Fresh fruit is low in calories and fat, but it also contains natural sweetness from substances like pectin, a type of carbohydrate. Pectin is widely used as a preservative for jams and jellies. Research on pectin indicates that it may also have specific medical uses for preventing cancer risk, lowering cholesterol and treating digestive disturbances.
About Pectin
Pectin is a heteropolysaccharide, a carbohydrate structured in a chain with differing monosaccharides that join together. It is derived from the cell walls of most plants and highly concentrated in the peels and pulp of fruit. The amount of pectin in a plant depends where it is in the plant, as well as the ripeness of the plant. Pectin is broken down by the enzymes pectinase and pectinesterase during ripening, which decreases the potency of the carbohydrate and the preservation of the cell walls of the fruit. The breakdown of pectin enzymes cause the soft spots on an overripe apple, for example, because it makes the cell walls of the fruit separate.
Fiber in Pectin
The soluble fiber in pectin-rich fruits aids in digestive health and may also help treat digestive problems. Pectin helps regulate the intestines as a natural dietary fiber readily fermented in the colon, because it is viscous, or gel-like. During digestion, the soluble fiber in pectin absorbs water, turning it into a gelatinous substance that passes through your intestines smoothly. According to an article in "Digestive Diseases and Sciences," during research studies, children with persistent diarrhea showed symptom improvement when treated with pectin-rich fruit like green bananas.
Citrus Pectin
Lemons, oranges and grapefruits are pectin-rich fruits that may help decrease cancer tumor formation. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the citrus pectin acts as a ligand for galectin-3, a protein involved in cell growth and cell cycles. Elevated galectin-3 is associated with inflammation of the heart and cancer tumors. Pectin supplementation in the diet prohibits excess galectin-3 from binding to receptors that might result in the spread of cancer cells through angiogenesis, or blood vessel growth.
Fruit for Health
Pectin is sold as a supplement, but if you are healthy and want to maintain your digestive health, get your pectin through foods like fruit. Pectin is plentiful in apples, peaches, plums and citrus. Guava, apricots and quince are high in pectin, and soft fruits like cherries, strawberries or grapes are lower in pectin. Choose less ripe fruit if you are not going to eat it immediately, and avoid overripe fruit that has lost its pectic potency.
References
- University of Georgia: Preserving Food; Jams and Jellies
- Harvard Health Publications: 11 Foods That Lower Cholesterol
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pectin
- Science Daily; Pectin Power; Why Fruits and Vegetables May Protect Against Cancer's Spread; October 14, 2008
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Pectin Digestion in Humans; Warren D. Holloway et al; February 1983
- Digestive Diseases and Sciences; Green Banana and Pectin Improve Small Intestinal Permeability and Reduce Fluid Loss in Bangladeshi Children with Persistent Diarrhea; G. H. Rabbani et al; March 2004
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