I bought some psyllium husks for my low carb diet and since I bought them in bulk I have no idea how many grams of fiber they contain per tablespoon, cup, or how much a typical serving is. I know they’re calorie free but can anyone help me out here? Also is it possible to get too much dietary fiber?
I assume you can get between 7-10 grams of fiber per table spoon, but I’m not to sure. The risk of getting too much fiber in you diet is you’ll be on the pooper all day long. Oh and don’t be a dumbass like me when it comes to taking fiber products. What I sometimes do is place 4 tablespoons in a 16 ounce glass and fill it with water. It’s pretty nasty because psyllum will swell up in water, making it really hard to swallow. So my advice is take one teaspoon or table spoon with 16 ounces of water, and do it 2-4 times a day.
I looked up the macro content at foodcount.com. One cup of psyllium husks contains 66 grams and the common serving size is 9 grams (or probably a tablespoon) Primary Nutrient Profile for 1 cup:
Calories 33 kcals
Carbohydrates 53.3 gm
Protein 1.9 gm
Total Fat 0.3 gm
Saturated Fat 0 gm
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 23.1 mg
Potassium 118.1 mg
Iron 2.3 mg
Dietary Fiber 47.5 gm
1 tablespoon mixed with 1/1/2 - 2 cups of water is more than enough. Place fibre inside a cup first. Fill up under a running tap while mixing it simultaneously with a spoon. Drink immediately before it thickens. You could add unprocessed bran to increase fibre content. Two times a day should be fine. Too much soluble fibre can slow everything down in the gut. Since you are on a low carb diet, soluble fibre may help with “those empty stomach cramps” feelings. Just don’t go overboard with them. Also it might take a while for your digestive system to adjust in case you get an upset stomach.
I take 2 tbspoons a day and have read that it is equal to 8 grams of fibre. (so 4gms a tablespoon) I dont bother mixing it with water though because it tastes like ass. Just put the tablespoon to the back of your throat and wash it down with 8 ounces of water. Its a lot easier to put down. I do the same thing with creatine and flax seed oil.