Food
Guar Gum: A Common Food Additive
Guar gum is a natural and rather common food additive that can be seen in many products from ice cream, to bread, to cheese.
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Guar gum is a natural and rather common food additive that can be seen in many products from ice cream, to bread, to cheese.
Guar gum is a natural and rather common food additive that can be seen in many products from ice cream, to bread, to cheese. Guar gum is a yellowish powder that originates in the seeds of the guar plant. Once a guar bean or cluster bean is fully grown, it can be harvested and processed into the powder that we know as guar gum. Guar gum is gluten free and vegan.
It is used mainly as a thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer for a variety of foods. It is particularly common in gluten free bread. It is water soluble, just like xanthan gum and cornstarch, but has 8 times the thickening ability. So with guar gum, a little really goes a long way.
Guar gum in small amounts usually has no effect. However, guar gum in high doses can cause some digestive discomfort such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and cramps.
