Can food bring people together? If the food is made with whole grains, it just might. While much of American lifestyle choices are subject to debate, there seems to be strong agreement on the importance of whole grains.

The IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Fiber & Whole Grains, which was published in February 2026, found that “Nearly three-quarters of Americans consider fiber (73%) and whole grains (70%) beneficial to health, compared with fewer than half (41%) who view refined carbohydrates as beneficial.”

In such a polarizing time, this is an overwhelming consensus worth noting. And it’s not an anomaly. These findings are very closely aligned with results from the 2025 Whole Grain Consumer Insights Survey, which found that 71% of consumers choose whole grains for health, and that 73% of consumers think they should eat more whole grains.

Whole grains have decades of strong and consistent research supporting their health benefits, and the message seems to be breaking through. According to IFIC, the top three reasons Americans consume whole grains are eating a healthy diet (37%), increasing fiber intake (30%), and supporting gut health (27%). Other reported motivations for eating whole grains include reducing heart disease risk (20%), inflammation (19%), blood pressure (19%), total and LDL cholesterol (19%), and/or colon cancer risk (17%).

Recognizing the health benefits of whole grains and being able to find whole grains at the store are two different tasks, and Americans are up for the challenge. IFIC reports that “six in ten Americans (61%) say they try to consume foods high in whole grains, while more than half (52%) report actively limiting foods high in refined carbohydrates.”

According to their survey, “Americans are more likely to look for carbohydrate related claims on food packaging than details on the Nutrition Facts label.” Likewise, IFIC found that more than a quarter of Americans say they look for claims such as “100% Whole Grain” (29%), or “Made with Whole Grains” (26%).

Whole grains are a food group, not a nutrient, and therefore aren’t quantified on the Nutrition Facts label alongside nutrients like fiber and sugar. This gap in information is why the Whole Grain Stamp was created more than twenty years ago.

The IFIC findings track with data from the 2025 Whole Grain Consumer Insights Survey, which found that after the Nutrition Facts label, the Whole Grain Stamp is the second most highly rated packaging label in terms of usefulness.

A central component of both the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act introduced in 2010 and the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans released this year, whole grains are being prioritized by policy makers and health experts on both sides of the aisle. Breaking bread with others opens doors to deeper understanding and respect, fostering connection, appreciation, and understanding in our communities and throughout the world. If you really want to build a bridge and create an atmosphere of common ground, you’ll want to make sure that bread is whole grain! (Kelly)

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