Xanthan And Guar Gum Intolerances?

[emcmaster]

Seriously?

I started having problems with Xanthan Gum a month or two after going gluten-free and have been using Guar Gum ever since. In the last year or so, I've noticed that I usually have a tiny reaction after eating most of my baked goods - cookies, cake, etc. even though I'm making them myself - no gluten, corn, or xanthan gum. I *thought* it might be because I typically stay away from eating so many grain products in one sitting, as I've noticed I feel better when I don't.

But last week it occurred to me: what if it isn't the grains, it's the guar gum? As a test, I made pizza without any gums at all and while the pizza texture wasn't as great, I didn't get sick whatsoever.

So that pretty much settles it - I now have a guar gum problem.

The reason for my question is that it seems pretty uncommon to have a Xanthan Gum problem and now, Guar gum too? What in the world could I be reacting to with these things?

(In case anyone is wondering, I have made sure the brands I am using are 100% gluten-free)

Thanks in advance for the help.

[ksymonds84]

Guar Gum bothers me as well. I noticed it big time when I used Bob's Red Mill pizza dough and their cinnamon bread. If you google guar gum, you will notice all the references to it being a natural laxative. Too much xantham will get me as well but can handle small amounts in Udi bread ect but if guar gum is in the ingredients, it will defiantly cause me problems. Since you say its a small reaction, maybe its just the high fiber tendencies of guar gum that is getting to you? Also, guar gum is a legume, if you are legume sensitive then you could be cross reacting?

I was using the so delicous coffee creamer because guar was close to the last ingredient listed and did okay as long as I had only one cup but thats hard to do. So I haven't tried the ice cream ect that everyone else says is yummy....know how your feeling.

[Northland Lady]

My aunt has been going to a specialist in Australia, he has taken her off Frutose which is a type of sugar in fruit like lactose is to milk.

Both Xanthan Gum, and guar gum are very high in frutose, i have a problem with both too, do you get dirrehea after you have eaten it? The bad news with frutose is its very hard to work out! foods with equal amounts of frutose to glucose are ok to eat (bananas most berries) but things like honey which have extremely high frutose are not. It is called frutose mal absorption and it is very new and hard to find info on. It is different to the already know frutose intorance which means you cant have any frutose at all

You can email me privately if you want more info. :-)

[emcmaster]

Hi there! Thanks for the responses!

Actually, I don't have any D problems. By slight reaction, I mean cramping and bloating, but it goes away after a day or two whereas with gluten it lasts a week and I have other fun symptoms that go with it.

It could be the legume issue. I don't eat legumes but it's been so long since I've had any that I was thinking about trying them again... but man oh man if this reaction is because of legumes, perhaps I don't want to try!

Thanks for the insight... guess I'll have to find another gluten replacer for gluten-free goods.