A 2009 survey of more than a thousand adults asked those who claimed they were making an effort to eat more whole grains to explain their reasons for making this effort.

36% of them said “I enjoy the taste.” This was up considerably from a 2006 study where 13% cited taste as a positive purchase motivator.

Other popular answers included “Whole grain foods are healthier” (76%); “In order to get more fiber” (69%); “To fill me up and help me lose weight” (53%); and “To get more vitamins and minerals” (44%).

It’s great to see that more than a third of those responding to this question see the nuttier, fuller taste of whole grains as a plus! This could explain why “about two third[s] of respondents reported that they prefer to buy breads and cereals made with whole grains.”

Given that these surveys show people’s taste for whole grains is growing, I decided to visit tbe blogosphere to see just how folks describe their positive feelings for whole grains, and share a few examples with you.

Emily Carlin, whose blog is Back to the Cutting Board, captured the feeling of the survey perfectly, when she said in an April 2011 post,

“Up until now I’ve just thought of my whole wheat flour as a substitute: “I’ll add some whole wheat flour to these muffins to make them better for me.” But this cookbook [Kim Boyce’s Good to the Grain] has made me look at whole grain flours in a whole new light. Whole grain flours have something that white flour doesn’t have: taste. And because of that you can use them in your baked goods to make something that has tons more flavor and depth than anything made with plain white flour.”

Lindsay Hunt, in a post a few months earlier on chef Marcus Samuelsson’s site, also talked about the flavors whole grains brought to an applesauce cake when she said

“I love the nutty taste of buckwheat, and thought it would enhance the cake’s flavor.  The barley flour gives an earthy taste, and expands the nutritional profile.  Both flours pair well with the applesauce and spices.”

How would you describe the taste benefits that whole grains add to your favorite foods, whether they’re packaged or home-made? Write and tell us! (Cindy)

Sources: A Survey of Consumers’ Whole Grain and Fiber Consumption Behaviors, and the Perception of Whole Grains as a Source of Dietary Fiber. Kellogg Co., March 2009 and Harris Interactive Survey of 1,040 adults, conducted January 2006, titled “Healthy Eating: Impact on the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry”