Fiber is a huge deal these days. Colorectal cancer rates are on the rise, and inadequate fiber intake is a culprit. Americans often experience the consequences of low fiber intake, such as constipation, bloating, or discomfort. And now that fiber is on everyone’s radar, it has made its social media debut as the latest health trend: fibermaxxing.
While most health professionals agree that increasing fiber intake is beneficial, too much of a good thing can cause problems. Let’s dive deeper into the fibermaxxing trend, why it’s so popular on social media, and when it can be more hurtful than helpful.
What is fibermaxxing?
Fibermaxxing is just as it sounds: maximizing your daily fiber intake. The goal is to meet or exceed the recommended daily fiber intake to reap health benefits, like improved digestion and more regular bowel movements.
Most healthy adults are advised to eat approximately 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories they eat, or about 25 grams for women and 34 grams for men, according to the most recent dietary guidelines.
But most Americans eat 16 grams per day on average, which is well below the recommended amount. According to Candace Pumper, a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, low fiber intake is a big problem.
“Colorectal cancer rates have increased among people under the age of 50, and research indicates diets low in fiber are a risk factor,” she says. “Optimizing fiber intake is an important health strategy for reducing their risk.”