Can The Glycerin In Foods Affect The Bowels?

Glycerin, or glycerol, is a sticky clear liquid with a sweet taste. When added to foods, it helps retain moisture, acts as a thickener and prevents sugar crystallization. Found in potentially hundreds of food items, glycerin is also available as a prescription medication for reducing eye pressure and swelling of the brain in specific instances. The Food and Drug Administration allows food manufacturers to add glycerin to food products, and although the substance is generally recognized as safe, if you’re sensitive or allergic to glycerin, it could affect your bowel movements.

Properties

Glycerol is a sugar alcohol, a by-product of soaps and oils. Food-grade vegetable glycerin, the type found in foods, comes mainly from the production of palm and coconut oils. In addition to being a humectant and sweetener, the “Food Additive Data Book” lists glycerin as a solvent, meaning it readily absorbs vital constituents from other substances, such as plants and herbs. This ability makes glycerin useful in the production of herbal cough syrups and lozenges.

Glycerin’s Effect on Stools

As a rectal suppository, glycerin is considered safe enough to administer to babies suffering from occasional bouts of constipation. The glycerin absorbs water to soften hard stools, making it easier for the baby to have a bowel movement. While glycerin isn’t prescribed as an oral laxative, if you’re sensitive to glycerin, you could still experience loose bowels from eating foods that contain the substance. Diarrhea is a known, but uncommon, side effect of taking oral glycerin medications.

Glycerin Allergy

An allergist can administer a skin patch test to determine if you’re allergic to glycerin. Although glycerin allergies are rare, they do exist. In addition to bowel distress, you might also experience dizziness, dry mouth, headache and nausea after consuming the ingredient. Although rare, serious allergic reactions include an erratic heartbeat and confusion, and either of these symptoms should prompt an immediate call to your doctor.

Foods Containing Glycerin

Because it’s widely used as an additive in the food industry, cutting glycerin out of your diet can be difficult. Glycerin is found in some brands of flavored dairy products, sports drinks, processed cheeses, margarine spreads, dried vegetable products, nut and seed products, processed fruits and other processed meat, poultry and seafood products, among many other foods. Read ingredient labels and avoid foods that contain glycerin, glycerol, 1,2,3-Propanetriol, glycerine, Thihydroxpropane, CAS 56-81-5 and Glycylalcohol.