The Pros and Cons of Colonbroom
While Colonbroom may have some health benefits, its main ingredient is comparable to Metamucil and Benefiber -- two over-the-counter fiber supplements that are relatively inexpensive. The supplement is deemed safe when used according to the package label, but there’s nothing magical about it.
The main con of Colonbroom is its ridiculous price. A one-month supply costs $65.00. You can purchase Metamucil or even generic psyllium husk for less than $15.00 in most major grocery and drug stores.
The other con of Colonbroom is the potential risk of overuse. In our weight-obsessed culture, “if one is good, two is better” is the prevailing mindset. There may be a risk for individuals to overuse Colonbroom which could lead to diarrhea and electrolyte abnormalities.
How Can You Prevent Constipation?
My best advice for preventing constipation and improving gut health is to eat foods high in fiber and drink plenty of water. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise 25 grams of daily dietary fiber for women and 38 grams of dietary fiber per day for men.
While a psyllium supplement may ease symptoms of constipation, food should be your first choice. If you have teeth and a small intestine, let your body do the digestion!
Below are some top foods that supply plenty of fiber:
Beans and lentils
Bulgur
Farro
Quinoa
Raspberries
Rolled oats
Whole wheat bread or pasta
Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, apples, citrus fruit, peaches, pears, and melon also provide some dietary fiber as do dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
How Do You Improve Your Gut Microbiota?
In addition to consuming a variety of high-fiber foods, limiting foods that are high in added sugar can protect your gut microbiome as well as your waistline.
Fermented foods have also been found to improve the diversity of your gut microbiome. These include:
Cottage cheese
Kefir
Kimchi
Kombucha
Pickles
Miso
Natto
Sauerkraut
Tempeh
Yogurt
If you’re considering Colonbroom, save your money. Following a high-fiber diet with plenty of plant-based foods, adequate water, and less sugary, ultraprocessed foods will protect your health and wealth in the long run.
References:
Yang C, Liu S, Li H, Bai X, Shan S, Gao P, Dong X. The effects of psyllium husk on gut microbiota composition and function in chronically constipated women of reproductive age using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Aging (Albany NY). 2021 Jun 3;13(11):15366-15383. doi: 10.18632/aging.203095. Epub 2021 Jun 3. Erratum in: Aging (Albany NY). 2022 Mar 30;14(6):2923. PMID: 34081625; PMCID: PMC8221300.
Jalanka J, Major G, Murray K, Singh G, Nowak A, Kurtz C, Silos-Santiago I, Johnston JM, de Vos WM, Spiller R. The Effect of Psyllium Husk on Intestinal Microbiota in Constipated Patients and Healthy Controls. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Jan 20;20(2):433. doi: 10.3390/ijms20020433. PMID: 30669509; PMCID: PMC6358997.
Jovanovski E, Mazhar N, Komishon A, Khayyat R, Li D, Blanco Mejia S, Khan T, L Jenkins A, Smircic-Duvnjak L, L Sievenpiper J, Vuksan V. Can dietary viscous fiber affect body weight independently of an energy-restrictive diet? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Feb 1;111(2):471-485. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz292. PMID: 31897475.
Jiang TM, Liang Y, Liu B, Liu BY, Li X, Zhao JY, Li JT, Liu YP, Chen LJ. Changes in the intestinal microbiota of healthy adults induced by brown yogurt and relationships of bacterial taxa with specific components. Food Funct. 2022 May 23;13(10):5701-5714. doi: 10.1039/d1fo03885k. PMID: 35521810.
Yoshinaga Kawano, Madeline Edwards, Yiming Huang, Angelina M. Bilate, Leandro P. Araujo, Takeshi Tanoue, Koji Atarashi, Mark S. Ladinsky, Steven L. Reiner, Harris H. Wang, Daniel Mucida, Kenya Honda, Ivaylo I. Ivanov. Microbiota imbalance induced by dietary sugar disrupts immune-mediated protection from metabolic syndrome. Cell, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.005
