How Dysphagia can be combated with the use of Guar Gum Powder

Guar gum is an ingredient that has high rheological properties and which vary with their concentrations. Guar gum is rich in galactose which can mix with water and enhance the viscosity of a liquid. This viscosity helps to change the stability/ texture and stability of a product with a minimum quantity.

How the Guar Gums role is defined in Dysphagia treatment

The guar gum is known to have properties that can be used to improve the oropharyngeal environment. It is a natural polymer and is vastly used for this condition. For years starch has been used to thicken beverages for patients with dysphagia, the guar gum has been the latest entrant in the market which can deliver attributes to improve the quality of life for people with dysphagia. Due to the rising increase in the aged population, there is a rise in dysphagia which is a condition that results in difficulty swallowing.

Reasons why the Guar gum in revolutionary

• The Guar gum is stable across a variety of conditions enduring varying pH levels and temperatures.Clinically it can combat dysphagia by modifying food texture and fluid viscosity using the guar gum thickener.
• Guar Gum powder can help impart feelings of satiety and provides easiness in swallowing.
• It can create viscous solutions in low concentrations when dissolved in both hot and cold water.
• It finds its application in dysphagia supplements as it helps in the oral processing of liquid products thickened with food hydrocolloids. This hydrocolloid-induced regulation of the flow in the mouth can also benefit appetite control.
• It also helps reduce the hunger between meals and since they are produced from plant sources they are the safest to be used by all.
• They are not toxic and can stabilize emulsions by greatly increasing the viscosity and reducing the droplet's collision rate, thus reducing the rate of coalescence.
• The guar gum thickeners are also more resistant to salivary amylase compared to starch thickeners.

The Guar gum can be dispersed in different media such as water, milk, and fruit juice showing its effectiveness and is more sensitive to solid changes. Besides the guar gum can easily be hydrated owing to its branched structure which does not allow any extensive hydrogen bonding between the adjacent guar macromolecules.

The premium quality produced by leading suppliers of Guar Gum comes with the state of the art technology and is exported worldwide. Dysphagia management gets easier with the antimicrobial and unique soluble fiber called the guar gum. It is the most effective and valuable ingredient in dietary supplements as well as in xerostomic conditions. In addition, guar gum has a high degree of bioavailability and is a preferred choice for dysphagia conditions.

In a Nutshell

Food Texture plays a major role when it comes to combating dysphagia. The guar gum powder can create high-satiety foods due to its ability to create viscous solutions. The perception of the satiety can also be related to the creaminess of the solution on entering the oral cavity or the structural loss during any oral processing. Hence any change of food texture can affect food intake. Besides the elderly, dysphagia can affect all ages causing major issues like aspiration, dehydration, or malnutrition. When the guar gum powder makes the product more viscous it needs more oral processing time to be prepared for swallowing and that extends its residence time in the mouth making the swallowing time much easier and safer.