Guar Gum

What is guar gum?

Guar gum is a polysaccharide mainly used as a stabilizing or thickening agent. It originates from the endosperm from a guar seed.

What is the manufacturing process?

The process starts when the guar beans (pods with guar seeds) are harvested and split open. The guar seeds are then milled (grounded) and screened (unwanted parts are removed). The remaining powder is guar gum, and when added to water, or liquid, it forms a gel-like paste. Guar gum is used in foods such as milk, cheese, cereal, and pasta.

The FDA states that guar gum is GRAS and the USDA has reported that guar gum can reduce cholesterol and lower blood glucose (sugar) levels.

References:

  1. FDA stance of Guar Gum
  2. USDA experiments with Guar Gum