Did you know Xanthan Gum, the wallpaper glue has health benefits too?

Feb 05, 2024

New Delhi : Do you know the wallpaper glue at your home and salad dressing at your kitchen has something in common? It's the xanthan gum, a food additive that you have been eating several times a week, but probably you don't know.

It is found in many industrial products and plays an important role in many baked goods, frozen foods, dressings, dairy and meat products and even pet food. Experts say that xanthan gum is a carbohydrate made by the secretion of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris which is then harvested with an alcohol and ground into a fine powder. It’s approved for use in both organic and “made with organic” foods as a stabilizing and thickening agent.

However, some study reveals that Xanthan Gum causes to respiratory and digestive problems. But, besides the cons, it is likely to have health benefits like lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Studies conducted on the benefits of xanthan gum have shown the following findings:

In a 2009 study published in the journal International Immunopharmacology, mice with tumor cells were given oral doses of xanthan gum every five days. The results concluded that the ingredient both slowed the growth rate of the tumor and helped the mice survive longer.

"It may also help patients with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) because it increases the viscosity of liquids and foods,” as mentioned in a 2014 study

In a study of 2016, researchers recorded the blood sugar levels of participants and found that use of xantham had lower blood sugar levels

However, it is recommended that one should not take xanthan gum more than 15 grams per day. The most common side effect of high amounts of xanthan gum is digestive distress as it seems to stimulate the digestive tract causing increased and/or loose stools and flatulence for some.