Guar Gum: Gluten-Free Thickener For Many Dishes

Guar gum is used as a food additive E 412 in many processed foods. But it can also serve you well in the kitchen at home. We tell you what you should know about the thickener.

Guar gum: gluten-free thickener for many dishes

Guar gum – guar flour for short – is obtained from the seeds of the guar bean. The crop has inherent binding properties, which the food and cosmetics industries take advantage of. She uses guar gum as a thickening and gelling agent as well as a filler, for example in jams, soups, ice cream, sauces, and desserts. The high proportion of the carbohydrate guaran is responsible for the ability to absorb large amounts of liquid. Guaran is difficult to digest and can therefore support weight loss as an effective filler. However, people who are sensitive to fiber may experience digestive problems from consuming large amounts of guar gum. Otherwise, the natural thickening agent, which is also permitted in organic products, is considered healthy and harmless.

Application and dosage of guar gum

Since guar gum contains no gluten, it is a good substitute for gluten. In gluten-free recipes it is often on the list of ingredients to thicken sauces or to improve the dough properties of pastries. Even very small amounts are sufficient to achieve an effect. Most of the time, no more than a teaspoon or two is required. For example, if you want to bake a gluten-free apple pie with guar gum, you should strictly follow the dosage specified by the manufacturer. Incidentally, the thickening agent is often used in combination with locust bean gum, which can serve as an alternative to guar gum if you don’t have any at home. Note the different binding power, which is stronger with guar gum.

Recipe ideas with guar flour

Guar gum does not have a taste of its own, so you can use it to cook and bake healthily to your heart’s content. How about a vegan potato salad, for which you prepare the “mayonnaise” made of oil, vinegar, and oat drink with the thickening agent until it is nice and creamy? Or with a delicious low-carb pudding? Guar flour can be a real-time saver in the kitchen. You can use it to thicken jam without boiling it down because the gelling agent works with cold ingredients. Try it!