Question About Heather's Acadia (Grain Free and Shelf Life?)
#361816 - 11/01/10 10:45 AM
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I've just been advised to start the SCD diet, which does not allow ANY grains (with or without gluten).
Is Heather's Acadia grain free?
I can't have grains, starches, added sugars, none of that.
I was recommended this product http://www.renewlife.com/organic-clear-fiber.html....but I already have Acadia and would rather not buy another.
ALSO...the Acadia I have is 4 years old.
Is it still good...what is the shelf life?
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and the shelf life is indefinite, though we label it as best by two years from the pack date. As long as your package has been airtight and in a clean dry place, it should be just fine.
Best,
H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks!
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Well I have been using it for 2+ weeks.
1) The Acadia is not dissolving, it's leaving behind clumps.
2) I'm feeling more bloated and less relief than with Benefiber, despite using the same 2 kitchen spoons per day.
Is it possible the Acadia batch has gone bad?
Or do I just need to re-up?
Or am I just a poor responder?
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It is a little tricky to make it dissolve right away. You can put in liquid and shake and then let it sit and shake again. It might take 5 minutes to make it perfect. Or you can add just a tablespoon of liquid to it and stir to a paste, then add the rest of the liquid. This is the way that works best with cereal or in a glass.
Benefiber and acacia are not the same dose! Acacia is more concentrated so to speak.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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So if I took 1 regular kitchen spoon of Benefiber 2X per day...that equates to/or I should take X amount of Acadia?
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I don't keep that information in my head. A board search might work. I know I took many fibercon a day when I started acacia (ah kay sha) and it was less grams of SFS to achieve the same grams of fiber.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I thought the ratio was 1-1...anyway I never heard of it not dissolving.
Heather markets it as being easily dissolvable.
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benefiber informs me that two tea-spoonfuls contain 3g SF. (it's written on the box) Surely the Acacia gives some sort of indication on its packaging as well??
--------------------
Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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It doesn't dissolve very well. What I do is I mix it ahead of time from the time I want to take it and I mix it and then let it sit for awhile and it will all dissolve. Maybe 10-15 minutes or so. I have it sitting now while I check the board and then I'll go take it and eat my breakfast. Good luck!
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Re: Acacia
#362318 - 12/01/10 11:14 AM
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kem
Reged: 06/09/10
Posts: 104
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Hoping to clear this up for anyone that might still be confused! (because I know it can seem confusing at first.)
Quote:
I thought the ratio was 1-1
and
Quote:
benefiber informs me that two tea-spoonfuls contain 3g SF. (it's written on the box) Surely the Acacia gives some sort of indication on its packaging as well??
. . . It's about 2g of SF per one tsp of acacia. It is on the package and also numerous places on this site, too. (See the Tummy Fiber note at the top of this board or the Tummy Fiber FAQ, for example.) So . . . Little Minnie had it right that there's more SF in acacia compared to the same amount of Benefiber. You just need to know that if you plan to switch from one to the other, and Heather describes how to do that in detail for people who want to switch.
Quote:
anyway I never heard of it not dissolving.
Heather markets it as being easily dissolvable.
We've only used acacia as a SF supplement, but we've tried 2 different brands - Heather's and another organic one, so I can compare apples to apples. The other brand never really dissolves completely (and the box certainly says 'dissolves easily') - it always has a bit of grit to it no matter what you do. It's still drinkable, but somewhat noticeable. With Heather's, after a few minutes you actually can't tell whether you put the acacia in yet or not. (So you better remember!  ) My daughter much prefers that. We do what others have mentioned - put the acacia into a drink in a bottle, shake it up and let it sit for a few minutes. She takes the bottle w/her to drink throughout the day.
I hope this makes sense of things!
kem (daughter w/ibs-d dx)
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OK...so let it sit 10-15 minutes then it will dissolve.
Got it.
I wonder if having Acadia before it dissolves is less effective.
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' tsp '?
not sure if you meant tablespoonful or teaspoonful?
Benefiber is teaspoonful, not tablespoonful...
--------------------
Susie, born in 1985,
(pseudo-)D and bloating April 2007-December 2010, now stable
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That is a good question...I'm not sure. That would be good to know. I know I've taken it in the past without it being completely dissolved if I was in a hurry and didn't have time to let it sit like I normally do.
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Wouldn't matter at all in terms of effectiveness.
Best,
H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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It is dissolvable and does not have any choking risk as some do. It dissolves better in cold liquid and much better if you add just a little liquid, stir to a paste in about 3 seconds, then add the rest of liquid, stirring and you can drink immediately. This is also how you make smooth gravy BTW. I put acacia in a bowl, add 2T or so rice milk, stir, add rest of milk and then my cereal and never have any undissolved powder. My cats even lick the (paper) bowl when I am done since they like the rice milk. Maybe they get some fiber too to help with hairballs!
After being here for many years, I should know what the ratio is, but I am not a detail person. I leave that to others to have number/detail info at the drop of a hat. So what I know is that you can't start at the same amount of acacia as the fiber you were taking. Always start lower. I used to remember how many grams of fiber are in a tablespoon of acacia but forgot. I take 2T a day total.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Little Minnie-So you can make a gravy that way? Would you mind sharing with me how you make your gravy? I know this is the wrong board for that but I've been trying different gravies and haven't found a good one yet (I'm not use to making my own). I would appreciate that! Thanks!
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First of all, I don't put acacia in gravy, but you can thicken pan drippings into gravy by adding flour, stirring, then add only a couple tablespoons of broth and stir to a paste, then add rest of broth, slowly, stirring as you add it and look mom, no lumps! It is the same principle for putting acacia in your breakfast cereal milk or other liquids. It should always go into cold liquids.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Thanks! I'll have to try this the next time I make gravy. I appreciate it!
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