Eating Fabulous

Guar Gum May Lower Cholesterol Levels

by ruth on June 22nd, 2007

With the exception of gum arabic in the product Slim Fast, hydrocolloids like guar gum are currently used in food products at level that are way below what is needed to exert a physiological effect.

Now, according to a new research recently published in the journal LWT - Food Science and Technology, guar gum may also have the potential to lower cholesterol levels.

The researchers, who looked at the effect of the gum on cholesterol levels in rats fed “chapaties” with high guar gum levels found that LDL-cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) fell by about 30 per cent.

Lead author Naureen Shahzadi from University of Agriculture Faisalabad in Pakistan, stated:

“Lowest serum cholesterol (82.46 mg/dl) was observed in rats fed on guar gum 3g/100 g which showed a significant reduction (17.2 per cent) as compared to control. Similarly, in case of LDL and triglycerides, guar gum 3 g/100 g showed highest decline i.e., 29.7 and 28.4 per cent with reference to control, respectively.”

Diet management is an effective mean to control the serum lipid profile especially for those people having high cholesterol with special reference to LDL. The adding up of guar gum and chickpea elevates the dietary fibre contents and certainly helpful to lower the cholesterol nevertheless community based research trials will be conducted for its enhanced meticulousness.”

Guar gum is extensively used as an emulsifier, thickener and stabiliser. It is a water-soluble dietary fibre obtained from the seeds of the guar plant found on the Indian sub-continent and the US.

Find more details from NutraIngredients.

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POSTED IN: Healthy Eating, ~Cardiovascular Health, ~Dietary Supplements