Metamucil 4-in-1 Fiber (Psyllium Husk)
by Metamucil (Procter & Gamble) · powder ·
Best Value: cheap, drinkable, and well-evidenced as a fiber — but single-pathway and a heavy gel load.
- Format
- powder Drink
- Best price
- $0.21 per serving
- Pathways
- 1 hunger dimensions
- Headline dose
- 3.4 g Psyllium husk
- Caffeine
- Caffeine-free evening-friendly
- Bloat risk
- Medium 3.4 g psyllium (start slow)
1/7 hunger pathways
- Fiber satiety (fullness) Psyllium husk, Soluble fiber
How it scores
Every score is derived from publicly verifiable facts. See the full methodology and Value Index formula.
Ingredients & doses
| Ingredient | Dose | Pathway | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psyllium husk | 3.4 g | Fiber satiety (fullness) | Total psyllium husk per serving (varies slightly by SKU). |
| Soluble fiber (from psyllium) | 2.4 g | Fiber satiety (fullness) | Soluble fiber content per serving. |
How it claims to work
Psyllium husk is a gel-forming soluble fiber that absorbs water to form a viscous gel, which the brand says promotes fullness, supports regularity, and helps maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol already in the normal range.
The evidence
Psyllium has reasonably strong human RCT evidence for cholesterol lowering, glycemic response, and regularity, and moderate evidence for short-term satiety; the strongest claims are digestive rather than weight loss.
Strengths
- Pennies per serving — by far the cheapest in the set.
- Psyllium has genuinely strong human evidence (digestive, glycemic, cholesterol).
- Drinkable and caffeine-free.
Watch-outs
- Single pathway — a fiber, not a craving formula.
- 3.4 g of gelling psyllium can cause bloating and gas, and must be drunk quickly before it thickens.
- Gritty gel texture is not for everyone.
Price & value
Taste & format: Powder mixed into 8 oz water; gels quickly so it must be drunk promptly. Flavored and unflavored SKUs; gritty texture is divisive.