to the polyacrylate superabsorbers which necessarily form discrete particles as do covalently cross linked molecules such as cross linked carboxymethylcellulose gelatins and alginates the material of the present invention exists in uncross linked form prior to hydration upon hydration the material forms extend water binding networks of biodegradable carbohydrate polymer preferably further cross linked with extended multilamellar sheets of degradable anionic lipid macroscopically the gels are stable and can extend several centimeters in several directions upon hydration these gels can also be formed into a variety of geometries such as rods disks and slabs the consistency of the gel and the amount of liquid absorbed can be changed by modifying the initial composition in addition a partially hydrated gel can be further hydrated at a later time by absorption of more liquid the capacity for uptake of liquid of the compositions of the present invention furthermore depends on the ratio of active acid e g lipids to active carbohydrate at low lipid carbohydrate ratios on a weight basis e g a 0 1 0 2 ratio high fluid absorption is observed in fact as may be seen from the following examples the uptake of 0 15 n saline is considerably greater than that of the polyacrylate superabsorbers when the ratio of fatty acid to carbohydrate is much higher e g approximately.