What is agar agar?
Originally from Japan, agar-agar is a substance rich in mucilage. Very gelatinous, agar-agar is extracted from red algae such as gelidium cartilagineum and the confervoid gracilaria. These algae belong to the family of Gelidiaceae.
Agar-agar often comes in the form of a powder which is stirred in water to obtain a gelling substance of transparent color. This food is used in cooking instead of gelatin of animal origin, its gelling power proving to be ten times superior to the latter. It is also acclaimed in the field of slimming and health because of its richness in fibers and his low calorie (3 kcal/g). However, its benefits do not end there.
What are the properties of agar-agar?
- Agar-agar is very rich in soluble fiberthat is to say in fibers which take on a viscous consistency in the presence of a liquid and help to carry with them the residues of the stomach. This food facilitates THE intestinal transit.
- This seaweed also contains a significant amount of vitamins, in particular the vitamin B12which is rare to find in a vegetable product, because it usually comes from products from the animal world.
- Agar-agar is rich in mineral salts important for the proper functioning of the body, especially in calcium (500 mg per 100 g) and in iron (5 mg per 100 g, twice as much as 100 g of red meat). It also contains magnesiumof potassium or even zinc.
- Hypocaloric, it promotes weightloss. Its gelling properties make it a slimming asset: once in the stomach, its fibers swell and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, these fibers absorb some of the excess fats and sugars before eliminating them (as well as heavy metals), which has a beneficial effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
- Agar-agar is also useful for fighting type 2 diabetes and bad cholesterol.
How to consume agar-agar?
Agar-agar is mainly used dried and reduced to a powder state. Its use is exclusively internal. In order for the agar-agar to become active, it must be brought to a boil. It is when it cools to around 30°C that it begins to gel. To use it, it is therefore necessary to dilute the necessary quantity in 1 or 2 spoons of the liquid of the cold recipe (or at room temperature), then add the diluted agar-agar, stir well and bring to a boil and leave boil 1 to 2 mins. It is necessary to be precise on the dosage, because the gelling power of agar-agar is very powerful, if you add one more gram the texture of the preparation changes.
Good to know : to incorporate agar-agar into a cold preparation, it is necessary to heat only a very small part of the preparation. Just enough to boil the agar-agar then add it to the rest.
Where to find agar-agar?
You can buy it in organic shops, delicatessens and in some supermarkets, in the form of 4 g sachets.
How much agar-agar to use?
In order not to be mistaken in the dosage, there is a simple rule to remember: 2 g of agar-agar (1 level teaspoon) for 50 cl of liquid.
What is the difference between gelatin and agar-agar?
Agar-agar has a power 3 times greater than that of gelatin. Desserts made with gelatin will have a creamy consistency, while those with agar-agar will be a little more compact.
What are the contraindications of agar-agar?
- Agar-agar should not be used in pregnant women and breast-feeding women, as a precaution, studies have not to date guaranteed its harmless nature for the mother and her baby. It should also be avoided in children under 8 years of age.
- In addition, precautionary measures must be observed in diabetics on drug treatment, people with hypercholesterolemia or subjects taking laxatives.
- Finally, agar-agar should not be used for a prolonged period or in overdose (more than 2 g/day) at the risk of suffering from diarrhoea.
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