Introduction
Grocery shopping can be a tricky task, especially when trying to make healthy choices. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which items to buy and which to avoid. A new report from Eat This Not That has revealed that shoppers are avoiding a popular grocery item. This article will discuss the item in question and why shoppers are choosing to avoid it.
Shoppers Are Avoiding This Popular Grocery Item, Says New Report
A new report from Eat This Not That has revealed that shoppers are avoiding a popular grocery item. The report found that shoppers are increasingly turning away from processed foods, opting instead for healthier, more natural options.
The report surveyed over 1,000 shoppers and found that the majority of them are avoiding processed foods, such as canned soups, frozen dinners, and pre-packaged snacks. Instead, they are opting for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
The report also found that shoppers are more likely to buy organic and non-GMO products. This is likely due to the growing awareness of the potential health risks associated with consuming processed foods.
The report concluded that shoppers are becoming more conscious of their food choices and are increasingly looking for healthier options. This is good news for those who are trying to make healthier choices and for the food industry, which is seeing an increase in demand for healthier products.
It is clear that shoppers are becoming more aware of the potential health risks associated with processed foods and are making an effort to avoid them. This is a positive trend that could lead to healthier eating habits and a healthier population.
Grocery shopping is constantly changing, and so are the specific demands from shoppers across the nation. That’s why one company in particular set out to learn more about the groceries people are loving, and the ones they are avoiding.
Sifter SP, Inc. is a Chicago-based, shop-by-diet technology company that allows users to find grocery items based on their specific dietary preferences and avoidances. They wanted to learn more about the foods that shoppers seemed to be avoiding most often, so they gathered data from Sifter users over a period of six months.
Based on the site’s specific function where you can select categories you wish to avoid, Sifter discovered the top five grocery avoidances selected by their shoppers. In the very top spot on the list were gluten and wheat products, followed by dairy, added sugars, lactose, and artificial sweeteners or preservatives.
This brings up the age-old question: why do so many people try to avoid gluten, wheat, and other bread products? And if only a small portion of the population has celiacs or gluten intolerance, then why is it still so heavily avoided by shoppers?
Why is gluten so often avoided?
Some people may be avoiding gluten because they have an intolerance. Although gluten intolerance can be extremely uncomfortable and lead to inflammation, abdominal pain, bloating, and fatigue, research shows that it only affects about 6% of the US population.
There’s also a small portion of the population who has a severe autoimmune response to gluten, called Celiac disease. For those with Celiac, gluten can damage the small intestine and cause them to feel very sick.
Celiac disease and gluten intolerance only cover a small portion of shoppers in the US, and yet gluten is among some of the most avoided ingredients today. Unless someone has a medical condition related to gluten or wheat, they may be missing out on the benefits of certain gluten-filled or wheat-based food products.
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Are there benefits to eating gluten?
One of the reasons people are so fearful of gluten is because they’re most likely associating it with refined carbohydrates. These heavily-processed wheat products (like white bread, for example) are made by stripping the grain of its fiber and nutrients. These might taste good, but they usually have no nutritional value whatsoever.
However, whole-grain items like whole-grain breads, brown rice, oats, and whole-wheat crackers are packed full of nutrients and can provide many different health benefits.
In fact, whole grains have been known to help lower blood pressure, help lower your risk of heart disease, and despite popular misconception, can even help you lose or manage your weight.
The takeaway
Shoppers are still heavily avoiding gluten, but it doesn’t mean you have to. Listen to your body, and if you feel discomfort after eating gluten, talk to your doctor about a possible elimination diet to see if gluten may to be blame.
But if you’re someone who feels fine after eating whole grain bread products, it may be perfectly fine to keep chowing down on your favorite toast or morning bowl of oatmeal.
For more healthy eating tips, check out Eating Habits for a Healthy Gut as You Age.