Guar Gum

Guar gum is a galactomannan powder extracted from the seeds of the guar bean, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, a legume grown mainly in India, which produces roughly four-fifths of the world's supply, along with Pakistan and smaller producers in the United States, Australia, and Africa. The seeds are dehusked, hydrated, milled, and screened, and often roasted and sieved, to yield a free-flowing off-white powder that thickens water with roughly eight times the efficiency of a starch such as corn starch. In food it thickens and stabilizes sauces, dressings, and dairy products, increases dough yield and shelf life in baked goods, binds processed meats, and prevents ice crystals from forming in frozen desserts.