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Psyllium?

Orangeteddy

Well-Known Member
Messages
111
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
I feel psilly asking but what does it do? In trying to research low carb recipes for baking I note it is in very many of them. Is it essential?

I made some low carb almond flour cookies which tasted lovely but crumled to crumbs. Would psyllium have helped?

Does arrowroot do the same thing?
 
Over here in Calif. Psyllium is sold in capsules or powder. It is added to liquid like coffee then drink it. It has a lot of fiber so it helps form bulk (poop)
 
I use psyllium husk when making bread substitutes of one kind or another. This is from dietdoctor.com: "Ground psyllium husk powder is 100% pulverized psyllium husk shells and is used to give a bread-like texture to what you’re baking. Due to its high fiber content it’s often sold as a laxative which can be good to know if you have a sensitive digestive system. When adding it to a liquid it turns into a gel-like substance. It works a bit like gluten in traditional baking, and makes it possible to handle the dough when rolling or shaping it." Link: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes/baking.
 
Thanks for the replies. Not sure I'm gonna bother with it - especially with the laxative effect! I just wondered why so many baking recipes have it in - having said that they don't seem to be UK recipes and most people I have spoken to here who are quite into cookery have never heard of it.
 
Thanks for the replies. Not sure I'm gonna bother with it - especially with the laxative effect! I just wondered why so many baking recipes have it in - having said that they don't seem to be UK recipes and most people I have spoken to here who are quite into cookery have never heard of it.

All I will say is don't be put off by the "laxative" effect! Of the many types of laxative, this isn't one which is likely to make you need to rush to the toilet. It just means, when you do go, things will be "normal" even if you are, for example, on a diet which would normally have you pooping solid lead bullets. All it does is ... change texture for the better :)
 
I feel psilly asking but what does it do? In trying to research low carb recipes for baking I note it is in very many of them. Is it essential?

I made some low carb almond flour cookies which tasted lovely but crumled to crumbs. Would psyllium have helped?

Does arrowroot do the same thing?
Xanthan gum will hold them together
 
Thanks for the replies. Not sure I'm gonna bother with it - especially with the laxative effect! I just wondered why so many baking recipes have it in - having said that they don't seem to be UK recipes and most people I have spoken to here who are quite into cookery have never heard of it.
There aren't many foods available that are truly zero carbs like psyllium. And for those of us who are not able to eat many vegetables due to a diet with very few carbs, a bombshell in the bowel is not unwelcome.
 
Hi, you can usually find it in Indian grocery shops, it`s called ispaghol/isbaghol.
 
Xanthan gum will hold them together
Thanks for this tip! I hadn't ever heard of xanthum gum, but I Googled and found this article, which also has encouraging things to say about psyllium. Given the possible health benefits, I expect I'll be consuming more of both in the near future!

https://draxe.com/what-is-xanthan-gum/
 
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