Every week, millions of Canadians enjoy their morning toast, lunch wraps and pasta dinners and countless other wheat-based foods without realizing they’re consuming one of the country’s most exported crops. While Canada produces high-quality nutritious wheat that reaches tables across the globe, a surprising disconnect exists at home: 93% of Canadians consume wheat products weekly, yet few understand the substantial health benefits found in these everyday staples.
The What About Wheat? initiative aims to close this knowledge gap by informing Canadians about the nutritional benefits of wheat—a mission that’s becoming increasingly important as dietary misinformation spreads.
The Challenge: Misinformation vs. Nutrition Science
Gluten-free trends, fad diets, and social media messaging often encourage Canadians to reduce or eliminate wheat-based products from their diets. However, wheat-based products provide significant contributions to a healthy diet and removing them can lead to reduced intake of key B vitamins, dietary fibre, iron and folic acid.
Research from the Canadian Community Health 2019 Survey1 reveals that nutritional knowledge acts as a buffer against misinformation. The data suggests that consumers with a better understanding of nutrition are less likely to fall for misinformation that encourages the elimination of nutrient-dense foods like whole grains.
Insights like the results of this survey demonstrate that education, not just trends, drives lasting dietary change. For wheat—already consumed by nearly all Canadians—this research suggests there is potential to transform routine consumption into intentional, health-conscious choices.
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