Psyllium is a form of fiber made from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant’s seeds. It sometimes goes by the name ispaghula.

It’s most commonly known as a laxative. However, research shows that taking psyllium is beneficial to many parts of the human body, including the heart and the pancreas.

Psyllium  is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago whose seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage. Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber to relieve symptoms of both constipation and mild diarrhea, and occasionally as a food thickener. It is commonly used as a food ingredient in manufactured breakfast cereals.

Use of psyllium in the diet for three weeks or longer lowers blood cholesterol levels in people with elevated cholesterol, and lowers blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Use of psyllium for a month or longer produces a small reduction in systolic blood pressure.

For centuries, psyllium husk has been used in the ancient traditional medicine of Ayurveda to promote the body’s overall health and well-being. This ancient knowledge has now been proven by modern science, and today psyllium is known as one of the most effective fibers for maintaining regular digestive health.

Psyllium comes from the Plantago Ovata and is grown in the rolling fields of the Gujarat and Rajasthan regions of India. The name psyllium comes from the Greek word “psulla”, which means flea, because seeds on the plant resemble clustered fleas. Each plant produces about 15,000 tiny seeds!

Psyllium is produced mainly for its mucilage content, which is highest in P. ovata. Mucilage describes a group of clear, colorless, gelling agents derived from plants. The mucilage

obtained from psyllium comes from the seed coat. Mucilage is obtained by mechanical milling/grinding of the outer layer of the seed. Mucilage yield amounts to approximately 25% or more (by weight) of the total seed yield. Plantago seed mucilage is often referred to as husk or psyllium husk. The milled seed mucilage is a white fibrous material that is hydrophilic (water-loving). Upon absorbing water the clear colorless mucilaginous gel that forms increases in volume by ten-fold or more. Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber, which is not digested by action in the small intestine. The purely mechanical action of psyllium mucilage absorbs excess water while stimulating normal bowel elimination. Although its main use has been as a laxative, it is more appropriately termed a true dietary fiber.