NEW YORK, April 6 \u2014 \u00a0First it was protein, now it\u2019s fibre: the \u201cmaxxing\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
These viral diet trends rooted in extreme optimisation are impacting how people eat and what companies sell\u2014but are they actually healthy?<\/p>\n
The concept of \u201cproteinmaxxing\u201d insists that more is better when it comes to the macronutrient found in foods like meat, dairy and nuts, which is essential to a vast array of bodily functions such as repairing tissue or enhancing immune function.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile dietary fibre is on track to be 2026\u2019s online trend of choice: ingest as much as possible and you\u2019ll be less hungry and more regular, say online advocates who wave bowls of chia seeds and oats at the camera.<\/p>\n
Brands have taken note: if you can buy it, there\u2019s probably a protein-boosted version of it\u2014even the sugariest cereals are touting their high protein content.<\/p>\n
And blue chip companies like PepsiCo and Nestle along with newer firms like Olipop are jumping on the bandwagon, highlighting the fibre content in prebiotic sodas or chips.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think fibre will be the next protein,\u201d said PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta in an earnings call late last year.<\/p>\n
A survey from the consulting firm Bain & Company showed nearly half of US consumers are trying to eat more protein.<\/p>\n
Across the United States, Europe and Asia, it\u2019s Gen Z and Millennial consumers primarily driving the fad, according to the survey.<\/p>\n
The same goes for fibre: according to London\u2019s GlobalData, 40 per cent of Gen Z and 45 percent of Millennials reported they\u2019re trying to improve their gut health.<\/p>\n
More not always best\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nutritionists say there are grains of truth to the fibre craze.<\/p>\n
Andrea Glenn, an assistant professor of nutrition at New York University, called the movement surrounding fibre a \u201cpretty tame wellness trend compared to the other things out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samantha Snashall, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University\u2019s medical center, said protein has been \u201cthe special child\u201d in recent years\u2014and fibre has been \u201cpretty undervalued.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad it\u2019s having some light shed on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
But those experts along with Arch Mainous\u2014a professor of community health and family medicine at the University of Florida, who has researched the use of social media in health communication\u2014said more isn\u2019t always best, especially when it comes to protein.<\/p>\n
Mainous said eating according to the recommended daily values is one thing\u2014but \u201cif you say one\u2019s good, five\u2019s better? I\u2019m not really for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He voiced concern that people are putting too much stock in the one-size-fits-all health advice of influencers.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s part of a broader trend that has resulted in a \u201clack of trust in health experts,\u201d he said\u2014a \u201cI\u2019ll do my own research\u201d mentality that has also been fueled by the likes of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has spread anti-vaccine misinformation for years.<\/p>\n
Few influencers are trained scientists, Mainous said, and many have brand deals or agendas of their own, including products to sell.<\/p>\n
No \u2018silver bullet\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s an eater to do?<\/p>\n
First, talk to your physician, Mainous said.<\/p>\n
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 approximately the size of a deck of cards will be in the ballpark of the average daily protein target.<\/p>\n
Fiber-wise, Glenn said 25-38 grams depending on age and sex is a good goal.<\/p>\n
High-fibre foods\u2014such as beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains like oats or quinoa\u2014are linked to lower rates of certain cancers, and can help keep cholesterol and blood sugar in check.<\/p>\n
Generally, Glenn said, 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.<\/p>\n
With that visualisation, \u201cyou\u2019ll easily hit that target without needing to meticulously count how much fibre you\u2019re consuming,\u201d she told AFP.<\/p>\n
But if you\u2019re not currently eating much fibre\u2014most people aren\u2019t\u2014\u201cmaxxing\u201d is not a good course, Snashall warned.<\/p>\n
Shake things up overnight and \u201cyour GI system is going to have a strong reaction,\u201d she said. \u201cSlow and steady wins the race.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Glenn noted that powders and supplements can\u2019t serve as a replacement for whole, real foods.<\/p>\n
Perhaps most importantly, no nutrient is a cure-all\u2014those \u201cfibre-rich\u201d chips probably won\u2019t change your life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important to never view these things as a silver bullet to all your problems,\u201d she said. \u2014 AFP<\/p>\n
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