Psyllium: how to use it for weight loss?
Herbal medicine can sometimes optimize the effects of a diet. Many plants can indeed be used for their appetite suppressant, draining, “fat burning” effects, without causing significant side effects. Among these plants, psyllium is often mentioned as an effective dietary supplement for weight loss.
What is psyllium?
Psyllium refers tothree typesof plantain:
- Plantago ovata, blond psyllium, Indian plantain or ispaghul, native to desert regions (North Africa, Southwest Asia, Southwestern United States).
- Plantago afra, chip plantain or black plantain, native to the dry Mediterranean regions and Western Asia.
- Plantago scabra, sand plantain that grows on sandy soil.
Today the term “psyllium” is frequently used to refer to ispaghul – which will also be the case throughout this article. Finally, in pharmacopoeia, the term “ispaghul” can also refer to the plant, seed or seed coat (husk) of the seed.
The particularity of psyllium is its richness infiber, and in particular in mucilages. Mucilages are plant substances that swell on contact with water and take on a viscous, gelatin-like texture. The seed coat of blond psyllium seed contains a lot of it, which is why it is used in herbal medicine. The mucilage of ispaghul is very little fermentable, so it does not cause intestinal irritation. In addition, it can absorb a large volume of water – up to 40 times its weight.
What are the benefits of psyllium?
Blond psyllium has been used for many years to treat different ailments. Indeed the plant, because of its high fiber content and negligible toxicity, is used as a nutraceutical (food-medicine). The benefits of blond psyllium are numerous.
1- Laxative action
Psyllium is a naturallaxative. It is not absorbed by the intestines, but the mucilages it contains regulate intestinal function (diarrhea, constipation). In addition, ispaghul soothes abdominal cramps and reducesbloatingand meteorism. Note that unlike other plant laxatives, psyllium does not cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa, and can therefore be consumed without fear in case of disease or functional colopathy.
2- Appetite suppressant action
When taken with water, psyllium forms a viscous gel in the stomach, speeding up feelings of fullnesstag. This feeling of being “full” leads to less food intake. Also, psyllium is often consumed by people considering weight loss.
3- Detox action
The mucilaginous gel formed by the mixture of psyllium and water will capture, during the digestion process, possible toxins (such as bile acids) and heavy metals (such as lithium) present in food and the digestive tract. They will then be evacuated naturally. We can therefore attributeDetox properties to psyllium .
4- Hypocholesterolemic action
Many studies have been conducted to demonstrate a possible hypocholesterolemic action of psyllium, in subjects affected by an LDL cholesterol level (the ” bad cholesterol “) that is too high. A 2009 meta-analysis(1)concluded that a daily dose of psyllium could have a positive effect on LDL in patients suffering from mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. Also, we can conclude that ispaghul is an interesting plant in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
5- Hypoglycemic action
In several studies, taking ispaghul has been found to lower fasting blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (2)tag. However, psyllium has no impact on people without high cholesterol(3)tag. Also, people with type 2 diabetes are advised to consume blond psyllium, in addition to other recommended lifestyle and dietary measures.
6- Psyllium and weight loss
In view of the many slimming benefits of blond psyllium, it would seem that people wishing to lose weight have every interest in consuming it. Its combined action on the absorption of sugars and fats, on digestion and on satiety make it an indisputable slimming food. However, the consumption of blond psyllium with the aim of weight loss must be integrated into a global approach: healthy and balanced diet, regular practice of physical activity. Otherwise, consumption of ispaghul alone cannot result in weight loss.
How to consume psyllium to lose weight?
1- Form
It is possible to obtain blond psyllium in different forms: Capsules, tablets, bulk (powder or seeds). Several criteria come into play in the choice of product:
- If it is capsules or tablets, make sure that the psyllium content is close to 100% (texturizing agents must represent a tiny part of the product).
- The product can be made from blond and brown psyllium. Be aware that the mucilage content of blond psyllium is much higher than that of brown psyllium, and that it will therefore be more effective if you want to lose weight.
- It is preferable to buy a product rich in psyllium husks, because it is this part of the plant that contains the most fiber – therefore the most interesting to absorb, with a view to weight loss.
- Always prefer a product from organic farming. You will be guaranteed to have quality psyllium.
2- Consumption
First rule : when taking psyllium, it is essential to drink plenty of water, otherwise you will suffer from digestive obstruction.
Second rule: if you opt for unprocessed seeds (i.e. seeds with their integument), they must be soaked for a few hours in a liquid (lukewarm or at room temperature) before consuming them. The powder must also be mixed with a liquid body, but dissolves after only a few minutes.
Third rule : psyllium must be taken away from taking medication or food supplements (such as vitamin and mineral supplements), otherwise their complete absorption will be reduced.
Dosage:
- If you want to take psyllium as an appetite suppressant, with a view to losing weight, you can soak 1 to 2 tablespoons of the seed in a liquid (water, juice, broth, etc.) for a few hours, then swallow the psyllium rehydrated 20 minutes before the meal, accompanied by a large quantity of water (150 to 300 ml minimum).
- For a digestive detox, psyllium can be taken in powder form, at a rate of 5 to 10g, diluted in 100 ml of water, 2 to 4 times a day, for a cure of 3 to 7 days maximum.
- If you wish to act on your weight and your cholesterol (in prevention or in treatment), you can also follow the dosage previously stated.
- Finally, if you want to improve the state of your diabetes thanks to ispaghul, talk to your doctor beforehand. Indeed, taking psyllium could lead to a readjustment of your drug treatment.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.