Earlier this month we spoke about how fiber is the key to good gut health. We want to get as much from whole foods sources like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes. However, sometimes we need a little boost. This is where fiber powders come in. Here are the best ones and how you can use them!
How do these work? The powders make it down to our large intestine where our bacteria live. Our good bacteria use these as fuel to grown and populate. The more good bacteria, the more good short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) we have. SCFAs help heal our gut and lead to improvements in metabolism, hormones, immune, and even mental health!
Acacia
What is it?
Acacia fiber is a soluble complex polysaccharide that is fermented in the colon – giving it prebiotic properties. It is gentle on the digestive system and causes less gas and bloating than inulin fiber, making it a better option especially if someone is prone to GI upset.
How is it useful in cooking?
Acacia fiber can be used as an emulsifier, thickening agent, and flavor stabilizer in the food industry. It also extends the shelf life of baked products. For use in your own kitchen – it can be used in baked goods to improve the texture, and it can also be put in smoothies and homemade nut milks to prevent separation.
Psyllium
What is it?
Psyllium fiber is a viscous soluble fiber with prebiotic potential. It has remarkable health benefits, as it has been shown to lower serum LDL, improve glycemic control, and it is used to treat constipation.
How is it useful in cooking?
Since psyllium fiber is highly water soluble, it acts as a great thickener. If you let it sit with water for a few minutes, it will form a thick gel-like substance. This can be used to help thicken up smoothies, homemade pudding like chia pudding, and can be used to improve the texture of homemade gluten-free bread.
Inulin
What is it?
Inulin fiber is a soluble, fermentable, nonviscous fiber that acts as a prebiotic. It is less water soluble than psyllium, therefore is not as good of a thickener, but is more fermentable than psyllium. Since it is more fermentable, it can lead to bloating and gas after ingestion.
How is it useful in cooking?
Inulin is used as a texture modifier in the food industry. It can also be used to replace sugar, fat, and/or flour in recipes because of its texture and flavor. While it is 10 times less sweet than sucrose, it can be used as a sweetener in recipes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570285/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6358997/
