How humble Isabgol went from grandpa’s fix to trendy gut hack

Srirupa RayTNN
Nov 26, 2025 | 13:17 IST
TV host and health coach Mini Mathur calls isabgol the ‘baap of all’ supplements

A once-boring laxative is showing up in everything from protein bars to gluten-free brownies

Once the stuff of discreet bathroom conversations, isabgol (also known as psyllium husk) is suddenly having its buzzy moment. The same gloopy gel that grandparents swore by to ‘keep things moving’ is now starring in influencer reels and diet charts as a gut-healing, sugar-taming, lipid-lowering wonder.

Amirtha Murugesan, a 24-year-old from Bengaluru, first heard of psyllium husk from an American YouTuber. After two years of strength training, she had optimised her protein intake but struggled to meet her fibre goals. “So, I started having psyllium husk first thing in the morning with some electrolytes. It’s an easy 6gms of fibre,” she says, adding that the trend is a side effect of the high-protein craze as people tend to forget fibre.”
Copyright © 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service.