​This is Psylli—um, But You Might Like It

A friend gave me a low-carbohydrate bread recipe which uses primarily almond and arrowroot flours as a substitute for wheat flour.  Less starchy, though they may be, those flour alternatives lack gluten, an important protein, which provides elasticity to the baked goods which contain it.  Flour without gluten will not expand to trap the gases that yeast release.  By themselves, alternative flours produce breads that lack the satisfying chewy mouth-feel that comes from gluten, which is present in wheat, rye, and other commonly used flours.

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What made the low-carb bread recipe delicious, was that it also called for psyllium.  Psyllium acts as a binder, and also imbues the dough with the elasticity and flexibility necessary for shaping and kneading.  Gluten-free bread that tastes, looks, smells, and feels like “regular” bread (made with wheat flour) is possible with the addition of psyllium.

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I Want to get to Know You Better

A funny sounding word, I had heard of psyllium before.  The name stuck with me.  I had a vague notion that it was a plant-product that added bulk to foods and was a gelatinous mucilage.  But since the ingredient was so instrumental in the success of the bread, I wanted to become more familiar with it.

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Besides its use in gluten-free baking, psyllium is sold as a fiber nutritional supplement.  It is used as a thickener for sauces and frozen desserts, including ice cream, as well as a binding agent in foods like dumplings and meatballs.   It is derived from the outer coating of seeds from some members of the Plantago genus.  The variety of the plant most used in commercial production is native to the Mediterranean region. ​

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Psyllium is a hydrocolloid, meaning it forms a gel in the presence of water.  It keeps baked goods moist and prevents them from drying out too quickly.  If you add psyllium in its dry form to other baking ingredients, there will be a delay before it becomes easy to handle, since it needs time to absorb liquids. It is better to mix it with water and create a gel before use. 

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You can purchase both a husk and a powder form of psyllium. The latter is just a finely ground version of the former. If a recipe calls for it, less of the powder form is necessary because its greater surface area will produce more water binding and, therefore, form a stiffer gel.  ​

Inquiring Minds

I’ve always been on the lookout for “interesting hooks”.  Back in the 1980s I learned the pedagogical (and pompous) term was “anticipatory set”.  But, for those of us outside the ivory tower I’m talking about attention grabbers.  Little tidbits of information that pique interest enough so that people want to hear more are helpful for both teachers who want students to learn, and regular people, who just like to bring up unusual factoids in conversation.

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Pointing out the little holes in bread (alveoli!) and yeast action was one of the ways I taught about fermentation—which has connections to respiration and photosynthesis!  Previously, I used gelatin and corn syrup to teach about the lymphatic system.  But, as an alternative, psyllium could be used.  Because of its gel-producing properties, it is great way to generate interest in the circulatory system, as well.

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Outside the world of formal education, who wouldn’t want to demonstrate their wit and have a giggle with friends by sharing the following factoids?

• The region of New York with the lowest cholesterol levels is Statin island.  No, seriously, the regular addition of dietary psyllium can lower elevated blood cholesterol and glucose, as well as systolic blood pressure.

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​• Psyllium helps with “brick laying”.  Perhaps you remember the advertising slogan that began, “If not nature…”

• Psyllium fiber dietary supplements are also used in veterinary medicine since animals also sometimes have gastric distress.  After all, a colt can't achieve full horse power without gas.

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• Yes…psyllium can increase flatulence in humans also.

On a more somber note, psyllium needs to be taken with adequate water, without which it could be a choking hazard or cause bowel obstruction.  Psyllium can also cause allergic reactions. People working in health care or pharmaceutical manufacturing have low Occupational Exposure Limits to the substance.  

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