Discover the properties and benefits of agar-agar, vegetable gelling agent
The agar-agar It is a gelling agent that is extracted from red seaweed, which belongs to the family of "Rhodophytae" and is obtained from the cell wall of this type of algae, is therefore a vegetable gelling agent.
The origin or discovery of agar-agar is still unknown in a reliable way since there are several versions about its discovery and history, however, something that is quite clear is that history places the invention of agar-agar in Japan, to the point that this product is indispensable in this country.
However in Europe it was little known until not long ago, being currently a very required product and used in different areas such as, in private or home cooking to prepare numerous recipes both food and desserts, in haute cuisine over everything in the molecular kitchen, and also in the world of cosmetics.
In the world of cosmetics is part of the development of moisturizing creams, make-up removers, firming, slimming creams, in oils for massages.
The agar-agar is considered one of the most powerful gelling agents since its gelling power exceeds up to 8 times the gelatin of animal origin.
Being a gelling agent of vegetable origin is a good resource for vegetarians, also for people who carry out weight loss diets because it contains very few nutrients and few calories.
Know the properties and benefits of agar-agar
As we said before it contains very few nutrients, however it is rich in soluble fibers which facilitate the proper functioning of intestinal transit.
Also the soluble fibers that it contains when coming into contact with the liquids cause that they increase of volume in the stomach what contributes the sensation of satiety, for that reason the agar-agar comes very well in the regimens of thinning.
The agar-agar acts as a light laxative, and it is advised that its consumption in case of weight loss diets does not exceed more than 3 grams of agar-agar.
Another of the beneficial properties of agar-agar is that the soluble fibers it contains help to reduce bad cholesterol because they act by trapping both the fats and the fast sugars in food.
The agar-agar is a food additive, specifically it is the additive with the reference E-406, it is tasteless taste, to not provide any flavor is very used to gel and stabilize bakery products, pastries, ice cream also yogurt.
The uses of agar-agar in the kitchen
To achieve the gelling effect of the agar-agar it is enough to include it and mix it in any preparation that is more or less liquid and cold, make it boil for two minutes, and then let it cool.
Agar-agar is used in haute cuisine as well as in private kitchen or at home.
In the haute cuisine is used in molecular kitchen to make light foams with a siphon, also to make spheres, pearls, and in a host of recipes with ideas which we can consider as novel.
In the home kitchen agar-agar is used to thicken sauces, for jellies, to make terrines of vegetables, in recipes of meat and fish, to curdle puddings, to prepare light mousses, with natural fruit, yoghurts, fresh cheese.
And where can we get agar-agar?
The agar-agar can be obtained in stores of natural products such as herbalists, parapharmacies, pharmacies, Asian products stores, online natural products stores.
The ways in which we can find agar-agar for cooking are; in white filaments grouped in skeins, powder or flakes.
We can also get it in the form of capsules or tablets, in these cases recommended to promote good intestinal transit.
We must take into account when buying it, look at its color and check that it is the appropriate color of the agar-agar that should be beige, if perhaps we saw it white, this means that it has been subjected to a chemical process.
When it is time to preserve it, we must protect it from both light and moisture, and provide it with a dry and dark place. This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist.
