# Dietary Fiber Supplements - again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787 "2015-03-11T22:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/1 "2015-03-11T22:39:28Z")
TL: DR - What are the best dietary fiber supplements for reaching at least 75% of the USRDA? Prefer to have both soluble and insoluble with at least 45% soluble fiber, so may need to combine two products. * * * I’m thinking of going on soylent (or something similar) 2 meals per day in order to stabilize my weight. The one glaring lack in the formula is dietary fiber. Searching for supplements I am utterly flummoxed. In some cases, the products recommend as many as[five capsules, 4 times per day](http://cdn.metawellness.com/en-US/-/media/Metawellness/Images/Products/productM/gallery/image2.png?w=1210&v=1-201409050216), and still don’t even get to 50% of the USRDA for dietary fiber. In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=719670)I expressed my surprise at how little of the daily requirement for dietary fiber was covered by my oat bran supplements. [Psyllium Fiber capsules:](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71rSUclCCDL._SL1082_.jpg) 1500mg of psyllium fiber gives you a whopping 4% of the daily dietary fiber recommendation. (70% soluble fiber.) A dose of Citrucel (2 capsules) equals 1 gram of fiber, 6% of the USRDA. (methylcellulose, soluble fiber.) Please, let’s not turn this into an opinion poll. I’m not looking for a lecture on how much better it would be to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. I do. But I’ve done the calculations, and given my metabolism it simply isn’t possible to make the fiber numbers I am aiming for without overdoing the calories and sugar intake. I need those calories for protein and fatty acids. What I’m really asking is, what low or no-calorie supplement will conveniently provide at least 75% of the USRDA for dietary fiber? I’d like to end up with at least 45% soluble fiber, but I do think at least some of each is important. Is there a particular product or active ingredient which make this easier to achieve? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/2 "2015-03-12T00:12:39Z")
First question - have you discussed this with a doctor or professional nutritionist? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/3 "2015-03-12T00:29:15Z")
Flax seed. 100 grams a day of milled flax seeds should do it. And they’ve got protein and fatty acids as well. You should work up to that amount and drink plenty of water. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/4 "2015-03-12T00:51:21Z")
These ground chia seeds might also fit your bill? [http://www.puritan.com/xiomega3-brand-0929/ground-chia-seed-023794?scid=32139](http://www.puritan.com/xiomega3-brand-0929/ground-chia-seed-023794?scid=32139) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/5 "2015-03-12T01:10:33Z")
I do three servings of the mix-in-water sugar free psyllium fiber\* and three servings of fiber gummies per day. That gets me roughly 9g insoluble and 21g soluble fiber a day. [EDIT: That’s more than the usual recommendation. Check with your doctor before you do that, and if you get the go-ahead, then go-ahead slowly and gradually work your way up.] Soluble is more important to my doctor and I, since that’s the one that seems to help cholesterol and lipid levels. Fiber is, by definition, bulk. It’s hard to cram enough fiber into capsules, because they’re, um, unbulky. \*I buy the big jar for home use morning and night, and the single serve packets for one mid-day dose in a water bottle. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/6 "2015-03-12T04:30:45Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Flax seed. 100 grams a day of milled flax seeds should do it. And they’ve got protein and fatty acids as well. You should work up to that amount and drink plenty of water. Right, flax seed is amazing, and will be a small part of my final solution due to the great fatty acids it carries. But as a source of fiber it comes to about 9 teaspoonsful at 55 calories each. Yikes! OTOH, it also brings a lot of protein (about 31 mg.) so that’s a plus. > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > These ground chia seeds might also fit your bill? [http://www.puritan.com/xiomega3-brand-0929/ground-chia-seed-023794?scid=32139](http://www.puritan.com/xiomega3-brand-0929/ground-chia-seed-023794?scid=32139) With [chia seeds](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81umEl0tXRL._SL1500_.jpg), I’d have to do about 4 tblsps per day at 60 calories each. And at about 60 cents per day it’s the cheapest option so far. But it sounds like a lot to choke down. Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/7 "2015-03-12T06:44:14Z")
As noted, fiber is bulky. I don’t think you’ll get a much smaller volume than those chia seeds. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/8 "2015-03-12T12:10:38Z")
Does anybody know if the chia and/or the flax seeds need to be ground in order to provide the best benefit? How well do the seed coats break down in our stomachs? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/9 "2015-03-12T12:19:03Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I do three servings of the mix-in-water sugar free psyllium fiber\* and three servings of fiber gummies per day. That gets me roughly 9g insoluble and 21g soluble fiber a day. [EDIT: That’s more than the usual recommendation. Check with your doctor before you do that, and if you get the go-ahead, then go-ahead slowly and gradually work your way up.] > > Soluble is more important to my doctor and I, since that’s the one that seems to help cholesterol and lipid levels. > > Fiber is, by definition, bulk. It’s hard to cram enough fiber into capsules, because they’re, um, unbulky. > > \*I buy the big jar for home use morning and night, and the single serve packets for one mid-day dose in a water bottle. Would you be willing to PM the brands you use? The fiber gummy market is MUCH larger than I expected! LOL! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/10 "2015-03-12T13:17:12Z")
You might also look at adding some shirataki to your diet. It is made from glucomannan fiber derived from the root of a Japanese yam. Zero calories or carbohydrates, and some studies seem to show good results on cholesterol levels. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/11 "2015-03-12T13:51:59Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Would you be willing to PM the brands you use? The fiber gummy market is MUCH larger than I expected! LOL! PM sent. (But for anyone else who’s wondering the same thing, it’s not a secret. I use Vitafusions gummies, purchased from Costco, or CVS’s store brand of gummies. I use Costco’s Kirkland Psyllium Fiber or Metamucil, depending on the price. I’m not particularly brand loyal, I’m parsimonious. The fiber gummies do vary a little bit, from 3-5 grams of fiber per serving, but not enough that I worry about it.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/12 "2015-03-12T16:58:14Z")
Note that getting both soluble and in-soluble fiber is best. I have a fiber pill supplement at home that has both and pectin, I’ll post the brand etc later. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/13 "2015-03-12T18:09:44Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Does anybody know if the chia and/or the flax seeds need to be ground in order to provide the best benefit? How well do the seed coats break down in our stomachs? Flax seed you definitely want to be ground. I buy whole flax seed then grind them in a coffee grinder. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/14 "2015-03-13T03:21:53Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Does anybody know if the chia and/or the flax seeds need to be ground in order to provide the best benefit? How well do the seed coats break down in our stomachs? Flax seed does need to be broken down. You can buy flax meal at the grocery store in the natural-foods section; it has to be kept in an opaque bag and ideally in the freezer (it’s what we do). Otherwise it loses nutrition or goes rancid too quickly. When I make steel-cut oats, I’ll toss 2 tablespoons on it right before eating it. I imagine it might also be tossed in a nutritional shake though I don’t know what that would do the the texture - perhaps spinning the whole thing in a blender? Jicama, a root vegetable, has a decent ratio of fiber to calories, plus it can satisfy the need to munch on something. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/15 "2015-03-13T20:18:58Z")
All-Bran Buds have 13 gm of fiber in 1/3 cup and containing 80 calories. Also 3 g of protein and probably too much vitamin supplementation. 3 TBS of chia seeds contain 11 gm of fiber in 150 calories and with 5 gm of protein and a bunch of needed fatty acids (6 gm of omega 3). Put the two together with say half a cup of plain nonfat kefir (55 calories, 5.5 more grams of protein) … or more … maybe just a few [raspberries](http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2053/2) (10 have just 10 calories and add some flavor as well as another gram of fiber) and you have 25 grams of fiber, 13 to 14 grams of protein, a bunch of needed fatty acids, all in under 300 very high satiety calories. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/16 "2015-03-13T23:41:14Z")
Oh, [best I can](http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/23778782) find is no need to grind chia. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/17 "2015-03-14T19:15:31Z")
Swanson Tri-Fiber complex. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/18 "2015-03-14T23:05:11Z")
And a nice combination of fiber sources it is, **DrDeth**. Problem is the issue raised in the op: she’s need to have 25 of those a day to hit her desired 75% of recommended fiber intake, one jar every two days. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/19 "2015-03-14T23:36:30Z")
A cautionary note: Supplements are not regulated nor tested; therefore, the contents are suspect. See the recent NYT article. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dietary-fiber-supplements-again/714787/20 "2015-03-15T01:21:40Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > And a nice combination of fiber sources it is, **DrDeth**. Problem is the issue raised in the op: she’s need to have 25 of those a day to hit her desired 75% of recommended fiber intake, one jar every two days. Absolutely, and you make a greta point. But my suggestion was to use that to supplement another source of fiber- so that you get all three types. It’s what I do- I take some of that orange stuff then a few of those pills. YMMV.