What is a product like agar agar? The harm and benefits of this thickener will be described in this article. Also, we will present some recipes for its use.
Product General Information
Agar-agar at home is used very often. However, not everyone knows what this product is.
The thickener under consideration is a mixture of agaropectin and agarose polysaccharides. It is obtained by extraction from brown and red algae that grow in the White and Black Seas, as well as in the Pacific Ocean.
Agar-agar, the harm and benefits of which will be described later, is a vegetable substitute for ordinary gelatin. In an aqueous solution, it forms a fairly dense gel.
Use of a thickener product
Gelatin, agar-agar - these ingredients are often used in cooking. Both presented products have a positive effect on intestinal motility.
For a long time, this thickener has established itself as an excellent component of diet food.
For all its chemical and physical properties, the product in question does not have energy value, that is, it contains 0 calories. However, in confectionery this component is very often combined with sugar and other substances that can adversely affect a person’s figure.
Being an excellent prebiotic, plant thickener has a positive effect on the intestinal microflora. This happens through the fight against pathogenic bacteria and colonization of the colon with beneficial microorganisms.
Also, the mentioned product lowers blood cholesterol, removes toxic elements and heavy metals from the body. In addition, it reduces the acidity of the juice of the stomach, has a laxative effect and does not wash out beneficial trace elements and vitamins from the body.
Harm of vegetable thickener
Does agar agar have contraindications? The harm and benefits of this product should be known to all consumers. According to experts, the thickener under consideration has practically no contraindications. In addition, it does not have a toxic effect on the body. However, with excessive use, this product can still affect human health in a negative way. Most often this happens when you include thick jelly or marmalade in your diet.
It should be especially noted that the algae extract from which the mentioned component is made contains a certain amount of iodine. Therefore, in some cases, it may be contraindicated in people with thyroid disease.
With excessive use of this thickener, its mild laxative effect can be replaced by diarrhea with subsequent dysbiosis. In this regard, it is highly recommended not to abuse the ingredient in question for people with increased intestinal sensitivity.
Agar-agar: recipes for sweet dishes
There are many recipes for using this product. Very often a delicious and tender marshmallow is made from this thickener. For this, the following components are acquired:
- drinking water - about 75 ml;
- agar powder - about 5 g;
- egg white - 1 pc.;
- thawed or fresh seedless cherries - about 200 g;
- medium-sized sugar - about 360 g;
- icing sugar - for sprinkling finished marshmallows.
Dessert process
How should powder agar agar be bred? Recipes for sweet dishes require the use of a deep bowl, into which the named product is laid out, and then filled with water and left for 10 minutes. Next, the resulting mass is brought to a boil and 230 g of sugar are added to it.
The resulting syrup is removed from the heat, after which add the cherry, intensively grated with the remaining sugar.
Also in a separate bowl beat egg white very strongly. Gradually, all the previously prepared mass is laid out for him. After mixing the components, they are placed in a pastry bag and squeezed onto baking paper. In this form, the product is kept at room temperature for about 10 hours. During this time, the marshmallow should fully grasp.
At the very end, dessert is sprinkled with powdered sugar and combined in pairs.
Quick Jelly Cooking
Now you know what a product like agar agar is. The harm and benefits of the thickener mentioned above should make everyone think about how to eat it properly.
So, to get a delicious milk jelly from a vegetable thickener , it is necessary to prepare:
- cream is the fattest - 50 ml;
- cow's milk - 200 ml;
- drinking water - 70 ml;
- powder agar - 10 g;
- powdered sugar - about 2/3 cup (optional).
Method for making jelly
Milk, agar-agar and powdered sugar are the main components of the dessert in question. To prepare it, cream should be thoroughly whipped with a mixer, and then gradually add the powder to them. After mixing the components again, milk is poured into them and laid out in advance diluted with water and a heated thickener.
Repeatedly whipping the milk mass, it is poured into beautiful forms. In this form, all the bowls are sent to the refrigerator. After a few hours, the sweet product should completely harden, forming a fairly dense jelly. It is carefully removed from the mold and placed on a beautiful saucer. Top the finished jelly is decorated with berries or fruits, and also watered with some kind of syrup.
A few words in the end
The product in question can be used not only for the preparation of various desserts, but also for meat dishes. For example, it is often made jelly or holiday jellied. Also, this component is very often added to home-made sausages or sausages.