Looking For Sub For Xanthan Gum

[AVR1962]

Anyone have a good substitute for xanthan gum? Have been making my homemade noodles with pizza crust flour which works great but xanthan gum is not my friend. Or if you ahve a good homemeade noodle recipe please share.

[ciamarie]

I don't have a huge amount of experience with it, but I've made a couple loaves of rice blend bread with guar gum, (Now brand), and they turned out o.k. I used the amount suggested on the container for the first loaf a few weeks ago, which is 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour, and it was too rubbery. I used half that amount for the next loaf, and it turned out much better. I used one of the recipes for sandwich bread from the forums here, which collapsed a bit in the center - but it's edible.

As a bonus, the guar gum cost less than the xanthan gum I found, which was a big factor in trying that option first.

[IrishHeart]

The only sub I know of is guar gum.

[gary'sgirl]

I don't use any gums anymore and I haven't had a problem yet. In fact all of my quick breads and cookies and cakes have turned out a lot better without the gums.

One thing I haven't tried though, is yeast baked goods, but I have heard that you can use psyllium husk powder.

I honestly don't think that gums are necessary and they really aren't good for people with gut problems.

[Marilyn R]

I have avoided baked goods because of guar & xanthum gum issues. I'm thrilled that you're saying you don't miss it in baked goods. If you have any recipes to share, I'd be grateful!

[IrishHeart]

I don't use any gums anymore and I haven't had a problem yet. In fact all of my quick breads and cookies and cakes have turned out a lot better without the gums.

One thing I haven't tried though, is yeast baked goods, but I have heard that you can use psyllium husk powder.

I honestly don't think that gums are necessary and they really aren't good for people with gut problems.

Really? I have never heard this before and I am curious why. What do gums do to people with gut problems? Is it like a "laxative"?? But wouldn't you have to consume a LOT of it to cause a problem?

(Actually, I would think psyllium husk powder is really pretty abrasive for people with irritated GI tracts and should be avoided, especially since it requires one to drink lots and lots of water to irrigate so the psyllium doesn't clump and make things worse. )

[Takala]

Too much guar gum will act as a laxative for some people.

You don't use much psyllium at all, and you pre soak it in water so it's already hydrated and "gelled" before mixing it into the dough. The directions on the bag I have for people using psyllium as "psyllium" fiber, and not as a baking additive, use about 3 times as much per serving as I would use in an entire mini loaf of bread that I was leaving the egg out of (I eat eggs, but I like to experiment with recipes to see what happens, esp. since breads taste different with and without egg). For psyllium, you would use a half teaspoon to a teaspoon, per cup to a cup and a half of gluten free flours.

If you want a bread with that fluffy, yet bendable characteristic of "white sandwich bread" then the gums are handy to recreate that. If you just want bread for toast, then they are not crucial IF you are using some types of flours which are stickier. Rice flour is pretty crumbly.

The gums are harsh on some people. For every celiac and gluten intolerant, there seems to be at least one item that is commonly subbed that doesn't agree with them.

Maybe for the noodles try buckwheat flour, which is good for sticking together. (soba noodles are buckwheat). Chia seed would show up in the noodles.

[Roda]

I have used unflavored geletin in cookies before. I also used pectin in a bread recipe, but it did call for gums too. I don't recall how much I used though.

[IrishHeart]

For every celiac and gluten intolerant, there seems to be at least one item that is commonly subbed that doesn't agree with them.

uh huh .....Ain't that the truth, sister!

and rooting out the culprit is just oh so much fun........

[pricklypear1971]

I'd try chia seeds. I've read to sub it 1 for 1 for gums (dissolve 1 tsp. in 2 tsp. water).

Every time I use them I look for them in the finished product and can't find them. I'm sure they are there but I don't see them enough to be bothered by them.

[AVR1962]

Really? I have never heard this before and I am curious why. What do gums do to people with gut problems? Is it like a "laxative"?? But wouldn't you have to consume a LOT of it to cause a problem?

(Actually, I would think psyllium husk powder is really pretty abrasive for people with irritated GI tracts and should be avoided, especially since it requires one to drink lots and lots of water to irrigate so the psyllium doesn't clump and make things worse. )

Xanthan gum upsets my stomach, kind of feels like someone hit me in the stomach. No digestive issues but still, my stomach is upset and doesn't feel nice. Guar guum does give me digestive issues and I will be dizzy for 3 days. The worst of any of them, for me, is carrageenan.....oh boy, talk about make me sick.....digestive issues, feel like I have the flu and want to throw up, dizzy for 3 days, bad stuff. So I avoid all gums.

[AVR1962]

I have used unflavored geletin in cookies before. I also used pectin in a bread recipe, but it did call for gums too. I don't recall how much I used though.

I did put gelatin in my pie crust and it worked fine. Tried it in my noodles and it didn't work out so well.

[AVR1962]

I'd try chia seeds. I've read to sub it 1 for 1 for gums (dissolve 1 tsp. in 2 tsp. water).

Every time I use them I look for them in the finished product and can't find them. I'm sure they are there but I don't see them enough to be bothered by them.

Thanks! I will look into this.

[IrishHeart]

Xanthan gum upsets my stomach, kind of feels like someone hit me in the stomach. No digestive issues but still, my stomach is upset and doesn't feel nice. Guar guum does give me digestive issues and I will be dizzy for 3 days. The worst of any of them, for me, is carrageenan.....oh boy, talk about make me sick.....digestive issues, feel like I have the flu and want to throw up, dizzy for 3 days, bad stuff. So I avoid all gums.

oh, A--that stinks. Sorry it does this to you.

I have to ask, because someone else told me she has a problem with it...but how on earth did you determine carrageenan was an issue?

How do you isolate it --when it is almost always IN something, I mean?

Did you take a seaweed supplement to figure it out?

[ciamarie]

Xanthan gum upsets my stomach, kind of feels like someone hit me in the stomach. No digestive issues but still, my stomach is upset and doesn't feel nice. Guar guum does give me digestive issues and I will be dizzy for 3 days. The worst of any of them, for me, is carrageenan.....oh boy, talk about make me sick.....digestive issues, feel like I have the flu and want to throw up, dizzy for 3 days, bad stuff. So I avoid all gums.

Er, after I saw this reply I also noticed your sig that mentions intolerances, including guar gum. I was trying to be helpful when I threw out the idea, but not so much this time I guess. Sorry...

[RiceGuy]

I've made noodles with buckwheat flour, which the Japanese call soba noodles. They do not require any gums, and I find that adding any to noodle dough has only detracted from the desired texture. Not sure if other flours would benefit from any gums when making noodles, but the few blends I've experimented with suggest not.

I don't use eggs in noodles either, so perhaps that's also a factor.

Although I've tried chia seed in some things, I find it doesn't act like the gums do. Doubt it'd work in noodles, but haven't had a need to try. Gelatin melts easily, so it's a very different sort of thing. I've only had success with psyllium husk powder when combined with guar gum. But this combo isn't a sub for xanthan, and will not work in all the things xanthan works in.

Guar gum and xanthan gum are definitely different in how they function in a recipe. What I've found from experimenting with these is outlined in this thread.

[Marilyn R]

"I have to ask, because someone else told me she has a problem with it...but how on earth did you determine carrageenan was an issue?

How do you isolate it --when it is almost always IN something, I mean?

Did you take a seaweed supplement to figure it out?"

Ravenwood suggested that it might be a problem for me. I was eating very simply (root vegetables, plain meat & fish, fresh fruits.) The only processed food I had was rice milk. I still felt like crap every single day, even after trying rotating foods, going to the allergist, and avoiding all processed foods.

She said it could be the carrageenan in the rice milk, so I eliminated that and started using canned coconut milk without additives for milk (made my own milk from a coconut once, that's probably never going to happen again), and finally felt better after a couple of days.

I can tolerate carrageenan now ... tried it on Thanksgiving when I made whipped cream for my pie.

[IrishHeart]

"I have to ask, because someone else told me she has a problem with it...but how on earth did you determine carrageenan was an issue?

How do you isolate it --when it is almost always IN something, I mean?

Did you take a seaweed supplement to figure it out?"

Ravenwood suggested that it might be a problem for me. I was eating very simply (root vegetables, plain meat & fish, fresh fruits.) The only processed food I had was rice milk. I still felt like crap every single day, even after trying rotating foods, going to the allergist, and avoiding all processed foods.

She said it could be the carrageenan in the rice milk, so I eliminated that and started using canned coconut milk without additives for milk (made my own milk from a coconut once, that's probably never going to happen again), and finally felt better after a couple of days.

I can tolerate carrageenan now ... tried it on Thanksgiving when I made whipped cream for my pie.

I see. But, why wouldn't it have been the rice milk--since you gave that up too? You understand my confusion??

[Marilyn R]

I understand your confusion. I was fine with whole foods cooked at home, couldn't do Almond, Hemp, Soy Milk or dairy anything, guess it was a guess. It worked for me. I never tried making my own rice, cashew or almond milk though.

I pay close attention to the what goes in my mouth and later ramifications, and I'm pretty sure it was carrageenan that was making me sick.

Everybody's different. Quinoa messes me up bad.

Have all the carrageenan you want if it doesn't bother you! But it bugs some people with a bad gut at some times.

[AVR1962]

oh, A--that stinks. Sorry it does this to you.

I have to ask, because someone else told me she has a problem with it...but how on earth did you determine carrageenan was an issue?

How do you isolate it --when it is almost always IN something, I mean?

Did you take a seaweed supplement to figure it out?

One day while drinking almond milk, same brand that I had drank before but chose almond instead, I got so sick. Looked at the ingredients and that's what was in it. It is in some ice cream and ice cream cakes. I am really really hoping that one day I am not so sensative! Thanksgiving desserts were a bit depressing as I read the labels. Even those cheese balls with the almonds on them have xantahn gum in them!!!

[AVR1962]

I've made noodles with buckwheat flour, which the Japanese call soba noodles. They do not require any gums, and I find that adding any to noodle dough has only detracted from the desired texture. Not sure if other flours would benefit from any gums when making noodles, but the few blends I've experimented with suggest not.

I don't use eggs in noodles either, so perhaps that's also a factor.

Although I've tried chia seed in some things, I find it doesn't act like the gums do. Doubt it'd work in noodles, but haven't had a need to try. Gelatin melts easily, so it's a very different sort of thing. I've only had success with psyllium husk powder when combined with guar gum. But this combo isn't a sub for xanthan, and will not work in all the things xanthan works in.

Guar gum and xanthan gum are definitely different in how they function in a recipe. What I've found from experimenting with these is outlined in this thread.

RiceGuy, thank you. I have some buckwheat flour sitting in my cupboard, I will give it a try. I have never made noodles with eggs, how is that possible? I would think the batter would fall apart. Are your noodles rolled out?

[RiceGuy]

RiceGuy, thank you. I have some buckwheat flour sitting in my cupboard, I will give it a try. I have never made noodles with eggs, how is that possible? I would think the batter would fall apart. Are your noodles rolled out?

Many noodle recipes use some or all parts of eggs, and little or no water. I don't know if I can tolerate eggs now, so haven't tried making anything with them.

I did try to roll out noodle dough once or twice, but found that cutting it into thin strips, and then getting them into boiling water without them falling apart was more or less impossible. Perhaps if they were dried first, it might work out, but didn't try that. Since soba noodles can apparently hold together this way, it must be possible.

I don't often make noodles, but so far the easiest way I've found to do it using the kitchen gadgets I have is to use a cookie press. I select a disc with narrow, elongated slits (wide noodles), or small holes (spaghetti). I find that using a large pot of boiling water works best. With the water boiling rapidly, I just press the trigger on the cookie press repeatedly, while gradually moving the nozzle over the water in a wide circle, so the noodles don't get clumped together. Best results are when the water doesn't stop boiling as the noodles are added. They cook pretty quickly, finishing in what seems like just a couple minutes or so. While these noodles are not perfect, they've worked out well enough most times. It's a fast process, which helps make up for the lack of perfection when time isn't on my side. Plus I can't tolerate tomato or cheese anyway, so I have to make subs for those too, or else make some other type of sauce.

About the buckwheat flour, I hope it's certified gluten-free. I found all brands to be contaminated except the one from Open Original Shared Link. They only grow buckwheat, and mill it themselves using dedicated equipment. It's a light-colored flour, somewhat different from every other I know of, since it's from a special variety of buckwheat called French Acadian. If you're fortunate to live near a store which carries their flour, it should be fairly affordable too.

[gary'sgirl]

I have avoided baked goods because of guar & xanthum gum issues. I'm thrilled that you're saying you don't miss it in baked goods. If you have any recipes to share, I'd be grateful!

Hi Marilyn,

I mostly use almond flour and coconut flour for baking now. The taste and the texture you get from using these flours are so much better than any I was able to get using all the other flours that they are pretty much all I use now.

If you use coconut flour, you have to follow special recipes designed for coconut flour because it is very very thirsty and needs lots of moisture. The good thing about that is that you get very high protein baked goods because most recipes have a lot of eggs in them. Coconut flour also ends up being pretty affordable (especially depending on where you buy it from) because you have to use so much less of it in recipes than other gluten free flours. I wouldn't recommend Bob's Red Mill, because it doesn't tend to be ground as fine as other brands. One that I liked was Tropical Traditions. Their web site also has some great coconut flour recipes that are also gluten free.

With almond flour you can sometimes just sub it strait across, especially in muffins cookies and quick breads. I would recommend elanaspantry.com for wonderful almond flour recipes as well as some coconut flour recipes. A lot of the recipes I make are from her site. She recommend using Honeyville almond flour, but if you want to try to make some things a little cheaper, I have made some of the muffin recipes by grinding almonds myself in a coffee grinder. They don't always come out as lite and airy when grinding your own though. You can also sub honey for the agave nectar that she usually uses.

Cooking with these flours is so much simpler, because there isn't any mixing of various types of gluten free flours and like I mentioned before you don't have to use any gums.

I hope you can try them. They are also a really healthy option - especially if you are still having trouble with digestion of some foods.

[mommyto2kids]

Bisquick makes me sick. Also Arrowmills. I made pancakes from them today and got super sick. I wonder if it was the xanthum gum. But I'm fine with it in my bread. So maybe it is the amount. Maybe someone could make a list at the end of the post of all the substitutions that work. Yes please what baking mixes or flower mixes do not have the gums already added? What should I buy to be safe with out the gums?

[gary'sgirl]

Really? I have never heard this before and I am curious why. What do gums do to people with gut problems? Is it like a "laxative"?? But wouldn't you have to consume a LOT of it to cause a problem?

(Actually, I would think psyllium husk powder is really pretty abrasive for people with irritated GI tracts and should be avoided, especially since it requires one to drink lots and lots of water to irrigate so the psyllium doesn't clump and make things worse. )

Hi Irishheart,

I read some about gums and carageenan a little over a year ago and though I can't remember all of the details I remember thinking that I didn't want to use that stuff ever again I went on the SCD diet for a while and in the book (or the web site - I can't remember) it talked a little about why it was irritating to the damaged gut. I'm not saying that every gluten sensitive person will have trouble with it, but I do know that more and more people are having trouble with those additives.

Ever since I stopped using them I have wondered why they were ever used, because I think that every thing that I have baked with out them has turned out better that it ever did with them. I even remember when I was still making all those baking mixes with all the combos of flours and a few times I forgot to put the gums in and it seemed like the baked goods didn't dry out as bad.

I haven't actually used the psyllium husk powder yet, I just read about using it a little. I think one of the sites that mentioned it was theglutenfreegirl.com. A few months ago she found out she had a problem with the gums and I think she even said that her recipes that she remade without the gums seemed to come out better.