component followed by fish oil, supplements, dairy, whole grains
Asked, unprompted, what is the first food or food component that comes to mind that is thought to have health benefits beyond basic nutrition, 56% of consumers surveyed said fruits and/or vegetables.
Next was fish/fish oil (8%), followed by vitamins/supplements (7%), dairy (5%), whole grains (5%), fiber (3%) and nuts (1%), reflecting the growing awareness of the health benefits of omega-3s in particular.
However, all of these components still scored pretty low compared to fruits and veggies, noted Sarah Romotsky, RD, associate director health & wellness at IFIC.