Both Benefiber and Metamucil are soluble fiber supplements that increase the bulk of stool, leading to more regular and comfortable bowel movements. However, they differ slightly in their ingredients and functions.

Probiotics promote healthy bacteria in your gut and help with nutrient absorption. They work well with prebiotics, like inulin, to keep your digestive system balanced.

Prevents Diarrhea

If you’re prone to digestive issues, one of the best ways to prevent diarrhea is by consuming enough fiber. Prebiotic benefiber is an excellent choice since it works to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. It also promotes the absorption of other nutrients and helps eliminate toxins from your body, which can help prevent and treat diarrhea. You can easily add benefiber to your diet by mixing it with water or other beverages.

You can find benefiber supplements in many different forms, including capsules, drinks, and powder sticks. Some brands use flavoring and artificial sweeteners to make their products more palatable, but others use natural ingredients, such as apple cider vinegar, to keep the product low in calories and sugar. However, you should be careful when choosing a dietary fiber supplement, as some can cause bloating and other digestive problems.

Aside from preventing diarrhea, a good dietary fiber supplement can also relieve constipation and other symptoms of digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. The soluble fiber in benefiber and other similar products absorbs water in the colon, creating bulkier and softer stools. This helps your stool pass more easily through the digestive tract and increase how often you have bowel movements.

Another benefit of a dietary fiber supplement is its ability to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. The soluble fiber in benefiber, along with other dietary fiber, can slow down your body’s metabolism of fats and reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. As a result, you can lose weight and lower your risk of heart disease.

While there are a lot of different types of dietary fiber, you should always look for a formula that is safe to take and won’t interfere with your current medications. Some dietary fibers can have an adverse effect on some medications, such as aspirin, antacids, and antidepressants. Additionally, some dietary fibers can interact with certain types of antibiotics. If you have any concerns, speak with your doctor before taking a new type of dietary fiber. They can advise you on how much to consume and which supplements are safe for you.

Supports Weight Management

The gut’s bacteria may get a bad rap (certain types can cause illness), but the vast majority of them are good for you. These microorganisms are known as your resident flora or gut microbiome, and studies suggest they have major effects on many aspects of health including digestive function, the immune system and mood.1

Both prebiotics and probiotics are important for gut flora, and research suggests that they work together to support weight management. Probiotics are live microorganisms that boost the number of good bacteria in your gut, while prebiotic fiber acts as a food for those bacteria to promote their growth. You can find both of these in foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, tempeh and kimchi as well as in supplements like Benefiber or Metamucil.

While more research is needed, current evidence supports that consuming a diet high in both probiotics and prebiotics can help support healthy weight and digestion. The key is to start by building meals and snacks around fiber-rich foods that also include lean protein and healthy fats. This includes prebiotic superstars such as asparagus, bananas, berries, legumes and greens. For example, for breakfast, try blending 8 oz. of Greek yogurt or kefir, 1 banana and handful of frozen berries. For lunch, toss chickpeas, tomato, onion and apple with lemon juice, olive oil, goat cheese and seasonings of your choice.

For those looking to take it a step further, try adding inulin-rich foods such as leeks, onions, garlic, chiles, chicory root or Jerusalem artichokes with your protein and fat sources. You can also purchase an over-the-counter soluble fiber supplement that is low in FODMAPs, which are short-chain carbohydrates that resist digestion and are absorbed directly into the colon. These products, like Benefiber Advanced Digestive Health, contain a soluble fiber made with wheat dextrin that absorbs water in the gut and stimulates peristalsis or the repetitive contractions and relaxation of intestinal muscle that move bowel contents along.

Be sure to add new food and fiber slowly, over the course of a few weeks, so your body has time to adjust. Adding too much too quickly can cause gas, bloating and constipation.

Helps Control Blood Sugar

A diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics, which includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans, may help prevent many health issues. These include obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Prebiotics nourish the good bacteria that already exist naturally in your gut. This helps keep them healthy and encourages more of the beneficial microorganisms to populate your gut, outnumbering the bad ones. They’re also known to promote gut health and improve overall health.

One of the most common ways to consume a prebiotic is through a dietary fiber supplement, like Benefiber. This dietary fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that makes its way to the colon more or less intact, where it’s consumed by microorganisms. These microorganisms ferment the fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids that can nourish colon cells and provide other health benefits.

This can include helping with weight loss, reducing the risk of heart disease, and even preventing certain types of cancers, including stomach and colon cancers. Prebiotic benefiber may also help control blood sugar levels in diabetics by slowing down the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream.

The FDA recommends adults get 28 grams of dietary fiber per day. This nutrient can be found in a variety of foods, including whole grain breads and cereals, fruit, veggies, legumes, and nuts. You can also add a prebiotic fiber powder to water or your favorite beverage to support your digestive health.

For example, Benefiber is a gluten-free option that can be added to water, coffee, yogurt, or any other drink. It’s clear and taste-free, so it’s easy to incorporate into your daily routine. The product is also available in convenient, single-serving stick packs that make it easier to take on the go.

Benefiber’s main ingredient is wheat dextrin, a form of soluble fiber that nourishes the good bacteria in the gut. It also contains the probiotic lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus. This is the same type of bacteria that’s found in yogurt. Other ingredients in the formula include fructans, galactans, oligosaccharides, resistant starch derivatives, and compounds such as xylooligosaccharides and pectins.

Helps Prevent Heart Disease

While trendy new supplements with big price tags are all the rage, your gut health may benefit more from a supplement you probably already know: dietary fiber. In fact, the vast majority of Americans fall woefully short of the recommended daily amount, according to a 2021 study in Current Developments in Nutrition.

You likely get most of your fiber from whole foods like berries, dark leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains. But it’s not always easy to reach your target intake—particularly for those with digestive issues, such as IBS and constipation.

That’s where a high-fiber supplement, like Benefiber, can help. This clear, taste-free fiber powder nourishes the good bacteria that exist naturally in your gut. It’s also gluten-free, sugar-free and completely dissolves in liquid. Just be sure to drink enough water to stay hydrated as you increase your fiber intake with this supplement.

Generally, you need to consume 25 to 35 grams of soluble fiber daily to prevent digestive problems and promote bowel regularity. Most Americans only consume about 15 grams daily. A 2023 study in the journal “Nutrition Journal” found that those who eat the most dietary fiber have a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes than people who eat the least.

Dietary fiber slows digestion, which helps keep blood sugar stable and helps control cholesterol levels. It can even lower your systolic blood pressure, which is a key indicator of heart disease risk. Soluble fiber particles dissolve in water to form a gel-like substance in your intestines, and they’re found in foods such as wheat bran, pectins, oat bran, beans, dried fruit, apples and carrots.

Prebiotics are nondigestible carbohydrates that serve as food for the microorganisms in your colon. A common prebiotic is inulin, which is found in foods such as chicory root, artichokes, leeks and asparagus. The bacterial microorganisms that consume inulin ferment it, producing short-chain fatty acids that feed your colon cells.