Ingredient in the Spotlight: Larch Arabinogalactan offers Digestive and Immune Support
One of the 4 soluble fibers found in Gut Garden’s Resistant Starch Prebiotic Fiber Blend is Larch Arabinogalactan. What is it and why did we include it in our blend? Larch Arabinogalactan is a natural extract from larch trees that has been proven to have powerful digestive and immune benefits.
Digestive Benefits
The longest recognized use of Larch Arabinogalactan is probably as a source of dietary fiber. As a prebiotic, it acts as food for friendly bacteria, and has been shown to increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA's), principally butyrate and proprionate. These SCFAs are critical to the health of the colon. They protect the intestinal lining against disease and cancer promoting agents by providing the main energy source for the colonic cells and increasing beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus. Larch Arabinogalactan is essentially a wonderful way to balance the microflora protect the gastrointestinal tract in general.
Promotes Healthy Immune System
While Larch Arabinogalactan has a huge impact on digestive health, it has received even more attention for its ability to promote the health of our immune system. Some recent research has concluded:
- Larch Arabinogalactan reduced cold incidences by 23% by increasing the body’s potential to fight off cold infections.
- Boosts the immune system’s natural response to the tetanus vaccine and Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia.
- Reduces inflammation and reduces the inflammatory response to allergies.
- Arabinogalactans have also shown an increase in the potency of antiviral drugs.
- Supplementation of larch arabinogalactan slightly increased the activation of T-helper cells (CD4 white blood cells), preventing opportunistic infections.