Psyllium husk: why it is good for you and you should use it regularly

It sounds a bit like eating sawdust, yet for your health, you should ingest one to three teaspoons of psyllium cuticle daily. It is practically tasteless and odourless, and if you mix some into muesli, bread dough or crèpes, for example, you won't even feel it. In the stomach and intestines, on the other hand, it has a great beneficial effect: it is rich in fibre, can aid digestion, aids weight loss, lowers harmful LDL cholesterol and blood lipid levels.

Flavourless but super-healthy viscous mush

Blending the psyllium cuticle with a little water, you get a tasteless but super healthy mush. It doesn't look particularly tasty, I admit. But in this case it is not a matter of culinary pleasure, because it is precisely the viscous property that makes this mush a super food for the stomach and intestines.

Home remedy for digestion

Psyllium husks have two effects that at first glance seem contradictory: they help both diarrhoea and constipation.

Untreated psyllium seeds are too hard to be digested. Therefore, if you eat them you will excrete them practically as you ingested them. Their ground husks, on the other hand, literally slide through your digestive tract. They are 80 per cent dietary fibre and can absorb 40 times their weight in water. As a result, their volume increases dramatically once they enter the stomach and intestines, generating pressure on the intestinal wall. This, in turn, sets the intestines in motion and aids digestion. In addition, their viscous consistency acts as a lubricant and helps combat constipation.

There is a simple reason why the cuticle also helps against the seemingly opposite disorder, diarrhoea: it absorbs excess fluid from the intestines, making stools less liquid.

The cuticle of these seeds is especially famous as a dietary supplement for weight loss, due to its ability to increase extremely in volume: as it swells in the stomach, it generates a sense of satiety that helps many people eat less.

Another beneficial effect is its positive influence on blood sugar and lipid levels. In addition, it reduces harmful LDL-cholesterol.

Do not overdo it

You should never overdo things and this also applies to psyllium husk. You should not consume more than one to three teaspoons a day, otherwise the excessive volume of cuticle may cause constipation or painful flatulence. For the same reason, make sure you drink enough liquids. At least one glass of water per teaspoon of psyllium husks is recommended.

Beware of taking medication

Because of their effect on the digestive tract, psyllium husks can influence the effect of medications because their viscous consistency adheres to the intestinal mucosa. In theory, this is good because it protects the intestinal wall. However, the viscous layer can also delay or even prevent drug absorption. It is therefore advisable to take the psyllium cuticle no earlier than half an hour after taking the medication. It is best to discuss this with your doctor or physician.

One last thing: do not take psyllium cuticle before going to bed, otherwise you will feel like you have eaten stones in the morning. As I said, the cuticle absorbs liquids and if you don't drink anything during the night, you'll feel a heavy weight on your stomach in the morning.

Native relative: plantain

By the way, the psyllium cuticle is obtained from Plantago ovata which is a plantain native to North Africa and South-West Asia. Its native relative, the lanceolate plantain (Plantago lanceolata), is also very healthy and can be used as a salad substitute. The flowers are edible and are used in the preparation of tea or syrup. The leaves are said to have a taste reminiscent of mushrooms. In naturopathy it is used against colds and inflammations of the mouth and throat. It can also be applied to inflamed skin after an insect bite or to treat neurodermatitis. When ingested, plantain also takes on a viscous consistency, beneficial for the stomach and intestines.