Forget simply eating a balanced diet — we now face a revolving door of dietary advice that offers one-track answers to questions of nutrition. Last year, it was protein. Bulging blokes, through mouthfuls of chicken and eggs, would frequently tell us on Instagram and TikTok the importance of reaching desired protein levels. The year before, it was gut health, specifically kombucha drinks and more probiotic products than you could shake a stick at.
In 2026, apparently, the trend is fibremaxxing, a new movement preaching the importance of a high fibre diet. But don’t roll your eyes just yet. This is an outlier in the food trend world, being widely and unanimously advocated across nutritional science — not just on social media.
Its arrival is hardly breaking news. #fibremaxxing has been viewed 160m times on TikTok, nutritional advice company Zoe named fibre its nutrient of the year for 2026, and last week Radio 4 featured a daily programme hosted by chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall entirely dedicated to one macronutrient (yes, you guessed it): fibre.
“Fibre has always taken a backseat to protein and is largely misunderstood,” says Sandie Dilger, the CMO at PROPER SNACKS — a fibre-forward snack brand. “It’s now suddenly become mainstream, with Jamie Oliver and Emily English making it a crusade of theirs to get more fibre in your diet.” But why has everyone gone doolally over fibre? And is this just another fad to be avoided at all costs?
“These days, many people turn to social media for nutrition advice, often following influencers who aren’t qualified and don’t provide evidence based guidance,” says Dr Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, Professor of Human Nutrition at King’s College London. “Fibremaxxing is different because it highlights a real problem: most adults aren’t getting enough fibre. In the UK, 96 per cent of adults fall short of the recommended 30g per day, even though fibre is proven to support heart and gut health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that comes in two different forms: soluble and insoluble. The soluble form dissolves in water to become a kind of gel. This slows digestion and lengthens the amount of time it takes to break down carbohydrates, which helps prevent spikes in glucose levels and promotes healthy cholesterol. Foods that pack a lot of soluble fibre include chia seeds, avocados, prunes and oats.
Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water at all, flushes out the digestive system and bulks out your stool. Pulses, legumes, whole grains and flax seeds are all examples of this. A balance of both of these types is important, but experts recommend more of a weighting toward insoluble fibre.
In more tangible terms, a high-fibre diet can increase lifespan and boost cognition. According to a 2022 study from Japan, of 3,700 participants, those who had the highest fibre intake were at the lowest risk of suffering from dementia. “Fibre is a profoundly important part of diet that is closely linked to gut health, reducing the risk of constipation and colorectal cancer,” says Bernard Corfe, Professor of Human Nutrition at Newcastle University.
Like all nutritional advice, we shouldn’t go overboard. The effects of long-term overconsumption of fibre are under-researched. In the short term, it can cause indigestion and constipation. With food trends being such an online sensation, there is a lot of misinformation, with some influencers recommending up to 100g a day.
Nevertheless, Corfe distinguishes fibremaxxing from just another online dietary trend. “I am delighted to see this overlooked nutrient gaining some recognition,” he says. It seems that high-fibre diets are here to stay.
