This One “New” Nutrition Trend Is Perfect for Wild-Caught Seafood

For each one of us, what’s considered an optimal diet is unique, informed by our culinary histories, lifestyles, preferences, perhaps shifting over the course of our lives to meet us where we are. So it seems improbable that any one trend could hold the key to health and wellness for all of us. 

But one “new” nutrition trend in particular has caught my attention: fibermaxxing. It’s the ethos of your grandmother’s psyllium husk supplements, repackaged in Gen Z terminology. Fibermaxxing, if you haven’t caught on, involves maximizing your daily fiber intake as a way to optimize your health. From what I know, it’s a trend that seemingly has a lot of upside, from both a personal and culinary perspective. 

Health consensuses and wellness gurus come and go as often as cuts of jeans, but it seems like most of us would actually stand to benefit from adding in a little more fiber to our diets. Whole, nourishing foods like legumes, fruit & veggies, unrefined grains — these are the types of foods that have been consistently cited in a diverse range of diets over the years, whether trendy or trusted.

Pair up a fiber-forward ingredient with a time-honored protein like wild-caught Alaskan seafood (most animal-based proteins don’t contain fiber, after all), and you’ve surely got the makings of a nourishing, balanced meal. And as an added culinary benefit, fibermaxxing makes mealtime a bit more interesting, inviting us to explore a world of flavor, texture, and depth through sheer variety. 

Allow me to offer up a few fiber-inspired pairings for wild-caught Alaskan seafood:

• Slow-Roasted Salmon with Ancient Grains: A hearty carb, a side of vegetables, and an extra-flaky portion of fish. It’s the kind of three-part meal that can shift with the seasons, depending on what you have on hand, and it always feels grounding. Or try this Farro Bowl with Dill Yogurt, using any white fish you prefer — an option like Pacific Halibut Captain Cuts would be perfect for this, in my opinion, because the fish will look so lovely when layered on top of the grains.
• 5-Minute Avocado Toast with Smoked Sockeye and Feta: Avocado is one of those ingredients that brings more to the table than you might expect — it contains healthy fats and fiber. Plus, as an ingredient, avocado just pairs so well with salmon. Opt for a multi-grain toast for an even more fiber-forward punch.
• Smoked Fish and Lentil Bowl: I love to keep this fiber-rich dish in my fridge as a ready-to-eat side or meal throughout the week. The original recipe includes flaked Hot Smoked Sockeye Salmon (which, by the way, is not spicy — ”hot” simply describes the temperature at which the fish was smoked) but I cannot wait to try it with Hot Smoked Sablefish for a deeper layer of umami and richness.
• Chef Mandy Dixon’s Almond Crusted Halibut: I love that this nut-crusted fish recipe packs a crunch, a dose of healthy fats, and a serious serving of fiber. I also love that the dish is elevated but easy to make.

In an era of nutrient “maxxing” and other health trends that seem to proliferate on social media or in food marketing, it’s worth tuning out some of the noise and tuning into what we’re actually missing (or overdoing) in our diets. But whether you’re in the process of upgrading your diet or simply deciding what to make for dinner tonight, I hope that one of these balanced options inspire you to embrace fiber as the perfect accompaniment to Alaskan seafood.

Live Wild,

Monica