Thickening Agents: Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum in Gluten-Free Cooking

Today, I wanted to continue talking about the science in gluten-free cooking, more specifically, how thickening agents play a major role. In conventional cooking, flour or starches are often added as a thickening agent to many dishes, sauces, dressings, or even desserts. However, in gluten-free baking, 2 good alternatives for thickening agents are xanthan gum and guar gum. Without adding a thickening agent, gluten-free foods are often flat, dry, and crumbly. They lack the elastic texture that everyone desires.

Xanthan Gum

Let’s talk about xanthan gum first. This ingredient was discovered back in the 1960s, by fermenting sugar, usually corn sugar. It has been used in non gluten-free and gluten-free cooking ever since, due to its ability to increase the thickness of a liquid. Not only that, but it is also a great stabilizer, meaning that it can be used in foods like yogurt or salad dressings to keep them from separating. In gluten-free baking, xanthan gum is used to accomplish the elastic texture, similar to wheat bread. Plus it helps hold moisture in gluten-free baked goods, so they aren’t dry and crumbly after they cool. Xanthan Gum becomes sticky when combined with liquid, so always be sure to stir your batter really well.

Guar Gum

Now, onto Guar Gum. Guar gum is made from finely ground guar seeds and it is used in the same manner as xanthan gum, due to the similarities in texture and properties. Guar gum, does contain more fiber than xanthan gum. So in people who can’t tolerate a lot of fiber, xanthan gum might be the better option for you to use.

Using Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum

You should be able to use guar gum and xanthan gum interchangeably at a one to one ratio. They are so similar that it doesn’t really matter which one you use. However, in certain cases like egg-free ice cream, it would be better to use guar gum. It has a really great ability to stop the formation of ice crystals during a freeze-thaw cycle. Plus it would offer that stability that the egg-free ice cream lacks.

Let Me Know

Comment below and tell me how you have improved your gluten-free cooking with xanthan gum, or guar gum!