Guar Gum – World’s Most Powerful Natural Appetite Regulator

Recommended Product: All your Daily Thyroid Nutrients in a one-stop bundle. Doctor Formulated, Thyroid Focused nutraceuticals that boost your thyroid output and also assist in maintaining a thriving thyroid. This bundle contains ALL your essential micronutrients, healthy omega fatty acids, Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium. Specifically designed for those with Hashimoto’s, Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid Disease. Click Here

Table of Contents

Benefits of Guar Gum
Brief History
How It Is Digested
As a Food Additive
Health Benefits of Guar Gum
Side Effects
Go Slow If Needed
In Cooking

Benefits of Guar Gum

• Reduce appetite/increase fullness
• Regulate elimination
• Lower blood sugar
• Lower cholesterol
• Improve bowel flora
• Decreases and slows carbohydrate ingestion
• Reduces both diarrhea and constipation dominant IBS

You have likely heard of guar gum but have yet to consider it. Recent research shows it can significantly help regulate appetite and promote weight loss.

In late 2023, the evidence became so strong that I included it in my Daily Reset Shakes.

I went through a similar process with Resistant Starch.

Studies showed that it could help people lose weight and regulate their blood sugar. During the extreme low-carb craze, the word ‘starch’ caused many to panic.

Yet the evidence mounted. If I talked about Resistant Starch (RS) as a good thing, I would face criticism from other health experts. But it became so clear that RS had so much to offer for my readers’ top concerns that they needed to know about it.

My readers could understand the nuance. Some types of starch can be healthy.

I’ve had a similar dilemma with guar gum. Some falsely think it is a synthetic inflammatory food additive.

Yet the data proving its benefits has become irrefutable.

This article will share the history of guar gum, its health benefits, and its uses in cooking. It will also share a couple of recipes!

Brief History

Guar gum comes from the guar bean, also called the cluster bean. It has been used as a human food for centuries. It was likely introduced to Asia from Africa in the 9th to 13th centuries AD¹.

It is a plant from the pea family that resists drought and provides a rich source of many nutrients, including high-quality protein.

Their shape, flavor, and culinary uses resemble American cuisine’s common green beans.

Cluster beans are still popular foods in Indian cuisine and are served in many ways, including:

• Snacks
• Curries
• Sauteed as a side dish
• Mixed vegetable dishes

Cluster Beans to Guar Gum

Cluster beans contain alpha galactose and beta mannopyranose molecules, which are especially effective in binding to water. Together, we call this guar gum.

How It Is Digested

Guar gum is completely digested in the large intestine by the beneficial organism Clostridium Butyricum³. The protective short-chain fatty acid butyric acid is formed from guar gum.

Butyric acid in the colon has been proven to⁴:

• Heal the intestinal lining
• Lower inflammation
• Feed other proactive bacteria
• Regulate blood sugar
• Lower colorectal cancer risks

As a Food Additive

Because of its long-term safety profile and gel-forming properties, guar gum has been used to improve the texture of many foods.

For these reasons, many highly processed foods include guar gum. Although many foods that are not healthy have guar gum as an ingredient, that does not mean guar gum itself is unhealthy.

Some health enthusiasts did not know that guar gum is a simple food with numerous health benefits that humans have been safely eating for centuries.

Case in point: onion powder is included in Doritos’ long list of ingredients. Doritos are not a healthy food, but onions are. So is guar gum. Some unhealthy foods use it as an ingredient, but that does not mean they are inherently harmful.

Health Benefits of Guar Gum

Guar gum has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including:

• Appetite regulation
• Blood sugar control
• Bowel regulation
• Cardiovascular health
• Anti Inflammatory effects
• Detoxification
• Reduction in menstrual symptoms
• Immune system enhancement

How can it provide such a wide range of benefits? The main mechanisms are that it causes food to be absorbed more slowly, traps wastes in the colon, and improves the bowel flora.

Appetite

The gel formed by guar gum increases the amount of liquid in the stomach and slows the rate of gastric emptying. When added to the diet, guar gum reduces appetite and hunger and causes people to feel full on a lower amount of food⁵.

A 2023 review of 136 studies was done to find which fiber types were most effective at reducing appetite. The two types of soluble fiber that were most effective were guar gum and alginate⁶.

The drawback of alginate is that it is a soluble fiber derived from sea vegetables and is often high in iodine. Guar gum is iodine-free.

The study showed that these appetite-regulating benefits occurred when fibers were used short term, with a single meal, and regularly.

Out of 136 studies, guar gum was the best option. I had seen many past studies on its benefits, but this study was the one that pushed me over the edge and inspired me to add guar gum to the Daily Reset Shakes.

I wanted those who used the shake to have an easier time managing their appetite, feel full longer, and be free from cravings.

Blood Sugar

Guar gum binds with starch in the human intestinal tract, slowing its absorption rate. Slower absorption means less of a blood sugar spike after meals⁷.

Digestive Health

Flora regulation
In a study of humans with IBS and an unhealthy microflora, one group was given guar gum, and one was given a placebo. Those given guar gum had improved bowel function and higher levels of beneficial Bifidobacterium⁸

Pagoda Trial
This study was a study of healthy volunteers who were given guar gum for nine weeks⁹.

Guar gum increased the abundance of Ruminococcus, Fusicatenibacter, Faecalibacterium, and Bacteroides in the gut and decreased Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae, and Blautia.

It also increased fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate, acetate, and various amino acids.

The study suggests that guar gum has prebiotic properties that can improve the human gut microbiota.

Irritable Bowel Relief

In a large study, patients with IBS were divided into two groups: those with normal bowel flora diversity and those with lower diversity.

Both groups were given 10 grams of guar gum daily for four months. At every point in time, both groups saw reductions in their symptoms of¹⁰:

• Pain
• Fullness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Flatulence
• Bloating
• Burping
• Sleep disturbances
• General discomfort

IBS can predominantly include constipation, diarrhea, or mixed. This study and others show that guar gum can improve IBS of any type due to its bowel-regulating properties¹¹.

Does guar gum cause intestinal inflammation?

No.

A mouse study has been misrepresented to claim that guar gum causes inflammation in the intestinal tract.

In the study, mice were given deliberate intestinal inflammation by an infectious bacteria (Citrobacter rodentium) or chemical irritation (dextran sulfate sodium)¹².

They showed that guar gum did not reverse the damage. Guar gum did not cause the damage. The researchers purposefully caused the damage using infectious bacteria and a chemical irritant.

To quote:
“[guar gum] did not exacerbate the CR-induced infectious colitis; however, no sign of protection was evident in the [guar gum]-fed group.”

Other studies tested the same hypothesis and found that guar gum did protect mice from intestinal damage from dextran sulfate sodium without additional infectious bacteria.

“These results suggest that ingestion of [guar gum] prevents the development of colitis in mice via the inhibition of mucosal inflammatory response¹³.”

What to make of this?

None of this means guar gum causes intestinal damage in mice or humans.

Guar gum is a type of fiber. Fibers can protect against some types of intestinal damage, but not all. These results differ per type of fiber, damage type, and animal species being tested.

Nothing from these studies suggests guar gum is dangerous to humans.

Cardiovascular Risk

Guar gum lowers serum cholesterol and triglycerides. This is because it binds with both in the intestinal tract and prevents their absorption into the bloodstream¹⁴.

Fatty Liver

Guar gum is protective against fatty liver disease.

In an animal study, researchers induced intestinal permeability and fatty liver in mice by feeding them a high-fat diet. One of the animals was given guar gum; the other was not. The group given guar gum showed lower amounts of fatty liver. It seemed to work by decreasing the amount of lipopolysaccharides that entered the bloodstream from their intestinal permeability¹⁵.

Muscle loss

Guar gum has been shown to prevent muscle loss accompanied by weight gain (sarcopenic obesity). It does so by increasing Short Chain Fatty Acids and decreasing intestinal inflammation¹⁶.

Nutrient Absorption

Some fibers can bind with nutrients, which makes them less absorbable.

This problem does not apply to guar gum. At normal doses, guar gum does not impair the absorption of amino acids from protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, or phosphorus.^17,18

Side Effects

Dietary guar gum is harmful in animal studies when used in 7-15% of the total diet. Like other fibers, when used in artificially high amounts, guar gum can decrease the absorption of calories and nutrients¹⁹.

The same binding effect is helpful when it occurs to a lower degree. Typical doses of guar gum range from 0.1 – 3% of the total diet. At these levels, the binding effects trap intestinal cholesterol and cause a slower rate of carbohydrate absorption.

Cholesterol binding is why soluble fibers, including guar gum, have been shown to lower the risks of cardiovascular disease²⁰.

When used in high amounts or with inappropriate amounts of liquid, fibers can form obstructive boluses of gel. For this reason, fiber concentrates are not recommended for use in children under four years old. They could cause a choking hazard if not appropriately mixed²¹.

Go Slow If Needed

Transitional symptoms are possible whenever one changes the type or amount of fiber in their diet. These can include changes in stools, gas, and bloating. For most, these are not noticeable or mild. They are more common in those with less healthy bowel flora diversity.

If transition symptoms are problematic, one can gradually introduce new fibers and work up to typical doses over several weeks.

In Cooking

Guar Gum is a magical ingredient for gluten-free baking. It mimics gluten’s binding properties, ensuring your breads and pastries have a desirable soft and fluffy texture.

Baking with guar gum means enjoying delicious gluten-free alternatives without sacrificing taste or texture.

Guar gum also works well as a thickener in sauces. Unlike store-bought options that might be loaded with unwanted ingredients, Guar Gum allows you to create healthy, flavorful sauces at home. It can work well in place of flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot.

Health-conscious cooks will appreciate Guar Gum’s ability to reduce oil absorption during frying or sauteing. This means you can indulge in your favorite foods without the extra calories and fat associated with excess oil.

So, whether you’re following a gluten-free diet, prioritizing healthy choices, or simply love to experiment in the kitchen, Guar Gum is a versatile ingredient that can become your new best friend.

Recipe Gluten-Free Banana Ginger Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped banana
• 1/4 cup neutral oil
• 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
• 4 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon guar gum
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 12 muffin tins. I like silicone muffin trays.
2. Mash down bananas with a fork or potato masher, leaving them slightly clumpy. Mix with liquid ingredients.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and gently mix until barely combined.
4. Divide batter into muffin cups. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until it reaches 200°F on a thermometer.

Summary

Now you know why I love guar gum. It is nice to have in the kitchen, and I’m glad to have it in our Daily Reset Shakes.

It is a safe, natural ingredient that can help you control your appetite, have better digestion, and keep blood sugar levels healthy.

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here is how I can help you now:

1. Schedule a Thyroid Second Opinion with me, Dr. C, Click Here for Details
2. Need A Thyroid Supplement Recommendation? Take My Thyroid Specific Formulations Quiz Now
3. Need a Personalized Supplement? Check out My Thyroid Specific Formulations
4. Download and use my Favorite Recipes Cookbook Here
5. Check out my podcast Medical Myths, Legends, and Fairytales Here

Dr. Alan Glen Christianson (Dr. C) is a board-certified Naturopathic Endocrinologist, and the author of The NY Times bestselling Adrenal Reset Diet, Metabolism Reset Diet, Thyroid Reset Diet, and the Healing Hormone Cookbook.

Dr. C’s gift for figuring out what really works has helped hundreds of thousands of people reverse thyroid disease, lose weight, diabetes, and regain energy. Learn more about the surprising story that started his quest.