Chef Jamika Pessoa's Simple Fiber Tips with Metamucil

Sponsored by Metamucil. 

As January winds down, many people are checking in on their New Year's health and wellness goals while keeping up with a busy start to the year. Celebrity chef and Metamucil brand partner Jamika Pessoa stopped by the CBS Mornings studio to share that she's among them. 

As a wife, mom, TV personality and businesswoman, Pessoa's used to managing a full plate—literally and figuratively. But even this accomplished chef discovered there was one ingredient missing in her health and wellness journey: fiber. Pessoa recently took on the two-week Metamucil challenge to boost her fiber intake by drinking a daily glass of Metamucil, and she had some surprising takeaways to share.

"Most people do not get anywhere near the daily fiber intake that is recommended, which is 21 to 38 grams. Ninety percent of us, not even close," CBS Mornings host Tony Dukopil noted. 

Pessoa explained why more fiber is essential and said, "I think that everyone's going towards high-protein diets, protein, protein, protein, but shying away from whole grains. They're forgetting there's so many other things that your body needs: fiber, probiotics. Like, your body can't go on protein alone. So, I definitely wanted to kind of figure out, how can I feel better? It's not like something was wrong; I was just kind of feeling a little off, feeling a little weighted. And it turned out it was my digestive health, so I just needed to increase my fiber."

Pessoa also described the magnitude of the fiber gap. "A lot of people think, oh, well, I eat an apple a day, I'm fine. You need seven apples to meet your daily requirement in terms of fiber. Who's eating seven apples?" she said. 

As a chef, Pessoa found other creative ways to boost her fiber intake. 

"I grate squash or zucchini into my tomato and meat sauces," she explained. "If you're making a chicken burger, a salmon patty, add whole grain oats instead of breadcrumbs as a binder. That'll increase your fiber intake as well," she shared.

Pessoa also offered another straightforward solution for adding daily fiber to your diet: "Metamucil is a great way to throw that into your regular routine."

Pessoa revealed her strategy for prioritizing Metamucil in her everyday routine.

"I put it on my kitchen counter. As soon as I walk into the kitchen, it's the first thing I see," she said. "I had a reminder on my phone just in case I forgot. It slides right into your day. But I think by day four, I missed my morning drink and my body was like, 'Yoo-hoo, lady, where's our drink?' Because your body starts feeling it. I mean, after two, three days, I was feeling good."

Pessoa said the Metamucil two-week challenge proved to be a game-changer for her overall well-being. "It didn't even take the full two weeks for me to notice a difference," she shared. "I definitely felt lighter, more energetic** because my digestive health was working so much better. I was going. Things were moving in the right direction.*" 

Pessoa also noticed a surprising benefit.

 "I wasn't snacking as much in between meals because my fiber intake was increased," she said. "I was feeling fuller in between meals.*"

By the end of the challenge, Pessoa was all in on Metamucil, making it a staple in her routine, and she's not keeping it to herself. 

"I'm staying on it. I'm definitely staying on it. You should see my girlfriend chat, my family group chat. I'm telling everybody...Get your Metamucil in there.'"

Pessoa decided to share her experience after learning more about the benefits of incorporating Metamucil into her daily routine. "I realized that Metamucil supports heart health by lowering cholesterol†," she said. "It supports healthy blood sugar levels,* so, I mean, you can't beat that."

To learn more about the Metamucil Two-Week Challenge, visit Metamucil.com.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration . This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

**Survey of 291 adults who self-reported that they felt lighter and more energetic after completing the Metamucil Two Week Challenge.

†Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 7 grams of soluble fiber per day from psyllium husk, as in Metamucil, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. One serving of Metamucil has 2.4 grams of this soluble fiber.