{"id":440522,"date":"2026-01-29T09:12:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T09:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/440522\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T09:12:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T09:12:23","slug":"protein-is-so-last-year-why-fiber-is-the-next-big-thing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/440522\/","title":{"rendered":"Protein is so last year. Why fiber is the next big thing"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n Move over, protein. Fiber is on pace to be the next \u201cit\u201d nutrient of the year.\n <\/p>\n

\n Consumers \u2014 particularly Gen Z \u2014 are fixated on stomach health, leading to the \u201cfibermaxxing\u201d trend<\/a> taking hold on TikTok. As people try to maximize the fiber in their meals, major food companies are capitalizing on the trend with new, fiber-focused products.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThere is a consumer need in terms of digestion and gut health, and that\u2019s something we\u2019ve seen the last few years,\u201d said Sherry Frey, health and wellness thought leader at NIQ. The younger generation, she added, understands that digestive health is linked to better skin and improved cognitive function.\n <\/p>\n

\n Dataessential, a food and beverage research firm, found that 52% of consumers were interested in trying \u201cfibermaxxing\u201d after learning about the trend and that 42% of shoppers think food labeled \u201chigh fiber\u201d is healthier.\n <\/p>\n

\"Grocery<\/p>\n

\n Fiber builds on previous wellness-focused consumer trends, Frey told CNN. First was hydration, as seen with the rise of products like Liquid I.V. and Electrolit<\/a>. Then protein, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe natural next step is for fiber,\u201d she said, calling the converging of trends a \u201cperfect storm.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Also, fiber has been proven to trigger \u201ca naturally occurring GLP-1 in our bodies,\u201d she added, referencing the appetite-suppressing hormone in weight-loss drugs like Wegovy that are flooding the market.\n <\/p>\n

\n Consumers\u2019 desire for fiber is already evident on grocery store shelves. Whole Foods\u2019 forecast<\/a> for 2026 said there are \u201cmore fiber-forward callouts on packaging\u201d as well as more products with added fiber.\n <\/p>\n

\n Thrive Market, a membership-based online supermarket, has seen fiber-related terms surge 30% over the past year with shoppers gravitating toward snacks, bars and supplements, a spokesperson told CNN.\n <\/p>\n

\n Major food companies have taken notice: PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on its most recent earnings call in October that \u201cfiber will be the next protein.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cConsumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need. It\u2019s actually a deficiency in US consumers\u2019 diets, and that will be elevated,\u201d Laguarta told analysts. (More than 90% of woman and 97% of men don\u2019t get their recommended daily intake of fiber, the US government said<\/a> in 2020.)\n <\/p>\n

\n PepsiCo is already bolstering its soda portfolio with fiber-forward products. Last summer, it launched a gut-friendly soda following its purchase of Poppi<\/a> with \u201cPepsi Prebiotic Cola,\u201d which includes added fiber.<\/a> More products are on the way, including fiber-enhanced versions of its SunChips, Smartfood popcorn and Propel hydration packets.\n <\/p>\n

\"Cans<\/p>\n

\n McDonald\u2019s CEO Chris Kempczinski also recently predicted<\/a> on his Instagram account that fiber \u201cis going to be big\u201d in 2026, perhaps signaling that the fast food chain could dip its toes into the trend.\n <\/p>\n

\n Snacks, such as chips and puffed crackers, will be the battleground for fiber, Frey predicts, notably products made from legumes and beans. But taste is a factor, especially if it\u2019s made from plant-based ingredients.\ufeff\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cConsumers are willing to make a trade, but they\u2019re not always willing to make the trade if the taste isn\u2019t there,\u201d Frey said. \u201cDespite the economy, they\u2019re willing to pay a little more for these kinds of products.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\n That\u2019s where private labels created by major grocery stores come in. They are also getting into the wellness sector with fiber-enchanced products, but without the premium prices.\n <\/p>\n

\n Aldi\u2019s recently relaunched<\/a> in-house line includes knock-offs of \u201cbetter for you\u201d sodas and meal bars. Walmart is expanding its Bettergoods lineup, which encompasses several foods that have plant-based ingredients.\n <\/p>\n

\n The recommended amount of fiber is 25 grams per day for adult woman to 35 for adult males, according to medical experts<\/a>, so \u201cit\u2019s a generally good healthy trend,\u201d said Paul Kriegler, a registered dietician and senior director of nutritional products for Life Time.\n <\/p>\n

\n However, the prepackaged products hitting shelves are not a panacea for this deficiency. He would rather consumers gravitate toward the produce and vegetable section at the grocer for their fiber needs.\n <\/p>\n

\n The US government\u2019s newly released dietary guidelines<\/a> also urge people to prioritize \u201creal food,\u201d including \u201cfiber-rich whole grains,\u201d as well as curtail their intake of highly processed foods.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhat I\u2019ve taught clients for a long time is to eat a pile of vegetables the size of your head every day,\u201d Kreigler told CNN. \u201cThe irony is most of the foods that will help \u2018fibermaxxing\u2019 don\u2019t even have labels and you have to go get them fresh.\u201d\n <\/p>\n