Psyllium can lower cholesterol, eliminate digestive problems, reduce inflammation, reduce blood pressure, and also help with weight loss efforts, as well as prevent diabetes.
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What is Psyllium?
Psyllium is the name for plants of the Plantago genus. The seeds of these plants, which are typically small herbaceous plants, are indeed highly valuable because they can be turned into mucilage, the most common form of psyllium that is consumed. It is a natural dietary fiber, and while many people do think of it as a pure laxative, it has a number of other effects on one’s body that does make it so valuable.
Psyllium plants do grow primarily in Asia, and India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of psyllium husks. This particular herbal supplement has indeed become quite popular in the United States, which happens to be the main importer of the seeds.
The valuable mucilage does come from the seed coat, and about 25% of the seed coat is made use of to create this gelatinous mucilage. The remainder of the seed is also in fact used, but rather only for livestock feed. The unique thing about psyllium is that it does bonds with water, swelling to ten times its volume when it comes in contact, hence its impact on the body.
Health benefits of psyllium
Cholesterol Reduction
Similar to other dietary fiber, psyllium can indeed significantly affect the health of the heart by indeed lowering cholesterol. Excess dietary fiber works in order to decrease the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food, thus preventing it from sticking in the arteries as well as blood vessels. This does of course help to reduce the chances of atherosclerosis and the consequent heart issues that can arise. It does not, however, reduce the amounts of good cholesterol (HDL), which does keep one’s cholesterol levels balanced as well as healthy. Furthermore, it does stimulate the production of bile, which further makes use of cholesterol.
Digestive Problems
The main function of psyllium is no doubt to improve the functionality as well as efficiency of the digestive system, namely by binding with water in the gut. If one is suffering from diarrhea, psyllium can indeed help to bulk up one’s stool and also normalize one’s bowel movements. If one does struggle with constipation issues, it can also help reduce that discomfort, as it can also stimulate peristaltic motion and keep one’s bowels moving smoothly. It can also help reduce straining as well as inflammation, which can help eliminate one’s hemorrhoids as well as gastric ulcers.
Diabetes Prevention
Psyllium also has indeed proven to be effective on blood sugar levels, which is essential for everyone, whether or not one suffers from diabetes. By actually regulating the release of insulin into the bloodstream, and also keeping blood sugar levels steady, it can help prevent the onset of diabetes, as it does reduce the chances of major spikes as well as plunges. For people who are living with diabetes, adding it to one’s diet can help keep one healthy.
Weight Loss Issues
One of the best things about dietary fiber is that it does create the feeling of fullness, and that sense of satiety is also very important for people looking to cut down on their weight. By preventing in between-meal snacking, psyllium supplements can also keep one’ energy levels up without adding on the pounds. Oat bran often does contain psyllium and is a popular choice for a healthy snack.
Blood Pressure
Psyllium does reduce blood pressure in those who regularly do consume it. It eases the tension on blood vessels and arteries of the heart.
Anti-inflammatory Properties
The mucilage of psyllium does one of the ways to reduce inflammation in one’s gut and colon. This is due to the fibrous activity found in this unique mucilage, as it can also ease the stress as well as strain on the colon.
Detoxify the Body
Although psyllium mucilage is often referred to as a laxative, it is just a highly efficient type of dietary fiber. However, it does indeed effectively detoxify the body, as cleansing out the gastrointestinal system can also be very cleansing and also beneficial for overall gut health.