guar gum

[Guest guest]

--- In , Irene Musiol <Irene.M@a...>

wrote:

> This is just to let folks know about my experience with guar gum...

I was having trouble giving up my coffee with canned

> coconut milk containing guar gum. Last

> week I bought some fresh coconut cream with absolutely no additives (a

> whopping $10 per pint) and started using that. The difference was

amazing

> and immediate. Within 24 hours I felt like a new person. I also found I

> don't crave coffee like I used to. I still need that first cup in the

> morning but I am no longer interested in my afternoon 2nd cup.

Yikes. Even

> my husband noticed the difference. Guar gum...who knew?

Irene,

Please factor in the quality differences between canned coconut milk--

a factory/heat-processed food--and the spectacular fresh coconut

cream, which is simply juiced fresh coconut meat and thus a raw fat

concentrate, as well as more nutrient-dense and nutrient-available

food imo. Just sayin.

B.

/hey, it could be the guar gum, ok?

[Guest guest]

Hi. I have a question about guar gum - particularly in coconut

milk. I haven't found much information on the web about health

concerns related to ingesting guar gum, but am wondering if

anyone has had experience or has information to share about

it's effects. I'm not able to find coconut in the stores without it.

Thanks so much,

JoAnne

[Guest guest]

here's some info i collected on guar gum and xanthan gum when i was

researching commonly used thickening agents found in food. i don't

know if's conclusive evidence of these additives being *bad*, but,

still i avoid them whenever possible.

~ susan

_________________________________

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/consumer/CON00111.html

" FDA also recalled Cal-Ban 3000, a heavily advertised diet pill

containing guar gum (a vegetable gum that swells when it absorbs

moisture, providing a feeling of fullness, according to advertising

claims) after receiving a number of consumer complaints of adverse

reactions. In a number of cases, the tablet caused gastric or

esophageal obstruction, and one

person died as a result of complications following surgery to remove

the mass of gum blocking his throat. "

Health Risks of Stomach fillers

The FDA states that some bulking agents (eg. guar gum) used in dietary

supplements to swell the stomach and increase " fullness " , can be

harmful. In certain cases they can cause obstructions in the

intestines, stomach, or esophagus. The FDA has taken legal action

against several promoters of diet supplements containing guar gum.

http://www.geocities.com/menobeyond/herb.html

Anthranoid-containing plants (including senna [Cassia senna] and

cascara [Rhamnus purshiana]) and soluble fibres (including guar gum

and psyllium) can decrease the absorption of drugs.

's note: If guar gum can cause blockage of drug absorption, it

would make sense that it could also prevent nutrient absorption.

Xanthan gum is a common thickener, the fermentation product of the

bacterium Xanthomonas Campestris. X. Campestris can be grown in

various media, including bulk corn sugars. Some brands of Xanthan gum

claim to be corn-free; I don't know what growth medium they use.

Because Xanthan gum is very cheap, its applications are still growing.

You'll often find it in salad dressings, mayonnaise, and fast-

food " milk shakes " . I've also seen it in cream cheese and I'm told

it's in Egg Beaters egg substitute.

Source: http://www.vishniac.com/ephraim/corn-bother.html

Xanthan gum is a long chain polysacharide composed of the sugars

glucose, mannose, and glucuronic acid. The backbone is similar to

cellulose, with added sidechains of trisacharides (three sugars in a

chain).

A polysacharide is a chain of sugars. Some familiar polysacharides are

starch and cellulose.

It is a slimy gel produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris,

which causes black rot on cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower

and broccoli. The slime protects the bacterium from attach by viruses,

and prevents it from drying out.

Uses

Xanthan gum is used as a thickener in sauces, as an agent in ice cream

that prevents ice crystals from forming, and as a fat substitute that

adds the " mouth feel " of fat without the calories. It is used in

canned pet food to add " cling " .

In pastry fillings, it prevents " weeping " (syneresis) of the water in

the filling, protecting the crispness of the crust.

It has a very high viscosity (thickness) even when very little is

used.

When mixed with guar gum or locust bean gum, the viscosity is more

than when either one is used alone, so less of each can be used.

The backbone of Xanthan gum is similar to cellulose, but the

trisacharide side chains of mannose and glucuronic acid make the

molecule rigid, and allow it to form a right-handed helix. These

features make it interact with itself and with other long chain

molecules to form thick mixtures and gels in water.

http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/xanthan_gum.html

's note:

Xanthan gum is often derived from corn, which is a grain. Aside from

the fact that it may be genetically modified, the corn for making this

product would most likely not have been soaked prior to processing,

which would mean it would prevent mineral absorption in your body due

to the phytates in the grains not having been de-activated through the

soaking process. Also, corn is reputed to be a source of mycotoxins

due to the mold that grows on the edible portions.

__________________________

> > Is guar gum a bad thing?

>

> I think all of the gums have the potential to swell up and create

> intestinal blockages, and certainly aren't good for the gut. It was

> either guar or xantham gum, I forget, that was being marketed as a

> nutritional supplement to soak stuff up but was banned by the FDA for

> that purpose, or something like that, and there was one person who

> died from such supplement because it got stuck in his throat where it

> swelled up.

>

> I don't remember where I read this. I think it was a reputable

> source, but don't remember for sure.

>

> Chris