Taking a fiber supplement can help you increase your intake if you are not getting enough you're your regular food, and Metamucil and Benefiber are brand names for popular fiber supplement product lines. Abbott Nutrition, which also makes Similac infant formula and EAS protein supplements, manufactures Metamucil. Novartis, whose products include over-the-counter cold medications, manufactures Benefiber. Get your doctor's approval before taking Metamucil or Benefiber or any other dietary supplement.
Fiber Overview
The daily recommended intake for fiber is 25 g; Metamucil and Benefiber products provide 3 to 5 g of fiber per serving. Dietary fiber can help lower levels of LDL, or "bad," cholesterol in your blood and reduces your risk for constipation. A high-fiber diet may also help regulate blood sugar levels and lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. However, the average American only gets 12 to 18 g per day, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Products
Metamucil and Benefiber come in flavored and unflavored powders that you can add to hot or cold food and beverages; they also come in capsules you can swallow with water. Metamucil sells fiber wafers, which are high-fiber cookies, and Benefiber sells chewable supplements. All Benefiber products and most Metamucil products are sugar-free; alternative sweeteners used include sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame potassium.
Functional Fibers
Dietary fiber is the fiber that is naturally present in many plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains. The fiber in Metamucil and Benefiber is functional fiber because it consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Most Metamucil products contain psyllium fiber, which is isolated from psyllium husk; the Clear and Natural Powder contains inulin, a fiber from chicory. The fiber in Benefiber is dextrin, or wheat maltodextrin.
Other Information
Some varieties of Metamucil and Benefiber contain 20 to 30 percent of the daily value for calcium, an essential mineral for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Only increase your intake of fiber gradually, over the course of at least a week, to reduce your risk for side effects such as diarrhea or cramping. Always drink a full glass of water when you take a fiber supplement to prevent choking, and only use supplements according to instructions on the package and your doctor's recommendations.
