Xanthan gum is one of those strange ingredients you see on all kinds of packaged food and you just have no idea what it is. I know I have picked up a variety of products and wondered what is xanthan gum? That’s not just me is it? If you are with me on what the heck is that stuff, I did the research for you.
Before we get to what it is let’s start with why it is used.
Why is it used
It is called a gum for a reason, it acts as a thickening agent in food but also to help keep emulsions stabilized. An emulsion, is the combining of two ingredients that don’t like to combine. Picture your vinaigrette. The oil and vinegar never seem to want to stay together. When you shake them they stay together long enough to pour the dress and then back to being separate again.
Now when you shop at the store and the salad dressings always seem to be mixed together well that is in thanks to xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum also makes dressings thicker. If you made a buttermilk ranch dressing from scratch it might seem runny compared to that Hidden Valley bottled stuff. I haven’t checked but it would be a good guess that Hidden Valley has xanthan gum to thank for that.
A big use for xanthan gum is gluten-free baking. With the absence of gluten something is needed to keep the dough together and produce a product that is desirable or similar to traditional baked goods.
Other places you may see xanthan gum: toothpaste and ice cream
What is it
Xanthan gum is a by-product of fermented corn. More accurately it is the fermentation of the sugars; glucose, sucrose, or lactose. In the United States this typically comes from corn. After fermentation this is dried and ground into a powder that we call xanthan gum.
Pros: your salad dressing looks pretty in the bowl, your toothpaste looks the same everyday and your ice cream is nice and thick and creamy.
Cons: It is made from corn. The corn in the United States is largely GMO so if that is important to you xanthan gum might be something to avoid unless the product is stated to be GMO Free, or comes from a store that doesn’t sell GMO products.
Processed level: 1
Natural, Chemical, or Other: Natural
Processed levels:
1-it is a long shot, but you could technically make it at home
2-it comes from something you know but that was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away
3-you need a masters or a PhD and a lot of lab equipment to make this.
Natural-comes from something grown or once living that has been cooked or processed to create a different product. This doesn’t neccesarily mean it is good for you just that it started its life as something you are familiar with.
Chemical-It was made in a lab mixing chemicals or a combination of natural products. This does not necessarily mean it is bad for you just that it doesn’t resemble any animal, plant or mineral.
Other-I don’t know where this come from and personally wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.
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