Flea Seeds: Helpers With Indigestion And Binding Agent When Cooking

They have nothing to do with little nuisances, on the contrary they are extremely useful: psyllium enrich the diet as a medicinal plant and versatile cooking ingredient. We explain the effect and application of the inconspicuous food.

Jack of all trades in nutrition: psyllium

Flea seeds have nothing animal about them, they are only visually reminiscent of fleas – hence the name. The Indian flea seed herb, a relative of our buckhorn, is one of the medicinal plants. The shells of the granules contain mucilage that can bind large amounts of water. They swell up in the intestines, increase the volume of the stool and thus counteract constipation. Flea seed shells have a stronger swelling effect than whole psyllium seeds, which means they stimulate digestion even faster. As an additional nutrient with this effect, the granules contain fatty oil, which acts like a lubricating film in the intestine and supports the transport of stool. They are therefore also an oilseed in a broader sense. Due to the water-binding effect, (organic) psyllium husks or whole seeds also help with diarrhea. Anyone suffering from irritable bowel syndrome can also benefit from psyllium husk recipes. In any case, the prerequisite is the sufficient intake of liquid in order to utilize the soluble dietary fiber. You should drink at least one or two glasses of water when consuming flea seeds.

Use flea seeds in the kitchen

You can also take advantage of the strong swelling effect of psyllium in the kitchen. The small grains can be used as a binding agent in gluten-free baking. Flour types such as buckwheat or amaranth flour, which are gluten-free, are used to create beautifully shaped breads, rolls, and sweet pastries. Your morning porridge gets an extra portion of fiber through the addition of psyllium. In principle, you can enrich many other dishes according to this principle. Add a spoonful of psyllium to shakes and smoothies, creamy desserts, or casserole sauce. The versatile granules can also act as saviors in times of need. If your pancake batter is too thin, simply thicken it with psyllium. But be careful: too much of a good thing causes the dough to clump and also gets your digestion going too fast.

You should take this into account when using it

The regular consumption of psyllium is not only good for the intestines, but according to studies, it can also lower the cholesterol level to a small extent. If you would like to treat yourself to the seeds every day but suffer from a chronic illness, it is better to speak to your doctor before taking them permanently. For in certain ailments the granules would do more harm than good. In any case, remember to always drink enough if Indian psyllium is on the menu in any form.