Guar Gum

Guar is extracted from the seeds of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. It contains polysaccharides of galactomannans. Guar is used in thickening dye solution, production of paper and as a primary gelling agent in water-based slurry explosives. It acts as a fiber deflocculent and dry-strength additive and serves as an additive to dynamite for water blocking. Guar is used as a stabilizer, emulsifier and thickener in food products. It lowers cholesterol and glucose level. Guar aids weight loss and obesity prevention.

Guar has been used:

• to maintain viscosity during in vitro starch digestion assay
• to reduce the thinning rate of agarose gel
• to study its effects on establishing 3D-like neural networks on microelectrode arrays (MEAs)