What Does Tragacanth Mean?

: a gum obtained from various Asian or eastern European plants (genus Astragalus and especially A. gummifer) of the legume family that swells in water and is used chiefly as an emulsifying, suspending, or thickening agent.

What is tragacanth used for?

Tragacanth is used both for diarrhea and constipation. It is also an ingredient in toothpastes, hand lotions, denture adhesives, and vaginal creams and jellies. In foods, tragacanth is important for stabilizing and thickening ingredients in salad dressings, foods, and beverages.

Is gum tragacanth safe?

Gum tragacanth is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA when used in accordance with good manufacturing or feeding practice (FDA, 2006). Gum tragacanth can be regarded as natural forms of soluble dietary fibre, with long histories of safe use in food and pharmaceutical formulations (Anderson, 1988).