Let us have a closer look at what Xanthan gum is and how, if indeed it does, cause fat-loss.
Xanthan gum is produced as a result of the fermentation of corn sugar. Xanthomonas campestris bacteria are held to be responsible for this fermentation. It may also be produced from other sources like wheat and soy.
The sticky, slimy chemical so produced is collected, made to dry and then converted into a fine, white powder to be included into a variety of food products – salad dressings, sauces and ice creams amongst others.
Xanthan is a complex carbohydrate – an indigestible fiber, to be precise. One teaspoonful of xanthan gum should ideally contain 7gm of fiber. As we all know, consumption of increased amount of fiber is likely to inhibit the absorption of fat present in ingested food.
Furthermore, presence of xanthan if food allegedly reduces the amount of oil that is absorbed into food during cooking processes, especially frying (Sakhale, Badgujar, Pawar, & Sananse, 2011). Also, the more the amount of xanthan gum in the food products, more likely is the retention of moisture, keeping the food item fresh, Furthermore, the study quoted above also reported that addition of xanthan gum increases the eventual taste and flavour of the dish (Sakhale et al., 2011).
Also, xanthan gum – which forms a part of the group called hydrocolloids – is added to food products to increase shelf-life (Saha & Bhattacharya, 2010). This is so because it is an emulsifier and thickener. For instance, xanthan in ice-cream prevents formation of ice crystal and keeps the product nice and smooth.
Having mentioned the above benefits, it cannot be denied that there isn’t much evidence to the ‘health benefits’ or ‘fat-burning’ abilities of xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum is used in sustained release capsules. This is so because it xanthan is a non-gelling gum and been shown to retard the release of the drug contained within the capsule (Verhoeven, Vervaet, & Remon, 2006; Mughal, Iqbal, & Neau, 2011; Varshosaz, Tavakoli, & Kheirolahi, 2006).
Although xanthan is considered quite safe for consumption, those with gluten-sensitivity are recommended to observe caution when using food products with xanthan gum in them. The good thing is that if you are in the habit of cooking your own food, there’s a very slim chance of you adding xanthan to your dishes. The only time that you’ve got to be careful is when you are at the grocer’s; it always makes sense to read the food label for presence of xanthan gum.
For those, without any gluten or other food allergies, xanthan should be safe enough for consumption.
Although, the health benefits of xanthan gum sound good in theory, there isn’t much evidence that xanthan gum indeed improves heath parameters or causes fat-loss. Under such circumstances, Diet Pills Watchdog finds it pretty difficult to recommend xanthan gum for such purpose
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I tried a product (Slimstyles PGX powder) that contained xanthan gum and glucomannan (konjac root) as a blend. I would take 5 grams about 30 minutes before eating. It worked in the sense that it filled me up, making me eat smaller portions. Over the period of a month it even curbed my craving for sweets. Over that month, without exercising, I lost 7 pounds.
I picked up that product because of the glucomannan. Then, I found a cheaper product that was only glucomannan, so I switched. It definitely didn’t have the same affect. After taking it and even after eating I would feel hungry. So I think it was the combination of the two.
Before going back to the more expensive product, I decided to buy xanthan gum to mix with the glucomannan and make my own supplement to see if it works. Hopefully it will work. I just wish I knew their ratio.
David, where did you find the cheaper gluccie? Interesting observation. Thanks, Jen