But the positive effect goes beyond the bowels: psyllium husks could help reduce the risk of diseases such as bowel cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in the long term because fiber allows sugar from food to be absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream. “If you combine psyllium husks with a protein-rich meal, this can keep blood sugar levels even more stable,” Werner says.
How to eat psyllium husks
When it comes to psyllium husks, less is more, especially at the beginning. In fact, Werner often sees her patients make the same mistake time and again—they either take too much at once or don’t drink enough water. “Always work up to it slowly, and take plenty of fluids,” she advises.
To that end, she recommends starting with one small spoonful a day (or less), and then slowly working your way up “day by day, and week by week.” If you notice that you don’t tolerate the psyllium husks well, simply reduce the amount. “One teaspoon to a large glass of water is a good starting point for many people,” she says.
That said, Werner does have one caveat—she prefers not to pre-soak her husks, unlike me: “To be honest, I find the goo in water quite disgusting,” she laughs. Instead, she prefers to simply stir the psyllium husks into smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal. “I now take one to two teaspoons, sometimes even a tablespoon a day—but I’ve worked my way up to it really slowly,” she say.s
What to look for when shopping for psyllium husks
Werner recommends hulled psyllium husks versus whole psyllium seeds. Since they contain just the outer shell of the seed, “they are usually better tolerated and swell up more,” she explains.
She also advises buying organic quality and checking the list of ingredients: “Ideally, they should really only contain psyllium husks—no additives, no flavorings. This is often a good indicator that the products are less contaminated with harmful substances.”
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