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HRFiber supplements
Daily fiber intake can be increased by consuming more fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. While this sounds easy, it is not always feasible for everyone due to various reasons.
Fiber supplements
When it is not possible to get enough fiber through your diet, you might consider using a fiber supplement. Taking a fiber supplement allows you to quickly and easily increase your fiber intake.
Fiber supplements are made by extracting fiber from natural, fiber-rich sources. This results in a product with a high concentration of fiber that can be easily added to your diet.
There are various types of fiber supplements, so it’s important to find the one that best suits your needs. They can differ in the source of the fiber and in how easy they are to consume. Some well-known fiber supplements include guar gum fiber, psyllium fiber, and inulin.
Guar gum fiber
Guar gum fibers, also known as Sunfiber or Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG), are extracted from the guar bean, which comes from the seeds of the guar plant.
- Characteristics: Guar gum fibers are well-tolerated and slowly fermentable, making them prebiotic fibers.
- Benefits: After consumption, guar gum fibers promote a feeling of fullness and support normal bowel function.
- Application: Guar gum fibers can easily be added to both cold and hot drinks or foods without altering the taste, smell, color, or consistency.
- Suitable for Low-FODMAP Diet: Guar gum fibers are low in FODMAPs, making them suitable for use during the low-FODMAP diet.
Psyllium fiber
Psyllium fibers are derived from the seeds of the Plantago ovata species.
- Characteristics: Psyllium fibers are generally well-tolerated and fermentable, also serving as prebiotic fibers.
- Benefits: After consumption, psyllium fibers promote a feeling of fullness and support normal bowel function.
- Application: Psyllium fibers can be added to water, where they form a gel-like substance. This characteristic makes them suitable for use as supplements, although the texture and taste may not be ideal for everyone for daily or long-term use.
- Suitable for Low-FODMAP Diet: Psyllium fibers are low in FODMAPs, making them suitable for use during the low-FODMAP diet.
Inulin
Inulin is extracted from plants such as chicory, artichokes, dandelion roots, and chicory roots.
- Characteristics: Inulin is fermented, making it a prebiotic fiber. However, it is not always well-tolerated because it is rich in the FODMAP group fructans.
- Benefits: After consumption, inulin promotes a feeling of fullness and supports normal bowel function.
- Application: Inulin can be easily added to both cold and hot drinks or foods without altering the taste, smell, color, or consistency.
- Suitable for Low-FODMAP Diet: Inulin belongs to the carbohydrate group of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and is rich in the FODMAP group fructans. Fructans are known in the low-FODMAP diet for their potential to cause excessive fermentation in the large intestine for some people. If you have difficulty digesting fructans, inulin is not the best option.
Fiber & the Low-FODMAP diet
The low-FODMAP diet is designed to help people identify whether, and which, foods they have difficulty digesting. During the diet, certain carbohydrate groups that are difficult for some to digest (lactose, fructose, sweeteners, and sugars in vegetables and wheat) are temporarily avoided. Afterward, the carbohydrate groups are reintroduced one by one to discover which ones are well or poorly tolerated.
During the diet, foods like (whole grain) cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and certain nuts are avoided. These foods are particularly rich in fibers that support gut flora.
The low-FODMAP diet is very intensive, and by avoiding these fiber-rich foods for an extended period, you may develop a serious fiber deficiency. To supplement this deficiency, you can use a well-tolerated prebiotic fiber supplement, such as guar gum fibers or psyllium fibers.