Pectin

Pectin is a soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that is present in ripe fruits and is extracted for use as a setting agent in jams and jellies. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot.

The dietary fiber found within pectin is always beneficial as it helps with digestion. Pectin is basically a soluble fiber, which slows digestion by pulling water from your digestive tract & increasing the length of time it takes your body to absorb glucose (sugars) from food. Soluble fibers can also bind to cholesterol in the intestines, which may reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in your body.

Pectin may have cancer-preventing properties. The Journal of Nutrition published a paper in June 2011 that suggests it may help protect you from colon cancer. In this study, it was noted that pectin-based diets may protect the body from colon cancer by regulating apoptosis or programmed cell death & suppressing proliferation in rats.

There is a possibility that pectin may help with diabetes. A May 2011 study of rats published in the Journal of Medicinal Food noted that high-pectin foods helped decrease glucose levels in rats. Studies are still inconclusive for humans, but the results in rats are a good sign.