Guar gum (E412): effect on the body and use

When choosing products in a supermarket, shoppers are often confronted with “dangerous” “E” symbols on the labels and make a decision not to buy them. Such distrust is justified. However, not everyone knows that among the supplements labeled "E" there are safe and even useful ones. Among them is the E412 supplement, which is not only not harmful, but is an assistant for people leading a healthy lifestyle. The benefits and harms of guar gum is a little-disclosed topic, which is useful to understand in detail.

What is guar gum and how is it made

Guar gum, or guarana, is an exclusively herbal product, the benefits of which as a stabilizer, thickener and structurant are used in the food industry without harm to the body. This supplement can be found on supermarket or pharmacy labels under the designation E412 in various types of yoghurts, ice cream, confectionery, ketchup and mayonnaise, and weight loss products.

Guar gum is produced as a white or yellow powder that dissolves well in water and has a specific odor. E412 is obtained from the extraction of seeds of guar beans - the fruits of Indian acacia. Each such 15-centimeter bean contains up to three small seeds, which are rich in the highest polysaccharide - galactomine, or gum. Gum is, in fact, a thick tree sap, or resin, protruding on the surface of a plant.

Guar gum originates from the western regions of India and Pakistan, from where up to 80% of its supplies to the world market go. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, it was recognized as a plant suitable for human use, and on an industrial scale it began to be produced after the Second World War, mainly as a thickener: first for the manufacture of paper and textiles, toothpaste, shampoos and only later in the production of food products.

Chemical composition of guar gum

Guar gum, as a plant polymer containing simple sugars (galactose), is a hydrocolloid, a substance that, when dissolved in water and other liquids, can form gel-like mixtures that are resistant to freezing. This property is highly beneficial for the food industry and is actively used to thicken various products.

Typically, the addition of salt or acids does not change the viscosity of the guar solution.

Guar gum contains many beneficial fatty acids.

Guar gum composition

Guar gum has good compatibility with other plant hydrocolloids: agar, locust bean gum, pectin, methylcellulose hydrom.

What is guar gum for and where is it used?

Nowadays, the areas of active use of guar gum are:

• the food industry has adopted the following properties of guar gum: jelly-forming and viscosity-improving properties - in the preparation of dairy and jelly-like products, slowing down crystallization at low temperatures - for ice cream, imparting special fluffiness to products - in baking, fixing consistency - in the production of fats, sauces, jams, canned food, juices;
• the cosmetic industry has "straddled" such a property of guar gum as the ability to retain moisture and consistency, for example, creams, as well as when applying a cosmetic product - to create a kind of film on the skin that can protect against drying and negative factors;
• the production of medicines for diabetes or dietary supplements uses the property of E412 to influence the absorption of sugar by the body;
• in cattle breeding, due to the high fiber content, guar waste is used as livestock feed.

Why is guar gum useful?

The biological effect of guar gum, due to its unusual properties, is manifested primarily through its effect on the digestive system.

Being in essence a complex of simple sugars and absorbed by the body only in small doses, guar gum, by analogy with fiber, acts as a "broom" for the gastrointestinal tract, helping to remove harmful residual products from it and, thus, free it of toxins and toxins ...

In addition to cleansing the body, the beneficial properties of guar gum can work wonders:

• effectively suppressing appetite;
• having a laxative effect;
• stabilizing the pH of the digestive tract;
• supporting the proliferation of beneficial bacterial flora.

Scientific research on guar gum has also shown that its galactamannan:

• is responsible for suppressing and reducing the number of compounds and viruses that cause various intestinal diseases;
• has anti-tumor and antioxidant properties;
• has benefits as a hypoglycemic agent capable of lowering blood sugar, which makes it possible to use it for the prevention of diabetes.
• as an adsorbent and detoxifying agent, it reduces the level of cholesterol and saturated fats inside the body, which has exceptional benefits for the prevention of obesity and atherosclerosis.

Indications for use

Based on the beneficial properties of the E412 supplement for the human body, which relate to its ability to affect biological functions, it has found wide application in the preparations shown:

• in cases of constipation;
• in the prevention of atherosclerosis;
• in the treatment of obesity;
• when diagnosed with diabetes;
• in various programs for cleansing the body.

Slimming Guar Gum

As a herbal product that is easily eliminated by the body, as a good cleanser and detoxifier that reduces blood cholesterol levels and helps to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, guar gum has gained a reputation as a useful dietary supplement.

Due to the property of guara to "swell" in the stomach, it is added to various foods in order to achieve a feeling of fullness even in a non-nutritive menu. Guar gum itself is not high in calories, has no taste or smell, and is easily excreted from the body.

It is difficult to overestimate such a complex benefit of guar gum in the fight against excess weight and obesity, and this is used by a number of diets, for example, the Ducan protein diet.

Guar gum in cooking

When used correctly, guar gum can make life more rewarding and healthier.

An example would be adding it to various thick (and therefore, as a rule, fatty) sauces, creams, desserts.

Guar gum ice cream recipe

The most popular guar gum recipe is ice cream.

And for good reason: the guar additive gives a viscous and at the same time light texture without adding heavy cream.

Easy version of Dukan ice cream

For cooking you will need:

• milk - 0.5 l;
• sweetener - 1-2 tsp;
• guar gum - 1/2 tsp;
• culinary flavoring - to taste.

How to cook properly:

1. Unsterilized milk is boiled and cooled.
2. Pour it into a bowl with a volume of more than 2 liters, add guar gum, sweetener, flavor.
3. Beat until bubbles appear, which will be held due to the gradual thickening of the mass.
4. Place the mass in the freezer and wait until it freezes on top and along the edges.
5. Take out and beat again.

For a thick, rather than airy effect, you need to beat less and increase the number of beat cycles after freezing to 3 - 4.

An option for making ice cream on the video:

The use of guar gum in home cosmetology

Guar gum is used in cosmetology as an organic base for gels, creams, and other body care products. In addition to imparting sufficient density, guar substance has a set of beneficial properties that help:

• moisturizing the skin;
• preservation of moisture in it due to the formation of a film;
• cleansing the dermis;
• protect it from harmful influences.

To create a viscous solution in warm water (40 ^aboutC) a dosage of 0.1 - 5% gum is enough and up to one and a half hours.

With the resulting base, you can mix the ingredients necessary for the selected cosmetic product (oils, vitamins, products for masks, etc.).

It may be troublesome to prepare cosmetics yourself, but the benefits will pay off all your efforts: after all, as a result, you can get a truly natural product that has been tested in terms of composition and quality.

Aloe and guar gum mask

It is known that masks can (and should!) Be made from all the healthy products that we ingest. A frequent inconvenience when applying a mask, especially one made from fresh fruits and vegetables, is dripping on the face due to the high moisture content of the ingredients. The perfect solution would be gum!

It will just help to create a base sufficient in viscosity, which will simultaneously transfer all the necessary moisture to the skin.

Guar gum mask

Required:

• 1 fleshy aloe leaf;
• vitamin E capsule;
• 1 egg yolk.

Mash the leaf with a fork, add vitamin E and yolk and a pinch of guar. Mix the composition and let it swell for about 20 minutes.

Can be applied to a previously steamed face, without forgetting the décolleté area.

The duration of the mask is half an hour, after which it must be thoroughly washed off.

Strengthening hair mask

Composition:

• egg - 1 pc.;
• warm kefir - 300 ml;
• guar gum - a pinch.

Beat the egg, add to the kefir along with the gum. Everything must be thoroughly mixed and then heated in a water bath. Apply the mask along the entire length of the hair and keep it under a plastic cap for half an hour to an hour.

Mask action:

• elimination of split ends;
• moisturizing;
• strengthening the hair.

The mask is recommended to be applied once every two weeks, until a lasting effect is obtained.

Chamomile shampoo

To prepare a healthy homemade shampoo, you need to take:

• dry chamomile - 2 tbsp. l .;
• egg - 1 pc.;
• E412 - a pinch.

Pour chamomile 1 tbsp. water, then put in a water bath and keep until boiling. Let the broth cool and strain from the herbs. Add a lightly beaten egg with a pinch of gum. Mix everything well and let it swell.

Hair washing procedure is standard. You can store the shampoo in the refrigerator for a week.Do not apply cold to hair - preheat to room temperature.

Shaving aid

Guar gum will also benefit men who have sensitive skin. Then a homemade shaving gel would be an excellent solution, which you can easily and quickly mix yourself:

Dissolve baby soap in warm water, add a pinch of gum and essential oil to taste. Mix everything well, let it brew a little - and apply with a spray or a brush, remembering to put it in the refrigerator after use.

Shower gel

For the preparation of gels, flower hydrolates are used, which can be bought at any online store specializing in hand-made cosmetics.

What is necessary:

• guar gum - 1 g;
• chamomile hydrolat - 180 ml;
• lavender oil - 20 drops;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp l.

The technology is standard: oils and gum are added to the hydrolat, mixed and allowed to brew for 24 hours. Use daily to cleanse, moisturize, tighten pores, shake well before use.

Side effects and contraindications

As wonderful as this natural thickener is, remember that overuse of even a magic elixir can be harmful. An overdose of guar gum can cause a protective reaction of the body in the form of nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

In addition, despite its hypoallergenic properties, gum can still be harmful to allergies in some special cases.

Pregnant women and children need to be especially careful about the use of the supplement: the risk of harm in such cases is associated with an unstable metabolism.

And of course, in the composition of products in the supermarket, the benefits of guar gum become ephemeral if it is combined with starch, dyes and preservatives, palm oil and other fats: the harm of such ingredients negates all the benefits of the additive.

The property of gum to slow down the absorption of nutrients can affect the fact that vitamins, mineral nutrients of products will not be fully absorbed, therefore, its use is not recommended at the same time as medicines.

How to choose guar gum

You can buy guar gum from organic food stores, online retailers selling homemade cosmetics, and wholesale.

Before making a purchase decision, it is worth asking about the supplier and where the product is packaged: in large wholesale chains, the probability of supplying low-quality raw materials is minimal.

Conclusion

A detailed examination of all the properties gives an idea that the benefits and harms of guar gum depend on their conscious use in order to improve the body's health.

In finished products, the content of guar gum, valuable in its properties, is so insignificant that it will not provide significant benefits.

However, the only harm of guar gum is the risk of an allergic reaction for those who have contraindications to the use of this particular product.