Are food health trends like ‘fibermaxxing’ and ‘proteinmaxxing’ actually healthy?

First it was protein, now it is fibre: the “maxxing” mindset has permeated social media, as wellness influencers insist that loading up on certain nutrients is the key to vitality and a life-changing gut glow-up. These viral diet trends rooted in extreme optimisation are affecting how people eat and what companies sell – but are they actually healthy? The concept of “proteinmaxxing” insists that more is better when it comes to the macronutrient found in foods like nuts, meat and dairy, which is essential to a vast array of bodily functions, such as repairing tissue or enhancing immune function. Meanwhile, dietary fibre is on track to be 2026’s online trend of choice: ingest as much as possible, and you will be less hungry and more regular, say online advocates who wave bowls of chia seeds and oats at the camera. Brands have taken note. If you can buy it, there is probably a protein-boosted version of it – even the sugariest cereals are touting their high protein content. Meanwhile, companies like PepsiCo and Nestlé, along with newer firms like soft drink maker Olipop, are highlighting the fibre content in their prebiotic sodas or chips. “I think fibre will be the next protein,” said PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta in an earnings call late last year. A survey from the consulting firm Bain & Company showed nearly half of US consumers are trying to eat more protein. Across the United States, Europe and Asia, Gen Z and millennial consumers are primarily driving the fad, according to the survey. The same goes for fibre: according to London’s GlobalData, 40 per cent of Gen Z and 45 per cent of millennials reported they are trying to improve their gut health. More is not always best Nutritionists say there are grains of truth to the fibre craze. Andrea Glenn, an assistant professor of nutrition at New York University, calls the movement surrounding fibre a “pretty tame wellness trend compared to the other things out there”. Samantha Snashall, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University’s medical centre in the United States, says protein has been “the special child” in recent years – and fibre has been “pretty undervalued”. “I’m glad it’s having some light shed on it.” But those experts, along with Arch Mainous – a professor of community health and family medicine at the University of Florida, who has researched the use of social media in health communication – say more is not always best, especially when it comes to protein. Mainous says eating according to the recommended daily values is one thing, but “if you say one’s good, five’s better? I’m not really for that.” He voices concern that people are putting too much stock in the one-size-fits-all health advice of influencers. It is part of a broader trend that has resulted in a “lack of trust in health experts”, he says – an “I’ll do my own research” mentality that has also been fuelled by the likes of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, who has spread anti-vaccine misinformation for years. Few influencers are trained scientists, Mainous says, and many have brand deals or agendas of their own, including products to sell. No ‘silver bullet’ So what is an eater to do? First, talk to your doctor, Mainous says. As a general guideline, the American Heart Association says that for many people, a day that includes a combination of foods like a glass of milk, a cup of yogurt, a cup of cooked lentils, and a piece of cooked lean meat or fish around the size of a deck of cards will be in the ballpark of the average daily protein target. Fibre-wise, Glenn says 25 to 38 grams (0.88 to 1.34 ounces), depending on age and sex, is a good goal. High-fibre foods – such as beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains like oats or quinoa – are linked to lower rates of certain cancers, and can help keep cholesterol and blood sugar in check. Generally, Glenn says, people can eat some whole grains or fruit at breakfast, and then should try to fill half their plates with vegetables at lunch and dinner. With that visualisation, “you’ll easily hit that target without needing to meticulously count how much fibre you’re consuming”, she says. But if you are not currently eating much fibre – most people are not – “maxxing” is not a good course, Snashall warns. Shake things up overnight and “your GI system is going to have a strong reaction”, she says. “Slow and steady wins the race.” Glenn notes that powders and supplements cannot serve as a replacement for whole, real foods. Perhaps most importantly, no nutrient is a cure-all – those “fibre-rich” chips probably will not change your life. “I think it’s important to never view these things as a silver bullet to all your problems,” she says.

Are food health trends like ‘fibermaxxing’ and ‘proteinmaxxing’ actually healthy?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Experts say more is not always best when it comes to protein and fibre. Here’s some advice on balanced nutrition and gut health

Experts say more is not always best when it comes to protein and fibre. Here’s some advice on balanced nutrition and gut health