Try These 5 Fiber Supplements to Get Things Moving in 2022

You may have heard that fiber and healthy digestion go hand in hand, but if you experience frequent constipation or struggle with digestive issues such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), you may not be getting enough of it. The truth is that most folks lack enough quality fiber in their diets to achieve optimal digestion. In fact, only 9 percent of women and 5 percent of men are getting the fiber they need for healthy digestion (which, experts say, is around 30 grams per day from all sources).

Luckily, there are some great fiber supplement options out there, and a rundown of the best of them can help you find one that checks all the boxes in your quest for improved digestion.

Citrucel

Citrucel has been around for a long time, and there’s a reason for that. It works. Two caplets deliver a gram of fiber, and users can consume up to 12 daily to achieve regularity. The fiber in Citrucel is semi-synthetic methylcellulose, which is non-fermentable. Why’s that important? Some fiber supplements produce a lot of gas due to fermentation, which can be painful (and in some cases, embarrassing!)

Benefiber

Benefiber is a prebiotic plant-based fiber supplement, so it pulls double duty by helping you shore up your fiber intake while also nourishing and strengthening the good bacteria in your gut, which is good for overall gut health. Benefiber is clear and tasteless, so you can add it to water (or even bake with it) without ever knowing it’s there, which makes it a good choice for people who don’t like the taste of other fiber supplement options. You can also buy Benefiber in a gummy form that contains prebiotic and probiotic fiber.

Metamucil

Psyllium fiber supplement choices are bountiful, but one of the original supplement options of this type—Metamucil—stands out from the pack. Metamucil comes in a powder form that you stir into a glass of water or juice to create an orange breakfast-like drink. Metamucil touts itself for helping support four benefits: improved digestive health, appetite control, healthy blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol levels.

Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein Powder

With Nutiva organic hemp protein powder, you get a heaping helping of both fiber and protein. With every serving of Nutiva, you get 12 grams of fiber, with 90 percent of it insoluble. Made from cold-pressed hemp, this supplement also delivers 37 percent raw protein.

Fiber-3 From NOW Foods

Another powdered fiber supplement, Fiber-3 gives you 7 grams of fiber from golden flaxseed, acacias and inulins in every serving. But that’s not all you get with Fiber-3. It also gives you 3 grams of protein along with omegas 3, 6 and 9.

A Word of Caution

When supplementing your fiber intake, be sure to drink plenty of water. Think of the fiber you take in like a sponge. It absorbs water in your digestive system. If you don’t rev up your water intake, then the fiber you take in can’t really do its job—and in fact, it might even worsen constipation. Drinking more water helps balance things out so that you can get “things going” again.