La nature It never ceases to amaze us, we find a multitude of foods that we would never imagine exist, much less that are very healthy and can help us treat minor disorders or possible diseases.
This time we are talking about psyllium husk, you may know it by its other name ispágula. This food is nothing more than the outer layer of the seeds that are born from the plant Planted psyllium.
This plant appears in Middle East, its peel provides more fiber than many other bran and grains. For example, compared to oat bran, one of the best known for having large amounts of fiber, it has 5 grams of fiber per half a glass, while psyllium husk it can have up to 70 grams of fiber per half a glass, the comparisons, sometimes, are odious.
Properties that you cannot miss
As you have seen, one of its great virtues is the high dose of dietary fiber it has, that is why it is used as nutritional supplement. It is used as a leading supplement in many drugs to treat constipation.
This shell not digested in the digestive tract, but its function is to go through it by absorbing the water, increasing the volume of the feces, facilitating its expulsion later.
Not only does it help us against constipation, another of its advantages is that lowers cholesterol in the blood, provided it is combined with low-fat diets. You can reduce it by up to 7% if the peel is consumed regularly.
In addition, it is perfect for weight loss plans, since apart from its action of giving volume and moistening the stool, it is capable of dragging and eliminating part of the ingested fat.
Beware of psyllium husk
Just as many foods cannot be abused, it also happens with "herbal" foods that, although they seem or are healthier, a massive intake can cause us serious problems.
The first few shots of the peel can cause gas and cramps including diarrhea. Therefore, at the beginning you have to read the packaging well and do not exceed the dose indicated by the manufacturer. On the other hand, it may cause some allergy flare or intestinal obstruction.
It is always recommended take it with a large amount of water, it should be consumed by mixing it in water or some other liquid. It is not necessary to stop drinking the water during the following hours since this way its action will obtain greater results and possible inconveniences will be avoided.