Fibremaxxing – using simple food tricks to push up your fibre intake – is the latest TikTok diet trend, with some videos getting more than 150million hits.

Influencers suggest topping every meal with seeds, keeping the skin on potatoes or apples and adding chickpeas or beans to curries and pasta – in a bid to double or even triple your daily fibre consumption.

The best sources are wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and pulses, but you can also choose from a raft of high-fibre supplements, from gummies to powders, to achieve your 30g daily target.

There’s no doubt that we need more fibre than we’re currently getting: the 2023 National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that a shocking 96 per cent of us in the UK don’t get enough – most of us manage only around 19g per day.

This is despite evidence that it reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer, and boosts the health of our gut microbiome.

Indeed, ‘low intake of foods high in fibre – rather than too much sugar and fat – represents the largest dietary risk when it comes to early death and loss of healthy life years globally’, says Iain Brownlee, an associate professor of human nutrition at Northumbria University.

There are two main types of fibre: insoluble and soluble.

Insoluble fibre – in wholegrains, vegetables and fruit skin – keeps things moving through the gut, so is particularly helpful for constipation. It also helps remove waste products from the body, limiting the exposure of the bowel lining to potentially cancer-causing chemicals.

Soluble fibre – in oats, beans and many fruits – absorbs water and forms a gel in the gut, which helps keep you full.

It also slows digestion – including how quickly sugar (glucose) is absorbed into the bloodstream, so reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes – and lowers cholesterol levels by binding to it and ensuring it’s removed as waste (reducing heart disease risk).

Some types of soluble fibre are also known as prebiotics, which feed the good gut bacteria.

In 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in the UK found that every 7g daily increase in fibre (equivalent to half a tin of baked beans) could lower your risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancer by up to 9 per cent.

Meanwhile, a 20-year study in Nutritional Neuroscience in 2022 found that higher fibre intake (18g to 65g per day) is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia – possibly because a healthy gut microbiome may reduce brain inflammation.

Experts agree eating fibre-rich foods should be the main way to increase your intake, as these are also packed with vitamins and minerals. However, as many of us don’t hit the target, is it worth trying one of the new high-fibre supplements? We asked Professor Brownlee to assess a selection (which we then rated).

CAPSULES

Microbiome Labs MegaPre Prebiotic Blend, £44.09 for 180, healf.com

DAILY DOSE: 6 capsules = 4g fibre

COST PER DAY: £1.46

CLAIM: A daily prebiotic fibre blend ‘to feed beneficial bacteria and increase microbial diversity’.

EXPERT VERDICT: The evidence for digestive benefits from the fibres here – complex carbohydrates; also found in beans, lentils and nuts, fruit and veg – is mixed. And six capsules a day is a lot for only 4g of fibre – it’s obviously not the best choice for anyone who struggles to swallow pills.

It’s the second most expensive product here, too.

I’d suggest simply adding more fruit, veg and beans to your supermarket shop. A ‘food-first’ approach to fibre intake is always the priority. 1/10

POWDER

Theranordic Daily Healthy Fibre, £29.95 for 240g, theranordic.com

DAILY DOSE: 8g = 6.1g fibre

COST PER DAY: 99p

CLAIM: ‘A high-quality prebiotic fibre, to improve your gut microbiome to ensure regular bowel movements.’ Mix one scoop into smoothies.

EXPERT VERDICT: This contains fibre sources which are not usually eaten in high amounts: acacia and baobab (from African trees) and guar gum fibre (from seeds of the guar plant) – these are soluble fibres and will slow digestion, soften stools and help people feel fuller.

But they do need to be consumed with plenty of water to ensure they’re easy to swallow.

This is one of a number of products that use the term ‘prebiotic’ in a way that implies superior benefits – but a healthy microbiome is very individual, so we can’t yet say whether there will be specific benefits to boosting particular bacteria.

With any fibre supplement it’s sensible to start with low doses (half the suggested amount, or less in this case) to reduce the risk of side-effects such as bloating, wind or loose stools. 7/10

Myota Gut Health, £50 for 300g, myotahealth.com

DAILY DOSE: 10g = 9.8g fibre

COST PER DAY: £1.66

CLAIM: ‘A gentle fibre blend suitable for sensitive stomachs.’ Flavourless powder can be dissolved into any drink.

EXPERT VERDICT: The claim that this is appropriate for sensitive stomachs seems based on the fact it doesn’t contain FODMAPs (highly-fermentable foods such as garlic and beans that can cause bloating, wind and diarrhoea in some people), as opposed to direct evidence of users being able to tolerate it.

The fibre comes from wheat and oats – these are easy to eat as part of a balanced diet, so you don’t need an expensive supplement form. For example, a bowl of porridge contains 3-5g of fibre. 6/10

Healthspan Easyfibre Cleanse, £19.99 for 300g, healthspan.co.uk

DAILY DOSE: 10g = 8g fibre

COST PER DAY: 66p

CLAIM: ‘Psyllium husks from the seeds of the plantago ovata plant, to maintain smooth digestive function.’ Dissolve 10g in a drink.

EXPERT VERDICT: Psyllium has been used as a ‘bulk laxative’ for hundreds of years and is in over-the-counter products for constipation. A form of soluble fibre, it absorbs liquid in the intestines to create a softer, bulkier stool.

It’s important to make sure the husks dissolve in the water before consuming, so they can pass through the upper gut smoothly.

Used correctly, there is consistent evidence of psyllium easing constipation and reducing straining during bowel movements. The cost is quite low, too. 9/10

GUMMIES

Novomins Fibre Gummies Stay Regular, £14.99 for 60, novomins.com

DAILY DOSE: 2 gummies = 4g fibre

COST PER DAY: 49p

CLAIM: Contains inulin fibre and calcium to support digestion, says the maker, as well as vitamin B12 to reduce tiredness.

EXPERT VERDICT: Inulin – found in chicory, onions and garlic (i.e. FODMAPs) – is highly fermentable, which means it’s not broken down fully and passes to the large bowel where bacteria break it down. This can be positive, as it helps feed beneficial bacteria to promote a healthy microbiome. However, this fast breakdown is also linked to side-effects such as bloating and diarrhoea for some.

And I don’t like the idea of filling the ‘fibre gap’ with an isolated fibre source such as this – variety is more beneficial.

Gummies also have a lot of added ingredients such as artificial sweeteners which many people prefer to avoid. These are lower in fibre than some other products here – the added vitamin amounts are negligible. 2/10

SNACK BAR

Biomel Prebiotic Gut Health Bars, £16.80 for 12, biomel.life

DAILY DOSE: 45g bar = 13g fibre

COST PER DAY: £1.40

CLAIM: ‘Contains 40 per cent of your recommended daily fibre to support digestive health.’

EXPERT VERDICT: The fibre comes from oats and flaxseeds, plus inulin from chicory and artichoke – all reasonable, varied sources.

But as a processed snack with fairly high sugar (5.9g, both added and natural from dates) these should not be relied on to regularly top up fibre levels.

As with the other inulin-based products, check how your gut reacts to this ingredient before stockpiling them. 4/10

FOOD TOPPER

British Hemp Co Hemp Fibre Plus, £6.37 for 500g, hollandandbarrett.com

DAILY DOSE: 20g = 9.4g fibre

COST PER DAY: 25p

CLAIM: ‘Insoluble fibre to support a healthy gut.’ Add two dessert spoons to smoothies, yoghurt or breakfast cereals.

EXPERT VERDICT: This may appeal to people looking for a more natural ‘whole food’ product, as it’s comprised solely of hemp seed flour – from seeds of the cannabis sativa plant. It’s certainly high in insoluble fibre, so adding it to different foods should meaningfully boost your fibre intake.

But it is an isolated fibre source, which isn’t ideal. I’m also unsure what the taste and texture of food will be when this is added. 5/10

DRINK

Living Things Rhubarb & Apple Prebiotic Soda, £4.40 for four 330ml cans, ocado.com

DAILY DOSE: 330ml contains 7.26g fibre

COST PER DAY: £1.10

CLAIM: ‘Gut friendly and low sugar (1 teaspoon per can) with 20 per cent of your daily fibre’.

EXPERT VERDICT: To me, carbonation plus high inulin content sounds like a recipe for negative symptoms at the top end of the gut (heartburn, burping from the gas) and at the other (diarrhoea).

It’s unusual to have a high-fibre fizzy drink, and the gimmick factor might appeal.

But national food guidelines recommend that you limit your intake of sugary drinks,

including those sweetened with fruit juices and concentrates (as is the case here). 2/10