Pale and unassuming, acacia fiber powder is not what immediately springs to mind when someone says “superfood.” 

But, there’s more to the humble acacia tree than meets the eye. 

The twisted, wizened branches and distinctive spreading form of the Acacia senegal tree is a familiar shape on the horizon of semi-desert regions across Africa, Pakistan, and India. The sap of the tree, dried and ground into a powder, has become regarded as one of the most powerful food-based prebiotics in existence. 

We’ve put acacia fiber under the spotlight to give you the lowdown on its powerful properties. 

A Superfood Source of Dietary Fiber.

We’re constantly being told to “eat more fiber” and the American Dietetic Association recommends that we should consume around 25 to 38 grams daily. Despite this recommendation, Americans only consume a little over half this amount on average. If we know we’re supposed to be eating fiber, why is it so hard to meet our targets? 

Let’s put things into perspective—one whole head of broccoli contains approximately four grams of dietary fiber, so to meet your recommended daily intake, you’d need to consume a minimum of six heads of broccoli daily! Don’t get us wrong, we love broccoli—but we’d rather not eat quite that much of it. Of course, there are other sources of plant based dietary fiber beyond broccoli, but when you weigh the numbers, it’s easy to understand why so many of us simply aren’t getting enough. 

One of the most notable health benefits of acacia fiber is its high percentage of dietary fiber—particularly soluble fiber, which accounts for as much as 80% of its weight! Dietary fiber is indigestible, yet is a necessary component for the maintenance of digestive health. It’s an odd concept; we can’t digest it, so why do we need it?

Unlike most foods that are digested or absorbed, soluble fiber is instead broken down and fermented by the bacteria in our colon, and it provides a fuel source for the beneficial flora that live there. 

With the modern Western diet high in processed foods, reaching your daily quota of fiber can be tough—and including Sari Foods Organic Acacia Fiber in your daily diet could help you give your body all the fiber it craves.

Feed your miraculous microbiome.

Many factors of modern daily life can cause an imbalance of the bacteria that live within our gut, such as the use of antibiotics, stress, environmental toxins, and diet. We've long understood the far-reaching benefits of a diet high in fiber, like supported bowel function and heart health, but the fibers in certain foods like acacia powder are considered prebiotics and they do much more than keep us regular—they also feed our miraculous microbiome.

Gut bacteria (or gut microbiota) have a massive influence on the body. In addition to supporting overall health on many levels, gut flora are also responsible for the digestion of some types of carbohydrates that the human body is not equipped to digest. The bacteria metabolize these prebiotics into short chain fatty acids, which the body can then use for energy. Gut bacteria also produce some B vitamins and vitamin K.

Each person has trillions of bacteria living inside their gut and, ideally, we want to have about 85% good bacteria and 15% bad. This is an ideal ratio to keep the gut healthy and functioning optimally, but when this ratio changes, problems can start to arise. 

Choose premium, ethically sourced, 100% whole food goodness.

Why is consuming premium, whole food based, organic nutrients so important? Whole foods have a complex nutritional makeup, delivering beneficial micro and macronutrients that our bodies can more readily recognize and utilize. 

That’s why our Sari Foods Organic Acacia Fiber Powder is made from 100% Acacia senegal rather than low grade Acacia seyal. Organically grown in the unique climate and nutrient-rich soil of its native Africa, our acacia is sustainably sourced from the sap of the Acacia senegal tree. It’s then harvested at its nutritional peak to bring you an unhydrolyzed, whole food product that contains no additives, colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Naturally free from odor, strong flavor, and grit, our acacia fiber dissolves easily, making it easy to include in your daily diet.

Get your gut-game strong. 

Without a healthy digestive system, the body cannot absorb the nutrients it needs to repair and thrive—one of the most supportive things you can do for your health is take care of your gut! Sari Foods Organic Acacia Fiber Powder is carefully sourced and minimally processed to give your “good guys” a massive helping hand. 

We appreciate our premium acacia fiber for all its superfood goodness, but we also love that it’s super dissolvable, which gives our smoothies and “nice cream” an oh-so-creamy texture. If you’re not sure how to include acacia fiber in your diet—or are just looking for some new inspiration, the Sari Life Blog contains easy, delicious recipes and tips to help you hit your fiber targets.

References

1. Terpend, K., Possemiers, S., Daguet, D., & Marzorati, M. (2013). Arabinogalactan and fructo-oligosaccharides have a different fermentation profile in the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME ® ). Environmental Microbiology Reports,5(4), 595-603. doi:10.1111/1758-2229.12056
2. Cherbut, C., Michel, C., Raison, V., Kravtchenko, T., & Severine, M. (2003). Acacia Gum is a Bifidogenic Dietary Fibre with High Digestive Tolerance in Healthy Humans. Microbial Ecology in Health & Disease,15(1), 43-50. doi:10.3402/mehd.v15i1.7977
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21767445
4. Slavin, J. (October 2008). "Position of the American Dietetic Association: health implications of dietary fiber". J Am Diet Assoc. 108 (10): 1716–31. https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(08)01566-6/fulltext https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18953766