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a certain way,” said Lowry. “But the rest of
us can enjoy the benefits and goodness
of wheat, barley, oats and rye.”
This need to separate fact from fiction
was echoed by Sue Newell, operations
manager of the Canadian Celiac
Association.
“There is a small group of people who
feel better when they don’t eat gluten,”
explained Newell. “Some have celiac
disease and others self-diagnose gluten
sensitivity. But since there’s no reliable
test for the latter condition, many more
people are restricting their diets in ways
that aren’t making a significant difference
to their health.”
Gordon Harrison, president of the
Canadian National Millers Association
(CNMA) and a founding member of the
HGI, put it in perspective.
“If 30 per cent of North American
consumers are avoiding gluten and six per
cent may actually have gluten intolerance,
it means five times as many people are
worrying about it than need to be.”
It’s this sort of incongruity that
prompted the CNMA and other industry
organizations to support the HGI.
“We saw what happened with
the low-carb diet phase, particularly
the Atkins diet,” said Harrison. “It
was a disturbing example of how
misinformation can influence consumer
behaviour to the detriment of
producers, processors and the general
public. From that, we identified an
urgent need for the kind of outreach that
the HGI has implemented.”
Central to that outreach is promoting
the advantages of grains in the diet.
Grain-based foods provide some key
elements of proper nutrition, including B
vitamins, iron and fibre.
“Fibre is a key one, as we are not
consuming enough of it,” said Lowry.
“People think they’ll get it from fruits
and vegetables, but those foods have
different types and amounts of fibre than
what is found in whole-grain foods.”
Not only is there scientific evidence
that people eating whole grains have
a reduced risk of cancer and healthier
body weights, but removal of grains
from their diets could have long-term
consequences.
“Many people assume that ‘gluten-free’
means healthier, that somehow ‘free’
equates with ‘better,’” said Lowry. “But
what if it said ‘vitamin-free’ or ‘nutrient-
free’? Many gluten-free foods are highly
processed and contain a lot of starch and
fat, so that some people can actually gain
weight on a gluten-free diet.”
That’s the sort of information that the
HGI wants to share with the public.
“Communication is critical. Through
our website, we post the latest scientific
research and articles as well as fact
sheets on key topics such as gluten
sensitivity, the benefits of wheat, and the
role of whole grains in weight control.”
Additionally, the HGI is active on
Facebook and Twitter, and features
“Wheat Wednesdays” on its website with
interesting factoids. Lowry emphasizes
that this online material receives close
scrutiny from the scientific advisory
council to ensure that it’s accurate and
science-based.
And it’s not just consumers who
benefit from that accuracy.
“From field to fork, there are so many
entities involved in this business that a
need existed for one group to provide
authentic, reliable data on behalf of
industry. If we can be that focal point for
all links in the value chain, we’re happy to
do it,” said Lowry.
But the HGI has no intention of doing
it alone.
“We’re working closely with the Grain
Foods Foundation and theWheat Foods
Council in the United States. Our scientists
are collaborating with their scientists to
review projects and share information.”
While the HGI isn’t engaged in its own
research at present, Lowry sees that as an
area of potential growth.
On the topic of growth, Lowry is proud
of how far the HGI has come in two years
and is excited about the future.
“We need to tell more people who we
are and connect with other stakeholders
to understand their information needs
and help them to better serve their
constituents,” she said.
Grain
u
the Numbers
Percentage of Canadians who have
celiac disease.
Kilogramweight loss over four months
from an increase of 14 grams per day in
fibre consumption.
Servings of whole grains per day
associated with lower BMI in adults.
Per cent reduction in heart disease risk
for those eating three or more servings
of whole grains daily.
Million tonnes of wheat exported by
Canada to countries around the world.
The Food Issue
2014
Grains
West
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