Acacia gum

Senegalia senegal, Vachellia seyal

prebiotic

A gum that oozes from the trunk of a tropical African acacia, dried into tears then powder: gum arabic, a soluble fibre that dissolves in cold water.

Origin

Sahel (Senegal, Sudan, Chad)

Season (United States)

imported · all year round

Preparation

The powder dissolves without lumps in water, juice or yoghurt, a teaspoon at a time, with no taste and no cooking.

Molecules

Mucilages

Did you know?

In Sudan, gum trees are planted after sorghum, groundnuts, sesame and karkade: they restore the soil's fertility for 10 to 15 years.