Fluid thickeners based on xanthan gum have been linked in new research to reduce blood sugar levels after meals.
People who have Type 2 diabetes or heart disease may benefit from the study. It was completed by a group from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and published in the Journal of Functional Foods.
The study discovered that xanthan gum improved insulin responsiveness and fat metabolism. Additionally, it improved the quantity of two “good” intestinal bacteria in the gut microbiome.
To prevent choking, xanthan gum is utilised in food products like fluid thickeners.
There were two groups of rats used in the research. For five weeks, one group was given a xanthan gum-based fluid thickening; the other was given saline. The rats who received the thickened beverage had considerably lower blood glucose levels 60 and 90 minutes after eating.
Senior author Haruka Tohara, DDS, PhD, told UPI that “the mechanism by which this transpired is really interesting.”
The study stated that xanthan gum is a viscous soluble fibre that creates a non-diffusible aqueous layer, which influences the rate of diffusion of nutrients into the intestinal lumen and restricts nutrient absorption by increasing the time required for absorption.
The physiologic effects of fluid thickener on postprandial blood glucose levels, gastrointestinal gene expression, and gut flora, however, have not yet been thoroughly understood.
