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Is Gum Arabic Harmful?

The verdict on this common food additive.

November 3, 2010 |
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Supplementary Info

Sources Cited

World Health Organization; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Evaluation of certain food additives. Seventy-first report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2010;(956):1-80

Acknowledgements

Image thanks to Tarig A. Eltom via Wikimedia Commons.

Transcript

Gum Arabic, found in paints, marshmallows, M&M’s, diet coke, and is the lickable adhesive on the backs of stamps. Harmful, Harmless, or Healthy?
Completely harmless.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

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Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out theother “HHH” videos (Harmful, Harmless, or Helpful?). Also, there are over a thousand subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them as well!

Check out my associated blog posts: Is Caffeinated Tea Really Dehydrating? andSoymilk: shake it up!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out the other “HHH” videos (Harmful, Harmless, or Helpful?). Also, there are over a thousand subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them as well!

  • Girlwholovestheworld

    What do you think of the other “gums”? Like xantham gum I see in everything?

    • Megann Harris

       Gums such as xanthan, carageenan, agar agar and pectin are vegetable based thickeners (mostly soluble fibers), which are completely benign and vegan.  If you are trying to avoid all animal products, gelatin is  the most common animal based thickener to avoid.

      • Girlwholovestheworld

        Hi, It’s not about avoiding all animal products, it’s about what is healthy. I have seen research studies that link carageenan to tumors, I’m not wondering about that one, I’m wondering specifically about xantham gum, are there any detailed studies about that and please if you aren’t a nutritionalist or the like please provide a link where you got your info. Thanks.

        • Smilenstein

          I would also like to know about other gums. My almond milk contains carageenan as do most non dairy milks and I have also heard that it promotes tumors. I do not know if that was information from a credible source.

  • LuccaQ

    How about another thickening additive, carrageenan? I’ve read some literature stating that both high and low molecular weight variants are harmful.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

      I’m going to be covering that in an upcoming video — stay tuned! Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it:
      http://bit.ly/nutritionfactsupdates

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