Entire grain alternatives seem in low-carb shoppers

BOSTON — A shocking group of shoppers tends to hunt entire grain merchandise – these attempting to keep away from carbohydrates.

The Oldways Entire Grains Council’s 2023 entire grain shopper insights survey launched Aug. 23 discovered 16% of respondents stated they have been avoiding carbohydrates, which was down from 18% within the 2021 survey. Amongst Gen Z and millennial shoppers, 10% stated they have been avoiding carbohydrates.

Amongst those that stated they have been avoiding carbohydrates, 37% stated they select entire grains every time they’re accessible, which in comparison with 26% for all respondents. These avoiding carbohydrates additionally have been extra doubtless, at 31%, to say they’ve elevated their entire grain consumption within the final 5 years, which in comparison with 21% of all respondents.

The net survey of 1,500 People between the ages 18 to 89 was performed from Might 23 to June 7. Thirty-nine % of all respondents stated they’ve began consuming extra entire grains up to now 5 years, and 61% stated they select entire grains not less than half of the time. Low-carbohydrate shoppers, at 74%, have been almost definitely to say they select entire grains not less than half the time. Amongst all respondents, 77% stated they assume they need to improve their entire grains consumption. When requested why they select entire grains, 81% stated well being. Style got here in second at 39%.

When requested their favourite entire grain meals, 34% stated bread. Oatmeal was second at 24%, and popcorn was third at 19%. Breakfast was the preferred meal for entire grain consumption with 49% saying they eat entire grains at breakfast more often than not or on a regular basis. Different solutions have been dinner at 30%, lunch at 28% and snacks at 22%.

When requested concerning the Entire Grains Council’s Entire Grain Stamp discovered on merchandise, 85% of respondents stated they belief it and 83% stated they’d be extra doubtless to purchase a product if it had the Entire Grain Stamp, which was up from 78% in 2021.

When respondents have been requested what methods might encourage extra entire grain consumption, the highest three solutions have been lowering the fee at 59%, rising selection and availability at supermarkets at 57%, and offering extra schooling about entire grain advantages at 54%.

Inflation is influencing shoppers as 51% stated the value of merchandise is a significant component of their buying selections, which was up from 47% in 2021. Gen Z shoppers, at 37%, have been the almost definitely to quote value as a major barrier to entire grain consumption, adopted by 29% of millennials, 27% of Gen X, 19% of child boomers and 13% of the silent technology.

Questions within the survey additionally pertained to gluten, historic grains and sustainability.

Solely 8% of respondents accurately may outline gluten as a protein present in wheat, barley and rye, and as one thing that helps bread dough stretch and rise. Amongst those that accurately outlined gluten, 71% stated they select entire grains not less than half the time.

This yr extra respondents, at 70%, stated they don’t keep away from gluten than the 66% in 2021. Fewer respondents, at 5%, on this yr’s survey stated they at all times keep away from gluten when in comparison with the 2021 proportion of 8%. The share of respondents saying they averted gluten totally as a consequence of a medical analysis was 1.3% in 2023.

Quinoa was probably the most acknowledged historic grain within the survey with over 70% of respondents saying they’d heard of quinoa. Buckwheat was over 60%. When in comparison with the 2021 survey, extra respondents stated they’d heard of millet, as much as 40% from 36%, amaranth, as much as 18% from 15%, and teff, as much as 6% from 4%. Lower than 10% of respondents in 2023 stated they’d heard of Kamut, teff, freekeh, triticale and fonio.

Millennials, at 24%, have been extra prone to say they selected entire grains for sustainability advantages, which in contrast with 14% amongst Gen Z, Gen X, child boomers and the silent technology.

The Oldways Entire Grains Council, a Boston-based nonprofit shopper advocacy group, works to extend entire grain consumption by encouraging producers to create entire grain merchandise, serving to shoppers discover entire grain meals and serving to the media with entire grain tales.