Metamucil vs. Benefiber vs. Citrucel: Fiber Type, Grams and Sweeteners, Per the Label

Last updated October 11, 2026 · By the Fiber Society team

Metamucil, Benefiber and Citrucel are built on three different fibers. Metamucil is psyllium husk, which forms a gel and is not fermented; Benefiber is wheat dextrin, which dissolves clear and is readily fermented; Citrucel is methylcellulose, which thickens without gelling and is not fermented. Per the labels as of October 2026, that is 3 g of fiber per rounded teaspoon of Metamucil powder, 6 g per 4 teaspoons of Benefiber Original, and 2 g of methylcellulose per rounded tablespoon of Citrucel Sugar Free. Which is "best" depends on the texture you want in the glass, the sweetener and color you are willing to drink, and how many grams you want per serving.

Key takeaways

  • The fiber type is the real difference: psyllium (Metamucil) holds water as a gel through the large bowel; wheat dextrin (Benefiber) is readily fermented and loses its water-holding capacity; methylcellulose (Citrucel) is viscous but non-gelling and not fermented (McRorie 2015; Lambeau and McRorie 2017).
  • Grams per serving, per the labels as of October 2026: Metamucil powders 3 g per rounded teaspoon (label allows 1 or 2); Benefiber Original 6 g per 4 teaspoons (8 g); Citrucel Sugar Free 2 g per rounded tablespoon (10.2 g), up to 3 doses a day.
  • Metamucil 4-in-1 Sugar-Free Orange and Citrucel Sugar Free both list aspartame and a Yellow 6 color; Metamucil Premium Blend lists stevia, paprika extract and turmeric; Benefiber Original lists one ingredient, wheat dextrin, and no sweetener.
  • The FDA Daily Value for dietary fiber is 28 g, so 2 g is 7% DV, 3 g is about 11% DV, 6 g is 21% DV and 10 g is 36% DV. Disclosure: Fiber Society sells a multi-fiber powder, described at the end.

Metamucil vs. Benefiber vs. Citrucel at a glance, per the label

Sources: NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (Metamucil, Benefiber), DailyMed (Citrucel) and Haleon's current Benefiber leaflet, per the label as of October 2026. "Servings to reach 10 g" is 10 divided by the grams of fiber in the smallest serving listed. Citrucel is an over-the-counter drug with a Drug Facts panel, so its label gives grams of active ingredient, not a fiber % Daily Value.

Product (per label, Oct 2026) Fiber type Fiber per serving Serving size Sweetener Colors Calories Servings per container Servings to reach 10 g
Metamucil 4-in-1 Fiber, Sugar-Free Orange (powder) Psyllium husk 3 g (11% DV) per rounded tsp; 6 g (21% DV) per two 1 to 2 rounded tsp (5.8 to 11.6 g) Aspartame (phenylalanine 25 mg per tsp) Yellow 6 15 per tsp About 130 tsp (about 65 two-tsp servings); 26.6 oz (754 g) 3.3 tsp
Metamucil Premium Blend, Sugar-Free Orange with Stevia (powder) Psyllium husk 3 g (10% DV) per rounded tsp; 5 g (20% DV) per two 1 to 2 rounded tsp (5.7 to 11.5 g) Stevia Paprika extract, turmeric 15 per tsp About 30 tsp (about 15 two-tsp servings); 6.1 oz (172.5 g) 3.3 tsp
Benefiber Original, Prebiotic Fiber Powder Wheat dextrin 6 g (21% DV); 0 g total sugars 4 tsp (8 g) None listed (unflavored) None listed 30 31 (124 tsp); 8.7 oz (248 g) 1.7 (about 7 tsp)
Citrucel Sugar Free Orange (powder; OTC drug) Methylcellulose 2 g methylcellulose (active ingredient) 1 rounded tbsp (10.2 g); up to 3 doses a day Aspartame (phenylalanine 48.6 mg per adult dose) FD&C Yellow 6 lake, riboflavin 30 (from maltodextrin) Not stated; 32 oz (907 g) is about 89 rounded tbsp by weight 5 tbsp (above the label's 3-dose limit)
Citrucel Orange (powder; OTC drug) Methylcellulose 2 g methylcellulose (active ingredient) 1 heaping tbsp (19 g); up to 3 doses a day Sucrose FD&C Yellow 6 lake, riboflavin, titanium dioxide 60 (from sucrose and maltodextrin) Not stated; 30 oz (850 g) is about 44 heaping tbsp by weight 5 tbsp (above the label's 3-dose limit)

The grams are not comparable spoon for spoon: a Benefiber serving is 4 teaspoons, a Metamucil serving is 1 or 2, and a Citrucel dose is a tablespoon. For gummies and plain psyllium husk as well, see our Metamucil alternatives comparison.

Psyllium vs. wheat dextrin vs. methylcellulose: the three fibers behind the brands

Johnson McRorie's two-part 2015 review in Nutrition Today sorts supplement fibers by three physical questions: does it dissolve, does it thicken or gel, and do gut bacteria ferment it? His 2017 paper with Lambeau tabulates the same fibers under "no water-holding capacity" (insoluble, or soluble with low or no viscosity) and "water-holding capacity" (viscous and gel-forming, or viscous but non-gelling), and McRorie and McKeown's 2017 review adds that a fiber only keeps holding water in the large bowel if it resists fermentation. The three brands land in three different boxes.

Psyllium husk (Metamucil): gel-forming and not fermented

McRorie classifies psyllium as "soluble viscous/gel forming, nonfermented." It dissolves in water, forms a viscous gel, and because bacteria do not break it down it "remains gelled throughout the large bowel." That gel is why a psyllium drink thickens if it sits, and why Metamucil's label says to mix with 8 oz or more of cool liquid and "drink promptly."

Wheat dextrin (Benefiber): non-viscous and readily fermented

Wheat dextrin is made by treating wheat starch with heat or acid. McRorie files it under "soluble, nonviscous, readily fermented": it dissolves, produces "no increase in viscosity," and is "rapidly and completely fermented." That is why Benefiber's label can say "clear & taste-free" and "dissolves completely," and why it can go into hot or cold drinks and soft food. Fermentation is what "prebiotic" on the label refers to: gut bacteria use the fiber as fuel. The flip side, in McRorie's words, is that a fermented fiber is "not present in stool throughout the large bowel" and has "no water-holding capacity." Inulin sits in the same box; see psyllium vs inulin.

Methylcellulose (Citrucel): viscous, non-gelling, not fermented

Methylcellulose is a semi-synthetic fiber made from "chemically treated wood pulp." Lambeau and McRorie's table puts it in the "viscous, nongelling" column and marks it "nonfermented": it thickens water but does not set the way psyllium does, and bacteria leave it alone. Citrucel's Drug Facts panel calls it "a non-allergenic fiber," says to mix each dose into at least 8 ounces of water, stir briskly and drink promptly, and warns that without enough fluid it can swell. A 2026 randomized crossover trial in Food & Function (30 healthy adults, 15 g of psyllium or methylcellulose with 15 g of inulin) found that even though both formed hydrogels with similar lab properties, they "exhibited different transit behaviour" in people, with psyllium slowing orocaecal transit versus placebo and methylcellulose not differing from placebo. "Viscous" and "gel-forming" are not the same thing.

Which fiber supplement is best? Four questions to answer first

1. How do you want it to feel in the glass?

For a drink that stays thin and clear, the non-viscous fiber is built for it: Benefiber's label says it dissolves completely in coffee, water or yogurt (not carbonated drinks). For a fiber that holds water as a gel, that is psyllium, and you drink it promptly. Methylcellulose sits between: it thickens but does not set. Acacia, the main fiber in blends like ours, is another low-viscosity option; see acacia vs psyllium.

2. What are you willing to taste, and what color do you want?

Per the labels as of October 2026, Metamucil 4-in-1 Sugar-Free Orange and Citrucel Sugar Free Orange are both sweetened with aspartame and colored with Yellow 6. The FDA says the evidence continues to support its conclusion that aspartame is safe for the general population under approved conditions of use, and requires a phenylalanine statement for people with PKU; avoiding it is a preference, not a safety finding. If it is yours, the label-confirmed routes are stevia-sweetened Metamucil Premium Blend, unsweetened Benefiber Original, or regular Citrucel Orange (sucrose, 60 calories per dose). Our guide to fiber supplements without sucralose shows how to read the sweetener line on any label.

3. How big a dose are you willing to take?

Count spoons, not just grams. Reaching 10 g takes about 3.3 rounded teaspoons of Metamucil, about 7 teaspoons (1.7 servings) of Benefiber Original, or 5 tablespoons of Citrucel, which is above its label's 3-doses-a-day limit. Metamucil lists 1 to 2 rounded teaspoons per serving, Benefiber 4 teaspoons once or twice a day, Citrucel up to 3 doses a day. If you would rather hit your number in one glass than several, grams per serving becomes the deciding column.

4. How many grams do you actually want per serving?

The Daily Value is 28 g, and the FDA's rule of thumb is that 5% DV per serving is low and 20% DV is high. One teaspoon of Metamucil (11% DV) is a modest top-up, two teaspoons or a Benefiber serving (21% DV) is a high-fiber serving, and a 2 g Citrucel dose (7% of 28 g) is small unless you take several. More per serving is not automatically better: every label says to start low, use plenty of liquid and build up over days, and most of your 28 g should still come from food.

FAQ

Which is better, Benefiber or Metamucil?

They are different fibers, not grades of the same thing. Metamucil is psyllium husk (forms a gel, not fermented), 3 g per rounded teaspoon, with aspartame and Yellow 6 in Sugar-Free Orange or stevia in Premium Blend. Benefiber Original is wheat dextrin (dissolves clear, readily fermented), 6 g per 4 teaspoons, one ingredient, no sweetener. Pick by texture, sweetener and grams per serving.

Is Citrucel the same as Metamucil?

No. Citrucel's active ingredient is methylcellulose, a semi-synthetic fiber that is viscous but non-gelling and not fermented, sold as an over-the-counter drug (2 g per rounded tablespoon). Metamucil is psyllium husk, a gel-forming plant fiber sold as a dietary supplement (3 g per rounded teaspoon). Both Sugar Free Orange powders list aspartame and a Yellow 6 color.

Which has the most fiber per serving?

Per the labels as of October 2026, Benefiber Original lists 6 g per 4-teaspoon serving, Metamucil powders 3 g per rounded teaspoon (6 g for the two-teaspoon serving), and Citrucel 2 g of methylcellulose per tablespoon. Per gram of powder: Metamucil about 3 g of fiber in 5.8 g, Benefiber 6 g in 8 g, Citrucel Sugar Free 2 g in 10.2 g.

Which of the three has no aspartame?

Metamucil Premium Blend Sugar-Free Orange (stevia), Benefiber Original (no sweetener) and the regular, sucrose-sweetened Citrucel Orange. The aspartame-sweetened versions are Metamucil 4-in-1 Sugar-Free Orange and Citrucel Sugar Free Orange, per the labels as of October 2026.

Where Fiber Society fits

Fiber Society is not one of the three brands above, and we sell a competing product, so read this with that in mind. Daily Fiber Blend (Strawberry Lemonade) takes a different approach from a single-fiber powder: each 14.2 g scoop provides 10 g of dietary fiber (36% DV) from four named fibers, organic acacia (7.3 g), psyllium husk (2.5 g), Fibersol-2 resistant maltodextrin (1.95 g) and BeniCaros carrot fiber (300 mg), with about 20 calories and 0 g sugar. It is sweetened with stevia (Reb M), with no aspartame, no sucralose and no synthetic dyes, and it is vegan and gluten-free. Because most of the fiber is acacia and the psyllium is kept to 2.5 g, it is designed to drink thin in 350 to 400 ml of cold water. It is high in fiber: 10 g per glass, 0 g sugar, about 20 calories. A pouch holds 28 servings: 20% off on a 4-week subscription, or one-time at the regular price.

It is gentle by design: start with half a scoop for the first few days, do not exceed 2 scoops a day, take it at least 2 hours apart from oral medications, and always use at least a full glass of liquid. Too little liquid can cause choking; do not take it if you have difficulty swallowing.

This article is for general education and isn't medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about your own needs, especially if you take medication or have a digestive condition.

Sources

  1. NIH DSLD: Metamucil 4-in-1 Fiber Orange Sugar-Free (ID 303994)
  2. NIH DSLD: Metamucil Premium Blend Orange Sugar-Free with Stevia (ID 291984)
  3. Haleon label leaflet: Benefiber Prebiotic Fiber Powder (Original), 2025
  4. NIH DSLD: Benefiber wheat dextrin powder, GSK (ID 276689)
  5. DailyMed: Citrucel (methylcellulose) powder, Orange and Sugar Free, Haleon, March 2026
  6. McRorie JW Jr. Evidence-Based Approach to Fiber Supplements, Part 1. Nutr Today 2015;50(2):82-89
  7. McRorie JW Jr. Evidence-Based Approach to Fiber Supplements, Part 2. Nutr Today 2015;50(2):90-97
  8. Lambeau KV, McRorie JW Jr. Fiber supplements and clinically proven health benefits. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2017;29(4):216-223
  9. McRorie JW Jr, McKeown NM. Understanding the Physics of Functional Fibers in the Gastrointestinal Tract. J Acad Nutr Diet 2017;117(2):251-264
  10. Reid JESJ et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled trial of modified cellulose or psyllium with inulin co-administration. Food Funct 2026;17(4):1794-1805
  11. FDA: Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  12. FDA: Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food
  13. Fiber Society: Daily Fiber Blend Supplement Facts
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