We always hear about fiber and protein helping to calm food noise. I felt it to an extent, but not a ton. I’m someone who needs lots of little meals throughout the day breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner/snack to keep the food noise to a minimum. I made sure to stay up on my fiber goals, and since I was often including carbe diem, keto bread products, and lots of veggies I was technically hitting my goals on a daily intake in grams basis.
What I didn’t realize is that meant most of my fiber was coming from insoluble sources. Obligatory IANAD. Being an elder millennial with our generation plagued by colon cancer, I wanted to look into whether I was getting the right types of fibers as it greatly decreases risk of colon cancer (and ~80% of Americans have fiber deficient diets), and that’s when I realized my diet was deficient in soluble fibers. Next time I went to the store, I picked up some Psyllium husk fiber and started adding it to my daily routine at 10cal/serving, and y’all… the food noise is GONE. Like my stomach would tell me it’s time for lunch before I would look at a clock, but since I’ve started psyllium husk fiber after breakfast I’ve not thought about it until I realized it was 1-2 o’clock on my work computer.
For those learning like I am, insoluble fiber keeps you regular, while soluble fiber forms a jelly-like bolus moving through your digestive system. It slows the movement of food, helps reduce blood sugar spikes, helps reduce cholesterol, and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
[More information about dietary fiber from Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983)
So, if you’re like me and struggle with food noise but think you’re getting the right fiber from keto pasta/bread sources to keep the food noise at bay, maybe look into it again/talk to your doc and try a soluble fiber supplement as well! Everyone should be tracking their fiber intake!
by notjustaphage
16 Comments
I hate that you are being down voted. Fibre has been a game changer for me as well. The food noise has been non existent since doubling my fibre to 50g a day. The pounds have been falling off the last 3 months. The days I fall off the wagon due to vacation/ holidays/ birthdays, I definitely notice the hunger come full steam. But quickly back onto the fibre train helps immensely. I had tried protein focused calorie counting in the past but the food noise was immense even though I was hitting my fibre goals. I upped it, three weeks I was kinda gassy but after that absolutely fine. And days off of full fibre I can come back to that higher amount easily now.
Chia seeds, basil seeds, ground flax soaked, psyllium husk, lentils, beans. Salad greens, various micro greens by the hand full.
If readers take it slow and incorporate with intention, I haven’t fallen off the train like other attempts. Fibre has been my missing component. I’m a sedentary, short woman. So my deficit feels unfairly low. Veggies and volume eating fibre really helps me.
I had no idea there was different fibers honestly and am still hungry as hell after eating keto bread which has a ton of the other fiber. Thanks for the info
I like Psyllium husk and take it daily but I wish it made me less hungry! Maybe it keeps my stomach from growling but I’m still waiting for lunch anyway
how are you taking it? just mixing it with water?
I hit my fiber goals easily just with beans, oats, and fruits/veggies. No shade to those of you who want to supplement, just wanted to say that not everyone needs to do that. It might be a good idea to count what you’re already getting in a typical day of eating before adding a supplement.
Hello, how do you integrate it into your routine?
So meta mucil is psyllium fiber right? And soluble or no?
Just to add to this because I ran into the opposite problem (to much insoluble fiber). For best effect drink at least 3oz of water per gram of fiber (doesn’t need to be all at once, just in same day) because soluble fiber takes in a lot water, which can fill you up but it can also dehydrate you.
Which product are you using? Metamucil is gross but I’ve heard benefiber doesn’t work as well.
For people who struggle with the taste and texture of psyllium husk – you can mix it with a juice of your choice for flavour. If you use just enough juice to make more of a paste, it turns into something very much like jam (jelly) that you can use as a topping on Greek yoghurt or toast or desserts. Just make sure you drink extra water with it!
Alternatively, chia seeds mixed in water and left to soak for about 10-15 minutes turns into a sort of tapioca pudding kind of consistency, and has virtually no flavour at all (just tastes like drinking jelly water). So you can add any flavouring you like – mix in juice or flavour drops of your liking. Personally I love that it tastes like plain water, unlike psyllium husk that tastes like soggy weetbix (shredded wheat cereal) without any added flavourings.
Again – always drink extra water when adding fibre to your diet!
Thanks for the PSA. I also get fiber from avocados, nuts and chia seedsz
I recently found this out for myself. Through calorie counting I realized that the days I didn’t take my psyllium husk powder I over ate. It doesn’t make me less hungry, it stops the food noise. So it makes me less likely to binge
https://preview.redd.it/ygmr0mnsjk0h1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=a1168d3c469eb37cee0f5616122e6b5b921d7299
A healthy diet will cover both kinds of fiber. Here’s a list of some common fibrous foods.
I take psyllium husk via capsules. I don’t know about food noise, but it’s helped me in the intestinal department. I tended to have to make mad dashes to the bathroom, but this has calmed down everything. I’m up in the morning, business is taken care of and I’m all good. Never experienced that in my adult life.
Oh, thank you! I did not know this. Super helpful
Just a PSA, those fibers that form a slug of gel in your stomach will also make medications not absorb properly if you take them at the same time.
They get caught up in that fiber sludge and don’t digest properly. So, take your fiber at a different time than your sensitive medications!