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Gluten-Free Baking: What Is There To Know About Xanthan Gum?
By Rose | Condiments
By Rose | Condiments
Never heard of it? Do you bake? Or even cook? Trust me, I have been into baking and cooking for years now but not until I need to make a gluten-free cake did I have learned about it.
Maybe some of you have some ideas on what it really is because it was once a “talk of the town” for the baking and cooking world. For those curious minds out there like me, let us clear out all the “why’s” and “what’s” and boost our knowledge power!
Xanthan Gum is one of the most useful breakthroughs in terms of food science after discovering yeast. All natural, Xanthan Gum can be compared to yeast and vinegar.
Being fermented from a type of bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris, it was named from the bacteria itself. Used worldwide, Xanthan Gum is very popular and beneficial as food additive.
Is Xanthan Gum harmless? What is the substitute? And where to buy them? Read more to know!
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Xanthan Gum is very popular and useful ingredient when you are into Gluten-Free Baking. Yet, used to it as it is, are you still comfortable using it when there have been doubts circulating behind if it is safe or not to take? Let us dig deeper on those claims, otherwise baking won’t be the same!
Image Credit to King Arthur Flour
Alright, based on certain research, here are health effects of Xanthan Gum that caused the fear and controversy of its use:
There you go, the conclusion is Xanthan Gum is safe to be used and is harmless to adults. It is even more, gut friendly and is beneficial in metabolism.
After knowing about its health effects, it is really up to you if you opt to use it or not. We have our own choices.
Being widely used, Xanthan Gum is available everywhere. Check the market, groceries or even online. It is totally easy for you to buy it.
Image Credit to Mad Art Lab
Here is a quick guide where to find it:
Have you run out of Xanthan Gum? When you desperately need to bake and unfortunately there is no Xanthan Gum around, it is a bakers’ initiative to start looking for substitute.
In the world of gluten-free baking, we have ups and downs. It all depend on the choices we make and how far we are willing to experiment. In facing the challenges that it brings, let us explore the possibilities of alternatives.
Recommended Xanthan Gum substitutes:
It comes from a seed of a legume plant called Guar mostly found in India. It is a gluten-free ingredient and functions the same as Xanthan Gum.
Image Credit to Daily Forage
Is commonly used as a dietary fiber supplement. It is good in reducing cholesterol and digestive dis-orders. It is a great binding ingredient giving high-quality baking products.
Gluten-free submarine sandwich bread (Left made with Psyllium husk powder & Right made with Xanthan gum) - Image credit to Gluten-Free Baking & More
Is proven in baking. It is commonly mixed to ingredients for cakes and pastries to increase nutritional value. It can absorb water well and high in fiber so it would make baking products maintain its moist texture. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids more than the flax seed.
Similar to chia seeds this is common in sports and bodybuilding provided that it also support protein needs to health conscious group. It is a little bit bigger in size compared to chia.
To be more effective in baking, you need to grind it first to be able to get the needed binding finish. Add the ground flax to boiling water to form paste then mix it with gluten-free flour to prepare it.
Has numerous use in the world of culinary. You will not miss it when it comes to desserts and drinks. When mixed in doughs, it would help retain moisture and give it the elastic quality.
It is available in a variety of colors or flavors but the most sought for in baking needs is the unflavored.
This comes from animals so vegans should take note of that.
Are you a vegan person? Agar-agar comes from seaweeds or algae and is the best substitute of gelatin. They function the same and can be bought anywhere in the form of powder, sheets or flakes.
A must in the kitchen, it does not only act as a binder in baking but it is also good as a riser. It depends on what you are making though, sometimes it is not enough so you need to pair it with other substitutes like the chia seeds or psyllium.
If agar-agar is a vegan substitute for gelatin, Pectin is, too. It functions the same.
Like agar-agar it also comes from algae or seaweeds and functions as binder during baking. However, this is not common to many stores so it could be harder to find.
Image Credit to MacForms
Just a little note, it has an unpleasant smell that seems to be stubborn it would really stay but it does not affect the taste.
Also known as acacia gum, this is made out of toughened sap. This is popular in making candies and chocolates. Could also be an alternative for nougat.
A common item in the kitchen, this is best use for cooking/baking and functions as thickening. Gluten-free and does not give smell or aftertaste to the food.
Very much the same as cornstarch and functions the same. You need to be watchful in the process since this tends to thicken in lower temperature compared to cornstarch.
A vegan gum it comes from the seeds of Carob Tree. It is also used as a thickening agent. It is far more cheap then Xanthan Gum.
Image Credit to Yamei Aspartame
Also used as a thickener and one of the natural options in substituting Xanthan Gum. It comes from konjac gluco-mannan root plant.
You can choose any suggested substitute from the above list but when baking or cooking, it usually is a process of trial and error. One should use its instinct along with the knowledge of experience and a lot of common sense to be able to come up with the desired result.
Each substitute when used differ in temperature, amount and even in smell or aftertaste compared to Xanthan Gum. All the same, they have one thing in common, they work the same as Xanthan Gum but you just have to change a little bit or add a little twist in your usual methods. Choose the one that best works for you. Good luck!
Xanthan gum is made from fermentation of non-animal products. However, manufacturers use may use different substrates. It could be lactose (milk derived) base or corn-sugar/corn-starch substrate.
Before we wrap up, I would like to emphasize and elaborate a little bit on the importance of Xanthan in cooking or baking. We have mentioned a lot earlier that it is a good ingredient for thickening add is gluten-free.
There you are, does it clear all things up? Have we covered all your questions? By now, you should know what Xanthan Gum is, where it comes from, how it is being used, where you can buy them and how it can save your day when baking. It keeps your cookies from crumbling right through your hands!
Start your gluten-free baking now and make a little difference. Share your adventures with us and your expertise in using Xanthan Gum. If you have more questions or additional info, feel free to comment in here.