Consumer, Cereals and Health: Trends, Fads and Reality

摘要

Consumers have a love-hate relationship with carbohydrates. This ambivalence colors their thoughts on the health benefits of cereal foods. While a segment of consumers has embraced whole grain foods and the health advantages that they offer, others still eschew these foods as calorie laden, blood glucose- and insulin-raising and nutritionally non-edifying. Studies continue to link ingestion of whole grains, fiber and low glycemic carbohydrate with a decrease in risk for diabetes, weight gain, coronary heart disease and diabetes and other conditions. Yet, numerous product introductions, which are partially or totally whole grain, have failed to change the eating patterns of many consumers. The problem is partially due to the fact that consumers stillhave significant difficulty identifying whole grain products and often misidentify them. Many consumers are still unaware of the health benefits of whole grain and fortified cereal products, especially the important role of folic acid. These issues willbe addressed along with the importance of dietary fiber in cereal foods in helping to bridge the fiber consumption gap and in improving the glycemic response. Health benefits of cereal foods, along with strategies to help communicate these virtues to apublic barraged with conflicting messages, will be proposed.