Fiber is a healthy nutrient, and inadequate intake may lead to health conditions such as constipation or high cholesterol levels. Citrucel is the brand name for a line of fiber supplements from the GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare company, and you can get psyllium, or psyllium husk, from other brands of fiber supplements. Supplements can help you increase your intake, but be sure to get your doctor's approval before taking any supplement.
Citrucel contains SmartFiber, or methylcellulose, which comes from parts of plant cell walls which your body cannot digest. It is a non-viscous fiber. Citrucel comes in caplets and in regular and sugar-free orange powders, which you can use on food and in beverages. Each serving of Citrucel provides 3 g insoluble fiber. Psyllium, or psyllium husk, comes from a plant called Plantago ovata, or blond psyllium, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. It is a viscous, or soluble, fiber.
Potential Health Benefits
Viscous fibers, such as psyllium, slow nutrient absorption and the emptying of food from your stomach, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. This helps prevent spikes in your blood sugar levels after eating, and may lower your risk of developing diabetes. Psyllium also lowers cholesterol levels in your blood, and may reduce your risk for heart disease. Citrucel and psyllium may reduce your risk for or relieve symptoms of constipation because they increase stool bulk. Citrucel also softens stools and makes them easier to pass because its methylcellulose absorbs water in your intestine.
Functional Fiber
SmartFiber from Citrucel and pysllium supplements are functional fibers, and functional fiber may not be as effective as dietary fiber that you get from eating natural food sources, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Even when you take a fiber supplements, continue to emphasize a diet with high-fiber foods, such as beans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, because these foods provide other beneficial nutrients, such as iron, potassium, vitamin C and folic acid.
Other Information
Always take plenty of water when you take fiber supplements to reduce your risk of choking. A benefit of psyllium is that it is a prebiotic because probiotics, or healthy bacteria in your gut, can use it for nutrition and growth. However, this can cause gassiness and bloating. There is no upper level of intake for fiber, including from Citrucel or psyllium, because it is not known to be dangerous at high levels of intake, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. Be sure to only increase your intake gradually and under your doctor's supervision.
Member Comments