according<\/a> to new market data. The shift comes as consumers increasingly seek digestive health benefits and weight management solutions.<\/p>\nSocial media has even coined a term for meeting daily fiber goals: fibermaxxing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think fiber will be the next protein,\u201d PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said during a recent conference call with investors, the Associated Press reported. \u201cConsumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Market research firm Mintel reports a significant uptick in fiber-promoted products hitting U.S. shelves this year. Hundreds of social media videos now celebrate fiber\u2019s benefits and share recipes for boosting intake.<\/p>\n
Unlike muscle-building protein, fiber lacks glamour appeal. It\u2019s a plant-based carbohydrate that the body can\u2019t break down, helping feed gut bacteria and move food through the digestive system.<\/p>\n
\u201cFolks don\u2019t want to talk about it at a dinner party,\u201d said Debbie Petitpain, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, per AP.<\/p>\n
Fiber comes in two main types. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, and apples, dissolves in water and feeds gut bacteria. Insoluble fiber, present in whole wheat and nuts, helps move food through the digestive tract.<\/p>\n
Studies show fiber lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, and promotes weight loss by increasing fullness. It may also protect against heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer.<\/p>\n
Petitpain suggests that rising use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could drive renewed interest in fiber. Since these medications slow digestion, fiber can help prevent constipation.<\/p>\n
Most Americans consume only two-thirds of the recommended fiber amounts. USDA guidelines suggest adults aim for 14 grams per 1,000 calories consumed \u2013 roughly 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men daily.<\/p>\n
For context, one cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber. A banana provides 3.2 grams, while half a cup of avocado offers 5 grams.<\/p>\n
Sander Kersten, director of Cornell University\u2019s Division of Nutritional Sciences, cautions against relying on processed foods that are high in added fiber. Long-term studies have examined whole foods, not fortified products.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way it is consumed as an additive and part of a diet that doesn\u2019t contain a lot of fiber may be different than a naturally fiber-rich diet,\u201d Kersten said, per AP. \u201cYou can eat a very processed, Western diet and consume foods that are enriched, but we don\u2019t know if it confers the same benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mayo Clinic recommends choosing breakfast cereals with 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Other tips include selecting breads with at least 2 grams per serving and eating five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n
While no upper fiber limit exists, rapid increases can cause painful gas and bloating. Petitpain advises gradual increases with plenty of water.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re feeding gut bacteria a food, and you can\u2019t break it down. You rely on them, and if you give them second, third, and fourth servings, there\u2019s not enough of them to handle the extra load,\u201d Petitpain said, according to AP.<\/p>\n
People sensitive to gluten or allergic to soy, shellfish, or psyllium husk should read labels carefully. Some fiber-added foods contain these ingredients.<\/p>\n
Kersten questions the trend of focusing on single nutrients. \u201cWe don\u2019t need nutrients, we need foods. Ultimately, what you want to be striving for is a healthy diet, and you should choose foods that are considered to be an important part of a healthy diet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Americans are about to discover their next dietary obsession: fiber. After years of protein-enhanced everything from cereal to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314285,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":{"0":"post-314284","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}