More than half of American consumers are actively working to eat whole grain foods, according to the 2015 Food and Health Study conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

For the past 10 years, IFIC has conducted an extensive survey into the “beliefs and behaviors of Americans” when it comes to their food choices. The 2015 report surveyed 1,007 Americans aged 18 to 80.

When presented with a list of food components and asked to what extent participants tried to consumer or avoid each, whole grains and fiber topped the list of what consumers are trying to eat at 56 and 55 percent, respectively.

This preference for whole grains and fiber is good news as the cereal fiber in grain foods “may be the most effective source of dietary fiber for improving health and reducing risk of chronic disease,” according to Dr. Glenn Gaesser, professor and director of the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at Arizona State University. Benefits include reduced risk of type II diabetes and other chronic diseases as well as improving overall gut health.

But, while consumers in this survey expressed desire to eat more whole grains and fiber, Americans overall still fall short of reaching dietary recommendations. According to the 2011 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study of dietary trends indicated that while 70 percent of consumers believed they consumed enough whole grains, more than 90 percent of adults and children fell short of the three to five recommended daily servings of whole grains.

Luckily, Americans have more choices than ever to help their desire to eat more whole grains become a reality. That includes new recipes from the 2015 National Festival of Breads. Try these winning recipes in your quest to incorporate more whole grains into your diet:

• 2015 Best Recipe Using White Whole Wheat Flour - Jennifer Beckman’s Buttermilk-Scallion Flatbreads
• Ronna Farley’s Crunchy-Topped Coconut Almond Bread
• Merry Graham’s Curry and Chia Onion Buns
• Patrice Hurd’s Peppered Parmesan Veggie Bread
• Ellie Sapat’s Wild Maine Blueberry Banana Nut Bread

By Julia Debes