Though fiber is one of the most important macronutrients, it often gets a mixed reception from consumers, according to Johan Cerstiaens, commercial director at ingredients supplier SVZ International.

Condensing various interweaving themes into a single word, what we’re seeing from fiber is a “revival,” he remarks.

Discussing high-fiber food with Food Ingredients First, Cerstiaens says that many are aware that maintaining good health is important but do not necessarily know why. “Some even state that they consider high-fiber foods to be unexciting or unsavory,” he notes. 

As we head into 2025, Cerstiaens believes that dietary fiber and its benefits look set for a renaissance — helped along by its intersection with several hot health, wellness and lifestyle trends.

“With consumers seeking to swap complex claims and fad diets for simpler, tried and tested nutritional truths, foods and beverages with a high fiber content suddenly seem much more attractive. In fact, around one in five consumers say they’re on the lookout for core nutritional claims such as high fiber, vitamin or mineral content and we expect to see this proportion rise as the new year progresses.”

Further, thanks to its intrinsic links with the natural world, fiber is also primed to satisfy consumers’ appetite for clean, sustainable labeling. 

“In 2023, sales of clean label snacks rose by 8% — decisively outperforming those featuring artificial ingredients and, from our observations over the last year, this demand has only strengthened,” Cerstiaens tells us. 

“One way brands can show their allegiance to all things natural is by embracing the potential of fiber-rich vegetable ingredients. Minimally processed and multifunctional, they’re ideal for keeping labels short and recognizable, while ensuring products are packed with natural flavor, texture and color.”

Fortifying with fiber

Breakfast cereals, breads, fortified goods and maybe the occasional smoothie are just some of the products most consumers associate with high fiber claims, but Cerstiaens says there are so many more formats in which this mighty macronutrient can shine. 

“At its most basic level, dietary fiber fulfills a structural role that not only supports bodily functions but can also help craft satisfying textures in everything from soups and sauces to pie fillings and pureed baby food.”

The heroes for putting this potential into practice are fiber-rich vegetable ingredients. Boasting a fiber content to calorie ratio of 1:10 in some cases. Vegetables like kale and carrots, are also relatively low in sugar, packed with nutrients and — crucially — easy to incorporate into a huge variety of food and beverage products. 

By swapping high-sugar banana for fiber-rich white bean as a smoothie base for instance, or swirling kale and zucchini puree into a pasta sauce, manufacturers can bolster their products’ nutritional profiles while fostering the types of positive associations that build brand loyalty, he shares. 

Future fiber innovation

According to Cerstiaens, it’s impossible to predict the future with 100% accuracy — but given the current outlook, he says we “can confidently say it will be a good year for dietary fiber.”

Moreover, the expanded interest in nutritional efficiency will likely raise the status of functional ingredients like vegetable fiber, transforming them from “desirable” to “essential” inclusions.  

What’s more, with more than a third of shoppers worldwide still naming sugar reduction as a key priority years after the peak of the “sugar backlash,” fiber’s volume-boosting and flavor-enhancing properties will step further into the spotlight, he adds. 

“Whether it’s adding color, not calories with nutrient-packed spinach or red beetroot, or bulking up a smoothie with a white carrot instead of sugar-laden banana, fiber could be food and beverage brands’ ticket to sweet success in 2025 — and beyond,” concludes Cerstiaens.