What is Guar Gum?
Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus) is a leguminous plant that grows in semi-arid regions of the world such as India and Pakistan. It bears many bean-like pods, each of which contains six to nine small, rounded seeds. The guar seed is typically made up of 40% to 46% germ, 38% to 45% endosperm, and 14% to 16% husk. The gum is obtained from the ground endosperm. Chemically, guar gum is a galactomannan polymer containing the sugars mannose and galactose. It emulsifies but does not form a gel as do similar products, such as locust bean gum.
How is NOW Guar Gum prepared?
NOW® Guar Gum is prepared by removing the husk and germ portions before extracting the gum from the endosperm, to yield the pure product.
What is Guar Gum used for?
This product is used as a baking aid for recipes that use gluten-free flours. Gluten is needed to impart elasticity to most doughs so they hold in the gases formed by yeast fermentation or baking powder, causing the dough to rise. Guar and xanthan gums act as substitutes for the missing gluten in gluten-free recipes. If you want to use this powder as a water soluble fiber, consider adding 1/2 teaspoon to 12-16 oz. of filtered water and drink immediately.
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