Product Description
NOW Foods Guar Gum Powder - 8 oz. NOW Foods Guar Gum Powder is a thickening agent derived from guar beans that has enjoyed much use in various baking applications. NOW Foods Guar Gum Powder is primarily used in hypoallergenic recipes that use different types of whole grain flours. Because the consistency of these flours allows the escape of gas released by leavening, guar gum is needed to improve the thickness of these flours, allowing them to rise as normal flour would. NOW Foods Guar Gum Powder works by thickening the dough to the proper consistency to prevent the escape of gas released by leavening. NOW Foods Guar Gum Powder is especially useful as a binder in gluten-free baking. 100% Pure "Thickening" Powder What is Guar Gum?Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus) is a leguminous plant that grows in semi-arid regions of the world such as India and Pakistan. It bears many bean-like pods, each of which contains six to nine small, rounded seeds. The guar seed is typically made up of 40% to 46% germ, 38% to 45% endosperm, and 14% to 16% husk. The gum is obtained from the ground endosperm. Chemically, guar gum is a galactomannan polymer containing the sugars mannose and galactose. It emulsifies but does not form a gel as do similar products, such as locust bean gum.How is NOW Guar Gum prepared?NOW Guar Gum is prepared by removing the husk and germ portions before extracting the gum from the endosperm, to yield the pure product. What is Guar Gum used for?This product is used as a baking aid for recipes that use gluten-free flours. Gluten is needed to impart elasticity to most doughs so they hold in the gases formed by yeast fermentation or baking powder, causing the dough to rise. Guar and xanthan gums act as substitutes for the missing gluten in gluten-free recipes. If you want to use this powder as a water soluble fiber, consider adding 1/2 teaspoon to 12-16 oz. of filtered water and drink immediately. NOW's MissionThe NOW mission is - To provide value in products