Fiber, specifically prebiotic fiber, is getting a new lease on life thanks to product developers and social media. How far growth will run no one can say, but it’s looking healthy for the next year or two.

Fiber is an ingredient that’s easy for consumers to understand and it’s strongly associated with digestive wellness. But for about 10 years fiber has only been effective as a reason-to-buy when in products that deliver on other consumer needs, such as more protein and less sugar, which are higher on the consumer’s “must-have” list. It’s been a re-assurance message more than a selling message.

In the countries surveyed by New Nutrition Business, about 31% of consumers said they are trying to get more fiber in their diet in 2025. That’s only a slight increase from the 29% back in 2020. Consumers who look for fiber have always skewed older, reflecting how digestive wellness becomes a bigger need for people as they age.

But a shift is taking place, with a jump in interest in fiber among younger consumers for the first time in 15 years. Their interest is up by a quarter in 2025 compared to 2024. And, for once, it’s not because they’re GLP-1 users. It’s social media that seems to be making the difference.

“Fibermaxxing” is a wellness trend on TikTok and Instagram that was born in 2024 and took off in 2025. It encourages people to intentionally meet or exceed the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber (25-38 grams) by focusing meals and snacks around high-fiber plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains — and sometimes adding supplements like psyllium husk or inulin.

An example of one of the influencers driving the trend is Pamela Corral, whose videos of fiber-loaded meals — especially chia-seed-based dishes — rack up millions of views (one surpassed 10 million). Her tagline is: “Fiber is super cool — I think more people should be eating fiber,” encapsulating the optimistic, gains-focused spirit of the trend.

Some companies have also chosen to create new interest in fiber, inspired by the success of brands like Poppi, whose prebiotic message helped make good-tasting, low-sugar sodas into a permissible indulgence. The best-known example is PepsiCo’s launch of a new variant of its iconic drink called Pepsi Prebiotic Cola. Whether giving a mass-market cola brand a prebiotic fiber make-over can succeed is open to debate. But other brands are taking a more logical — and to the consumer more credible — approach.

Danone, for example, is setting up a prebiotic fiber angle for Activia, its 30-year-old probiotic yogurt brand that is one of the biggest of its kind worldwide. The additional benefit of prebiotics is being delivered through a new line called Activia Proactive. The range contains not only the usual probiotics, but also prebiotics in the form of 3 grams of chicory root fiber.

If the “prebiotic fiber” messages become more widely understood by consumers, then a large part of the credit may be going to Danone and its communication with GLP-1 users and fitness-oriented consumers. The vehicle for this, prominently flagging up the “prebiotic fiber” message on its label, is Oikos Fusion, a launch under Danone’s successful Oikos Pro high-protein sports-and-fitness oriented brand.

Danone says that it uses a patented blend of nutrients “designed to help build and retain muscle mass during weight loss” and “support the needs of GLP-1 users” who need both protein and digestive wellness. These matter because:

Oikos Fusion is refrigerated and lactose-free; each 207-ml serving contains 23 grams of complete protein and 5 grams of inulin prebiotic fiber.

Protein’s Impact

The above shows how, even if you are discussing fiber, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to protein. As I wrote in Nutraceuticals World in 2024, if you want to succeed with functional foods in the next five years then your strongest opportunities can be found in protein — and particularly animal-source proteins.

According to Circana supermarket data, products centered on animal protein, and specifically meat, accounted for 48% of the total retail sales of America’s top-10 new product launches of 2024. That’s unprecedented in food industry history, but not so surprising when you consider the percentage of Americans trying to consume more protein hit 70% in 2025, compared to 59% in 2022, according to the Washington D.C.-based International Food Information Council (IFIC).

Dairy protein is the biggest beneficiary of the trend and will see demand continue to grow in almost every corner of the world thanks to the many ways that dairy protein aligns with consumer preferences. For example, in Europe:

• Cottage cheese sales are surging just as strongly as in America, with annual growth of 20-30%.
• Quark, a high-protein and low-fat dairy food, has seen sales grow by 30% in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

The protein trend shows no sign of stalling and new growth drivers are coming over the horizon that will keep it going for at least the next five years. Here are two examples:

1. Protein Plus Creatine

Creatine as a sports supplement has been around for decades and has been steadily growing in popularity for the past 10 years. Creatine is now at Day One of a journey from hugely successful sports nutrition supplement to ingredient in functional foods and beverages. It’s a move driven by science, by a “feel the benefit” advantage, and by the reality that many nutrition ideas that gain credibility among consumers focused on fitness and sports, sooner or later get wider consumer appeal.

Social media posts often focus on creatine’s effect on energy and muscle growth (its most well-known benefit), but interest in other applications, such as hormone health and cognition is growing. The number of Google searches about creatine has been growing and interest in creatine is now higher than for collagen, a hit ingredient over the last 10 years.

In Portugal, the Premyer brand provides useful inspiration. Back in 2023 it launched a two-serving 500-ml yogurt drink that contains 6 grams of creatine and 35 grams of dairy protein. In 2025 it followed up with the launch of a single-serving spoonable high protein-plus-creatine yogurt. The products are price-competitive and are in mainstream distribution. The target consumers already use protein to support their fitness goals and they recognize creatine and its sports and energy benefits. Protein and creatine will make a powerful pairing.

2. Protein Quality

Currently, when consumers think of protein, they think of quantity, but most do not know about quality. The few people that do are those interested in sports and fitness. That group provides a foundation stone to build on and grow awareness of the protein quality message.

Introducing consumers to the concept of protein quality is the big untapped competitive advantage for dairy protein and the opportunity to propel further growth over the next 10 years. Dairy protein is one of the highest-quality protein sources, as measured by its breadth and quantity of essential amino acids, which is why it scores high on tests such as DIAAS (the scale approved by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization). Most important of all, dairy protein scores way above any other for leucine, which is important for triggering muscle synthesis.

In Asia, the protein quality marketing message is appearing first:

• Thailand: Japan’s Meiji is messaging about the value of quality for its 20 grams of protein fitness-focused dairy drink.
• Vietnam: Nestlé has begun communicating about protein quality on its Milo barley-and-dairy energy and sports drink. Milo is one of the biggest brands in Asia.
• Japan: Danone has gone further than any other brand in beginning to explain protein quality in connection with its fitness-oriented Oikos Pro brand.

Metabolic Health

Only the most health-active consumers say they understand the term “metabolic health” and think about it in relation to their own food choices — just 11% of Americans, according to our own consumer research. But that might change as it gets more attention in traditional and social media.

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has made addressing metabolic health a pillar of its activities. Metabolic syndrome refers to elements such as overweight, obesity, blood glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular risk, lipid profiles, and blood pressure. People who develop any of these issues are in danger of developing others, and will need medical support. In the U.S., 88% of adults have at least one part of “metabolic syndrome.”

In the past, if a food or beverage company wanted to tackle metabolic wellness it almost always focused on one element from the list above. Cholesterol-lowering was, for a while, where companies like Unilever, Nestlé, Yoplait, and many others focused their efforts.

Frustratingly for marketers, consumers rejected products that were formulated with science-based added ingredients, even when the label carried a very clear authorized health claim. The best example was the launch by McNeil Healthcare of a cholesterol-lowering food in the supermarkets of America, backed by $100 million of marketing spend. Its year-one sales were just $30 million, and never got above that level.

A safe route for brands is to go where the consumer is looking and also toward some science signposts. An example is blood glucose management. When we eat, the glucose in our blood goes up; how far up depends on what we eat. The macronutrient that spikes blood glucose and insulin the most is carbohydrate, while protein and fat have a minimal or zero serious effect. The pancreas then releases the hormone insulin, which takes the glucose from the blood and deposits it in cells, which use it for energy, and stores any excess in the liver or in fat tissue.

It’s normal for our blood glucose to go up when we eat. But it’s not healthy when glucose spikes are high and repeated over a long period. This is the first step to diabetes and can result in prolonged elevated insulin levels, which is associated with weight gain. Frequent high and/or prolonged blood glucose spikes also contribute to the development of heart disease.

Functional foods that deliver protein, certain types of fat, and possibly fiber can play a role in keeping blood glucose within a healthy range. So it’s no surprise to see the California Almond Board continuing its long history of scientific research into almonds and the human body. Published research shows that almonds (full of protein, fiber, and fat) can support metabolic wellness.

For example, one study found consistent reductions in blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. The impact was greater when almonds replaced high-glycemic carbs in the diet. The results were stronger in pre-diabetics. It may be that almonds — and other foods with the same macronutrient make-up — can significantly reduce post-meal glucose spikes.

The emergence of metabolic wellness is a long-term opportunity for companies whose products are “real food” or “whole food,” such as dairy, nuts, vegetables, and some fruits. For new product development teams in other categories, such as bakery, bars, breakfast cereals, ready meals, and others, it is an opportunity to create products with a balance of ingredients that both deliver taste and are metabolic-health friendly.

Mood & Mind Support

Historically, medicine and nutrition science have treated conditions of the mind and body as separate and unrelated. But over the last 10 years, a growing body of research has revealed links between metabolic health and sleep, mood, anxiety, depression, and even more serious medical conditions, such as bipolar disorder.

Research reflects an increasing understanding that there’s no reason to think the brain operates differently than any of the other organs in the body, all of which are impacted by diet. This field, referred to as “Metabolic Psychiatry” or “Nutritional Psychiatry,” considers mental health conditions, at least in part, as metabolic conditions, just like diabetes or obesity.

Among consumers, the mood and mind trend has been around for over 20 years. Its importance for consumers began to rise in 2020 and is now driven by a world which many people experience as filled with threats, anxiety, and uncertainties. Around a fifth of consumers claim to be eating foods to boost their mood and mental well-being, according to a New Nutrition Business five-country survey of 4,800 consumers. It’s a behavior that skews strongly toward younger age-groups; 26% of 25-34 year-olds eat for better mood and mind compared to just 14% of 55-64 year-olds.

People’s interest in ways to improve their mood is already connected strongly to “regular food.” Chocolate, for example, is used by about 25% of people to lift their spirits. The numbers are similar for dairy foods, probiotics, and coffee.

However, so far, companies have not managed to turn consumer need into a major growth trend. With some exceptions, most products fail or survive as ultra-niche. The reasons are not hard to find:

• Lack of tangible benefits: feeling the benefit is what consumers want.
• Product development challenges: it’s a tall order to create a product that provides a benefit the consumer can experience and uses an ingredient that is effective, legal, and credible to the consumer.
• Taste: using an effective dose of ingredients and delivering good taste is difficult to achieve.

A potential opportunity lies in probiotics. Their benefits for digestion and immunity are well-established in consumers’ minds, from America to Asia to Europe. Probiotics are an established part of mainstream food consumption over the last 30 years and they do not need explaining to consumers.

One success is Yakult 1000, launched in Japan in 2021. It is a 100-ml probiotic dairy drink, aimed at people in their 30s to 50s, and said to “alleviate stress” and “improve sleep quality.” It seems to have addressed all of the concerns above and become a hit product with annual sales rising to over $1 billion. It is almost certainly the most successful new health product launch anywhere in the world in the last five years.

If you think that the keto trend is behind us, think again. Better mood and mind is increasingly connected to better metabolic health by a growing body of science. Researchers at the Universities of Stanford, Harvard, Edinburgh, and others have found that ketogenic diets produced dramatic improvements in people suffering from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other conditions.

A recent example is a study conducted at Ohio State University which found an association between at least 10 weeks of following a ketogenic diet and a roughly 70% decrease in depression symptoms among college students.

There are some very strong consumer trends that ingredients and brands can connect to in the functional foods market. The biggest key to success is to adopt a long-term strategy and accept that, whether we like it or not, consumers’ beliefs about food and health are diverse, leading to many more niche opportunities than mass ones.

About the Author: Julian Mellentin is Director and Founder of New Nutrition Business, which delivers insight and consultancy into key trends in foods, beverages, nutrition, and health for food, beverage, and ingredients companies worldwide. For more information, visit www.new-nutrition.com.