TheSoko.com - What You Need To Know About Psyllium Fibre

What You Need To Know About Psyllium Fibre

By Peter Liu

[Nutrition & Diet]

Wondering about all those ads and commercials gloating about the greatness of psyllium fibre? Let Peter Liu tell you what all the hype is about.

The recent emphasis on the importance of nutritional health has generated many products claiming to be the answer to healthy living. Psyllium fibre is yet another addition to the expanding list of items that boast a number of nutritional benefits.

Breakfast cereals are the latest food products to incorporate the use of psyllium fibre, specifically Kellogg’s "All Bran Buds" and "All Bran Guardian" cereals. Despite boasts of how effective psyllium fibre is in contributing to good health, the claims seem to be the only source of information presented.

I ventured to de-mystify all the fuss surrounding psyllium fibre, despite the fact that psyllium has been readily consumed in other countries for many years.

What is Psyllium Fibre?

Psyllium fibre comes from the Plantago plant genus, which contains over 200 species. The Plantago Ovata strain contains the most mucilage, a clear, colourless type of gel gained from the processing of the outer layer of the P. Ovata seed.

The outer layer is more commonly referred to as the husk of the psyllium seed, and this is the main portion used in high-fibre cereals. The husk is separated from the seed, and then finely ground up for commercial use. The remaining seed is used primarily for animal feed.

Fibre Content Breakdown

Types of fibre: soluble and insoluble

The American Association of Cereal Chemists defines soluble fibre as: the edible parts of plants or similar carbohydrates resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine.

This means that soluble fibre sources easily dissolve in water; whereas insoluble fibre sources do not.

Psyllium fibre is 66% soluble, and 34% insoluble; so it provides a balance of both fibre types. Containing both types of fibre means that there are multiple health benefits.

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