What advantages of gum Arabic?

Answer 1

The benefit of dietary fibre for a healthy diet is widely known. Different diseases, such as constipation, coronal Heart diseases and cancer just to name a few, have been correlated to an unhealthy diet, low in dietary fibre. Very often the modern diet does not contain enough dietary fibre and contains too much fat and sugars. Therefore the goal is often to enrich the "normal" diet with dietary fibres in order to improve the nutritional value, stimulate the natural digestion and thus to ensure a healthy condition.(1)

Dietary fibres are those parts of the plant cell which cannot be digested by the human enzymes. Two different groups of dietary fibres are recognised: soluble and non-soluble dietary fibre. They are distinguished by their solubility in water and show different physiological effects. Gum Arabica e( SLIM 60) (Trade name: Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60)) is a soluble dietary fibre with unique properties.

Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) contains more than 80% fibre (according to the AOAC method). Due to its low viscosity and its high solubility in water it is easy to complement foodstuff like beverages, dairy products, snack-bars, biscuits, confectionery and meat products with high amounts (up to 50%) of Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60). It is tasteless and odourless therefore giving no off-flavour. Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) is a plant exudate of Acacia trees. It is a 100% natural product, only physically cleaned and roller dried but not chemically modified. Soluble dietary fibres help decrease the total cholesterol and the LDL-cholesterol which has a negative influence on coronal heart diseases. 25g of Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) per day reduce the total cholesterol significantly and have therefore a positive influence on the prevention of coronal heart diseases.(2)

Dietary fibres are not digested in the upper parts of the digestion system but the microbiological flora of the intestine contain enzymes which are able to metabolise them. Due to the digestion of the dietary fibre in the intestine, the pH decreases to a certain limit, which is accounted as positive for this organ(3) and prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria.(4) The fermentation of dietary fibres results in short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Acetate, propionate and butyrate are the main fermentation products. The SCFA are metabolised by the cells of the walls of the intestine, providinq them with an important energy source.(5) Because of its highly branched chemical structure the fermentation of Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) is very slow and gas production is delayed in time, displaced all along the large bowel without provoking a feeling of flatulence.

Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) has a positive influence on the microbiological flora in the caecum. It is a source of fermentable carbon for the bacteria living in the large gut, thus promoting an increased number of bacteria cells, especially Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides, in the caecum.(6) Those bacterie are also used as Probiotics. Their amount is increased on the expenses of potential pathogenic strains, such as E.coli and Salmonella, thus preventing the growth of pathogens in the gut. The higher amount of living cells also leads to a higher faecal volume and a longer transit through the caecum allowing a better digestion and absorption of other nutrient.(7) Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) also has an influence on the growth of the Epitheliumcells of the digestive system. A 15% Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) solution fed to rats resulted in an increase the weight of the caecal wall.(8) The increase of cells is positive, since bacteriological transtocation is avoided and the immune system of people suffering from indigestion is strengthened.

Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) has the property to bind cations, especially divalent cations as calcium and magnesium. Due to this effect the amount of calcium and magnesium in the caecum rises considerably. The result is a supply of these cations in the large bowel, where they are efficiently absorbed.(8) Furthermore Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) (Acacia Gum) enhances the absorption of sodium and potassium from the diet.(8, 9) Therefore Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) improves the absorption of minerals from the diet.

Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) has also an influence on the balance of nitrogen in faecal and urinary excretion. It decreases the urinary nitrogen excretion and increases the faecal nitrogen excretion. With a normal diet Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) decreases the urea production and urea recycling. All this leads to a decrease in the workload on kidneys.(10) By definition dietary fibres are basically non-caloric, since they are not hydrolysed by digestive enzymes. Nevertheless due to the fermentation in the bowel and the production of volatile fatty acids, which can be partly absorbed, there is a small intake of energy from Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60). The caloric value of Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) is suggested to be 1.5 kcallg.(11)

In summary Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) decreases the total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. It has a positive effect on the microbiological flora in the bowl, provides it with fermentable carbon and enables suitable conditions for probiotic bacteria by decreasing the pH due to the production of Short Chain Fatty Acids. The absorption of minerals in the bowel is increased through Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60) and the nitrogen metabolism is positively influenced by Gum Arabica ( SLIM 60).