Guar gum and Xanthan gum are the most frequently used gums in gluten-free recipes and gluten-free products. It can best be described as a natural food thickener, similar to locust bean gum, cornstarch or tapioca flour. In foods and beverages, guar gum is used as a thickening, stabilizing, suspending, and binding agent.
The guar bean is derived from the guar plant, also known as a cluster plant. It grows primarily in Pakistan and the northern regions of India.
There is some interest in using guar gum for weight loss because it expands in the intestine, causing a sense of fullness. This may decrease appetite.
Please note: The use of guar gum as an ingredient in non-prescription diet aids was officially banned in the early 1990s by the FDA. It would bind with liquids in the stomach and swell, causing a feeling of satisfying fullness. Guar gum was declared ineffective for use as a non-prescription diet aid, although it is still used in small amounts as a food thickener and binder.
