BENEFITS OF GUAR GUM
✓ Helps with weight loss
✓ Supports digestive health
✓ Reduces cholesterol levels
✓ Helps improve diabetes
✓ Regulates blood pressure
What is guar?
Guar is an annual herbaceous plant with the scientific name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. Also called « four-winged cyamopse », « guar bean » or « Indian bean », it belongs to the large legume family (Fabaceae) like the griffonia or the astragalus, as well as lentils. Native to India and Pakistan, guar is now present in other countries with hot, dry, or even semi-arid climates: Africa, the United States, Australia…
Reaching up to 2 m in height, this plant has hairy leaves and small pink flowers. After flowering, it produces bean- or fava-shaped pods, each containing several brown seeds.
Once harvested, the seeds are ground to make the famous “guar gum”. It forms a cream-colored, odorless powder with a neutral taste.
Guar gum is a polysaccharide, a macromolecule in the carbohydrate family. It is mainly composed of galactomannan, a water-soluble plant fiber also found in carob gum or fenugreek gum. In the seed, this substance acts as a reserve of water and sugars and is essential for germination.
The food industry uses guar gum as a stabilizer, emulsifier and plant-based thickener (under the additive name E412). But it also presents many health benefits. Several studies have shown its effectiveness for weight loss, supporting digestive health, reducing cholesterol levels, and even improving diabetes. Guar gum may also be useful in regulating blood pressure.
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Nutritional composition
- Sugars : galactose and mannose
- Soluble and insoluble fibers : galactomannan
- Proteins
- Fats
- Water
Benefits of guar gum
🏃♂️ Helps with weight loss
Guar gum can contain up to 75 % soluble fibers. These help promote a feeling of fullness, limit snacking, and slow gastric emptying (the passage of food from the stomach to the intestine).
On the one hand, guar acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Like chia seeds or psyllium, its soluble fibers swell and turn into a viscous gel once in the stomach, thus exerting a satiating effect. They also slow digestion to further prolong the feeling of fullness. Guar therefore helps limit appetite and reduce snacking throughout the day.
Additionally, soluble fibers slow the absorption of fats (lipids) and carbohydrates (sugars) into the bloodstream. When these enter too quickly, they are stored in the body as fat. That’s why this food can be a valuable aid for losing weight.
This study from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), conducted on obese patients, shows how guar gum significantly reduced hunger and controlled carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
♻️ Supports digestive health
Consuming guar gum is also beneficial for optimizing bowel transit, nourishing the microbiota and relieving gastrointestinal disorders.
The fibers it contains help relieve constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, as well as bloating and abdominal pain. Guar has also been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms associated with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or in cases of SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth).
Guar gum notably improves stool consistency and frequency. It also beneficially modifies the composition of the intestinal microbiota (what used to be called ‘intestinal flora’). Thus, it helps reduce the amount of pathogenic bacteria of the genus Clostridium, which are responsible for severe diarrhea.
This study from the Federico II University of Naples (Italy), conducted on patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, shows how guar gum relieved their symptoms.
This another study from the University of São Paulo (Brazil), conducted on women, demonstrates the effectiveness of guar gum in relieving constipation and improving intestinal function.
🍳 Reduces cholesterol levels
Guar gum shows positive effects in reducing levels of LDL cholesterol or ‘bad cholesterol’. It can therefore be very useful for people suffering from hypercholesterolemia.
It acts within the body through different mechanisms : on the one hand, it reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the blood. On the other hand, it increases bile production by liver cells, involved in cholesterol elimination. Finally, guar gum increases HDL cholesterol levels or “good cholesterol”.
This study from the Alcohol Drug Information Service (ADIS) of New Zealand, conducted on patients with hypercholesterolemia, shows how guar gum lowers total cholesterol levels.
Another study from the University of Eastern Finland, also conducted on patients with hypercholesterolemia, demonstrates its lipid-lowering effects.
🍭 Helps improve diabetes
Numerous studies have highlighted the potential of guar gum to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.
The soluble fibers contained in guar improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. By slowing glucose absorption, they prevent blood sugar spikes after meals. They also prevent certain diabetes-related complications such as cardiovascular disease.
This study from the University of Helsinki (Finland), conducted on patients with diabetes, shows the benefits of guar gum on glycemic control and lipid levels.
This another study from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), conducted on healthy men, confirms the potential of guar in the treatment of diabetes.
❤️ Regulates blood pressure
Guar gum also has beneficial effects on blood pressure. It can, in particular, help relieve postprandial hypotension (PPH) and reduce systolic blood pressure in people with hypertension and/or who are overweight.
This effect is largely due to the plant proteins contained in the gum. They play an important role in blood pressure. Thus, consumption of guar may be beneficial in the treatment of mild hypertension.
This study from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), conducted on patients with hypertension, shows that guar gum has a lowering effect on blood pressure.
How to consume guar?
Guar tablets
The capsules or tablets contain guar gum powder obtained by grinding the seeds of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. It is a dietary supplement that is easy to find, convenient, and tasteless.
To achieve good results, the capsules should be adequately dosed with guar gum powder (minimum 300 mg per capsule). Preferably choose additive-free, vegetarian capsules.
Guar powder
Guar powder is a natural, minimally processed form with a neutral taste. It simply dissolves in a glass of cold or hot water. The resulting paste is not swallowed directly but should be chewed thoroughly.
In cooking, it advantageously replaces starch, sugar, or fats. Naturally gluten-free, it is used as a thickening and binding agent for savory or sweet recipes, in sauces, soups, creams… Finally, it helps lighten doughs and bakery preparations (breads, brioches…).
Guar gum powder can also be used to add consistency to your recipes for homemade cosmetics : creams, masks, massage gels…
Guar and medicinal plants
To improve digestive health, guar is even more effective when combined with natural probiotics such as kefir or spirulina.
To support weight loss, guar is paired with fat-burning foods such as the tea matcha or guarana.
To reduce bad cholesterol levels, supplement your guar intake with Brazil nuts or basil seeds.
Consume sustainably: prioritize organic and fair-trade guar
✓ Today, it is India that primarily produces guar, and exports 600,000 tons per year worldwide. By itself, the country represents 80% of the world’s production. Preferably choose guar gum from organic farming. This helps avoid pesticide residues in the final product.
✓ In the state of Rajasthan in northwestern India, guar cultivation is an important source of income for local producers. So don’t hesitate to choose guar from fair and solidarity-based supply chains to support their work and contribute to the development of the poorest regions.
Dosage
It is recommended not to consume more than 10 g of guar gum per day.
Guar capsules are simply taken with a large glass of water. 15 minutes before meals and possibly accompanied by a snack (fruit, slice of bread…).
A 10-day course may be beneficial for weight loss, as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
- Guar in capsule form : 3 to 6 capsules per day for 300 mg capsules
- Guar powder : 1 level teaspoon per day
Contraindications and side effects
Guar consumption has certain contraindications :
- As a precaution, guar is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women and for young children
- Because of its effect on insulin spikes, people with insulin-dependent diabetes should avoid consuming it
- People allergic or intolerant to soy-based products should consume guar with caution because it may contain traces of soy proteins
- Guar can interact with certain antidiabetic medications and antihyperglycemic medications (metformin)
Excessive consumption of guar may cause the following adverse effects :
- Flatulence
- Abdominal cramps
- Bloating
- Intestinal obstructions
- Diarrhea
If you experience side effects, stop taking it and consult a doctor.
History, cultivation and market of guar
Today, guar is primarily grown for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. But, more surprisingly, it is also used for oil and gas extraction. For 20 years, guar production has been boosted by demand from multinationals and shale gas operators.
During drilling, the water injected at high pressure is mixed with guar gum. It indeed has the ability to thicken it so it can better penetrate the porous rock. It would also revive certain gas wells and depleted oil wells. The price of guar gum kept rising to reach $1,000 per ton in 2012.
While this growing demand provides an income for many farmers, it unfortunately promotes highly polluting practices.
Report produced by Julia Perez and Charlotte Jean
Sources and scientific studies
M Krotkiewski, 1984. Effect of guar gum on body-weight, hunger ratings and metabolism in obese subjects.
Luigi Russo, Paolo Andreozzi, Francesco P Zito, Letizia Vozzella, Ivana G Savino, Giovanni Sarnelli, Rosario Cuomo, 2015. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation: effects of gender, age, and body mass index.
Dan Linetzky Waitzberg, C C Alves Pereira, L Logullo, T Manzoni Jacintho, 2012. Microbiota benefits after inulin and partially hydrolized guar gum supplementation: a randomized clinical trial in constipated women.
P A Todd, P Benfield, K L Goa, 1990. Guar gum. A review of its pharmacological properties, and use as a dietary adjunct in hypercholesterolaemia.
A Aro, Matti I J Uusitupa, E Voutilainen, T Korhonen, 1984. Effect of guar gum in male subjects with hypochlesterolaemia.
P H Groop, A Aro, S Stenman, L Groop, 1993. Long-term effects of guar gum in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
K Landin, G Holm, L Tengborn, U Smith, 1992. Guar gum improves insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, blood pressure, and fibrinolysis in healthy men.
M Krotkiewski, 1987, Effect of guar gum on the arterial blood pressure.
