Pectin is a viscous soluble fiber that can form a gel and is found in natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, and beans. Because pectin has the advantages of biological activities, biocompatibility, biodegradability, reproducibility, low cost, and easy modification.
At present, there are a variety of pectin health foods on the market, such as apple pectin, citrus pectin, red quinoa pectin, beet pectin, etc. Some products claim to have anti-obesity, detoxification, blood sugar balance, cardiovascular health, intestinal purification, the effect of weight control.
What are pectin benefits and side effects? Please read the article below.
Table of Contents
- What is pectin?
- What are the benefits of pectin?
- Are there any side effects of pectin?
- Safety Precautions
- Where can I buy the best Pectin Supplements?
What is pectin?
Pectin is a complex natural polymer water-soluble polysaccharide substance (composed of galacturonic acid and methyl ester). It is present in the primary cell wall and middle layer of terrestrial plant tissues, which helps maintain its structure and grows in plants. It has multiple functions in morphology, development, cell expansion, seed hydration, and plant defense.
Current sources of commercial pectin are mainly citrus peels with the highest content (30% to 35%), such as orange, lemon and grapefruit peels, and apple pulp (15% to 20%).
Other pectin-rich fruits include strawberries, cherries, bananas, passionflowers, papayas, plums, currants, cherries, etc.
What are the benefits of pectin?
1. Pectin is beneficial for blood pressure regulation
It is estimated that one-quarter of adults worldwide have high blood pressure, a total of nearly 1 billion people, causing more than 7 million premature deaths worldwide, accounting for 4.5% of the global disease burden.
According to statistics, in people aged 40 to 90, the risk of coronary artery death doubles for every 10 mm Hg increase in blood pressure.
The global prevalence of hypertension is expected to increase by 60% by 2025, and the primary prevention of hypertension has become a global public health challenge.
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (a total of 22 randomized controlled trials with 1,430 participants) indicated that overall, viscous soluble fibers were supplemented (median follow-up 7 weeks, median daily dose 8.7 g, Sources are: β-glucan, guar gum, konjac, pectin, and psyllium) have the effect of reducing systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
In addition, among the five fiber types, the reduction of systolic blood pressure is most significant when using psyllium fiber.
*Conclusion: The intake of viscous soluble fiber may have a positive effect on blood pressure regulation, but it is limited by the heterogeneity and low quality of the included studies, and more research is still needed to corroborate.
2. Pectin regulates cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia is the main risk factor for atherosclerosis and is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and myocardial infarction. An unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, lack of exercise, stress, smoking, and obesity are the main triggers one.
Related studies have also found that for every 1.0 mmol/L reduction in LDL cholesterol, all-cause mortality can be reduced by 10%, and the risk of major coronary events and strokes are also reduced by 23% and 17%, respectively.
A meta-analysis of literature (including 67 studies with a total of 2990 participants) pointed out that the ingestion of soluble fiber (sources: pectin, oat bran, guar gum, psyllium, daily dose 2 to 10 g ) Is related to the decrease of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.
In addition, soluble fiber has no significant effect on triacylglycerols and HDL cholesterol.
*Conclusion: The intake of soluble fiber may be helpful for regulating cholesterol, but it is limited by the small sample size and heterogeneity, and more research is needed to corroborate it.
3. Pectin is beneficial for weight management
Although Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disease with genetic, behavioral, socioeconomic, and environmental causes, it is largely preventable and treatable.
Obesity and overweight together affect more than one-third of the world’s population. If the current trend continues, by 2030, it is estimated that 38% of the world’s adults will be overweight and 20% will be obese.
Weight management is mainly affected by genetics, behavior, and the environment. Among them, diet is the most important factor affecting weight stability, and secondly, it is to increase physical activity.
A systematic review pointed out that viscous fibers (such as pectin, β-glucans, and guar gum) are more effective in reducing appetite than less viscous fibers (59% vs. 14%).
And overall, the effect of viscous fiber on energy intake and body weight is relatively small, and no obvious dose-response relationship is observed.
Another study pointed out that colloidal pectin can increase satiety and reduce energy intake through post-feeding mechanisms.
*Conclusion: Pectin intake helps increase satiety, but whether it is helpful for weight loss remains to be confirmed.
4. Pectin is beneficial for diarrhea diseases
The objective definition of diarrhea is that the amount of bowel movements exceeds 200 grams or 200 milliliters per 24 hours, and the most common cause is an intestinal infection.
Most diarrheal diseases last 5-7 days. These attacks are usually defined as acute diarrhea. When diarrhea lasts longer than 14 days, they are defined as chronic and persistent diarrhea. It is the second leading cause of death and hospitalization for children under 5 years old in the world. (Most occur in low- and middle-income countries).
A randomized double-blind controlled trial (for 7 days, targeting 62 children with persistent diarrhea) pointed out that green bananas and pectin can significantly reduce stool volume, oral rehydration volume, intravenous fluid volume, vomiting frequency, and duration of diarrhea.
*Conclusion: Pectin may be helpful for improving diarrhea, but it is limited by the small sample size, and more research is still needed to further verify.
5. Pectin is beneficial for blood sugar control
Type 2 diabetes is a serious and costly public health epidemic. It is estimated that by 2050, one out of every three American adults will become ill.
Despite the well-established diabetes screening guidelines, there are still more than 8 million diabetic patients and 80 million pre-diabetic patients who have not been diagnosed or do not understand their condition.
Therefore, the diabetes screening guidelines recommend targeted screening of high-risk groups. The relevant high-risk groups include over 45 years old, family history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, history of cardiovascular disease, lack of exercise, polycystic ovary syndrome, History of gestational diabetes, birth weight greater than 9 pounds or previous clinical symptoms related to insulin resistance.
A placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel, double-blind study (12 weeks, 70 subjects with abnormal glucose metabolism) pointed out that taking beet pectin and polydextrose did not significantly help fasting or postprandial blood glucose levels.
*Conclusion: Up to now, there is no clear evidence that pectin can assist blood sugar control.
Are there any side effects of pectin?
For most ethnic groups in good health, it is safe to use pectin products in moderation.
However, the possible side effects or adverse reactions that have been reported include stomach cramps, diarrhea, flatulence, and loose stools, especially when combined with other fiber products (such as guar gum, soybean fiber, pea fiber, corn bran).
Safety Precautions
1. There have been cases of occupational injuries caused by inhalation of large amounts of pectin dust at work, causing rhinitis, runny nose, cough, and asthma.
2. Subjects who have been allergic to nut foods such as pistachios and cashews may also be allergic to pectin.
3. Do not use in combination with Tetracycline Antibiotics, which may reduce the effectiveness of the drug. In order to avoid this interaction, the best time to use pectin is two hours before or four hours after taking the tetracycline antibiotic. The relevant drug name is demeclocycline, minocycline, tetracycline.
4. Do not use in combination with Digoxin, a cardiovascular disease medication, as it may reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
5. Do not use in combination with cholesterol-lowering drug Lovastatin, which may reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
6. Extra pectin supplementation during meals may inhibit the absorption of nutrients in food, which has been reported in two case studies.
Where can I buy the best Pectin Supplements?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
