Zero-energy Thickeners

[mccoy]

Guar gum or xanthan gum? or other gums? To be used in cold smoothies.

 

Are you guys aware of potential detrimental effects?

 

I tried today a soymilk + pea protein smoothie with guar gum, it became an incredibly satiating pudding, potentially very good for those who practice CR.

 

Almost all of it is fiber, with some available carbs.

 

I'd prefer the less expensive gums.

 

[Dean Pomerleau]

Psyllium powder is an a cheaper fiber-only alternative thickener you might try.

 

--Dean

[TomBAvoider]

I use both psyllium *powder* (1tbsp) and psyllium *husks* (1 tbsp) in my morning "soup" (that contains a bunch of other ingredients). I've been using psyllium powder for close to 20 years 1tbsp daily (with a few breaks while traveling), and I have not noticed any deleterious effects. In my research wrt psyllium, I've seen studies showing benefits on all cause mortality in those who consumed psyllium (a study in Spain), but otherwise there isn't a whole lot of research. Some possible small benefits lowering LDL cholesterol, obviously assists in bowel movements, possible benefits in gut biome. There was some controversy about impact on mineral absorbtion especially trace metals like zinc, but the findings were mixed - some findings saw inhibition, some found actually greater uptake thanks to psyllium.

 

I know for a while there was a lot of enthusiasm among CRONies for konjac, but I believe it's pretty pricy (at least in the U.S.). I never tried it. I find that consuming a lot of F&V is quite satiating, so I don't need to turn to fiber supplementation for that purpose, my purpose with pysllium is to lower LDL cholesterol and provide possible gut biome benefits (prebiotic). 

[Mechanism]

Edited

[mccoy]

Thanks guys, based on product + shipping costs in my country I just ordered powdered psyllium and guar gum. I already knew about psyllium husks, but didn't know they can come in a thickening powder.

 

@ mechanism: of course I agree that natural foods are better than smoothies. Sometimes though I like to indulge in a viscous liquid, rather than drinking just soymilk, which per se is just another food derived from its natural father, the soybean.

 

Bananas are very good closer-to-natural gelifiers, with a couple of drawbacks though: their taste doesn't match well with soymilk and they oxydize very soon. I love banans with almond milk and berries.

 

So my recent experiment has a dual purpose: providing me with a proteic liquid, more viscous than soymilk, which sometimes settles better with the stomach. And that liquid is also portable, no quick degradation of the ingredients, there is no need to drink it immediatly.

 

Yesterday I used little guar gum and the result was a fluid with the right viscosity, and a good optimization of digestibility and tastefulness.

 

Today I used too much guar gum, the result was a very viscous pudding which the stomach read as a little digestible lump of strange food. It took my hunger totally away and gave me a mild nausea.

 

But this gave me an idea about maybe using it during VAlter Longo's FMDs, with a vegetable broth that would constitute a zero calories satiating meal. Or even with almond milk, if the macros are the right ones.

 

Now this is an experiment in progress.

 

 

 

I personally source my own general prebiotic, soluble/insoluble fiber, etc. in whole in natural states, and try to diversify fruit and vegetable food sources as much as possible, obtaining  >100-200 grams of fiber ( soluble+insoluble) a day primarily from root vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, berries, green leafy and "chunky" vegetables.  IIRC, though bulkage has been an issue for you in the past, and I can understand your motivation to to diversify other ways.

 

Mechanism, that's a huge amount of fiber! I can rarely reach 100 grams. I have no more bowel issues, the body is getting accustomed to an hi-fibers, vegan diet. I do tend to get bloated though and still cannot digest readily legumes, even ingesting enzymes. I do my best to include them in my diet though, even if in small quantities.

[Mechanism]

Edited

[mccoy]

I've been experimenting with psyllium husks powder now, and the only drawback is that it blunts the taste of the underlying ingredients.

I'll blend 400 dL soymilk,  1 or 2 tbsp dark honey, 1 or two tbsp pea protein isolate, 1-2 tbspns caco powder, orange rinds, cinnamom, 1 tbsp psyllium husks pwder..

This is the result, a thick, tasty, proteic sludge.