Guar gum is also known as Gowar gum. Guar gum is mainly extracted from the seeds of the guar plant. The Cluster bean is commonly known as the Guar plant.
Guar gum is also known as Gowar gum. Guar gum is mainly extracted from the seeds of the guar plant. The Cluster bean is commonly known as the Guar plant.
Cluster beans refer to bean pods that grow in clusters. Guar is mainly the Hindi name for the plant. It is mainly cultivated in the subcontinent (India and Pakistan). It is also cultivated in many other countries, like Africa, Australia, and the United States.
The edible portion of the cluster bean plant:
The edible portion of the cluster bean or guar plant is its green pods. These pods are cooked as a vegetable.
From the seed of the cluster bean or guar plant, we can extract the guar gum, which is then further used in the manufacturing of various products. In the pods of the guar plant, many of the nutritious compounds present include:
Fibers:
It can help promote digestive health, lower the blood cholesterol level, and regulate the blood sugar level.
Protein:
Pods of cluster bean or guar plants are also a good source of protein. This protein is very important in manufacturing and repairing tissues.
Vitamins:
Pods of cluster bean or guar plants also contain many vitamins, including vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that mainly helps to strengthen the immune system, and it is also good for skin health. Vitamin K is important for bone health and blood clotting. Folate is essential for fetal development in the body during pregnancy.
Guar Gum:
It is mainly used as a stabilising, thinking, and binding agent. Many industries are using guar gum as a basic ingredient in the manufacturing of their products. Let’s discuss the uses of guar gum in multiple industries:
Food industry:
Guar gum is used as a thickening, stabilising, and binding agent in bakery products like bread, cakes, etc. Guar gum improves its texture and shelf life.
It is used to reduce the crumbling of products. It is also used in certain beverages like fruit juices and smoothies to improve their texture and provide thickening and stability.
It is also used to provide thickening to multiple sauces and to provide binding, meaning it prevents the separation of ingredients.
Fibre industry:
In the fibre industry, guar gum is used to provide strength and durability to fibre. It is also added to the yarn before weaving to increase its handling properties and reduce the phenomenon of breakage during weaving.
It can also be used as a dyeing assistant ingredient because it mainly helps to improve the penetration and absorbance of dye in the fabric. It can also be used in the fabric industry to improve the smoothness of fibre and give a product a glossy look.
Cosmetics industry:
It is mainly used to provide thickness to shampoos, conditioners, and hair care products and to improve their texture. It can also reduce the frizziness of the hair and make it smoother. Along with that, it can also be used in many creams and lotions.
In lotions and creams, their main purpose is to increase smoothness and improve their texture. It can also improve the moisture retention ability of the skin and give it a smoother touch. It is also used in bases and foundations to improve their texture, spreading ability, and staying ability on the skin.
It is also used in sunscreen to improve thickness and texture, or it can also improve or enhance the sunscreen’s ability to protect against harmful sun radiation.
Paper industry:
It is used to make a hydrogen bond between fibres, which strengthens the paper structure. It helps reduce paper breaks. It is also used as a thickener to improve the viscosity of paper pulp, which also improves the retention and absorbance of pigments in the pulp.
Pharmaceutical industry:
It helps to treat diabetes. Mainly, it slows down the absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine, which helps reduce blood sugar levels. Guar gum also binds to the bile acid in the intestine, which is involved in cholesterol metabolism.
By binding to these bile acids, it reduces cholesterol reabsorption and increases cholesterol excretion, as a result of which Guar Gum helps to reduce the blood cholesterol level, reducing the chance of a heart attack.
Guar gum also acts on prebiotic fibre, increases the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and reduces the growth of harmful bacteria in the body. Guar gum can also have the ability to increase the stool bulk and reduce transit time in the colon, reducing the time of exposure of the body to carcinogens.
Explosive industry:
Guar gum is used as a binding agent to bind the explosive particles together. Guar gum also forms a protective layer around the explosive particles and provides them with some resistance towards the water. It can also help prevent premature detonation due to moisture absorption.
Can we intake Guar gum directly:
It is not typically consumed on its own as a food. It can be used as an ingredient or additive in many products or industries. It is good to use it in a small quantity in different products, and you should take it with proper recommendation. The US Food and Drug Administration has designated guar gum as a safe ingredient.
Is Guar Gum easily available in Pakistan:
Guar Gum is widely growing in Pakistan. It is mainly growing in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan and then imported to many other counties to be used as an industrial ingredient.