The session explores the significance of whole grains for human nutrition and health. The topics covered in the session include the history of whole grains in the human diet, their composition, sources, and processing, consumption patterns and affordability, dietary recommendations, applications of whole grains in Canada and the United States, and new research on the health benefits of whole grain consumption. The session also discusses the scientific evidence, regulation and consumer perception of whole-grain products, carbohydrate quality, labelling and ultra-processed foods. The new areas of research on whole grains, exploring their benefits for cognitive performance, mood, and anxiety, will be discussed. The learning objectives are to: (1) identify the recommended whole grain intake for optimal health and discuss the potential benefits of increasing whole grain consumption; (2) know the current Canadian dietary recommendations for whole grains, population intakes, and food sources of whole grains; and (3) recognize areas of ongoing research and future directions in whole grain research and public health.
Applied Human Nutrition
Mount Saint Vincent University
Dr. Bohdan Luhovyy is a Professor in the Department of Applied Human Nutrition at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He completed his PhD from Lviv National University in Ukraine in 2001. From 2002 to 2005, Bohdan was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and from 2006 to 2011, he was a research associate at the University of Toronto with Dr. Harvey Anderson. In 2011, Bohdan joined Mount Saint Vincent University and has since then provided research training to more than 50 graduate and undergraduate students. Bohdan studies food from its perception to health outcomes. His research encompasses the development of functional food products, their sensory evaluation and consumer perception, and testing their health benefits in clinical trials, focusing on effects on appetite, food intake, and blood glucose control. His Appetite Lab is a research hub for food product development, dietary interventions, clinical trials, and training for dietitians, nutritional scientists, and specialists from the agri-food and other industries.