Acacia fiber is also known as gum arabic, a food additive which in ingredient lists may appear with the code E414.

What is gum arabic?

Gum arabic is the dry, powdery, gummy sap (the resin) of certain species of acacia (Senegal acacia and Seyal acacia), native to the Sahel states of Africa, which are known as gum arabic trees.

The powder can be used in very different areas, as a food supplement rich in fiber, as a cosmetic ingredient or as a food additive E414.

Acacia fiber consists of a mixture of several compounds, including polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The polysaccharides contained are in particular arabinogalactans (the fiber of acacia fiber), which are responsible for the beneficial properties of gum arabic.

The health effects of gum arabic

Acacia gum, as a source of soluble fiber, has the following effects:

1. Prebiotic effect on the intestinal microbiota

Acacia gum has a prebiotic effect, It serves as food for beneficial intestinal bacteria and thus promotes the development of healthy intestinal flora.

Experiments have shown that acacia fiber has a prebiotic effect as good as FOS (fructooligosaccharides, another well-known prebiotic found, for example, in yacon) and feeds lactobacteria and bifidobacteria, which are beneficial intestinal microorganisms.

Acacia fiber reduces harmful intestinal bacteria such as Escherichia coli and the Clostridiumproduces an anti-inflammatory effect in the intestine and helps strengthen the intestinal barrier, thus counteracting leaky gut syndrome.

If acacia gum is mixed with FOS, which can cause flatulence and other intestinal problems, Acacia gum relieves these side effects.

2. In irritable bowel syndrome

African natives They use gum arabic to treat diarrhea, typhoid fever and intestinal inflammation, so the remedy is also a possibility for irritable bowel syndrome.

Fiber has an anti-inflammatory effect since promotes the formation of butyrate, a short chain fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, in one study, anti-inflammatory messenger substances IL-10 increased, while pro-inflammatory messenger substances, such as TNF and IL-1β, decreased, and the value of CRP (an inflammatory marker) also decreased.

Additionally, gum arabic has a protective effect on the gastrointestinal tract: It is antifibrotic (inhibits the growth of connective tissue) and antiulcerogenic (counteracts the formation of ulcers).

3. benefits on the stomach

Gum Arabic is also a traditional stomach tonic in Iranian folk medicine. It is used in the stomach ulcers (therapeutically and preventively) because, as studies in rats have shown, it protects the gastric mucosa and inhibits the formation of stomach acid.

Which is better, acacia fiber or inulin?

Inulin can be produced from local foods (chicory roots), while acacia fiber comes from African trees.

However, Acacia fiber is easier to tolerate than inulin for many people, since this more frequently causes flatulence and other digestive problems.

It makes no sense to eat an unhealthy diet, low in fiber, and try to correct it with a fiber supplement, either inulin or acacia fiber. Isolated fiber supplements should always be taken along with a healthy diet. On the other hand, the effect of a healthy food is always more balanced and complete.

Dosage to take gum arabic

The daily dose recommended by most manufacturers is 10 g (equivalent to a tablespoon), since no side effects are expected with this dose. However, many studies use a daily dose of 30 g. It is best to discuss with your doctor the appropriate dosage for you.

On the other hand, acacia preparations should not be taken with nutrient-rich main meals, but rather with a drink away from food. This prevents it from affecting the absorption of micronutrients.

Therefore, you can mix the gum arabic powder with water or juice and drink it 20 to 30 minutes before a meal. It doesn’t matter if you do it in the morning, at noon or at night. or if you divide the daily dose into 2 or 3 doses.

Gum Arabic in the kitchen

Powdered acacia gum also It can be used to thicken sauces and soups. To do this, mix a small amount of acacia fiber with cold water and then add the mixture to the liquid you want to thicken.

You can also add the powder to green smoothies. to enrich them with fiber and reduce the rate of absorption of sugars. You can add 1 teaspoon per 300 ml.

Gum Arabic as an alternative to eggs

To prepare an egg alternative, you can mix 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of powder with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and stir until you obtain a smooth paste. You can include it in pancake recipes, so that it provides more fiber. However, it has a different flavor than egg and different binding properties. If you want to give it more egg flavor you can use kala namak black salt.

Scientific references:

• Alarifi, S., Bell, A., & Walton, G. In vitro fermentation of gum acacia – impact on the faecal microbiota. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.
• Saha, M., & Dey, P. Pharmacological benefits of Acacia against metabolic diseases: intestinal-level bioactivities and favorable modulation of gut microbiota. Archives of physiology and biochemistry.
• Rawi, M., Abdullah, A., Ismail, A., & Sarbini, S. Manipulation of Gut Microbiota Using Acacia Gum Polysaccharide. ACS Omega.
• Daffaalla IM et al., Gum Arabic Effects on Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other Gastrointestinal Disorders, Arabian Journal of Chemical and Environmental Research.
• Al-Araimi A, Al Kindi IA, Bani Oraba A, AlKharusi A, Ali BH, Zadjali R, Al Sinawi S, Al-Haddabi I, Zadjali F. Gum Arabic Supplementation Suppresses Colonic Fibrosis After Acute Colitis by Reducing Transforming Growth Factor β1 Expression. J Med Food.