their diet so they can take advantage of all the benefits eating healthfully can deliver.”

The Wheat Foods Council, funded in part by the Minnesota wheat checkoff, is a nonprofit organization formed in 1972 to help increase public awareness of grains, complex carbohydrates, and fiber as essential components of a healthful diet. The Council is supported voluntarily by wheat producers, millers, bakers, and related industries.

Schwan’s joins WFC
Schwan’s, a manufacturer and distributor of frozen food products, has joined the WFC as an associate member. Yellow delivery trucks, a Schwan’s icon, have been delivering food products such as ice cream and pizza to the American public for decades. Although home delivery service continues to be their flagship operation, Schwan’s is a multifaceted business that also includes grocery and foodservice units. Pizza—one of the nation’s leading grains foods—continues to be a primary product for Schwan’s, and the company currently leads its competitors in supplying pizza to the school foodservice market.