This actually damages the trees to some degree but causes an increase in the production of arabic gum. What’s interesting about acacia trees is that they produce the most gum arabic when they experience “adverse conditions,” such as poor soil, drought or high heat. These trees grow most abundantly in Sudan, where about 50 percent of the world’s gum arabic is now produced, but are also found in other parts of Africa, such as Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. Vachellia (Acacia) is another species that produces a dried gum from its trunk and branches. Around the world, gum arabic goes by many names, including acacia gum, arabic gum, acacia powder, Senegal gum, Indian gum and others.Īcacia senegal (L.), a tree in the Leguminosae (Fabaceae) plant family, is most commonly used to make gum arabic products. Gum arabic, also sometimes called acacia gum or acacia powder, is a fibrous product made from the natural hardened sap of two types of wild Acacia trees. While using gum arabic supplements or baking or cooking with small amounts of gum arabic at home may not be harmful, it’s still best to limit how much packaged food that contains lots of additives you eat in general. It is also naturally gluten-free, usually non-GMO and well-tolerated by most people when used in appropriate/small amounts.ĭue to its rich fiber content, gum arabic may offer benefits including increasing probiotic bacteria in the gut, promoting satiety following meals, slowing down gastric emptying and regulating hormone secretion, which helps manage appetite and weight.Īll of that said, gum arabic (or acacia gum) is typically found in processed, packaged foods - many of which are high in sugar, low in nutrients and filled with other potentially harmful ingredients. Because it is a natural, plant-derived product, it’s suitable for vegans/vegetarians (unlike other products with similar qualities, such as gelatin). Gum arabic’s structure allows it to dissolve in cold or warm water (meaning it’s “water-soluble”), making it easy to use in a variety of ways.
Wondering what the ingredient called “gum arabic” that’s found in foods like cake, candies, ice cream and soft drinks really is? Gum arabic is a type of plant-derived fiber. You can think of it as an edible “glue,” natural thickening agent and binder that helps hold ingredients together.
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