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Science & technology | Well Informed
Illustration: Cristina Spanò
Feb 20th 2026|3 min read
Move over protein: eating more fibre (or fibremaxxing, as it is known on TikTok) may be the hottest new dietary trend of 2026. Extra fibre appears in everything from frozen pizza dough to unhealthy soft drinks. Are those extra grams worth chasing?
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