Drink Fiber

Jane

  • 12:44:58 pm on September 24, 2006 | # | 3

    citrucelchocolate.jpg You can read a quick segment on why I started supplementing my diet with “fiber therapy” here. When I started experiencing GI problems (at the time, my main concern was irregularity), I tried taking different brands of fiber therapies.

    The one that I use today and really like is Citrucel Chocolate. My gastrointestinal (GI) specialist recommended earlier this year that I add Citrucel to my diet because of my digestive problems – including my Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR). By the time I saw my GI doctor I had been suffering from LPR for several months and had tried prescription medication for acid reflux without good results. I wasn’t sure what the Citrucel would do for LPR but since my doctor recommended it over other types of fiber therapies (he said he also takes it), I decided to try it out.

    Why I Like It
    I was really happy to see that Citrucel comes in “Chocolate”! This is probably the only fiber therapy that I have seen on supermarket shelves that comes in a chocolate flavor. All the other types are citrus flavors, and I don’t like orange. Since I love chocolate, Citrucel scored big points with me with having a chocolate flavor.

    Citrucel Chocolate has no sugar added, though, and is sweetened with synthetic sweetener aspartame (found in Nutrasweet). People who suffer from phenylketonuria shouldn’t take this product because the sweetener is made from phenylalanine.

    Why I Prefer It
    The type of fiber Citrucel Chocolate contains is methycellulose fiber. According to the Citrucel website, methylcellulose differs from other fiber therapies like psyllium because methylcellulose is 100% soluble and is nonfermentable.

    I didn’t appreciate the difference between fermentable versus nonfermentable fibers until I developed painful gas and abdominal bloating when I tried other fiber products (I’ll review those separately). I did not have this side effect with Citrucel Chocolate.

    In addition to this product having a chocolate flavor and tasting great, I prefer it because I experienced no side effect so far from using it daily.

    How I Use It
    Citrucel Chocolate Package instructions called for its use in a shake, but I’m partial to hot drinks and I love hot chocolate. I’ve been adding 1 scoop of Citrucel Chocolate to 2 scoops of dark chocolate hot cocoa mix in hot water.

    From some of the reviews I’ve read, other people had better results using a blender to homogenize the powder into cold drinks. I’ve found this to be true even for hot drinks. If I didn’t microwave the water for long enough (about 1 minute on high for average sized mug), then the product tends to form clumps on the top. The hot chocolate mixes usually dissolve very easily. I stir rigorously with the spoon to blend the product in with the hot chocolate mix. It’s like drinking very rich hot chocolate.

    Drawbacks
    One inconvenience with Citrucel Chocolate is that the product is in powder form, and requires mixing and/or preparation.

    When I took a couple of doses along for business travel, I had trouble figuring out how I was going to “make” my daily fiber drink. I was also in a cafeteria where most of the cold drinks were water and juice, which would no blend well with the product. I ultimately took a risk and bought a packaged cold coffee drink (coffee exacerbates my acid reflux) and mixed the product in with that. I only drank half of the bottle because I was getting some acid reflux symptoms.

    Another drawback may be portability – but this product does come in prepackaged doses for those of us on the go. I simply put 1 scoop doses in clear sandwich bags and tied the top firmly to prevent powder from leaking all over my luggage when I travel.

    A third drawback may be cost. 2 containers of this product cost me over $30, and each lasts me about 2 weeks. So I’m looking at $30 per month or $360/year, which could add up if we’re talking about chronically taking this product for irregularity! Once I’m done with my second container I’ll look into drugstore.com to get my future supply or bug a friend with a Costco membership.

    Conclusion
    Citrucel Chocolate has become my staple fiber therapy and I take 2 doses (2 scoops) daily. So far I’m very satisfied with its taste, how it works, and the fact that it doesn’t give make me feel bloated and gassy.

    Some of the criticisms I’ve read online about this product came from mixing problems in either hot or cold drinks: clumping was the biggest complaint. This could be easily solved by using a blender or mixer, and for hot drinks, by increasing the temperature of the water.

    I’d definitely recommend this product, and I personally will continue to use this.

     

Comments

Leave a Comment