BOTANICAL NAME: Acacia senegal
FAMILY:
WHAT IS GUM ARABIC?
Gum Arabic is a resin from the Acacia trees that are grown in sub-Saharan Africa. Gum Arabic resin forms when the Acacia trees leaks its sap which hardens into a solid substance. Gum Arabic is edible raw and is heavily used in the food industry to stabilize, thicken and emulsify various commercial food ingredients. Some of the most common foods containing Gum Arabic are sodas, chewing gums, and marshmallows. It is also used in other industries such as in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals in paints, polishes, liquid adhesive to stamps and envelopes and more.
Gum Arabica is harvested by hand in the countries like Senegal, Chad, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania, and Ethiopia before it can get to us. However, most of the Acacia farmers and laborers are under paid for Gum Arabic's value in to the Western world, like most commodities sourced in Africa are. Yet, Sudan has emerged as the World's largest producer of Gum Arabic, supplying 70% of the World's supply in 2012.
HISTORY & FOLKLORE:
Historically, Gum Arabic was once used as a simple food to eat while herding cattle. Gum Arabic was also used in the Egyptian mummification process and in pre-Egyptian rituals and ceremonies.
Today, Gum Arabic is sold to generate income for sub-Saharan families and is used in the West to meet increasing demands for both aesthetic and medicinal uses.
INDUSTRY & ECONOMIC INFO:
Gum Arabic is currently commercially classified as an emulsifier, although it has several other applications. Since it is only classified as an emulsifier, African farmers can only sell it for about $2/kilo. However, Gum Arabic's nutritional benefits are a factor that could increase the value of this resin in the global market. African farmers have been striving to get Gum Arabica classified as a natural prebiotic, in hopes that it can be sold to foreign importers for upto $100/kilo.
PLANT DESCRIPTION:
There ore two Acacia that the gum in harvested from. It takes the Acacia trees take 4 years to grow before they can be harvested from and even then, can only safely be tapped about once a year, and five times within its lifetime before the tree likely dies. So as long as the price remains low, some Acacia farmers will continue to consider cutting their Acacia forests down to sell the wood as coal.
MEDICINAL USES & BENEFITS
Medicinally, Gum Arabica is used to bind pills together and can be used to bind herbal pills.
Gum Arabica is considered harmless when ingested orally. It is found in many consumer products and can safely be consumed at 30 grams for up to six weeks. Recent evidence suggests that its nutritional benefits aid in the formation of good bacteria, further suggesting that it should be labeled as a prebiotic. Some people have benefited by taking Gum Arabica internally for irritated bowel syndrome (IBS), while others have complained of gas, bloating and/or diarrhea.
DENTAL HYGIENE BENEFITS OF ACACIA
Dental studies suggest chewing Gum Arabica is effective or better at reducing dental plaque as sugar-free chewing gum.(1) It's suggested that chewing Gum Arabic for 10 minutes five times daily for seven (7) days reduces dental plaque. Gum Arabic is also shown to be anti-bacterial, making it useful in treating mouth ulcers, bacteria related cavities, gum infections, and preventing plaque growth.
WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS OF ACACIA
Other case studies indicate that taking 30 grams of Gum Arabic powder as a dietary fiber also helps with weight loss and reducing cholesterol. It is dissolvable in water and can be taken in this way like many dietary fibers.
AESTHETIC BENEFITS OF ACACIA
Further studies even suggest there is evidence that when used in some cosmetic products, that Gum Arabic reduces the appearance and depth of wrinkles.
Cosmetically, liquid gum arabic can also be called Acacia oil protein which generally helps lock in moisture in aesthetic applications. Acacia oil helps make some peoples hair more manageable, smoother and shiner. Acacia oil has a lighter weight than the more common Argan oil and may be a better for some hair types. Acacia in oil form also helps protect hair from heat damaged.
Acacia Gum is also used in facial cosmetics, where it is generally used in face masks to form the adhesive or film-forming agent allowing the face mask to be 'peeled off'.
GUM ARABIC SIDE EFFECTS & WARNINGS
Acacia gum is considered to be safe when consumed orally in amounts already commonly consumed in food. For medical purposes, up to 30 grams is considered safe when taken for up to 6 weeks. This amount however, may cause bloating, gas, diarrhea or nausea in some people. Gum Arabica is not to be confused with sweet acacia (Acacia farnesiana). Don't take this Gum Arabia with Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox) as Acacia can prevent the body from absorbing the antibiotic amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox). To prevent this interaction, take acacia at least four hours before or after taking amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox).
Pregnant or breastfeeding women are told to take precautions since its not known the side effects of taking acacia while pregnant or nursing. However, most lactating on pregnant women have likely consumed acacia gum in some for since it is used on or in many foods as an additive.
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