Psyllium husk

You've seen it in gluten free bread recipes, and you may already be using it, but do you know what psyllium powder is?

Psyllium husk powder is a soluble fiber derived from the seeds of Plantago ovata, an herb mainly grown in India. It’s used as a dietary supplement and is usually found in the form of husks, granulates, capsules or powder.

Although psyllium husk is not a flour, it is used as a thickener to help ingredients bind together, especially in baked goods recipes that contain no gluten.  Psyllium husks absorb liquid forming a gel that is stable only up to temperatures of about 176 F, depending on the amount used in the recipe.

One tablespoon of this powder has 53 calories, 8 gr fat, 0 gr protein and 15 gr carbohydrates of which 13.5 are fiber, for a 1.5 gr of net carbs; making it a favourite in the low carb diet community.

This fiber is used most commonly in the preparation of grain free baked goods, but it can also be added to smoothies or green juices.