What Is Beta-Glucan?

by Tink's Mom
(Linglestown)

I have been at the store a couple of times and have saw this word beta-glucan. I keep looking for it on other stuff also but I have not been able to find it anywhere else.

Do you know what it is?

Kathi's (the siteowner) answer:

Tink's Mom,
I have not seen it very often either but I did happen to run into it one time when I was waiting in a pharmacy so I mentioned it to the pharmacist.

According to him, beta-glucan is from the oat or barley bean usually in this country. But, he did say it does not always have to be. Some countries and a few places that import their raw materials also get this ingredient from a source of rye, seaweed or mushrooms.

The reason it is not seen very often in food- most of the time the only place you will see it is in health supplements. Lots of companies use it in their weight loss products.

Because of this, it is usually only found on labels in a health food store or a pharmacy.

Hope this helps.