Is Guar Gum Keto?

How many times have we been warned that if we “See an ingredient we don’t recognize, our body won’t either.” Many keto dieters and paleo dieters alike have adopted this food ideology, almost without question.

However, if you’re on the ketogenic diet, you’ve likely seen some strange ingredients in recipes that you have never heard of before, such as xanthan gum or guar gum. You may have even assumed that these food stabilizers were unhealthy. It is this exact misconception that brings us to tackle the question “Is Guar gum keto friendly?” And, “Is guar gum healthy?”

The short answer is yes, guar gum is keto. If you’re on the ketogenic diet, guar gum may be the last ingredient on the planet you want to avoid. Guar gum is keto because it doesn’t interfere with ketosis, offers valuable dietary fiber to the low-fiber, high-fat diet, and mitigates the most common adverse effects of the ketogenic diet.

We hope you read this article, and consider putting the old “If you see an ingredient you don’t recognize, your body won’t either” adage to rest. You do not want to miss out on the benefits of guar gum on a keto diet.

Importance of Dietary Fiber

According to the American Dietetic Association, the average American eats only about 12-17 grams of fiber per day. However, the recommended amount is 20-35 grams per day. Only about a quarter of this average daily intake is soluble fiber. Thus, the average American is eating only 3-4 grams of soluble fiber per day, which is far below the recommended amount of 5-10 grams [1].

Dietary fiber exists in soluble and insoluble forms. When dissolved in water, soluble fiber forms a gel inside of the small intestine, which slows gastric emptying. Slowing gastric emptying is associated with reducing blood sugar and cholesterol [2]. Soluble fibers also stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria like lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the colon that exert a regulatory effect on the gut [3].

Guar Gum is a Dietary Fiber

Guar gum is classified as a galactomannan polysaccharide because of its high molecular weight, carbohydrate composition, and prebiotic activity. Guar gum is also a source of both soluble dietary fiber (67.5 grams/100 grams of dry matter) and insoluble dietary fiber in the ketogenic diet (14.8 grams/100 grams of dry matter) [4]. High fiber diets have been studied in relation to bowel regularity, constipation, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, and digestive conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Guar Gum and the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is notoriously low in fiber. Animal products such as meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy do not contain fiber.

Unsurprisingly, the most common adverse effects of the ketogenic diet are gastrointestinal in nature and include constipation, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, reflux, gas, and abdominal discomfort. [ 5 ]. Other potential adverse effects of the Ketogenic Diet include increased levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, which have been cited on numerous occasions [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17].

In stark contrast, guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) have been studied for their effects on bowel function, blood cholesterol, and blood pressure. Thus, guar gum may make an excellent addition to a ketogenic diet.

Health Benefits of Guar Gum

Many of the clinical studies below used partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a low-viscosity form made by partially breaking down guar gum with an enzyme, so their results may not apply directly to native guar gum [19].

Constipation
In clinical studies, partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) was generally well-tolerated, while having a laxative effect in adults with constipation. [18, 19, 20 ]. In a randomized study of 61 children with constipation, 4 weeks of PHGG increased weekly bowel movements from 4 to 5 and was as effective as lactulose in relieving stool withholding and constipation-associated abdominal pain [21].

Diarrhea
In a randomized, double-blind controlled trial, adding soluble fiber to the tube feeding formula given to septic patients reduced the incidence of diarrhea [22]. In children with acute diarrhea, adding PHGG to oral rehydration solution reduced the duration of diarrhea by roughly 16-18 hours compared with oral rehydration solution alone. [23, 24].

High Cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
Evidence suggests that guar gum as a fiber supplement lowers cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. Further evidence supports these findings and shows that taking guar gum with other soluble and insoluble fibers can lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but do not affect high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or triglycerides [25, 26 ].

High Blood Pressure (hypertension)
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was carried out in 25 healthy, nonobese middle-aged men to test the effects that guar gum had on glucose and lipid metabolism, and blood pressure. The study found that taking 10 grams of guar gum three times a day for 6 weeks lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides compared with placebo [27]. In another study, 40 moderately overweight men with mild hypertension who took 7 grams of guar gum three times daily for two weeks had lower blood pressure [28]. Another double-blind, placebo-controlled guar gum trial was carried out in 17 patients with type 2 diabetes. Diastolic blood pressure and serum total cholesterol were lower during guar gum treatment than with placebo, while systolic blood pressure did not differ [29].

Of note, research suggests that another soluble fiber, psyllium husk (which has also erroneously been maligned) may be more effective for reducing blood pressure than guar gum [30].

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Clinical trials suggest that taking PHGG reduces abdominal pain and improves bowel habits in adults with IBS [31, 32]. In a randomized, double-blind pilot study in 60 children with chronic abdominal pain or IBS, 5 grams of PHGG daily for 4 weeks reduced symptoms and normalized bowel habits more often than placebo [33].

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)Abnormal intestinal flora is involved in the pathogenicity of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Eradication therapy for SIBO is based on antibiotic treatment. One study aimed at understanding the role of fiber supplementation randomized 77 patients with SIBO to a rifaximin antibiotic-only treatment for control, and the other group received rifaximin plus 5 grams of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) per day for 10 days. The study found that the eradication of SIBO in the control was 62.1%. The combination rifaximin and PHGG group had an eradication rate of 87.1% (per protocol). Thus, the combination eradicated SIBO more often than antibiotic treatment alone [35].

Guar Gum Side Effects

While guar gum is generally well-tolerated, some individuals experience mild side effects including abdominal cramping, bloating, diarrhea, flatulence, and loose stools. However, studies suggest that the side effects of guar gum can easily be mitigated by starting with small doses and slowly increasing them [36, 37].

Guar Gum in Keto Certified Products

Guar gum is also considered a functional ingredient because it offers dietary fiber to keto foods and beverages while behaving as a thickening, stabilizing, suspending, and binding agent. Guar gum can also combat some of the most common side effects of the ketogenic diet and improve its tolerability.

Thus, guar gum is keto. It is also an acceptable— and encouraged— ingredient in Keto-certified products. Guar gum is allowed in Keto Certified Standards.