Xanthan gum and blood sugar after a liquid meal
What it found
In people, adding xanthan gum to a liquid food kept blood sugar lower after eating.
Levels at 20 minutes were clearly lower with the gum than without it.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar after eating
Blood sugar after the drink was lower in the xanthan gum group than in the control group. At 20 minutes it was 84±5.3 mg/dL with xanthan gum and 107±7.8 mg/dL without it.
Overall blood sugar rise
The two groups also differed in the total blood sugar rise over the test, measured as ΔAUC.
Animal and lab studies
Earlier rat findings
A semi-solid food with xanthan gum had previously lowered blood sugar after eating in rats.
What the authors conclude
“These results demonstrate that XG exerts inhibitory effects on glucose excursion in humans.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that xanthan gum "exerts inhibitory effects on glucose excursion in humans".
- They state that these results demonstrate this effect in humans.
How it was done
The same effect had been seen in rats, so the authors wanted to find out whether xanthan gum does the same thing in people.
People fasted for 12 hours, then took a liquid nutrient drink called Meibalance with or without xanthan gum at 9 AM. Their blood sugar was measured at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 120 minutes after drinking it.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a single drink and a single morning. It does not show what happens with xanthan gum over weeks or months.
- It does not show whether xanthan gum helps people with diabetes or other health conditions.
The paper
- Title
- The Addition of Xanthan Gum to Enteral Nutrition Suppresses Postprandial Glycemia in Humans
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Tanaka H, Nishikawa Y, Kure K, Tsuda K, Hosokawa M (2018). The Addition of Xanthan Gum to Enteral Nutrition Suppresses Postprandial Glycemia in Humans. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology. doi:10.3177/jnsv.64.284PubMed 30175792DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error