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Guar Gum

What is Guar Gum?

Guar gum or guaran is a carbohydrate composed of mannose and galactose with a 2:1 ratio. This galactomannan is taken from the seeds of guar plant by dehusking, milling and screening. The end product is a pale, off-white, loose powder. Guar gum is hydrophilic and swells up when exposed to cold water or liquids.

It is most commonly used as a thickening agent and stabilizer for sauces and dressings in the food industry. Baked goods such as bread may also use guar gum to increase the amount of soluble fiber in it. At the same time, it also aids with moisture retention in bread and other baked items.

Being a derivative of a legume, it is considered to be vegan and a good alternative to starches. In modern cuisine, guar gum is used for the creation of foams from acidic liquids, fluid gels, and for stabilizing foams.

To use guar gum it must first be dissolved in cold liquid. A concentration of 0.3% to 0.5% of the weight may be used. The higher the percentage of guar gum used, the more viscous the liquid will become. Dosage may also vary according to the ingredients used as well as desired results and temperature.