Fiber is coming for coffee’s protein craze

In an August podcast episode of The Daily, titled “How America Got Obsessed With Protein,” food journalist Elizabeth Dunn delves into what was undoubtedly the biggest food trend of 2025: protein-maxxing. Everyone, it seemed, was scrambling to load up on the humble macro. Influencers gleefully showed off their high-protein diets, complete with eggs, cottage cheese, poultry and red meat. Many also touted their high-protein snacks, which ranged from slices of cold cuts to homemade chicken chips made from seasoned, ground meat.

Major food companies were even hellbent on following the bandwagon. Protein was added to classic buttermilk pancakes, courtesy of IHOP. Protein was sprinkled onto popcorn, thanks to Khloud by Khloé Kardashian. And protein was steeped in our favorite beverages, thanks to both Starbucks and Dunkin’.

Protein’s sheer prevalence prevails in the new year, especially in the wake of new dietary guidelines that place red meat at the very top of the food pyramid. But it’s slated to face some competition from yet another macronutrient.

That’s according to Oatly’s first-ever Future of Taste report, which predicts that fiber is coming for protein’s crown within the coffee scene.

“After first emerging on TikTok in Autumn 2024, ‘fibremaxxing’ (or fibERmaxxing) suddenly spiked this summer, sending the world’s media into a chia-induced frenzy. Pageviews for articles mentioning the term jumped 9500% between June to July,” states the report, which features insights from over 200 expert interviews, baristas and partners at CultureLab.

Indeed, fiber has been enjoying a moment recently. Last March, The New York Times published the article, “Why Are We Living in the Golden Age of ‘Gut Soda’?” pointing to the rising popularity of prebiotic sodas like Olipop and Poppi. According to Artizon, a market research platform, the global prebiotics market is set to increase from $6.95 billion in 2023 to $13.26 billion by 2029.

“Big macro-level shifts tend to be reactive,” Oatly’s report states. “If the ‘20s have so far belonged to protein, itself a reaction to the vegan-mania of the ‘10s, we’d expect to see a digestion-conscious movement coming down the line in response. Cue [fiber’s] walk-on music.”

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Understandably, fiber’s takeover of the coffee space raises several questions. What does that actually look like? How much is too much? And what are the nutrition benefits — and, possible, detriments?

I spoke with a few coffee experts to dissect what “fibermaxxing” our coffee entails:

What exactly is fibermaxxing, explained in simple terms?

Like its name suggests, fibermaxxing is an ongoing, social media-centric trend of maximizing dietary fiber intake by consuming fiber-rich foods like fruits, veggies, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains and supplements (psyllium, methylcellulose, or polycarbophil).

“I think this trend is the meeting point of a couple different trends that were existing already, one being gut health,” explains Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D., Oatly’s Director of Nutrition. “A lot of folks have taken a big interest in overall health and wellness and just how they feel day to day. Linking that to gut health was an obvious next step. So, we’ve seen that growing interest there with probiotics and prebiotics and more of the supplement space. But now, that has trickled into other foods and just a growing awareness of the role of fiber for health and well-being.”

Current dietary guidelines say that most people should consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in their daily diet. That’s approximately 25 to 28 grams of fiber per day for women and 28 to 34 grams per day for men. However, many U.S. adults aren’t meeting those requirements. The American Society for Nutrition reported in 2021 that only five percent of men and nine percent of women were eating the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber. Additionally, colorectal cancer (CRC) rates have been on the rise in young adults. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reported that “one in five people diagnosed with CRC are now under the age of 55.”

Hence why fiber intake has become such a newfound craze. Harbstreet says fibermaxxing is an “evolution” of the protein-maxxing trend.

“This is where I think there’s still a lot of confusion with fiber,” she adds. “As we’ve seen with protein, a lot of folks tend to adopt the thinking that if a little bit of something is good for me, then more must be better. And, therefore, the maxxing component comes into play, where all of a sudden this interest kind of overtakes other aspects of a balanced diet.”

Insoluble vs. soluble fibers?

“I like to think of soluble fiber as a sponge,” Harbstreet says. “That’s an easy way to remember that it’s going to draw in that liquid. It’s going to expand and add bulk as it travels through the GI system.”

She continues, “Insoluble fiber is a little bit different. It’s more like a broom, where it’s going to come through and sweep things along, kind of help clear things out.”

Neither type of fiber is better than the other, but they are different functionally, Harbstreet underscores. Soluble fibers tend to add thickness and a creamy component, which is preferable when making a latte. Insoluble fibers, since they lack that absorptive effect, may cause separation when added to a cup of coffee or settle at the bottom of the mug. From a palatability standpoint, soluble fibers are more favorable.

“We know that fiber is showing up in in current conversations around changes to the dietary guidelines,” Harbstreet says. “That distinction is important when you think about fiber in the big picture — and understanding that both types have a role to play and which food sources, or in this case, beverages, can provide those.”

What does fiber in coffee look like?

It’s important to note that brewed coffee already contains soluble dietary fiber. An eight-ounce cup of coffee could contain nearly 1.5 grams of fiber, while 3.2 cups could have nearly five grams, according to Scientific American. However, drinking coffee alone isn’t enough to meet the minimum daily dietary fiber requirements.

When it comes to making a fiber-rich cup of joe, plant-based milks are a great addition, says Nethra Rajendran, Beverage Experience Developer, Oatly North America. “Oat milk has a great neutral flavor and naturally-occurring fiber,” she explains.

Another easy incorporation is chia seeds. “They add a great texture that is sippable and can be used in pudding form,” Rajendran says. For an indulgent breakfast option, she suggests making a tiramisu chia seed pudding with freshly-brewed espresso, oat milk, chia seeds, granola crumbles and a cacao dusting.

You can even add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds to your favorite latte recipes and let them sit for 30 minutes before adding ice. “When they are ready, I like to think of them as mini-fiber-bobas when I slurp them through a straw,” Rajendran says.

Seeds and pitted fruits can also be added in the form of pastes, purees and syrups.

“Ingredients like dates and figs can really shine in drinks for natural sweetness and minerals,” Rajendran explains. “They are little fiber bombs and great prebiotics, as well as a source of unrefined sugar.”

Black sesame is also having a moment, she continues. “I love a black sesame latte with homemade black sesame paste that I throw in the food processor and then add that paste to oat milk with a shot of espresso. Not only are black sesame seeds high in fiber, but they are an excellent source of iron and are used as a hair growth super food in Asian cultures.”

What are some unconventional ways to “fiber-fy” your coffee?

“You would be surprised by how many ingredients you can turn into a syrup, puree, paste or concentrate,” Rajendran says.

That includes corn tortillas, which can be infused alongside agave into your plant-based milk of choice, and sweet corn, which is Rajendran’s personal favorite.

“You can achieve a gorgeous slightly umami and sweet flavor by blending steamed or canned sweet corn kernels with oat milk and straining it,” she explains. “Some people like to keep in a little pulp for extra texture and fiber.”

For those who aren’t big on crafting their own syrups or infusions, Rajendran recommends experimenting with fermented, umami flavors made from fiber-containing foods, like miso, tahini and gochujang, and adding them to your lattes for a hint of savory.

For a sweet alternative, Rajendran points to Tepache, a traditional Mexican beverage made by fermenting pineapple peels and core with piloncillo (or brown sugar) and other spices (like cinnamon) in water for a few days at room temperature.

“The result is a tangy, and fizzy drink,” she continues. “We are seeing people get creative with the Tepache coffee fusion — either adding finished Tepache to cold brew or adding coffee beans in the initial fermentation process with the pineapple rinds. We find that adding some oat milk balances the high acid profiles from both the coffee and Tepache and adds a creamier, rounded taste.”

How much fiber is too much?

As the old adage goes, too much of a good thing can be bad, which applies to fiber intake too. The main concern is people not getting enough fiber. But on the flip side, exceeding the recommended amounts of daily dietary fiber can cause several unpleasant GI symptoms, like bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence and constipation.

“In addition to thinking about proteins spread evenly throughout the day, include fiber with that too,” Harbstreet says. “Loading it up in one large dose at a time likely does contribute to some of those GI symptoms that that can make us feel uncomfortable.”

Harbstreet also recommends pairing your fiber coffee with a complete meal, especially if you’re planning on drinking it early in the day.

“Something as simple as pairing it with a serving of fruit, getting protein from another whole grain or high fiber food source,” she says. “This is an additive approach. We’re not looking to replace things that you’re already including in your diet. We’re looking to add something that carries that benefit through even more strongly.”

Additionally, many people are indulging in coffee later in the day, as a way to have mindful moment or take a break from work, Harbstreet says.

“We see fiber and coffee also playing really well in that space,” she adds. “You’re sort of mentally and emotionally fulfilled by that break. But also, you walk away from it feeling like, ‘Hey, I’m not actually feeling hungry still.’”

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