Vik Bensen
Stamp Program Manager
Oldways Whole Grains Council 

In this article, we explore the findings of the 2023 Whole Grain Consumer Insights Survey, highlighting how increasing the variety and availability of whole grain products can significantly boost consumption. The article examines the unique characteristics of various whole grain flours, such as spelt, einkorn, buckwheat, and teff, and their growing popularity in global cuisines. It also addresses the economic and health benefits of whole grain intake, underscoring the potential of innovative whole grain products to meet consumer demands and promote healthier eating habits worldwide.

What’s it going to take to help people eat more whole grains? Exciting new flour varieties just might be the answer. According to the 2023 Whole Grain Consumer Insights Survey, a semi-annual census-representative survey of American consumers published by the Whole Grains Council (WGC), a program of the Boston-based nutrition nonprofit Oldways, shifting the food environment to increase the variety and availability of whole grain products at supermarkets is one of the best ways to encourage people to eat more whole grains, second only to the impact of reducing the cost of whole grain items. Today, there are more whole grain flours than ever before; these flavor-packed, nutritious flours can be found in nearly every department at the modern grocery store. Around the world, consumers can access global whole grains; from spelt fettuccini, to Indian chapatti, to Japanese soba noodles made from buckwheat flour. 

Up until recently, alternative grains and whole grain flours were uncharted territory to most mainstream food producers and bakers. Today however, innovative producers are letting these flavor flours shine. Ancient wheat flours, such as spelt flour and einkorn flour, are going to have the most predictable baking behavior, providing ever-important structure and gluten to doughs and batters. These flours add a sweetness to baked goods. Buckwheat is robust and earthy and is well suited for flatbreads like pancakes as well as noodles. On the other hand, teff flour has hints of cocoa, and makes for delicious gluten-free brownies and cookies. Oat flour has undertones of butterscotch, while brown rice flour is subtly reminiscent of caramel. Sorghum flour is another favorite alternative flour, with a sweet, almost corn-like taste. 

The most important thing to remember when working with these flours is that they aren’t interchangeable – each brings its own personality and strengths to the table. “Want weak protein for crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookies? That variety will never have strong enough protein for risen, open-crumb sandwich bread or dried noodles. Complication and compromise arise when we acknowledge that not all bread, or all pastries, or all noodles are the same, but within each category the wheat pretty much is,” writes Dr. Stephen Jones, the former Director of the Bread Lab at Washington State University. ¹

The expansion of whole grain flour options is responding to a clear demand, especially amongst American consumers. More than one third of WGC survey respondents (39%) say they have started eating more whole grains in the past five years. Whole grains are becoming a more popular grocery staple, with 61% of consumers saying they now choose whole grains at least half the time and 26% of consumers say they nearly always choose whole grains whenever they are available. When asked if they are getting enough whole grain, 77% of consumers reported thinking they should increase their intake. It’s apparent that consumers understand the key role whole grains play in maintaining a healthy body and in preventing chronic disease. Research shows that if American whole grain intake was increased to meet recommended levels (an increase of 2.24 ounce-equivalents of whole grain per day), the estimated direct medical cost savings from reduced risk of cardiovascular disease would be $21.9 billion annually.² Similar studies in other regions show comparable healthcare cost savings, indicating that increasing whole grain intake at a population level offers a significant economic opportunity for communities around the world. 

Although there is widespread access to whole grain products, cost can impact people’s ability to purchase despite their desire and knowledge of the health benefits. Inflation rates have risen across the globe in recent years, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with food being particularly affected. We see the clear impact of this inflation on consumers—the percentage of consumers who said the price of products is a major factor in their purchasing decisions rose last year, from 47% in 2021 to 51% in 2023. The survey also found that younger generations are much more likely to cite cost as a significant barrier to whole grain consumption. This signals the importance of achieving price parity between whole and refined grain products. 

Over the years, the survey data has consistently found that American consumers want to eat more whole grains, and that some product categories are especially appealing. Specifically, 38% of consumers want to eat more whole grain pasta (which is a significant increase from 2021), 38% want to eat more whole grain bread, rolls, and buns, 27% want to eat more whole grain crackers, snacks, rice, and grain sides, 26% want to eat more whole grain breakfast cereals, and 25% want to eat more whole grain pizza crust, cookies, cakes, and baked treats. As these data suggest, novel whole grain flours are going to play in important role innovation. 

The Oldways Whole Grains Council runs a third-party certification program, certifying the whole grain content of products on the consumer market. The Whole Grain Stamp is found on more than 13,000 whole grain products globally. Currently, the product categories with the most Stamped products are cold cereals, breads, snacks and crackers, hot cereals, grain side dishes, and flours. We can see the market responding to the demand for more whole grains. Globally, the average whole-grain gram amount shown on the Whole Grain Stamp increased from 19 grams to 25.8 grams per serving from 2008 to 2020. 

The Oldways Whole Grains Council has seen amaranth, millet, quinoa, sorghum, and teff products grow steadily between 2010 and 2020. Of these five, millet and quinoa are the most common ingredients in products registered for Stamp use. Millet’s prominence has been relatively steady, with inclusion in 8–9% of products. Quinoa was used in under 3% of Stamped products in 2010, but by 2020, it showed up in 10.5% of products—a 3.5-fold increase. In 2010, sorghum was included in 0.6% of products but had increased to 4.4% of Stamped products by 2019. Over 10 years, amaranth’s use doubled, and teff’s prominence quadrupled. Quinoa was virtually unknown to the American consumer before the International Year of Quinoa was declared by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 2013. Immediately after, between 2013 and 2014, global quinoa production increased almost 45%. As of 2022, it remained 29% higher than 2013 production levels and is a standard fixture in pantries and restaurants across America³. Although flours made from these ancient grains represent a small sector of the market, there is ample opportunity for millers and producers to take advantage of growing consumer interest in – and familiarity with – these ingredients.

We often encounter the common misconception that grain equals gluten. For people without a medically diagnosed problem with gluten, unnecessarily avoiding gluten can be detrimental to health⁴. as it may keep dieters below the recommended amount of whole grains per day, or leave dieters with less-nutritious options. Luckily for the celiac disease and gluten intolerance community, there are many whole grains—like millet, amaranth, and quinoa—that are naturally gluten-free, which have potential for growth in the commercial market. 

Surprisingly, while we often assume that low-carb dieters have lower whole grain consumption, the WGC’s Consumer Insights Survey found that people who said they avoid carbs are more likely to look for whole grains when shopping, more likely to report nearly always choosing whole grain foods, and more likely to report having increased their whole grain intake a great deal in the last five years when compared with all consumers. This tells us that shoppers have a discerning eye when it comes to carbohydrate quality, and that whole grains meet the needs of many overlapping demographic groups who might otherwise share very little of each other’s nutrition philosophy. We look forward to seeing more products and options offered to consumers, who know the importance whole grains play in a balanced, healthy eating pattern.

 1.  Jones, S. S., & Econopouly, B. F. (2018). Breeding away from all purpose. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 42(6), 712–721. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2018.1426672

2. Murphy MM, Schmier JK. Cardiovascular Healthcare Cost Savings Associated with Increased Whole Grains Consumption among Adults in the United States. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 3;12(8):2323. doi: 10.3390/nu12082323. PMID: 32756452; PMCID: PMC7469007.

3. Shahbandeh, M. (2024, May 22). Quinoa production worldwide 2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/486442/global-quinoa-production/#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20this%20crop%20is%20a,thousand%20metric%20tons%20in%202021. 

4. Gluten free whole grains. Gluten Free Whole Grains | The Whole Grains Council. (n.d.). https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whats-whole-grain-refined-grain/gluten-free-whole-grains