Bread, pasta and rice sales have increased for the first time in three years, suggesting shoppers no longer see carbohydrates as the enemy. The popular high-fat, high-protein Atkins diet was among a string of fashionable eating plans which saw carbohydrates taken out of shopping trolleys and replaced with alternatives like courgetti. Now sales of artisan bread, rice are rising again and there is a renewed desire for pasta and potatoes, according to supermarkets. Retail experts believe the recent trend for "gut health" is encouraging people to eat bread again as it is a source of fibre. Waitrose has seen sales of sourdough bread rise by 30 per cent over the last three years, and speciality loaves, such as those made with linseed, mixed grains and seeds are filling shoppers baskets too, with sales up 22 per cent over the last three months. Online shoppers are seeking out an assortment of other bread, with searches for white loaves on their website up 20 per cent and unsliced loaf searches soaring by 450 per cent versus the previous year. Even the classic sliced loaf is proving popular once again, with a 14 per cent increase in customer searches. Sales of rice are up 4.6 per cent compared to three years ago, and searches for potatoes on the supermarket"s website over the last three months are up 12 per cent. John Lewis has seen sales of pasta machines go up 80 per cent since last year, with customers taking part in the fresh pasta trend. A spokesperson said: "Bread had lost favour with shoppers a few years ago, with the advent of new diets and low-carb manuals reigning the book charts. But now bread is moving back to the mainstream, with sourdough leading the way." Amy Price, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said that consumers are waking up to the potential health benefits of bread after an initial fall in sales due to fears about carbohydrates. She explained: “While health concerns pose a barrier to uptake of bread, there is openness to bread with lower carbohydrates or made from more nutritious flour. Bread makers have the permission to position their products as contributing to healthy lifestyles. “Similarly, tapping into current interest in gut health through emphasising bread as an easy way to get fibre into people’s diet continues to provides a means for keeping bread on the menu.” While there has been a long-term decline in pre-packed bread, Mintel predicts growth in the sector over the next five years. Their analysis found the top factor soliciting interest in bread is being made with British flour, this appealing to 34 per cent with consumers keen to support their local and national economy. Meanwhile, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of bread buyers express interest in bread that is lower in carbohydrates, highlighting the potential for bread to stay on the menu, even as many consumers question its healthiness. Ms Price added: "Fibre and gut health have received considerable media attention in recent years, with some studies even linking the latter with mental wellbeing. Accordingly, the topic now also stands firmly on consumers’ radars. "That 70 per cent of bread eaters and buyers agree bread is an easy way to get fibre into your diet is therefore a major selling point for the category. Some niche operators have put gut health claims on front of pack, an approach that more operators would do well to explore."