The thing about metamucil is that it has either added sugar or artificial sweeteners. the main ingredient is psyllium husk.
I like benefiber better - no taste, just sprinkle on food. But I don't know how wheat dextrin compares to psyllium husk (or other fibers)
A nurse I talked to takes psyllium husk by itself, and I wonder if that is better than metamucil.
There are plenty of foods rich in fiber that you don't need to consider supplements. The article itself mentions - Foods high in soluble fiber including avocados, whole grains, chickpeas, apples, lentils, broccoli, brussels sprouts, certain seeds, and artichokes. Most fruits and vegetables also have varying amount of fiber, as does some variety of rice, millets and wheat (that are common in some Asian diets). See https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/coping/nutrition/... for more.
I've tried it and it is hard.
Let's say you need 38g of fiber per day and you need to make up half of it.
You could eat 6 cups of brussel sprouts, or sprinkle 6 packets of benefiber on your food as you eat throughout the day.
Also, a lot of natural fiber in quantity has some unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.
I'm not saying it is impossible, but it can be quite challenging to get all your fiber from natural sources in our society.
I think you're right about diet. When I asked my first doctor about diet - what should I eat and not eat, he told me something counter-intuitive. He said "it changes back and forth every year, but one thing is agreed upon - eat a variety of foods".
A lot of my indian colleagues behave quite differently from the general population. They frequently cook at home and/or for themselves and bring the food in, and they generally use whole/individual ingredients. I've also heard that indians don't get alzheimers because of turmeric.
That said, as people age or become more sedentary I think proper fiber becomes very important.
I also have plain psyllium husk, and I avoided it because I liked the sugar of the Metamucil. But I have been focusing on lowering my sugar, so I'm switching to the plain psyllium husk, and it's just as easy to drink; it was really a little mental game of how it would taste, haha.
Then, about a year later changed my diet and started tracking macros. Was able to stop taking Metamucil after balancing them properly.
I’d consider Metamucil a bandaid, it is easier to supplement than rehaul your entire diet. But the latter is better in the long run for sure.
what does that mean?
Near as I can tell Benefiber is basically a placebo. People feel good for adding “fiber” to their diet but it has none of the effects of psyllium husk or oat fiber.
Psyllium husk by itself (power, not capsules) is utterly disgusting by the way. Tastes like dirt. You can hide it in protein shakes or similar but I personally struggle to get it down with just water.
“Gel-forming psyllium is good for both softening hard stools and firming up loose stools. It is effective in preventing or relieving constipation. Research shows viscous fibers like psyllium or the fiber in oats can have some impact on improving blood sugar control and lowering blood cholesterol levels."
“Fermentable wheat dextrin does not form a gel with liquid, so it is not helpful for constipation or diarrhea. Nor can it help lower cholesterol or control blood sugar. It does, however, serve as a prebiotic, providing nourishment to the gut microbiota. When microbiota ferment fiber, they release gas, so wheat dextrin may cause bloating and flatulence."
https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/gi-health/psyllium-vs-...