How Many Calories in 1g of Gellan Gum

Gellan gum, a food additive, is very low in calories. A gram of gellan gum would typically have less than two calories. And a little bit of gellan gum goes a long way in doing its job, so it’s usually used in very small quantities in food. It doesn’t dramatically affect the calorie count of the food it goes in. 

What is Gellan Gum?

Gellan gum is a food additive used to bind, thicken, and stabilize processed food. It gives food a creamy or gel-like consistency and is used in a variety of products. 

While gellan gum is also found in nature, it’s produced artificially. It’s a product for sugar fermentation with a specific type of bacteria (Sphingomonas elodea). Since it’s a gelling agent, it’s similar to xanthan gum and agar agar. 

Gellan gum is also used as a vegan alternative to gelatin, which is made from animal-based ingredients. 

It’s a popular additive because it’s effective even in very small amounts. It’s also not sensitive to heat, which is why it’s also used as a stabilizer. 

Beyond the culinary industry, gellan gum is also used in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors for procedures and drugs. 

What Foods Contain Gellan Gum?

Gellan gum is commonly found in processed foods, including beverages, baked goods, dairy, and packaged foods. In the nutritional information label on such foods, you may see gellan gum mentioned as E418, an industry name. Also, gellan gum may be mentioned by its brand name Kelcogel. 

Here’s a list of foods that may have gellan gum or E418 in their ingredients list:

• Confectioneries (chewing gum, candy, and baked products like tarts or pies that contain fruit or jelly filling)

• Beverages (fortified juices and plant-based milks)

• Dairy (milk, cream, cheese, and yogurt)

• Jams and jellies

• Breakfast cereals

• Condiments and sauces (ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, etc.)

• Processed foods (Canned soup, broths, syrups, etc.)

If you’re curious about nutritional information, try the Fastic app’s Nutri chatbot. It provides evidence-based answers to common questions about food ingredients, calories, and benefits. 

How Many Calories in Gellan Gum?

The exact calories in gellan gum may vary by brand but usually not by much. For instance, according to a manufacturer of gellan gum, the calories range from 168 to 200 kcal per 100g. That means, depending on the type of gellan gum from this specific manufacturer, 1g of gellan gum would have 1.68 to 2 kcal. 

Manufacturers don’t specify how much gellan gum they have used in a product. So you can’t tell exactly how many calories the product contains are from gellan gum. Since it’s typically used in small amounts, it’s safe to say that gellan gum’s contribution to the typical serving’s calorie count would likely be negligible. 

As a food ingredient, it doesn’t have a lot of calories. So, if a food or drink is high in calories and contains gellan gum, it’s likely that other ingredients like sugar have contributed to the calorie count. 

Can Gellan Gum Break a Fast?

Gellan gum has minimal calories, so gellan gum itself won’t break a fast. But gellan gum isn’t consumed directly. It’s found in foods and drinks, which may have enough calories to stimulate an insulin response and break the fast. 

Gellan gum is typically used in sweet foods and drinks like jams, candies, and juices, which are a no-go during any kind of fasting. Instead of focusing on a single ingredient, look at the nutritional values of the actual food product. If the serving you’re consuming exceeds a few calories, avoid having it during a fast. 

If you’re intermittent fasting for weight loss, you may want to avoid products with gellan gum, particularly those with sugar. Those will definitely break your fast and defeat the purpose behind it. 

How Much Gellan Gum Can You Consume in a Day?

According to scientific opinion and research, there’s no recommended daily intake limit. The research found that consumption of as much as 200 mg per kg of body weight for three weeks didn’t have any adverse effect on humans.  

Again, you most likely won’t be consuming gellan gum alone. You’d likely consume it as an ingredient in a food product. It’s used in small amounts, so you wouldn’t consume much of it at once. 

Is Gellan Gum Safe? Does It Have Any Benefits?

Gellan gum has been approved by food safety authorities worldwide since the late 1980s and 1990s. It’s considered a safe food additive. 

Some old research also explored whether gellan gum had any health benefits. For instance, a 1999 Japanese study suggested that gellan gum could help food move faster in the gut. Similarly, other studies have explored the effect of gellan gum on blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight loss, with mostly positive outcomes. 

The research is limited in confirming the supposed benefits of gellan gum, but these studies do confirm that it is a safe additive. 

Track Calories Easily!

Concerned about the calories in your food? Use the Fastic app to instantly get the calorie count of your food with an AI-powered food scanner. Simply take a picture, and the app will do the rest. Find out exactly how many calories you consume in a day (whether you’re fasting or not). 

Disclaimer: Speaking with a health professional before beginning intermittent fasting or a diet program is advised. There may be side effects for people with certain medical conditions.