A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

There are a lot of wellness trends on social media that make health experts roll their eyes, but just about every expert can get behind a recent trend with some caveats. It’s called fibermaxxing. NPR’s Maria Godoy has more.

MARIA GODOY, BYLINE: Fiber is kind of like the Peter Parker of food nutrients. For a long time, most people ignored it as kind of boring, but it’s really a superhero when it comes to good health. And now it’s finally having its moment. Social media is flooded with tips on how to maximize the fiber in your meals, like the TikTok creator who goes by Xtinefit, and enthusiastically shares the fiber-rich foods she loves.

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XTINEFIT: Fibermaxxing is the new looksmaxxing. A hundred grams of blackberries has five grams of fiber. A hundred and twenty grams of sweet potato has four grams of fiber. Fiber is super important because it slows down the rate that sugar enters my bloodstream, which balances my energy throughout the day.

GODOY: Other videos promote fiber as a way to improve gut health and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and even of dying prematurely. All these claims are backed by research, by the way. Hannah Holscher, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, says it’s about time that fiber stepped into the spotlight.

HANNAH HOLSCHER: The truth of the matter is, I kind of appreciate the trend because generally, fiber’s just not really a sexy nutrient that people are paying attention to. And basically, no one eats enough fiber.

GODOY: We should be eating roughly 25 to 38 grams of fiber a day, but about 9 out of 10 Americans fail to meet that goal, and they’re missing out on lots of health benefits.

HOLSCHER: And so they’re not getting those heart-healthy benefits. They’re not getting that reduced risk of developing overweight and obesity. So we really want to encourage eating more dietary fiber for most Americans.

GODOY: The best place to get fiber is from plant foods. Some foods like whole grains, kale, nuts and seeds are good sources of insoluble fiber, which helps keep digestion moving. Other foods are rich in soluble fiber, which is helpful for managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Registered dietitian Yasi Ansari says you can find this in lots of sources.

YASI ANSARI: We have the oats, the bran, the beans, lentils, mushrooms, chia seeds, apples – just to give you some examples.

GODOY: She says the good news is many plant foods contain both types of fiber. And while fiber supplements can be helpful, Ansari says it’s best to get most of your fiber from whole foods.

ANSARI: We’re also getting the antioxidants that those fiber-rich foods are providing us. So a lot of those micronutrients – the vitamins, the minerals and the antioxidants that support our health.

GODOY: And while aiming to eat more fiber is a lofty goal, there are some precautions. Candace Pumper is a staff dietitian with the Ohio State University. She says people with certain conditions, like IBS or Crohn’s disease, should talk to their doctor first. And in general, it’s best to ramp up fiber slowly, maybe just add a few grams to each meal to start. Too much too soon can lead to bloating and gas. And she says, drink plenty of water.

CANDACE PUMPER: Our bodies function best with balanced, gradual changes, not extremes, so – which is why the goal should be meeting your daily fiber needs, not trying to max them out.

GODOY: In other words, don’t go overboard. After all, the ultimate goal isn’t to jump on a trend, but to create a lifelong, sustainable fiber habit.

Maria Godoy, NPR News.

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