Tara Gum - Food Additive Analysis
SERIES:
Tara gum is newer to the scene of food additives than the other gums and compounds we’ve looked at thus far. Despite its recent introduction, this food additive has still been the subject of scientific study regarding its potential toxicity.
After numerous experiments, the results so far have indicated no major adverse effects as a result of exposure to tara gum. However studies did reveal that some animals did show a decrease in body weight. When a substance can alter something fundamental in the body such as weight, without other variables such as lifestyle changes, this suggests it has potentially powerful effects, which need to be studied further to assess its safety profile.
In addition, there were studies done on rats, more specifically three-generation reproductive rat studies that aimed to assess genotoxicity passed on from generation to generation. The good news was that no harmful effects were found.
Increased Tumors…
But there is room for serious concern because during other studies which lasted two years, there were more tumors in experimental animal groups than control groups. The interpretation of these studies by the scientists were painted positively, claiming that the tumors in the groups of animals fed the tara gum were not caused by the supplement.
Due to the lack of human studies on this compound, and the inconclusive studies on animals, tara gum is a food additive that can easily be avoided by choosing healthy, completely natural and highly nutritious whole foods and whole food supplements derived from organic or wildcrafted harvesting methods. Why take risks with unknown, synthetically manipulated compounds, when we can eat healthy whole foods given us by mother nature herself?
