Heather - another acacia question ??
#55239 - 03/28/04 07:07 PM
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I hope I don't sound dumb here but what exactly is Acacia? The only acacia I'm familiar with is the yellow blooming trees I've seen in California that I am so alergic to. I see trees from Africa on the cover. Is it the same tree? Is the fibre from the flower, leaf, bark??? Has it been available on the market other than your site? Just leery because of allergies and the fact that I've never heard it prescribed by doctors. Afraid of taking something that could end up being bad for me in the long run. Just want to be reassured that it is totally safe. 
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Hi - Acacia is literally the name of the fiber, and the tree it comes from. Another name for it is gum arabic - you'll see it used in a ton of food products, including Altoids. It's harvested as a gum that the Acacia orchards produce - it looks like golden balls form on the trees, where the bark is scored, sort of like solid maple syrup. The orchards are all in Africa - I have no idea if the trees in California are the same, though my guess is that they're not.
Acacia is very unlikely to be an allergen, but it is possible for people to be allergic to just about anything. The odds are really good you've had gum arabic in tons of different foods/drinks and just never even knew it.
Like any soluble fiber, Acacia is totally safe to take every day for the rest of your life. There are only health benefits here, and no downside. Acacia is a little different from other soluble fibers on the market in that it has been shown in clinical studies to have a "good gastrointestinal tolerance", which means it's less likely to cause gas and bloating. It also has a prebiotic effect, meaning that it encourages the growth of good gut flora.
There's more detailed info on the Acacia page, which is here Acacia
If a doc has recommended any soluble fiber supplement to you (Metamucil, Citrucel, Benefiber, etc.) Acacia would do just fine as well. There are lots of different soluble fibers available, and they all work the same way. I like the Acacia simply because it's a natural plant fiber, it's organic, it's pure soluble fiber (no insoluble), and there is nothing else added to it at all (no flavors, colors, artificial sweeteners or sugar - nothing). It's a good way to get just soluble fiber, and nothing else, added to your diet. And the more fiber in your diet on a daily basis, the better off you'll be in the long run, both in terms of IBS and overall health.
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Heather,
Just BTW, I avoid all vegetable gums like guar gum, carrageenan and gum arabic because of a crossover allergy from tree fruits like apples and peaches, which was dramatically verified in my case by two scary trips to the emergency room for anaphylactic shock. Apparently the protein molecule in the skin of the fruit is the big allergen and that same protein molecule is in the bark and the sap and the resulting gums. You are absolutely right however that it is quite rare.
Just FYI.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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