Re: Thickner.... Guar Gum?

[Guest guest]

> Does anyone know what guar gum is? I was ordering flour from Bob Mills

site

> and guar gum was listed. Is guar gum a thickner or is that xantha gum?

, all you ever wanted to know and were afraid to ask...LOLOL

Guar gum (guaran) is a natural food additive obtained from the Indian

Cluster Bean (guar plant). It has been used for centuries as a stabilizer,

thickener and emulsifier, typically used at less than one percent in baked

goods, sauces, ice cream and beverages. Guar gum is classified as a dietary

fiber and has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol levels. Since it is

not absorbed by the gut, large quantities can cause gastrointestinal

problems, but not at the levels typically used in food processing.

Dried and ground to powder, guar has about eight times the thickening power

of cornstarch. It's used to stabilize frozen fruits and fruit drinks, to

bind everything from dressings to soft drinks to meats to baked goods. It's

even a component of pills (it keeps them from disintegrating), laxatives,

toothpastes and cosmetics.

IT IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE if used according to FDA guidelines. What

is not within FDA guidelines is an over-the-counter guar gum diet pill

called Cal-Ban 3000 that has been hawked as a way to lose up to 30 pounds in

thirty days. The idea is this: When wet, the pill swells in the stomach - to

many times its original size - making you feel full. Unfortunately, it can

also swell in the throat, the esophagus, the intestines and do serious harm.

In the nine years Cal-Ban 3000 has been on the market, it has caused

seventeen throat blockages, ten hospitalizations and one death, albeit

indirectly.

There are lots of studies using it as an agent for cholesterol reduction,

diabetes stabilization, etc etc. And finally something that DOESN'T cause

cancer in mice. YEA!!!!!

HTH

JJ