Frequent gummy users should be aware of Gellan Gum side effects. If you have been striving to find such information, you are in the right place.
In the 1970s, a company called CP Kelco discovered a food additive called Gellan Gum. They realized it can bind, texturize, and stabilize foods. They have been making it since then.
Currently, they boast over 40 years of producing gummies supplements. It has won the hearts of many, with some using it to process foods like jam, meat, and fortified plant milk.
If you are using the supplement, you might be curious to know if it is healthy for you, how it is made, and its composition. Likewise, you could be interested to know some Gellan Gum side effects.
If that is the case, continue reading this article. It will provide you with all the necessary information.
Gellan Gum Overview
Gellan Gum, a food additive, helps to texturize, stabilize, and bind processed foods. It is a gelling agent like agar, guar gum, carrageenan, and xanthan gum.
It naturally develops on water lilies but can also be made synthetically by processing sugar with a particular strain of bacteria. Many people use it to supplement other gelling agents because it is economical.
Besides, it creates a transparent gel that is heat resistant.
Additionally, Gellan gum functions as a plant-based substitute for gelatine, which comes from animal bones, cartilage, or skin.
What is present in Gellan Gum?
Gellan gum contains a few complicated ingredients. Its primary components include monomers and tetrasaccharides. Most of those ingredients are safe and FDA-approved as fit for human consumption.
What is Gellan Gum used for?
Most people use Gellan gum as an emulsifier by adding it to foods. For this reason, yoghurt and almond milk manufacturers tend to use it to thicken their products.
Besides, it adds nutritional value to foods. For instance, as it binds almond milk, it adds nutrients to the milk due to its binding properties.
Also, it helps in adding consistency to foods. Its inclusion by the manufacturers of jam aims to achieve this purpose. In fact, jam manufacturers use it specifically for that purpose.
Gellan gum may thicken food and beverages and maintain consistency as temperatures fluctuate.
What foods feature Gellan Gum?
Gellan gum is an important ingredient in sauces and salad dressings. Additionally, it is used to manufacture dairy as well as non-dairy products like juices, milk, and baking products.
Also, manufacturers of deserts tend to use the supplement.
Is Gellan Gum vegan friendly?
Yes. It does not use animal products during its production. In reality, most vegetarian or vegan dishes and drinks you will come across include Gellan gum. Even in some of your favourite pastries and gummies, it can take the place of gelatine.
What are the benefits of Gellan Gum?
Although Gellan gum has several health advantages, the available literature does not back most of them. Rather, just a handful of them has been proven by science.
For instance, some research suggests that Gellan gum reduces constipation by giving faeces more volume and facilitating the smooth passage of food through the digestive tract.
Nevertheless, try to avoid these old and few research. Furthermore, the results were inconsistent, suggesting that any digestion advantages may differ from person to person.
Additionally, some people claim that Gellan gum has the same advantages as other gums related to weight loss, hunger control, reduced cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and appetite suppression.
What are some Gellan Gum side effects?
Gellan gum is mostly safe. In fact, this literature from Healthline back it as a safe supplement that is unlikely cause you some adverse reactions. However, its users have reported some responses to it. Below are some of those side effects.
1. It can cause bloating
Gellan gum may make you bloated. It has properties that allow it to cause intestinal fermentation by the microflora. In return, this fermentation will force you to bloat.
2. It causes excessive gassing
Another serious side effect of Gellan gum is excessive gassing. The supplement contains a high concentration of fibre, which could trigger bowel movement, thereby causing gassing. Also, because it enhances intestinal fermentation, it results in a condition favours gassing.
3. It causes diarrhea
Among the negative Gellan Gum side effects is diarrhoea, thanks to its high fibre content. The presence of high fibre content in the supplement may trigger loss of bowel movement, an important recipe for diarrhoea.
4. It causes inflammation
Emulsifiers like gums, such as Gellan gum, can change a person’s normal amounts of gut microbes. Due to the disruption of the normal mucous layer lining the gut, colitis, the digestive tract, and colon inflammation result.
5. It contributes to unhealthy weight loss
Another negative Gellan gum side effect is unhealthy weight loss. Some research backing up this claim states that it can act as an appetite suppressor, helping you lose weight. However, losing weight in this manner is unhealthy and can cause diseases like anorexia nervosa.
6. It can slow down digestion.
Another side effect of Gellan gum is that it can slow down digestion. According to this article from PubMed, Gellan gum adds bulk to faeces and slows down digestion. Therefore, it would reduce the impact of the nutritional value of the food you consume, thereby depriving your body of crucial nutrients.
Precautions to take when using Gellan Gum
While Gellan gum is mostly safe, it can affect some people negatively. Therefore, pregnant persons should not take the supplement. Likewise, children should stay away from supplements. Also, people with stomach-related issues should not take the product. Rather, they should seek medical advice before taking it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gellan gum is a vital supplement in most applications. It has several health benefits like adding bulk to faeces.
However, it has some damaging effects that cannot be ignored. For instance, it can cause excessive gassing, bloating, and diarrhoea, factors that can increase discomfort.
Therefore, before using this additive, learn your body to discover if it will react well with it, or if it will cause those undesirable effects. Also, seek your doctor’s opinion before taking the supplement. All in all, if your body can tolerate it, then go for it.
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