Guar Gum – A Natural and Versatile Food Ingredient!

 

There are a range of food additives that are used during cooking and baking for varied purposes – like thickening, gelling, emulsifying, sweetening or just to improve the appearance. Others are added for preserving the freshness or safety of the food and so on.

Guar gum powder is one such additive that is commonly used as a thickener, binder and stabilizer. Derived from guar bean that has been ground into a fine powder form, its best feature is that it is soluble and able to absorb water. When mixed in liquid, it acquires a gel form that can thicken and bind other substances.

What makes things even better is that guar gum is soluble in cold water – therefore, it can be used in beverages to thicken or improve the texture without having to heat them or use other cooking methods that can end up altering the flavor of the item. It is often added to plant-based milks like almond, flax, soy and hemp.

Apart from drinks, guar gum is a common ingredient in soups, sauces, stews, gravies, marinades, salad dressings, yogurt, ice cream, etc. For instance, it gives yoghurt a creamier texture, makes ketchup thicker in consistency and alsoreduces the amount of oil absorbed by foods while frying. Additionally, it enhances the shelf life of many foods and drinks.

That’s not all! This same additive is a staple of gluten-free cooking. In the absence of gluten, guar gum can work as a binder. It proves to be handy for baking gluten-free products like cakes, brownies and cookies, apart from helping to emulsify and thicken the gluten-free ingredients.

How to use?

When it comes to using guar gum, always keep in mind the simple rule – a little goes a long way! Adding a bit of the powder will instantly increase the thickness, therefore, using too much can render the beverage/dish bulky and stringy. And as the gum is high in fiber, it can upset the stomach as well.

In sum, it cannot be denied that guar gum is a functional and versatile food ingredient that brings smoothness, thickness and stability to food. It works wonders for gluten-free products and can become a game changer for baking without gluten. As chefs around the world continue to explore and harness the benefits of this simple looking powder, the demand and usage continues to abound.

Moreover, the application is not limited to food as the gum is also used in other industries like cosmetics, paper, medicines, textiles, etc.

It follows that the price of guar gum has also peaked over the past few years. However, you don’t have to let the cost of this food additive be a limitation in the kitchen. Cape Crystal Brands (https://www.capecrystalbrands.com/) comes to the rescue with specialized food products of top quality at the most reasonable prices.