Key Health Benefits

Acacia gum, also called gum Arabic, is a dried exudate that obtained from Acacia senegal trees. It is extracted from the acacia tree through wounds or breaks on the bark. The gum has a blend of glycoproteins, polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, and acts as prebiotic. It is highly soluble in water. Water-soluble Acacia gum dietary fibers are generally thought to lower cholesterol levels, benefit cardiovascular health and help maintain normal body weight. The consumption of adequate dietary fibers is an important strategy in maintaining digestive and general health. [1, 2]

Prebiotics do not contain microorganisms and do not undergo the digestion process. However, they stimulate the growth of the healthy gut bacteria. Most popular and well-studied prebiotics are the oligosaccharides contained in plants. Prebiotics must meet certain criteria: be resistant to the actions of stomach acids, bile salts and other hydrolyzing enzymes in the intestine, provide a substrate for one or more strains of beneficial bacteria, stimulate the growth and activity of the desired groups of bacteria in the digestive tract, and possess proven health benefits. [3]