Abstract
Whole grains are a vital part of a healthy diet, yet there are insufficient data on the whole-grain content of commercial food products. The purpose of this research is to examine the long-term change in (1) measured whole grains in food products, (2) Whole Grain Stamp usage and (3) the prominence of whole-grain ingredients and product categories, across the United States and Latin America. These changes were quantified by analyzing the Oldways Whole Grains Council’s (WGC) Stamped Product Database from 2007 to 2020. Mean whole grains increased 36–76%, from 19 grams to 25.8 grams per serving in the U.S. and 18.1 grams to 31.9 grams per serving in Latin America. Whole Grain Stamp usage worldwide has increased from 250 products in 2005 to more than 13,000 products in 2020. These findings suggest that manufacturers are increasing the percentage of the grain that is whole in their products and developing more whole-grain products for consumers, thus providing an opportunity for consumers to meet national-level whole-grain recommendations.
Highlights
Whole grains are widely recognized to be an important part of a healthy diet by both U.S [1] and global [2] dietary guidelines
Whole-grain intake is consistently associated with lower rates of colorectal cancer [7,8], type 2 diabetes [9], cardiovascular disease, and mortality [10], as well as beneficial changes to the gut microbiome [11]
The products approved for Stamp use were categorized as follows: (1) those approved for Stamp use in the U.S only, (2) those approved for Stamp use in the U.S and at least one international country, (3) those approved for Stamp use in one or more international countries, but not the U.S, and (4) those approved for Stamp use in Latin America
Summary
Whole grains are widely recognized to be an important part of a healthy diet by both U.S [1] and global [2] dietary guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends making at least half of all grains whole, thereby consuming at least 48 grams of whole grain per day [1]. The average person in Latin America eats only 14.7 grams of whole-grain foods per day [6]. The Global Burden of Disease study found that poor diet played a role in about 20% of all deaths globally and that low whole-grain intake was the second greatest dietary risk factor for mortality after high sodium consumption [12]. The Stamp helps consumers quantify whole-grain intake by communicating how many grams of whole grain are in one serving of a product, thereby enabling consumers to increase intake more toward recommended levels [14]. GACs tShteamWpGeCd SPtraomdupectdDPar-oduct Database tabase containscopnrtoapinriseptarroypriineftoarrmy iantfioonrmfraotimonfforoodmmfoaondumfaactnuurfearcst,usroemrs,esdomatea dcaantancoatnbneot be published.
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