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Health and industrial benefits of guar gum |
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Health and industrial benefits of guar gum
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Darrell Miller | 01/29/14 |
Date:
January 29, 2014 05:02 PM
Author: Darrell Miller
(dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Health and industrial benefits of guar gum
What is Guar Gum
The guar bean plant is well known for its guar gum. Its seeds usually undergo dehusking, milling and screening in order to obtain the gum. This powder is used in a number of foods and snacks and a lot of benefits are attributed to its intake. Most manufacturer of food stuffs use it as a fiber although this is not the only benefits the body can obtain from it.
Health benefits of guar gum
In most cases, the gum is used as a laxative. However, other advanced uses can be obtained from it. It is known to be able to effectively manage the body’s cholesterol level. When used together with a fiber called pectin, guar gum reduces the bad cholesterol in the body without having any effect on the good one. Other health related benefits are its ability to harden arteries in the body and also lead to weight loss for those people who need to shed a few pounds.
People who are experiencing bouts of diarrhea can also be given this gum to help with the condition. This is achieved by its ability to absorb excess moisture from stool and thus manage the diarrhea. Moreover, guar gum is taken by people suffering from diabetes to help in managing their blood sugar level. Its ability to reduce postprandial glucose as well as insulin level is usually exploited in this case. This is usually more effective when dietary proteins and fats in such individuals are under monitor.
Industrial uses of guar gum
Most of its industrial applications are based on properties such as solubility, crystallization and thickening ability. It is mainly used as a thickener in toothpaste and even ice cream. In ice cream, it also helps in crystal growth especially after the ice had melted and need to be frozen again. Additionally, it can also be used as a binder in various pharmaceutical products. The paper industry also makes use of this fiber in creating a denser surface on which printing is to take place.
