I wasn't exactly wowed by Morningstar Farms Chik Patties and was particularly turned off by the long list of ingredients, which included guar gum.
I have seen this particular ingredient listed on labels before, and although I am fairly certain that guar isn't as scary as the band GWAR, my curiosity was piqued. I did a bit of research on the substance, and to see what I found just read more.
The mysterious ingredient, guar gum, is a fiber from the seeds of the Cyanopsis tetragonoloba bean. It's added to foods to act as a swelling or gelling agent. It's also used as a thickener, and compared to corn starch it has eight times the thickening power. You'll find guar gum in baked goods, dairy products, meat, dressings, sauces, and other processed foods.
It is generally recognized as safe in the US, and since guar gum is a soluble fiber, it can actually be helpful in relieving constipation. Some studies show that it could also help lower cholesterol. In the '80s, guar gum was used and heavily promoted in many weight-loss products, but large amounts may cause esophageal blockage or GI obstruction. As a result, it's no longer approved for over-the-counter weight-loss aids in the US. It's not recommended to have more than 15 grams of guar gum a day. So check your food labels. It sounds like guar gum is OK in moderation, but you don't want to be consuming a ton of foods that contain it.
Anthony Peto
Miss Avant Premiere
French Connection
Interesting. How much of it is in a serving. How close does a diet of processed foods, even "healthy" processed foods come to achieving the 15 grams in a day?
1GWAR IS AWESOME!!! haha, their shows get intense.
2um i love morningstar chik patties : (
3Thanks for the info! I have often wondered just how "healthy" the Morning Star stuff I eat is. I'm not a vegetarian, but I enjoy Morning Star products a couple times a week.
4Fitsugar.
5Guar gum along with xantham gum are ingredients that help gluten free products take on more of a gluten texture. Because GF products tend to be dense and nothing like regular flour. Guar is the lesser of the two evil and in small quantities is fine. It when you are using tons of it that it has a laxative effect. Unfortunately nothing better had been invented to help stabilize and make GF products not take on a horrific brick like texture.
Ok Celiac spokeslady gets off her soapbox, well for today anyways.
I love the morningstar blackbean burgers, amazing! Never tried these ones though.
6Most products with guar gum don't use a lot of it because it's pretty powerful as a thickening agent. Lots of fat-free products have it in them to make them thicker and give them a better mouth feel. Fat free salad dressings and puddings and things like that have it in them as well.
7Thanks for the info! I've always wondered what guar gum is and always think that I'll remember to google it, but I always forget!
8Good to know.
9I'm vegetarian and I love Morningstar products. And I can't help but think that guar is safer than fisting heart-attack-inducing animal fats down my throat like many people do.
In any case, I think my diet is varied enough that this isn't a problem. I tend to eat the fake meats once or twice a week and then have pasta, beans, polenta, rice or potatos-based dishes the rest of the week. I try to keep a variety throughout the course of a month so I know I'm getting everything I need.
People should try and limit the amount of box-meals (whether veggie or meat-containing) anyway. They all contain bad stuff, usually meant as perservatives. Moderation...absolutely. I'd add variety to moderation as well. Many sources of nutrients means you have a better chance of getting all your needs met.
10Aw.
I love Morningstar Chik patties. It's one of my staples.
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