FIBERMAXXING

THE GUT HEALTH TREND WITH SURPRISING RISKS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

- TDG NETWORK

Scroll through TikTok or Instagram for a few minutes and chances are you will stumble upon bowls overflowing with lentils, seed-studded smoothies, fibre-packed salads and captions celebrating “perfect digestion.” What began as sensible nutritional advice has now morphed into a full-blown wellness obsession with a name to match: fibermaxxing.

The idea is simple—eat as much fibre as possible to improve gut health, control blood sugar, reduce inflammation and support weight management. But the execution, fuelled by viral content and wellness influencers, is far from simple. The hashtag #fibermaxxing has crossed 150 million views on TikTok, signalling a major shift in how social media users are approaching food, digestion and health.

While fibre is undeniably essential, experts are increasingly concerned that the trend's all-or-nothing approach may be doing more harm than good.

Fibre's rise to stardom did not happen overnight. For years, nutritionists have highlighted its role in improving digestion, supporting heart health and feeding beneficial gut bacteria. As conversations around gut health gained momentum, fibre naturally became the star player.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults consume around 25 grams of naturally occurring dietary fibre per day. Yet most people fall well short of this target. In the UK, for example, more than 54 per cent of daily calories come from ultra-processed foods, which are typically low in fibre and essential micronutrients.