It won’t require much effort scrolling through either my website or social media pages to come to the genuine realization that I speak very highly of both psyllium fibre and ground flaxseed as individual ingredients of great value to metabolic health.

For this reason above all else I was thrilled to work with Brightside Organics on creating sponsored content to show off their Natura Fibre product which contains BOTH of those ingredients!

The nutrition nerd in me is truly excited to introduce you to this product, highlight its strengths and offer you the role I see it playing in your routine.

In much of my client population I strive to achieve the following goals:

Reduce both long-term and post-meal blood sugar levels

Due especially to their high soluble fibre content, both psyllium and ground flaxseed have been demonstrated to significantly reduce the post-meal blood sugar response when added to any carbohydrate-rich meal ( think oatmeal, fruit smoothies) for example.

 Increase dietary fibre and magnesium intake

 The average Canadian ranges from being 10-20g away from their daily fibre needs and up to 140mg of magnesium away from their needs in that requirement.

From the public health perspective, magnesium and fibre are two of the most important under consumed nutrients and I see resolving  these gaps are massively important.

For reference, 3 heaping tablespoons of Natura Fibre provides 14g of fibre and 70mg of magnesium demonstrating significant potential to help close that gap in people who may struggle to do so.

Increase dietary polyphenol intake

Polyphenols are this wonderful family of compounds ( read my post on them) with a number of benefits on the human body, especially in the gastrointestinal tract where they positively influence our healthy gut bacteria and reduce the negative inflammatory influences of less healthy bacteria.

Oh, and guess what? Ground flaxseed is one of the single highest dietary polyphenol sources.

Improve bowel regularity with minimal GI distress

Due to their unique soluble fibre content and low FODMAP levels, both psyllium fibre and flaxseed have been individually demonstrated to improve bowel regularity ( ie: more and better quality bowel movements) especially in those who have chronic constipation.

Their unusually high capacity to retain water helps to soften stool and make it easier to pass.

Reduce insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a common feature of metabolic health conditions like prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and PCOS – among others.

Due to a combination of factors including fibre content, magnesium content and polyphenols both psyllium and flaxseed have been demonstrated to measurably reduce markers of insulin resistance when used consistently over a period of multiple months.

Increase satiation between meals

I always tell my clients that I want them to be in a position whereby they have a healthy level at hunger at meal time but equally that they rarely experience unexpected or undesirable hunger between meals.

Boosting the fibre content of one’s meal, as we could do via the incorporation of both psyllium and flax, is an easy and highly effective way to contribute to this end goal.

From My Science To Your Kitchen

Still with me?

So far I’ve offered my scientific perspective on the strong role I see for this product in the lives of the people I work with and those who learn from me from a distance.

Now let’s translate that into a day in your life.

I see two primary routes to make the best use of Natura Fibre:

Route 1 – Incorporated As Part Of Specific Meals

Think warm oatmeal, overnight oats, smoothies, smoothie bowls, yogurt parfaits.

These are exceptional vehicles for many complimentary ingredients, including and especially Natura Fibre.

Route 2 – Consumed With Water Before/During Meals

I appreciate that not every meal one consumes is going to be the perfect fit for utilizing Natura Fibre, so my next best recommendation is to mix it with ample water and consume either just before or during the early stages of a meal.

Many studies that measure the blood sugar lowering influence of psyllium and flax individually often have participants consume it just prior to a meal where it can have an even greater effect on slowing the movement of food through your system and thus leading to a healthier blood sugar and insulin response.

Final Thoughts

 If you’ve been hesitate to include one or both of psyllium and flaxseed into your routine, here’s your sign to bring both into the mix in an easy, efficient and highly effective way.

Visit Brightside Organics for more information!!

Andy De Santis RD MPH