Why fiber content is everywhere now (except in my own actual diet)

Fiber is suddenly everywhere.

Just how much has it permeated our society? Well, how about a Super Bowl ad: Raisin Bran will run a Super Bowl ad this weekend starring William Shatner as the pitchman "Will Shat," extolling the virtues of the bran flakes.

The ad leans into the truth about Raisin Bran that, for decades, it tried to obscure with messaging about its plentiful raisin content: This cereal makes you poop.

I'll admit: I laughed. I can't deny a good poop joke, and its frankness about the reason some people enjoy bran cereal reminded me of my favorite SNL sketches for "Colon Blow" cereal.

Kellogg's ad taps into a broader cultural zeitgeist where fiber is the hottest new thing. Well, sure, fiber isn't new — but the way people are talking about fiber is. And perhaps you've noticed … people can't stop talking about fiber.

Big food brands are betting fiber is the new protein

On social media, wellness and fitness influencers talk about "fibermaxxing," a new trend of focusing on fiber content. If the last few years seemed to be all about reminding people to get more protein, suddenly the focus has shifted to fiber.

Big food companies are taking notice, too. PepsiCo's CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a recent earnings call that "fiber will be the next protein." It's planning to launch new fiberful versions of Propel water and Starbucks packaged drinks, as well as add fiber to snacks like Sun Chips, PopCorners, and Smartfood. Coca-Cola is also exploring adding fiber to sodas (there's already a Diet Coke with fiber available in Japan).

McDonald's CEO made a video predicting food trends for 2026, including that fiber will be "big." This made me slightly concerned that if McDonald's comes out with some sort of fiber-intensive new dish, our nation's sewers and pipes will not be able to handle the onslaught.

Fibermaxxing is the latest social media trend

But it's not just that we might be eating McFiber fries washed down with a fiber Diet Coke soon. There's something inescapable in the air about fiber lately, and it's not shying away from the obvious results of getting a fiber-rich diet. (Going to the bathroom.)

Fiber, of course, isn't new (the original Raisin Bran cereal was invented in 1925 in Omaha). But there has been a recent new focus on its health benefits as colon cancer is on the rise in younger people, and as a needed complement to high-protein diets recommended for people on GLP-1s.

To understand the shift, I talked to "Fiber Daddy," aka Alan Lin, whose TikTok account has nearly 100,000 followers who watch him consume massive fiber quantities and talk about "fart maxxing."

Lin, 35, is the founder of Liquid Plus, a line of fiberful juice squeeze pouches called Liquid Salad, and his funny videos serve as promotion for his product, which sells on Amazon and TikTok Shop.

Lin told me he's noticed that people online are talking more and more about fiber, and that the way they're doing it has changed.

"The reason why fiber felt like it was for old people is because all of the brands and products were presented as for old people," Lin told me. Lin said that although he's noticed some Gen Z fans, his core audience is millennials. Which makes sense — people in their 30s and 40s are starting to care more about their health. As an unnamed coworker said to me recently, once you start caring about fiber, you know you're old.

Lin's interest in fiber and gut health is real, but he's embracing the fact that people are reveling in the scatalogical humor of his fartmaxxing posts.

"I am a nerd for all this stuff, but I also just am just silly," he said.
"My sense of humor has not matured since seventh grade."

Mine hasn't either, even if I've also reached the age where I am trying to get more fiber in my diet.

Read next