Best Fiber Supplement for Keto

The ketogenic diet has been the source of positive health for many people around the world. It offers dieters a unique combination of healthy meals that contain the necessary quantities of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to best achieve ketosis. Unfortunately, fiber is one thing that the keto diet fails to provide.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate which is found only in plant-based foods. This material contains nutrients similar to other sources of carbohydrates, but it is not completely digestible by the body.

Medical research tells us that adult humans require a daily dosage of 25 grams to 38 grams of fiber in their diet. But, the keto diet, which bans a variety of carbs like whole wheat, cereals, corn, starchy vegetables and so on- essentially a large range of high-fiber produce- offers very low levels of dietary fiber for the body.

Taking fiber supplements is essential if you wish to maintain a healthy gut and experience overall wellbeing and weight loss.

Types of Fiber

There are two types of dietary fibers:

  • Soluble Fibers: Soluble fibers are those which can dissolve in liquids and which can be easily absorbed by the body. This type of fiber is very beneficial to health since it can be transported through the blood to various parts of the body. Common soluble fibers include guar gums, psyllium, pectin, and beta-glucans.
  • Insoluble Fibers: Insoluble fiber is the type of fiber that cannot be digested or dissolved by the body. The body extracts what it can from the insoluble fiber and dispels it from the body as waste. This type of fiber is added to foods as a bulking agent. Although it does offer health benefits, it doesn’t have as extensive an impact as soluble fibers, because it cannot be dissolved and absorbed by the body. Common insoluble fibers include cellulose and lignin.

Top Five Reasons to Include Fiber in Your Keto Diet

  • It Helps You Lose Weight: Fibers are denser to digest than other types of food, and they act as natural food control mechanisms, reducing the quantity and frequency of your meals. A study showed how people who doubled their fiber consumption consumed 90-130 calories less each day, which helped them lose between 9 and 13 pounds each year.  Fibers also help in maintaining healthy weight post-diet. A study by Georgia State University found that mice which consumed a diet that lacked fiber put on more weight than mice which were given balanced meals. Scientists believe that a low quantity of soluble fibers may have the same reaction in humans. Fiber will help you maintain a healthy weight by providing a well-balanced meal.
  • It Keeps Cholesterol Levels Under Control: Studies have found that including seven grams of fiber to your daily diet reduces your risk to heart disease by 9%.  Fiber has the ability to absorb cholesterol from clogged arteries, allowing your heart to pump blood more efficiently and to pump pure blood free from cholesterol and toxins. With lesser cholesterol, the body becomes healthier and begins to lose weight faster.
  • It Helps Control the Sugar Level in the Body: High-fiber diets that contain a minimum of 30 grams of fiber per day have been found to reduce the impact of Type 2 Diabetes in the body. The fiber reduces blood sugar by slowing down the rate at which sugar in the food is broken down and absorbed.
  • It Helps Improve the Body’s Immune System: When half-digested fiber enters the intestine, gut bacteria start to break down the fiber and convert them into short-chain fatty acids. These acids stimulate the production of antibodies, cytokines, T-helper cells, and leukocytes, which play a very important role in the body’s immune system.
  • It Helps Maintain Bowel Movement: Severe constipation can damage your body, not to mention, leave behind harmful chemicals from undigested food. Bowel perforation, fecal impaction, and rectal hemorrhoids aside, your body will also suffer from extreme fatigue and possible malnutrition, which can severely impact your health. Proper consumption of dietary fiber can prevent all this and keep you safe.

Are Fiber Supplements Better Than Natural Fiber for Weight-Loss?

In reality, both naturally high-fiber foods and fiber supplements are good for health. There is no research as of yet which proves that consuming fiber supplement is harmful to the body. Fiber supplements complement and supplement the health benefits offered by naturally fibrous foods by providing those fibers to the body which aren’t routinely consumed as part of the diet.

Comparatively, neither is better than the other, but each provides different types of dietary fibers, which are essential for the body.

In reality, both naturally high-fiber foods and fiber supplements are good for health. There is no research as of yet which proves that consuming fiber supplement is harmful to the body. Fiber supplements complement and supplement the health benefits offered by naturally fibrous foods by providing those fibers to the body which aren’t routinely consumed as part of the diet.

Comparatively, neither is better than the other, but each provides different types of dietary fibers, which are essential for the body.

What to Consider When Purchasing Fiber Supplements?

There are four important things you need to consider when purchasing fiber supplements:

  • Ingredients: Be sure to choose supplements which are high in soluble fiber, rather than functional fibers, as soluble fibers have a better health benefit for the body. The ingredients used in the supplement must ideally have been sourced from within the USA. This ensures quality.
  • GMO/GMP certification: A fiber supplement brand with a GMO/GMP certification indicates that the supplement has been formulated based on a world-class standardized formula and they are manufactured using 100% pure ingredients without any genetic modification.
  • Dosage: Too much fiber can cause gastrointestinal problems, especially when you’re not used to eating high-fiber diets. This is where dosage matters. Start small and then increase your fiber content if you need to.
  • Side-effects: While fiber supplements don’t have many side-effects or negative impacts, it's still best to consider any allergies or food sensitivities you have to prevent falling sick.
How to Select Fiber

How to Select Fiber Supplements?

There are just a few rules that you need to follow when selecting fiber supplements:

  • If you’re experiencing diarrhea or have irritable bowel syndrome due to extensive dieting, choose supplements with soluble fibers. These fibers have the ability to congeal into soft gel-like materials, which can strengthen your fecal matter and reduce diarrhea.
  • If you’re experiencing constipation and are feeling nauseous and bloated, choose supplements that are high in insoluble fibers. Since insoluble fibers don’t dissolve, they are pushed out of your body. If you are constipated, the pressure the body exerts to push-out the insoluble fiber may relieve you of constipation.
  • If you’re trying to reduce your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, choose supplements that have psyllium husk in them. Studies show that psyllium husk can moderately lower cholesterol from 7% to 4.  Additionally, research shows that regular psyllium fiber consumption can help alleviate the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
  • If you experience regular gastrointestinal problems like gas, bloating, and stomach infection, choose supplements that are high in prebiotics. These are fibers which stimulate the cultivation of good gut bacteria, which are essential for a healthy digestive tract.

Who Can’t Consume Fiber Supplements?

Consumption of fiber supplements may lead to bloating and gas during the initial days since your body is not used to high-fiber foods yet. It is recommended that you stay away from fiber supplements if you have a very weak stomach or have digestive conditions.

Additionally, studies show that fiber supplements that contain pectin and guar gum sometimes affect the body’s ability to absorb beta-carotene, carotenoids, lycopene, and lutein. These compounds are good for the eyes, skin, and joints. People who suffer from skin, eye or joint conditions may need to reduce fiber supplement intake if they experience a worsening of their symptoms.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers may use fiber supplements after consulting their doctors if they suffer from constipation.

Usage Directions

Medical research shows that people under the age of 50 should consume between 25 grams and 38 grams of fiber each day. People above the age of 50 should consume between 21 grams and 30 grams each day unless specified otherwise by a doctor.

Typically, one tablespoon of powdered fiber supplement contains up to three grams of fiber, and capsules start at 1.45 grams per capsule. Research shows that you should ideally consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories consumed.

The Five Best Fiber Supplements for Keto

1. Benefiber Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder

Benefiber Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder

The Benefiber fiber supplement has been formulated from 100% natural prebiotic dietary fibers and contains wheat dextrin, which is very beneficial to gut bacteria. The product comes in powder form and can be mixed with water, beverages, soups, broths or added to solid meals.

PROS

  • Completely natural, sugar-free, and gluten-free.
  • Available in a variety of formats – capsules, tablets, gummies and more.
  • Completely grit-free.

CONS

  • Sometimes, the powder does not dissolve properly, and instead, clumps in the bowl/glass.

2. Earth’s Pearl Probiotic & Prebiotic

Earth’s Pearl Probiotic & Prebiotic

This particular dietary supplement is chock-full of prebiotic fiber, meaning it contains compounds and nutrients that stimulate the cultivation of intestinal flora immediately after consumption. The product comes in capsules, which are small and easy-to-swallow.

PROS

  • Capsules also contain probiotics – healthy live gut bacteria – which are released directly into the intestinal tract.
  • Contains oligofructose, which strengthens the immune system.
  • Contains compounds that protect the body from yeast overgrowth.

CONS

  • The round shape of the capsules sometimes makes it difficult to swallow.

3. Sunergetic Premium Psyllium Husk Capsules

Sunergetic Premium Psyllium Husk Capsules

The Sunergetic psyllium husk supplements have been made using 100% pure psyllium husk. They are designed to clean your colon and provide digestive health. The product comes as capsules, making them super-easy to consume.

PROS

  • FDA-registered facility and GMP-certified.
  • 365-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.

CONS

  • Not vegan; capsules are made from bovine gelatin.

4. Standard Process Gastro Fiber

Standard Process Gastro Fiber

This fiber supplement is designed specifically to improve the pH levels of the gastrointestinal tract. The product is designed to increase the level of satiation by filling-up the stomach post-consumption. The supplement has been formulated to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract and maintain healthy gut bacteria.

PROS

  • 80% of the ingredients used are grown on the company’s organic farms.
  • Contains powdered fennel, which alleviates indigestion, gas, and abdominal cramps.

CONS

  • Gluten-free versions aren’t available often as the company makes very few gluten-free supplements.

5. Renew Life Triple Fiber Adult Fiber Supplement

Renew Life Triple Fiber Adult Fiber Supplement

The triple fiber supplement is formulated by combining oat bran, flax fiber, and acacia fiber. The product is psyllium-free and is ideal for constipation and digestive distress. The supplements contain special compounds that help detox the body and cleanse the digestive tract.

PROS

  • The capsules are 100% vegetarian.
  • It doesn’t lead to abdominal cramping like other supplements.

CONS

  • Capsules are very low in fiber – only 2.5 grams per capsule.

The Winner

After a comprehensive analysis of each of the five fiber supplements, the choice comes down to either the Benefiber Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder  or the Earth’s Pearl Probiotic & Prebiotic.

Both are easy-to-use, offer excellent health benefits, and have a proven record of improving immunity, reducing digestive concerns, and aiding with weight loss. But, it is their differences that make them both winners in their own right.

Since both supplements offer two different types of fiber – one soluble fiber and the other prebiotics – each supplement works differently and treats different digestive concerns. Either one can be used, depending on the problem you experience.

Verdict: Draw.

Who Can Use This Product?

Both the Benefiber Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder and the Earth’s Pearl Probiotic & Prebiotic can be used by adults. Children over the age of six can use these products only if the products are specifically designed for kids.

Pregnant and lactating women can consume fiber supplements to relieve their symptoms of pregnancy-related or post-birth constipation. But it's best to speak to a medical professional first before you include fiber supplements in your diet.

Conclusion

A healthy body traces itself to a healthy stomach, and a healthy stomach is the source of weight loss. In reality, your stomach will be healthy only when it receives the right nutrition, which includes fiber. Take regular fiber supplements, steer clear of gastrointestinal concerns, and say goodbye to obesity-related conditions.