How Much Fiber Should You Eat Daily? What to Know About the Viral 'Fibermaxxing' Trend, According to a Registered Dietitian
For better or worse, there's always a new wellness trend taking over social media. One that's popped up in the last year for the better, however, is the "fibermaxxing" trend. And it's exactly what it sounds like: intentionally increasing your intake at every meal by loading up on fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. With Americans notoriously low on daily fiber intake, we can only hope this is a "trend" that sticks around for the long haul.
"One of the reasons I think this trend is getting so much attention is because of fiber’s connection to gut health," says Kristie Leigh, RD, Director of Nutrition & Scientific Affairs at Danone U.S. "Gut health is increasingly being recognized as a foundation for overall wellness, with #GutHealth and #GutTok collecting more than 6 billion views on TikTok and Google searches for 'gut health' more than doubling in the last three years."
Fiber is having a major moment. It’s quickly becoming the new protein of the wellness world, moving to the forefront of every health conversation. While the protein craze went a bit overboard (somehow finding its way into everything from popcorn to ice cream), fiber going mainstream is a welcome shift. It’s more talked about than ever before, and for good reason, given its wide-ranging benefits.
For instance, insoluble fiber keeps your digestive system moving, soluble fiber can lower LDL cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar, and prebiotic fiber acts as fuel for the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
"Populations that consume more dietary fiber have even been found to have less chronic disease, with higher intakes being linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer," Leigh says.
Related: This Is the Best Fiber-Rich Snack for Heart Health, According to a Cardiologist
If you're looking to boost your daily fiber intake, a good target for men over 40 is about 14 grams per 1,000 calories, which comes out to roughly 38 grams per day. That said, don’t go from zero to fiber hero overnight. Increasing fiber too aggressively, especially without enough water, can lead to some uncomfortable bloating and digestive distress while your body adjusts.
"My advice is to make sure you’re staying hydrated and to start adding more fiber slowly over time as opposed to adding a ton of extra fiber all at once," Leigh says. "I like to encourage a food-first approach as opposed to automatically assuming you need a fiber supplement."
There’s no shortage of fiber-rich foods. For insoluble fiber, focus on whole grains, nuts, beans, and veggies like cauliflower and green beans. For soluble fiber, lean on oats, beans, avocados, apples, and bananas. And for prebiotic fiber, opt for artichokes, asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic, bananas, berries, legumes, oats, barley, and wheat, or fortified foods like certain yogurts and protein shakes.