Form Comparison

Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum vs Wheat Dextrin

How partially hydrolyzed guar gum and wheat dextrin differ in how they work, evidence, tolerance, and cost.

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Quick verdict. Both dissolve clear in drinks. PHGG (Sunfiber) has support in IBS and ferments slowly with little gas, while wheat dextrin (Benefiber) is mainly a cheaper way to add fiber grams, with mild gas. Choose PHGG for IBS or a gentle prebiotic, and wheat dextrin when cost matters and you just want more fiber.

Side by Side

Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Wheat Dextrin
How it works Guar gum enzymatically shortened to reduce viscosity. Fermented slowly, which limits gas. Soluble, non-viscous, readily fermented. Dissolves clear in liquids.
Typical dose 5-6 g daily 3-6 g 1-3 times daily
Common uses IBS, gentle prebiotic, enteral nutrition adding fiber grams to drinks
Side effects Generally well tolerated; low-FODMAP certified products exist. Mild gas.
Cost Moderate Low
Also called PHGG, Sunfiber Benefiber, resistant dextrin

When to Choose Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum

Choose partially hydrolyzed guar gum when you have IBS and want a fermentable fiber with less gas. Often the best-tolerated fermentable fiber for IBS.

Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum

Fermentable but slow, so it produces less gas than inulin. Small IBS trials favor it.

What to look for: Sunfiber is the most studied ingredient. About 5-6 g a day.

Find on iHerb Affiliate link

When to Choose Wheat Dextrin

Choose wheat dextrin when you want an invisible fiber added to drinks and are not treating constipation. Non-viscous, so it lacks the laxative and cholesterol-lowering effects of psyllium.

Wheat Dextrin

Choose wheat dextrin when you want an invisible fiber added to drinks and are not treating constipation.

What to look for: Wheat Dextrin named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.

Find on iHerb Affiliate link

Products on Titrate

2,168 of the 214,745 labels in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database list fiber as an active ingredient (1,232 on market). 322 are sold as fiber products by name.

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Fiber does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.

Related

References

Institute of Medicine. National Academies Press, 2005. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids.

Moayyedi P, et al. The effect of fiber supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1367-1374.

Gibb RD, et al. Psyllium fiber improves glycemic control proportional to loss of glycemic control: a meta-analysis of data in euglycemic subjects, patients at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and patients being treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(6):1604-1614.

McRorie JW Jr, McKeown NM. Understanding the Physics of Functional Fibers in the Gastrointestinal Tract: An Evidence-Based Approach to Resolving Enduring Misconceptions about Insoluble and Soluble Fiber. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017;117(2):251-264.

Jovanovski E, et al. Effect of psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber on LDL cholesterol and alternative lipid targets, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(5):922-932.

McDonald D, et al. American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research. mSystems. 2018;3(3):e00031-18.

Reynolds A, et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet. 2019;393(10170):434-445.

Wastyk HC, et al. Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell. 2021;184(16):4137-4153.