What’s the best fibre-rich supplement?

María José García 8 min. of reading For the Intestinal Flora Leave a comment

Fibre supplements help us maintain healthy nutrition.

Ideally, we’d get everything we need through a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, pulses and whole grains.

However, when it becomes difficult to get the right doses through these foods, we can use supplements with fibre.

Index

1 Why is it important to include fibre in your diet?
2 How do I know if my diet is low in fibre?
3 How much fibre should we consumed per day?
4 What are fibre supplements?
5 Main dietary fibre supplements
6 Precautions when taking fibre supplements

Why is it important to include fibre in your diet?

Dietary fibre includes part of plant foods that’s not digested or absorbed by the body.

It reaches the large intestine without degrading, fulfilling an important role within gastrointestinal function.

Fruit and vegetables are rich in fibre and essential in your daily diet.

Depending on the type of fibre, it cna be classified as:

Soluble fibre: This dissolves in water to form a gelatinous compound. It ferments intestinal bacteria; makes stools bulkier and softer; promotes the proliferation of “good” intestinal bacteria; and helps control cholesterol. It is abundant in vegetables, fruits and pulses.
Insoluble fibre: This accelerates the movement of faecal material through the digestive tract, which helps to relieve constipation. It’s found in wheat bran, whole grains, nuts and vegetables, such as cauliflower and potatoes.

Both types of fibre provide significant benefits to our health, such as those outlined below.

Improves Microbiota

Fibre consumption impacts the bacteria found in the intestine, causing the growth of a healthy microbiota.

A diet rich in fibre can prevent the risk of developing haemorrhoids as well as treat them, alongsides the formation of small pockets in the colon (diverticular disease).

This could help improve our metabolism, control appetite and avoid certain vitamin deficiencies.

Facilitates intestinal transit

Fibre intake helps regulate the frequency of bowel movements and relieves constipation, as larger stools are easier to pass.

Dietary fibre increases the weight and size of faeces and softens them. This helps food pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines, decreasing the likelihood of constipation.

On the other hand, with loose stools, fibre can also make them more solid.

Control of LDL cholesterol

Some research has shown that balanced fibre consumption can lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL).

This could be explained by the fact that fibre, especially soluble fibre, integrates with the cholesterol in our intestine and promotes the elimination of lipoprotein.

Type 2 diabetes control

Specialist studies have suggested that people with higher fibre intake have a lower risk of diabetes.

Fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can reduce sugar absorption, which can help improve blood sugar levels in those with diabetes.

If you already have diabetes, it also improves your control of the condition.

Protection against toxins

Fibre can protect the walls of the digestive tract.

This is because soluble fibre has the ability to form a “jelly” that can prevent harmful products from damaging the intestinal walls.

Meanwhile, insoluble fibre can accelerate the passage of food through the digestive system, preventing the toxins of some foods from remaining in our body.

Helps prevent intestinal diseases

A diet rich in fibre can reduce the risk of developing haemorrhoids and diverticular disease, as fibre has an anti-inflammatory and prebiotic effect.

Reduces the risk of coronary heart disease

Consuming about 10g of fibre daily helpsto mitigate the risk of cardiovascular disease by some 17% (study).

Prevents colon cancer

As research shows, a diet rich in fibre reduces the risk of colon cancer by up to half due to:

Reduced contact time between the intestinal mucosa and carcinogens.
Modifying the metabolism of bile acids.
Increased butyric acid production during colonic fermentation (may offer anti-tumor protection).

How do I know if my diet is low in fibre?

If you’re not eating a lot of fruit and vegetables, your diet will be lacking in fibre. This deficiency translates into various symptoms that can result in:

Constipation: Difficulty in passing bowel movements can damage the intestine and result in a bloating sensation in the stomach.
Fatigue: If our body has a high carbohydrate and low fibre intake, there will be a lack of blood glucose control, which translates into energy increasing and decreasing energy dips.
Less satiety: More fibre in our diet produces an increase in satiety and a reduction in fibre results in the opposite.

How much fibre should we consumed per day?

The recommended daily dose of fibre is 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men, although this should always be determined by a licensed specialist in human nutrition and dietetics.

As the amount of soluble and insoluble fibre varies from food to food, it’s important to eat a wide variety of vegetables that contain a high percentage of soluble and insoluble fibre.

To ensure maximum benefits, you can get helping meeting the required amount through fibre supplements.

What are fibre supplements?

Fibre supplements are products that can be consumed to supplement a diet low in fruit and vegetables.

Most come in powder format, although they also have other presentations, including gummies and capsules.

They’re safe to take daily, so long as you don’t exceeding the amount indicated by the manufacturer.

It’s also important to accompany each dose with a glass of water to ensure the product moves properly through the digestive tract.

Main dietary fibre supplements

There are a wide variety of fibre supplements on the market. However, it’s important you choose products with high quality standards.

I recommend HSN products, for their effectiveness and recognised excellence in the results.

Below is an overview of the most outstanding fibre supplements offered by HSN:

Psyllium Husk

It is the husk of psyllium or plantago powder. It contributes to intestinal transit and function. Blond banana (Plantago ovata) helps control blood cholesterol levels.

Psyllium Husk Powder by EssentialSeries.

Pure Psyllium Husk powder.
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Gluten free.

Inulin

It uses Orafti®HSI Inulin, a prebiotic fibre from chicory root. It can be used as a thickener and sweetener.

Inulin Powder by RawSeries.

Coming from the root of the Chicory plant.
RAW format. Sweet taste.
Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Apple fibre powder

It’s a food preparation made from the flesh and skin of the apple. With a high fibre content (60%), it’s an excellent option for low-fibre diets.

Apple Fibre by FoodSeries.

Pure apple fibre powder.
100% natural
Free of genetically modified organisms.
Vegan-friendly.

Glucomannan

This is an extract from the Konjac plant. It’s a type of soluble fibre that helps maintain normal cholesterol levels and is used in diets focused on weight loss.

RawSeries Glucomannan Powder.

Pure glucomannan.
From Konjac Extract 95%.
Bulb 20 times more concentrated.
RAW format, flavourless.

Precautions when taking fibre supplements

Although fibre supplements are safe, it’s always best to consult a health expert.

Especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take daily medication, are a minor, or suffer from any underlying pathology, it is best to seek the advice of a specialist.

If you don’t normally consume enough fibre, you may experience unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, stomach pain, gas and diarrhoea when you start taking fibre supplements.

As such, it’s important not to exceed the indicated doses. You can even start with small portions and gradually increase them, while your body adapts to the fibre.

Related Entries

For more information on these fibre supplements:

Review of Fibre Supplements

Importance of fibre - 100%

Eating fibre-rich foods - 100%

Fibre supplements - 100%

Recommendations - 100%

100%

HSN Evaluation: 5 /5