Consumers know that whole grains are good for you-but after that, knowledge tends to give way to confusion, according to a new General Mills study of 1,010 US adults. More than half of those surveyed said they specifically shop for whole-grain products, and 61% think theyre getting enough whole grains in their diets. But the expert committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (see this issues Special Supplement) reported that only 5% of US consumers actually get the recommended three daily servings of whole grains. Part of the problem, the General Mills study revealed, may be confusion about identifying whole grains in the grocery store: Only 16% knew that terms like enriched flour, multigrain and 100% wheat (as opposed to 100% whole wheat) dont necessarily mean a product contains whole grains. And 17% incorrectly said that whole-grain products are always organic, when in fact theres no connection.
