Benefiber/Metamucil

[zeedeveelgirl]

Hi Guys!

I'm thinking of taking either Benefiber or Metamucil just to boost my protein a bit, I'm struggling to get as much fiber as I need from my diet and usually don't meet my target for the day.

I'm just a bit confused as the Metamucil website says that it has no calories because fiber cannot be digested or absorbed by the body. But the Benefiber site has the nutritional info for the powders/caplets and it says that 1 serve is 15 calories.
But if it can't be digested or absorbed by the body, why have they put up the calorie content of it?!

I'm so confused, if I start taking one of these, should I be recording it in my food diary!? Calorie king has the nutritional info for both Benefiber and Metamucil.

Argh!!! Help, anyone!?
Em

[zeedeveelgirl]

Erm, when I said I wanted to boost my protein a bit, obviously I meant fiber Whoops! It's getting late!!

[CrimsonThunder]

There could be something different in the Benefiber that adds calories but I'm unsure.

[SarahC]

That is confusing... I would have thought there'd be no calories too. I've got Benefibre here and it says 37kJ per 4g serving. Not sure where that would come from as one serving only has 0.7g carbs and 0.04g protein I guess because it is soluble fibre it goes into the bloodstream rather than passing straight through, so it could be used for energy then...

I put it in my protein shakes to add fibre and it makes the shakes a little more filling.

I also (sometimes) have a go of putting psyllium husks in my cereal. That's an insoluble fibre with no calories. It thickens up real quick though so you have to eat it pretty quickly if you don't like gluggy cereal lol.

Uncle Toby's Bran Plus has 20g fibre in a 45g serving... I don't know of any other foods that have this much

[Ally]

You are right Sarah!! that uncle toby's one is the best source of fibre on the market for a brekkie cereal.

hahahahaha Em, glad you cleared up that it was more fibre you were after as I was reading through the first post scratching my head!!!

Hey Em, I would try and boost your fibre intake in the foods that you are eating first, then head for the drinks. Your wholemeal and grainy breads over white, your hi fibre brekkie cereals, legumes (kidney beans, four bean mixes and baked beans are little rippers )

As for the counting of the calories with them, I am not sure as I guess everything we consume (except water) have a calorie count. This has certainly opened my eyes as I thought those kind of drinks were only if you were constipated!!! (shows how much I know about them!)

[evilwomaniamshe]

I know they have a sugarfree metamusil here in the states and that has 20 calories, but it recommends taking it up to 3 times a day, so that would be 60 calories... Heck, I myself would much rather eat my fiber than get my drink on...

In my opinion em, I'd say to incorporate some dried plums instead (aka prunes, the orange flavored ones are really good as are the cherry infused ones too, we have sunkist brand here) Because 5 dried ones for 100 calories, with 3 grams of fiber.

Or figs are really good and chewy too, 5 of those for 120 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

But the best yet is Fiber one cereal I love it and it has 60 calories for 1/2 cup but 14 grams of fiber. This is very good even dry I mix it into yogurt or sometimes I eat it as cereal etc. These will help you get a MOOOOVING so to speak as well, so the pounds should come off too.

[zeedeveelgirl]

Thanks for all your suggestions, guys!!!

I got some Benefiber today, just for when I've got a couple of grams of fibre needed at night or haven't managed to get it through my diet for whatever reason. I'm just going to count it, it's only 37kJ for Gods sake!! I think I was being a bit silly about it last night

Mum had a bit of a go at me for getting it, she said I shouldn't be obsessing over how much fibre I was getting. Er, okay. I really think I should be watching it, because it's not healthy to not get enough!!

Ally - I think my diet is pretty good, I won't touch white bread/rice/pasta, eat loads of fruit & veges (skin on as much as possible) and eat All-Bran with stewed plums for brekkie a lot. Of course, I loveeee cereals, so I also have muesli, oats and Cheerios which don't come close to All-Bran's fibre content!!
I just discovered the red kidney bean fibre count too - that's monstrous! Woohoo I love kidney beans, so I'll start adding them to my salads and stuff. Thanks heaps for the tips

Sarah - I can't believe that Bran Plus cereal has so much damn fibre!! That's insane! I think I'll have to get some and just put a little bit in with my cereal and that'd give me a few extra grams of fibre! Yeesh, is it decent in kilojoule value too??
As for the psyllium husks... I've thought about it, but your stories of glugginess and it making you not want to eat anything after always put me off

EvilWoman - Unfortunately I bloat something shocking with dried fruit, so I try not to have it too much! I do love it though!! You guys have orange and cherry infused prunes over there!? Man, you get all the good stuff!!
I've heard about that FibreOne cereal, we don't have it here! Boooo, I'd love to get my hands on some!!

Yeesh, by the time I'm done with all this people are not going to want to be near me or they'll get blown away, so to speak!!!

Thanks again guys!!
Em

[evilwomaniamshe]

Thats funny em. Hey, as my uncle used to say there is more room outside than there is inside, (in the gas department, tee hee hee) wow, I don't have trouble with them, and perhaps were spoiled here because we even got lemon infused prunes too.

Hey, but you guys got the vegemite! Eweee Gawds, that stuff is NASTY. I met a gal from Australia when I was vacationing in Hawaii and we e-mail each other now and she sent me an australian care package for christmas a few years ago, with vegemite. SALT CITY & I just tried a speck of it........... I wanted to puke, it must be an aquired taste, but I know it is certainly is not for me! Yucka poo..

Kidney beans I eat on my salads sometimes too, they are yummy.
Yes I do count calories, I am a DARN GOOD COUNTER TOO!
Getting over my earlier vent to you today.... Hopefully tomorrow is a better scale day.

[zeedeveelgirl]

Hahahah I like that saying My dad always says "Better an empty room than a bad tenant!" hahah

Wow, lemon infused prunes too!! We don't have any flavour-infused dried fruit at all!! Well, not that I've seen..
Vegemite is delicious, but you're right about it being an acquired taste! I lived in the UK for a while and was always asked how I could eat the stuff!! Not that they're much better - they love their Pro-Mite.

Good luck for the scales tomorrow
Em

[zeedeveelgirl]

Sarah -
How did you feel when you had Benefiber for the first time!??!
I had some at about 1/4 to 1 this afternoon before lunch just to try it out and see whether it was actually flavour-free like it said, and since then I've felt really... full?! It's really unlike me to feel this full.. I only took 3/4 of a tsp like it said to, but now I just feel weird?!?!

I hope this doesn't affect my weigh in tomorrow - HELP!!!!

Em

[SarahC]

Yeah it does make you feel a bit full, not too sure why. I've only had it a couple of times on its own though, most of the time it's in the protein shakes lol. (Note - never try and put it into a soft drink, not a good idea )

Oh and another nonsense tip... if you're gonna eat the Bran Plus, have it with milk!! I ate a mouthful of it last night, on its own, and ended up inhaling a bit. I spent the next 10 minutes coughing myself stupid... and it ended up coming out my nose finally (I'll learn my lesson about eating in the middle of the night one of these days!)

[zeedeveelgirl]

It was sooo weird! I haven't had it since, but I felt full pretty much until I woke up the next morning. Was very odd!! Yeah it does say not to put it in carbonated beverage I'm guessing it didn't go too well!? Hahah

Eeek!!! The Bran Plus was out to get you!!! I haven't gotten any yet but when I do I'll probably just have it with boiling water.. I always have wheaty/branny cereals with boiling water. Yum

[Ally]

OH Sarah.....that is so funny on both counts!!!

[CrimsonThunder]

(Note - never try and put it into a soft drink, not a good idea )

What happens? I guess it goes really fizzy.

I bought some benefiber yesterday, have yet to try it. Does it make you go to the toilet more often?

[SarahC]

Yeah it fizzes up, and goes a bit chunky lol. I didn't notice any laxative effects of it at all... but everyone's different I guess