How does it compare with shirataki rice?
[I don’t like the taste much, and it doesn’t decrease my appetite much, but there is one packaged by India Naturals that doesn’t use plastic as the bin]]
Yes — cooking psyllium husk in water changes both how it sticks together and how it tastes/feels:
- Stickiness and gel formation
Psyllium husk is mostly soluble fiber (arabinoxylans) that absorb water and swell into a gel.
If you just stir it into cold water, it clumps fast and can feel gritty or slimy.
When you cook it in water (heat it while stirring), the fiber hydrates more evenly and fully, producing a thicker, smoother, stickier gel. That’s why recipes for low-carb breads or noodles often call for hot water.
- Taste and mouthfeel
Psyllium itself has very little flavor, but uncooked it can taste a bit “dusty” or husky.
Heating tends to soften that raw husk flavor, giving a more neutral or slightly toasty note.
The smoother gel texture also makes it easier to swallow — some people describe it as less “chalky.”
- Practical uses
For cooking: adding psyllium to hot water first makes it a better binder for doughs, baked goods, or mock noodles.
For drinking: some people prefer it uncooked, shaken in cold water, for a quick fiber drink. Cooking it makes it thicker and pudding-like, which may be more palatable for some but too viscous for others.
In short: cooking psyllium husk in water makes it stickier, smoother, and usually more palatable, though whether it “tastes better” is personal preference — it’ll be less gritty and more gel-like.
Do you want me to give you some cooking tricks (like ratios and timing) to get the most pleasant texture?
I’m not aware of data but it’s likely the fiber causes lower LDL and reduced blood sugar spikes when consumed with food.
I like to have some black cumin seed (nigella sativa) which does have data on those effects. Flax seed also has some data iirc.
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I use psyllium husk along with flax seeds and black cumin seeds daily in smoothies or cooking veggie pancakes or salmon cakes. I also give psyllium husk to my dog mixing it with yogurt/kefir in his food. It’s a good addition to Ezetimibe to keep cholesterol in range.
It’s nasty IMO, not worth the little fiber it gives you. I would rather eat raspberries - 10 mg fiber per cup or chia seeds in my oatmeal - 3tbsp =10 gm fiber + omega 3
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^too many calories
==
I just mixed in some with cloves and shirataki rice in a cooking pot - let’s see how this will taste! [maybe chia seeds could also be added in]
AND I ADDED ROSEMARY AND CAPERS AND SOME PEPPER. perfect ultra-low-calorie recipe that NO ONE has made.
I put psyllium in my smoothies. The unique thing about psyllium is that it is both soluble and doesn’t get fermented by colonic bacteria to any significant extent. Since it survives the colon intact, it acts to help keep stool formed, thus providing both anti-diarrheal as well as laxative effects in addition to lowering LDL.
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I put about 20+ grams of Inulin fiber in my coffee in the morning (along with Cacao, Creatine, Collagen) and it’s all good. Not a significant impact on tase (IMHO) and easy to consume as part of my regular schedule. I’ve not been a big fan of psyllium, and it doesn’t really fit in my diet, though it does work in smoothies.
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Wow, and you don’t get major bloating or diarrhea with that ? Inulin is a concentrated fructan.
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I started at 5 grams and have worked my way up over the past year. No bloating or diarrhea. Just a little bit of gas sometimes, but very little.
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- Raspberries and psyllium have a similar calorie to fiber ratio, raspberries also provide more phytonutrients.
- Omega-3 fatty acids are caloric in any form.
- If you have to count your calories, you are doing it wrong.
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They spike my blood glucose like crazy