{"id":498276,"date":"2026-05-23T00:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T00:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/498276\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T00:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T00:34:12","slug":"under-the-radar-ingredient-is-healthy-snacks-fiber-powerhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/498276\/","title":{"rendered":"Under-the-radar ingredient is healthy snacks’ fiber powerhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Protein may have stolen the spotlight<\/a> last year \u2014 but in 2026, fiber is the wellness world\u2019s nutritional darling.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the center of the gut-health craze is one under-the-radar ingredient that\u2019s quietly become a staple in nearly every corner of the snack aisle.<\/p>\n

From prebiotic sodas like Olipop<\/a> to low-sugar candy favorites like SmartSweets<\/a> and zero-calorie syrups like POCA<\/a>, chicory root has become the go-to for brands giving familiar favorites a high-fiber upgrade.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

A growing number of healthy food and beverage alternatives to traditional snacks contain chicory root, a powerful source of fiber. SmartSweets<\/p>\n

\u201cIt checks a lot of health boxes,\u201d Amy Shapiro<\/a>, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, told The Post.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a functional ingredient that improves nutrition labels without altering taste, which is why it\u2019s everywhere from protein bars to keto snacks.\u201d <\/p>\n

To learn more, The Post asked Shapiro and two other experts to break down everything you need to know about chicory root fiber \u2014 including how to avoid getting gassy if you hop on the trend.<\/p>\n

What is chicory root fiber?<\/p>\n

\u201cChicory root fiber is a type of functional fiber extracted from the chicory plant,\u201d said Shapiro, founder of Real Nutrition<\/a> in New York City.<\/p>\n

Native to Europe and Asia, the plant has bright blue flowers and belongs to the dandelion family.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been used for centuries in cooking and traditional medicine, but today it\u2019s more often stripped down and repurposed as a food additive or supplement.<\/p>\n

At its core, chicory root is largely made of inulin \u2014 a plant-based prebiotic fiber that accounts for about 68% of its dry weight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes it different is that it\u2019s highly fermentable and not digested in the small intestine,\u201d Shapiro said. \u201cInstead, it travels to the colon, where it feeds beneficial gut bacteria.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chicory root is frequently processed into flour and used as an ingredient in foods and beverages. Elena \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

How is chicory root fiber used in foods?<\/p>\n

\u201cChicory root fiber is often added to packaged foods to boost fiber content or replace sugar and fat,\u201d Shapiro said. <\/p>\n

Take POCA, a plant-based, cane sugar\u2013free sweetener designed to be mixed into coffee, matcha and other beverages. Developers said they were specifically looking for a \u201cnaturally occurring\u201d fiber source when developing the product.<\/p>\n

\u201cChicory root fiber is neutral-tasting and provides a hint of sweetness,\u201d said Maja Toft, a food scientist and owner of Toft Food Consulting<\/a>, speaking on behalf of the brand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, the chicory root fiber is low viscosity and ensures the syrup mixes well into the beverage.\u201d<\/p>\n

POCA syrups contain chicory root as a fiber source. Courtesy of POCA<\/p>\n

What are the health benefits?<\/p>\n

\u201cChicory root fiber has become popular because it has so many positive health benefits,\u201d said Maya Feller<\/a>, a registered dietitian.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a non-digestible carbohydrate that moves through the digestive tract, mostly intact,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt ferments further down in the colon and acts as nourishment for the good bugs living in the gut.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of its key byproducts is butyrate<\/a> \u2014 a short-chain fatty acid that serves as a primary energy source for colon cells. It also plays a role in supporting the gut lining and has been linked to anti-inflammatory effects and immune function.<\/p>\n

Because the inulin in chicory root fiber passes through the body undigested while feeding gut bacteria, it may also support regular digestion, promote more consistent bowel movements<\/a> and help relieve constipation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The perks don\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n

\u201cFiber in general is helpful with blood sugar balance<\/a> by helping to slow the way sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream,\u201d said Feller, founder of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition<\/a>, a virtual nutrition clinic. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis produces less of a spike in blood sugars and eventually leads to more level blood sugars.\u201d<\/p>\n

It can also help support a healthy body weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor weight management<\/a>, it may help regulate appetite by increasing satiety hormones and reducing overall calorie intake,\u201d Shapiro said. \u201cHowever, these results are modest and more pronounced in supplement form than in small amounts added to snack bars or cereals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are there any downsides to chicory root fiber?<\/p>\n

Chicory root is generally considered safe, but like any fiber, it can come with a few uncomfortable side effects<\/a> \u2014 especially when you suddenly start eating a lot of it. <\/p>\n

\u201cI hear this a lot,\u201d Shapiro said. <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause chicory root fiber is rapidly fermented in the colon, gut bacteria produce gas as a byproduct, which can cause bloating, cramping and discomfort, especially in sensitive individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key, experts say, is to go slow and steady.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recommend that my patients start slowly and increase fiber in a moderate way, such as adding an additional 5 grams per day while increasing total hydration,\u201d said Feller, author of \u201cEating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Certain people may also want to be more cautious. Those with irritable bowel syndrome or sensitivity to FODMAPs \u2014 fermentable carbohydrates that can be harder to digest in the small intestine \u2014 may experience more pronounced symptoms, Shapiro said.<\/p>\n

Chicory root is featured in Olipop, a prebiotic soda that supports gut health. Olipop<\/p>\n

Should you add more fiber in your diet?<\/p>\n

The short answer: probably. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe truth is that most Americans are not meeting their fiber goals or needs,\u201d Shapiro said. <\/p>\n

The recommended daily intake<\/a> is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, but most people fall well short<\/a> \u2014 often getting just 10 to 15 grams a day.<\/p>\n

\u201cLow fiber intake is associated with constipation, poor gut health, an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, poor blood sugar control and lower satiety, which can lead to weight gain,\u201d Shapiro cautioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cChicory root fiber can help boost fiber intake and support gut health, but I recommend using it as a supplement to a whole-food, fiber-rich diet, not a replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Protein may have stolen the spotlight last year \u2014 but in 2026, fiber is the wellness world\u2019s nutritional…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":498277,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[277],"tags":[18,4500,18997,92637,6579,135,87792,19,17,508,53274,2555],"class_list":["post-498276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-eire","tag-exclusive","tag-food-drink","tag-food-trends","tag-gut-health","tag-health","tag-health-food","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-nutrition","tag-snacks","tag-wellness"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116621086992977425","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/498276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=498276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/498276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/498277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=498276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=498276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=498276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}