I hope everyone had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving! Today, I’m continuing my series on common food additives.
Last time, I discussed the health effects of carrageenan, a food additive that is commonly used as a stabilizer, thickener, or emulsifier. Another additive that shares many of these functions in commercial foods is xanthan gum, which is also popular in gluten-free baked goods for the elasticity it lends to dough.
Although it isn’t as heavily discussed in the blogosphere as the other additives I’ve covered thus far, many health-conscious people see it on ingredient lists and wonder what it is, and whether they should be eating it. In this article, I’ll do my best to answer those questions.
Should you avoid xanthan gum in gluten-free baked goods? Find out in this article.
Xanthan gum is a largely indigestible polysaccharide that is produced by bacteria called Xanthomonas Camestris. (1) Manufacturers place the bacteria in a growth medium that contains sugars and other nutrients, and the resulting product of bacterial fermentation is purified, dried, powdered, and sold as xanthan gum. (Makes you wonder who first thought to put it in food, doesn’t it?)
Animal Studies
Overall, the results from animal studies on xanthan gum aren’t very concerning. In one experiment, rats were fed xanthan gum for two years in concentrations of 0.25, 0.50 or 1.0 g/kg body weight per day. (2) The only notable difference between the xanthan gum groups and the control group was that rats fed xanthan gum experienced soft stools somewhat more frequently than the control rats, but even that barely reached statistical significance. There were no differences in growth rate, survival, blood markers, organ weights or tumor incidence.
Another experiment followed a similar design but used dogs instead of rats, and the results were the same: no changes other than occasional soft stools. (3) In a three-generation reproductive study, rats were fed either 0.25 or 0.50 g/kg per day, and there were no significant changes in the parents and offspring from the xanthan gum-receiving groups. (4)
Based on those initial studies, it was concluded that xanthan gum is a perfectly safe food additive. Since then, a few additional animal studies with different aims have been published.
One study, conducted to evaluate the effects of xanthan gum on digestion in rats, found that a diet containing 4% xanthan gum increased the amount of water in the intestines by 400%, and also increased the number of sugars remaining in the intestine. (5) Another study found that in rats fed 50 g/kg of xanthan gum (an incredibly high dose) for 4 weeks, the stool water content and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content increased significantly. (6)
This last study actually relates to the potential anti-tumor properties of xanthan gum, and researchers found that orally administered xanthan gum was able to slow tumor growth and prolong the survival of mice with melanoma. (7) The mechanism is unclear, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
Human Studies
Due to the lack of harmful effects observed in animal studies, there are few human studies on xanthan gum. The first study aimed to determine the safety of xanthan gum when consumed by humans in an everyday dietary setting, but at levels much higher than people would normally encounter in their diet. (8) For 23 days, 5 adult men with no GI issues consumed between 10.4g and 12.9g of xanthan gum daily (based on the subjects’ weight), which is 15 times the current Acceptable Daily Intake of 10mg/kg. Overall, they experienced a reduction in serum cholesterol, an increase in fecal bile acid, and an increase in stool output and water content.
Another study had volunteers consume 15g of xanthan gum per day for 10 days. (9) They found xanthan gum to be a “highly efficient laxative,” and subjects experienced greater stool output and gas. That’s not very surprising considering the high dose, but what I found particularly interesting about this study was their measurement of the ability of subjects’ fecal bacteria to metabolize xanthan gum.
The researchers found that before the trial period, bacteria from the stools of only 12 of the 18 subjects could break down the xanthan gum, while after the trial period, bacteria from 16 of the subjects could break it down. (10) Additionally, the stool samples containing bacteria that could break down the xanthan gum showed a much greater production of hydrogen gas and SCFA after the trial period as compared to baseline, indicating that the intestinal bacteria of the subjects quickly adapted to this new food source. Clearly, xanthan gum (like many indigestible carbohydrates) can have a profound impact on the gut microbiota in large doses.
Colitis in Infants
The only concerning research I found on xanthan gum relates to the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants. Earlier this year, the New York Times published an article relating the tragic deaths of infants who had developed NEC after consuming a diet of formula or breast milk that had been thickened with a xanthan gum-based product called SimplyThick. This product was widely used in hospitals to thicken feed for infants with swallowing difficulties.
Two papers reviewed the cases of xanthan gum-associated NEC, and while there isn’t enough data to establish causation, the general consensus seems to be that the xanthan gum caused increased bacterial production of SCFA in the newborns’ intestines, and this contributed to the development of NEC. (11, 12) Although SCFA are vital to colon health, the immature digestive systems of newborns appear to be extremely sensitive to them. (13, 14) Since then, general practice guidelines suggest avoiding manufactured thickening products in babies under 12 months old, and rice cereal or baby oatmeal is used instead.
I wanted to address this because while it’s clearly important to avoid giving xanthan gum to infants (especially in large amounts), I’d like to emphasize that none of this changes the fact that xanthan gum appears to be relatively harmless in adult humans. None of the animal or human studies found damage to the intestinal mucosa following xanthan gum consumption, even in large doses, so this danger appears to be unique to newborns. For everyone else, SCFA aren’t something to be afraid of, and they are actually beneficial for the gut and for metabolic health, as I mention in previous articles here and here.
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Wheat, Corn, Soy, and Dairy Allergies
I mentioned in the opening section that xanthan gum is produced by bacterial fermentation of a sugar-containing medium. Unfortunately, that ‘medium’ is often a potentially allergenic substance such as corn, soy, dairy, or wheat. Many xanthan gum manufacturers aren’t eager to share what their ‘medium’ is, but one common supplier, Bob’s Red Mill, discloses their production practices.
It looks like they originally used corn or soy as a medium, but they’ve since changed their medium to a glucose solution derived from wheat starch. However, they claim that the xanthan gum is still gluten-free, and it continues to be marketed as such.
It can be difficult to find production info online, but just be aware that if you have a severe allergy to corn, soy, wheat, or dairy, it would be prudent to either avoid xanthan gum entirely or check with the manufacturer to see how it’s produced.
Conclusion
Based on the available evidence, the worst xanthan gum seems to be capable of (in adults) is causing some digestive distress in those who are susceptible by increasing stool bulk, water content, and sugar content. But as I just mentioned, those with severe allergies should also be careful.
I recommend that people with digestive problems generally avoid xanthan gum, not because there’s evidence that it could damage your gut, but because its structural properties make it likely to produce unpleasant gut symptoms. Unlike carrageenan, there’s no evidence that xanthan gum can cause serious harm (even in human studies using doses much higher than people would normally encounter), so if you are able to tolerate it, I see no compelling reason to strictly avoid it. I wouldn’t recommend consuming large amounts every day, because xanthan gum appears to have a high propensity for altering the gut microbiome, and it’s unclear whether that alteration could be problematic in the long run. But the small amounts that you would normally encounter in the context of a real-food diet shouldn’t present a problem.
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So if I want to put it in homemade shampoo to thicken it up a bit, it should be just fine? I don’t particularly want bacteria growing on my head though.
I don’t think that will happen. Besides shampoo gets washed out. lol!
I’ve recently discovered that I’m, at this point, severely (anaphylaxis) allergic to xantham gum. I started cleaning up my diet several months ago because of digestive issues and found that xanthan was a trigger for my intestines. I eliminated it; however, had no idea to check my toothpaste and was exposing myself daily. Last week we figured out the allergy through skin care products that “burned” my face so severely that my skin hasn’t completely healed after two weeks. Two days ago I used the toothpaste (not aware it could contain xanthan) and within a short time my blood pressure bottomed out, lymph nodes ballooned and I had shortness of breathe. After the episode I checked the paste and there it was! I share this to let you know that if it effects your gut (my intestinal issues persisted over 3 years and I had sinus surgery 3 years ago because they were completely closed, with no apparent explanation), that it’s only going to get worse! Please avoid it at all costs, even a small amount is now life threatening for me. As soon as my immune system recovers I am going to be VERY proactive about it being listed as an allergen. That dried bacteria is the devil and it has absolutely nothing to do with the medium upon which it’s grown.
Thank you Tamatha for your comment. I cannot eat gluten so end up eating more gums of different kinds since they are used to replace gluten. I find that I am even more sensitive to gums of any kind than even gluten itself. I simply cannot digest it. I know we are not alone in this. We just need to get the word out.
You are more than welcome, Veronica. The article was about xanthan so I didn’t mention guar, but it also effects me badly (not to the point of xanthan yet). I’ve learned that gellan is a “sister” to xanthan, so I’m avoiding it at all costs, too. Corn sugar gum and bacterial polysaccharide are two other names for xanthan. So far I’m ok with with locust bean gum. The xanthan allergy now requires me to carry an Epipin.
Hi Tamantha and all,
I agree that gums irritate the lining of our intestines, and personally avoid them all. Here is an article that I think you will enjoy about 2 studies on Gellan Gum, one from the National Institutes of Health. Pretty right on… Check it out! — I look forward to hearing your thoughts…
http://www.integrativeholistichealth.org/information/gellan-gum-harmful-increases-inflammation-bulks-stool/
Veronica, one more thing, lol…I began using Einkorn wheat products. It is the only non-GMO wheat still in existence, and is organically grown. I have to order it online, but it’s worth it and delicious. Between the GMO wheat factor, the bleaches used on it, and all of the additives in manufactured wheat products, quite frankly, I’m scared of it. I wonder if many people’s gluten “intolerance” isn’t simply because the wheat has been so modified (celiac being a big exception). Good luck to you!
Now I know this gluten free stuff is what is causing me problems. And maybe it is not the flours but those gums.
Have you ever tried bioset to get rid of your allergies? I went to a chiropractor who was certified in bioset and it helped me tremendously! You may have leaky gut syndrome which causes the allergies. (Where large molecules pass through your gut lining and get into your blood stream.) I had so many food allergies but doing much better and recently found supplements to heal my intestinal lining.
Thank you for the suggestion! I discovered in research that xanthan is not allowed in formulas for premature infants because it caused an intestinal necrosis (actually causing death), Chris also remarks in the article about infant sensitivity. Xanthan was approved by the FDA in 1968 and it was used in soy baby formula (I was put on soy as a “preventative” measure because my older brother had milk sensitivity.) It has been scientifically proven that allergies don’t occur without a degree of leaky gut. I was diagnosed as T1 diabetic at 18 months old. I know to the core of my being that xanthan is what triggered the leaky gut leading to my autoimmune disease. The xanthan sensitivity has developed into the life threatening allergy over my 47 year life span. Since eliminating xanthan, my gut has healed and I’m barely reacting to seasonal allergies, which were a major issue for years. I am blessed to have figured out the additive that was killing me (literally spent 15 days on life support in 2013 and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing my problems, which we now know was allergic reactions) and am genuinely concerned for for the millions of people with health issues who may simply be reacting to to one of the thousands of unnecessary additives to our food. Our bodies were, and are not, designed to process “additives” taken out of context (xanthan-dehydrated bacteria) by chemists, in order to mass produce food products, or get us “addicted” (chemically recreated MSG) to the products being created my a soul-less monster, the processed food industry. As long as I eat whole/organic food, my body continues to heal and I hope, in the next few years, to become healthy (other than diabetes) for the first time in my entire life. I’m very thankful for having distinct time lines on my health history and to have been able to connect the dots through the technology available today. 47 years of numerous “unexplainable” health issues were all explained with the discovery of the, now life threatening, xanthan allergy. I wish you all the best, Ms Sandra, and pray you continue to heal.
Hi Sandra , Can you tell me what you are taking for allergies. And what is bioset.
i make my own toothpast from coconut oil and bicarb powder. it dont taste that great .. but it cleans yr teeth super. and kills bacteria that cause candida.. ( gum disease )
I had 2 out of 3 babies premature and they all had severe acid reflux. My first was born two months premature and had acid reflux so bad that it caused her to turn blue and lifeless during feedings.
Then I discovered xantham gum for my second child.
This article is really good! I’m not surprised xantham gum makes you poop because it’s a fermented product. I used it to thicken my kids breast milk.
I wish I knew about it when I was thickening my first baby’s milk with rice cereal. Xantham is virtually calorie free
It also made my kids have regular poops too.
The infants to get sick were preemies in the NICU, and they could have gotten nec just from being preemies, with immature digestion.
They said I shouldn’t use it in my babies milk because of this but I still did it because it was the best choice.
Like any fermented product, even lactobacillus can cause gas and bloating if you use too much at first. Bacteria has to colonize in the gut. Then your body accepts it better.
I’ve used Xantham gum as a thickener for when I make home made coconut milk. I also use it for gravy-who wants flour or extra starch if you can avoid it? I want to get my nutrients from food not thickeners.
When using it as a thickener you have to stick blend it or it will just form balls of gel. It also can have a slimy feeling if you use too much of it.
If I have the blessing of having another child, I will use this thickener again. I’ll choose the bobs mill brand, as I would like to avoid gmo corn.
I am grateful that I am an extremely healthy 66 year old man who does not suffer from allergies. My sympathies to those of you who do. my late wife suffered with a great many allergies. Though I can eat almost anything, there are a few things I refuse to put in my body: MSG and all of its aliases (autolyzed yeast, natural flavor, etc.), carrageenan, HFC (high fructose corn syrup), soy protein, and any artificial sweeteners. These all have toxic effects on the human body and no one should consume them. I also avoid some foods such as wheat and gluten because they have been linked with Alzheimer’s according to Dr. Perlmutter. I still love pirogis, gluten or no, but am researching a way to make them without wheat flour. I will be glad to experiment with xanthan gum in my recipes. I doubt my system will react to it. To some of the people who’ve experienced digestive upsets from it, I would like to point out that gut flora do not adjust immediately to a substance that the body is not used to. Suddenly consuming a high concentration of something one is not used to Is apt to produce a reaction, but to conclude that you could never again consume that substance without reacting to it discounts the ability of your gut flora to adjust, as the research in the experiment mentioned in this blog revealed. I once thought that I could never eat beans, but now consume them very little problem. The main thing is to avoid all those processed “foods”. I like Tillamook’s current commercial regarding American cheese: “It’s not American and it’s not cheese!”
Here is a recipe for you to try.. I have not but I do make a lot of recipes with garbanzo flour and rice flours. Hope you enjoy.
Gluten Free & Vegan Perogies
Ingredients
•1 cup sorghum flour
•1 cup chana (chickpea) flour
•½ cup tapioca starch
•½ cup corn starch
•2 teaspoons xanthan gum
•¼ teaspoon salt
•2 cups vegan sour cream*
•4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
•¼ cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
•½ teaspoon salt
•2 onions, diced finely
•½ cup vegan margarine
Instructions
1.Sift all dry ingredients together.
2.Add sour cream. Mix well.
3.Knead on floured surface for 2-3 minutes. Place in a bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest while preparing filling.
4.Boil potatoes until tender. Mash.
5.Meanwhile, heat margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion. Saute until onion is softened.
6.Add onions to the mashed potato. Add almond milk and salt.
7.Stir well to combine. Let cool slightly so you can handle it.
8.Place plastic wrap on your work surface.
9.Lightly flour the plastic wrap with rice flour.
10.Cut rested dough into six portions.
11.Take one portion and dust lightly with flour.
12.Flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to about ⅛”. (You can leave the dough a bit thicker and roll out each individual circle a bit before filling.)
13.Using a glass or cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough.
14.Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of the circle.
15.Fold over and pinch the edges together to seal. Use a little bit of water to help seal if needed.
16.Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
17.Bring a pot of water to boil. Reduce heat to medium and just a boil (not a violent rolling boil or the perogies might break open).
18.Gently place a few perogies at a time in the boiling water.
19.Let them cook until they start to float, and then about 3 minutes after that (about 5-7 minutes total).
20.You can eat them like this or fry them in a bit of vegan margarine and fried onions until they are brown on both sides.
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I was googling the difference between 2 companies Meal Replacement Shakes and stumbled on a YouTube video talking about GMO VS non GMO products and allergies associated with Xanthan Gum.. In reading this string of comments I am so discouraged. The Meal Replacement and Muscle Builder that I love the flavor and consistency so much I found does use Xanthan Gum…
I have been using this product for about a month now, not everyday…I did have stomach bloating and felt that I was gaining weight instead of losing but I attributed it to possible muscle gain as it weighs more than fat… yesterday I only had the shake before work in the morning. Sitting at my desk at work my right shoulder and arm started itching like crazy…I couldn’t stop scratching it, it almost had a burning sensation then my shins started to itch…. it lasted for a good 2 hours..and I couldn’t figure it out? I thought geez am I dehydrated and my skin it that dry? I am sitting here reading about all the allergies associated with this ingredient and one being itchiness and sure enough discouraged that YES it is in my shake…. I am reluctantly going to try it again this morning and if I start the itching and redness, I guess I will have my answer.. Thanks for all the posts!
I used a new sauce for asparagus and it was good, mostly lemon and a couple different oils. Within thirty minutes my back was itchy, then my arms and it quickly spread all over. with little bumps. I took two Benedryl and hope my throat wouldn’t swell. A couple hours later it subsided. After rechecking the ingredients on the sauce packet the one I wasn’t familiar with was xanthan, the others were common that I have eaten. Xanthan had to be the cause. I tossed the asparagus and the sauce, and I will avoid this in the future. I still have marks on my back from scratching the hell out of it.
I am gluten intolerant. I started the gluten free diet about a year ago. It took me a while but I found out that when I ate anything with Xanthan gum in it, it caused me symptoms as bad as if I ate wheat. It caused severe stomach pain and a range of other symptoms.
Also, for anyone who has tested negative to the coeliac blood test, there is another test that can be indicative of gluten intolerance which most Doctors don’t seem to know about.
If you do the blood test for IgA and that is absent or barely detectable and you are deficient and if it is less than 50% and not associated with an infection, the risk of coeliac disease starts to rise. Low levels of IgA are indicative of coeliac disease. DGP (Deamidated Gliadin Peptide) IgA antibodies should be used to detect coeliac disease. I don’t think they have the correct comprehensive blood test for coeliac yet. But I do believe that the ‘coeliac’ test they have is faulty! So if you test negative, it doesn’t mean you aren’t allergic to wheat.
Hopefully that helps someone!
My friend made some bread using xanthum gum which tried yesterday and within minutes my stomach was so bloated. Had lots of foul gas and pain. This morning I have a really bad headache and dry mouth. I could drink a river dry.
Well I figured out tonight for sure that my gut doesn’t like xanthan gum! This is the second time I have included it in my baking, and it gives me tons of foul gas! Yuk!!! Not using it again that’s for sure! I will try the gelatin too.
I am gluten intolerance and I just make a cake mix as cookies. A few minutes after eating a little portion of a cookie I began gassing out, my stomach was bloating and felt stomach dis-adjustments. I searched for the bug ingredients and there was an unknown ingredient, the Xanthan-gum. This is a disappointing finding. Guys be careful with the titles: Organic-gluten-Free bugs. It is deceitful including a element that is known to be harmful to those with digestive problems.
This is exactly what it does to me. I only narrowed it down to xantham gum a month ago. Kept thinking I had been glutened without realising. I now avoid it like the plague but notice 90% of gluten free products contain it so now even more limited to what I can eat
I complained to my doctor about having gas and bloating which was uncomfortable and at times I had severe cramping. I was tested for celiac, and the test came back negative. So he suggested I go “wheat” free and I have been wheat free for about 1 yr. I recently started making my own bread and of course Xanthan gum is always in the ingredients. I also noticed all bread recipes have I different amounts of Xanthan gum. I recently had a severe reaction after making a loaf of bread using a new recipe. Now I understand why I have reactions to some “gluten free” products.
I have been using xanthan gum (NOW brand) for several months to thicken my smoothies. I love the end result but I have noticed that I am experiencing increasing measures of bloating. I am very uncomfortable with the bloating. My container of xanthan gum is about gone so I was about to re-order when it occurred to me that I should check to see if there are side effects to it. Wow…I came across this webpage and I think maybe I have found the cause of my bloating!! I thought it was food intolerance related but couldn’t figure out the cause. I will remove xanthan gum for a week or more and see what happens:)
Sometimes smoothies on their own can cause bloating…the stomach is used to the chewing of foods before it receives food. With a smoothie, there’s no “warning” to the stomach that something is coming it’s way. Try eating a few nuts with the smoothie and see if that helps.
u can add small amount coiled potato to yr smoothies to thicken them. if u can .. that is waht mcdonalds do so im told
Xanthan gum is an emulsifier. A recent study showed that other emulsifiers had a significant effect on colitis:
“Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome”
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v519/n7541/full/nature14232.html
The study was not done on xanthan gum specifically, but it makes me wonder if other emulsifiers like XG could have a significant effect on inflammatory bowel disease. Something for people with IBD to consider. As far as I know, no study has been done on XG and IBD. I would like to hear if anyone knows of any study in that area.
I am highly sensitive to gluten (2 week recovery), dairy (5 day recovery), and apparently also xanthan gum and guar gum. Thankfully once the “gums” are out of my system I feel fine again, but when I have even a little of it, I feel like I have sharp rocks in my intestines! Horribly, horribly constipated.
I recently discovered that just about every commercially available salad dressing has xanthan gum as an ingredient, and most coconut milk (with the exception of some imported varieties) contains guar gum. I’m learning, slowly…. Love the gelatin idea! 🙂
Dear Sarah, It was nice to see that I was not the only one that has suffered with horrible constipation. I have been gluten & dairy free for almost 4 years and was still having issues. I just found out about xanthan & guar gum and since I stopped having any of the gums 2 weeks ago and I am seeing a difference. I have gone through 9 surgeries in the past 5 years from all these severe sensitivities. I hope I have had my last.
I apparently have a strong allergy to xanthan gum, which gives me strong esophageal spasms (my esophagus strongly cramps). I’ve had this since I was a child and never knew what it was – by one day eliminating xanthan gum, poof all my pain went away. I am not allergic to gluten or really any other food that I am aware of. But if I eat anything with xanthan gum, I’m in pain fairly instantly for up to 10 hours. My chest often tightens too and I even can have trouble swallowing. My allergy seems to be very rare but just thought I’d mention it in case anyone else has this issue.
I have had spasms like that after I became intolerant to soy, sesame, any added vitamin B including Thiamin, Folic acid and anything related to that as well as gluten. Gluten also impacts on my digestive system overall. I tested negative to celiac disease. I also get massive migraines in response to red wine and oranges.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I am Mia’s mummy and since birth Mia has been very poorly – initial diagnosis was cow’s Milk Protein Allergy, non IgE, since then we’ve followed a number of exclusion diets and seen the best clinicians in the UK. Then I stubbled across a thought – when I made cupcakes with egg replacement and gluten free flour, my poor little girl would almost instantly go to the toilet and in such an awful way and completely loose her ‘bubbles’. What you’ve described as your symptoms are those I feared my baby, now toddler was experiencing.
I’m doing a stack of research and will now avoid Guar and Xanthan gum and i’m looking into rapeseed/canula oil, as well as a few E numbers (additives)
Would love any thoughts you can share
Hi Mias Mummy, I’m also from the U.K, at hospital as I type, our son is 14 now, has multiple food allergies and only just discovered, Guar guar gum is in pain relief…so please check ingredients of capol!! XG is also in medication such as antibiotics….
I am a healthy 72 year old female and was diagnosed August 2012 with chronic lymphocitic leukemia .
I have bee on a very strict alkeline diet and lifestyle change , doing well with an apparent chryoglobenimia
spending the winter in KeyLargo Florida living on my tiny sailboat: 24\7 fresh air and little stress if I can keep it away:) easier here then in Manhattan NYC!
I would like to use Xanthan Gum the thicken my hot almond milk cinnamon milk shakes made in the Nutri Bullet. Had a few evening drinks already since even in Florida we experience cooler than usual temperatures.
I am concerned about sugar forming (?) Qualities of Xanthan gum in the intestines/digestion?
Looking forward to share more great ways to make a somewhat restricted diet more pleasant because I will stay stable/functional=healthy inspite off the ,incurability of my health glitch!
Thank you all
Marlis Momber, photographer/captain
Dear Marlis,
Sounds wonderful – you are doing a great thing to take care of yourself in this way. We all deserve it and it’s the best thing for our health.
I would recommend you use real grass fed gelatin in your shake, and it gels up very very well when mixed in warm liquid. You don’t need to add much.
Unless you want to make a mousse out of it, which sometimes I do with my shakes – I will use my vanilla shake (metagenix, or mediclear), add cacao powder, a teaspoon of gelatin dissolved in warm water and blend for 30 seconds, and in one minute it gels into a chocolate mousse!
The gelatin is much healthier for you and does the job. Gelatin heals the stomach, is great for digestion, and therefore better for immunity.
Also, Marlis, please let us know how you’re doing with regard to your leukaemia diagnosis.
Wow! We really feel duped. My husband is an organic farmer and is very passionate about sharing his healthy eating habits with others. So, his customers at his market have been persistent about him launching a youtube channel to share his vegetable and whole food recipes and nutritional facts. Recently, he launched a Youtube channel – Mark Lui – EatLikeHippocrates and also has a Facebook page – Eatlikehippocrates. Because our niece suffers with stomach problems, her physician suggested she try a gluten-free diet. Her favorite breakfast is pancakes. This lead to my husband’s pursuit to create a high nutrient pancake recipe for her to include old grains like buckwheat, teff, sorghum, almond flours…. although a very small amount, he did include xanthan gum for texture. Because this ingredient is included in organic foods, we made the poor assumption this ingredient was safe. Whole Food stores and products we trusted are using this ingredient in many products!!!! To name a few…Bob’s Red Mill, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Vitacost.com…. We are pretty ticked!! We dumped our xanthan gum and our currently working to update this recipe.
I commend you and your husband for your efforts to grow food organically to help people live a healthier life through food. I currently use “Namaste pancake mix” to me it is the best tasting and contains no xanthan gum, guar gum nor any other of my allergens. It is the only one I’ve found that is both delicious and healthy for people like me. Perhaps your husband my figure out a recipe that is just as or more delicious then “Namaste”, when that day comes I look forward to giving it a taste. Cheers!!
Thank you Masao & Lisa B.!! We’ll look that up. We were planning to try a batch this weekend with arrowroot…and hadn’t heard about gelatin – thanks so much! We’ll give that a try too. The combination of the high-nutrient teff, sorghum, buckwheat & almond flour is actually quite nice. We try to maximize nutrients/calorie in recipes. If we can get the texture right with a substitute for xanthan gum, we’ll share the recipe on the Youtube channel and Facebook page: eatlikehippocrates! Once again, thank you both for your comments and suggestions : )
you’re welcome and clever name for a site! Do come back and let us all know how it turned out.
Lisa 🙂
I also avoid XG as I know that it is mostly GMO as it’s often derived from corn. I know that chia seeds are often replacement of XG if you grind it into power form. I don’t think you need any of it, and just mixing those wonderful gluten free flours can make great pancakes, but I thought I’d pass this info.
Try adding Gelatin!
I am completely grain free, and don’t tolerate all these gums and thickeners very well. I have played around with all the grain free recipes and found great success with adding 1-2 or even 3 tablespoons of gelatin (2 or 3 tablespoons for an almond flour pie crust for example, or a pan of cookie bars I made also with almond and hazelnut flour) and it turns out chewy and delicious but most importantly, DOES NOT have negative effects on the gut – in fact it has beneficial effects! So if she’s not on a vegan diet, try gelatin and no more worries 🙂 GOOD LUCK!
What conever sion would you use for gelatin in place of z
xanthan gun?
Maria, while i’ve never used xanthan gum in baking, I don’t know exactly the part for part replacement however, for a pan of 16 cookies, I used 3 tablespoons of gelatin. If i wanted to make a chocolate or berry mousse for 4 (2 cups of mousse) I would use 1 tablespoon of gelatin. This is very healthy for the stomach, great for healing the gut, great for feeling full as well, and don’t forget to use a grass fed source = you are getting a healthy product from a healthy animal.
I just use recipes that don’t call for xanthan gum. I add 1 packet gelatin per cup of oat flour.
I’ve never heard of using this substitute. I’ll have to try that, thanks!
Try Besan (Chickpea) flour pancakes. I make a simple version that look just like pancakes and taste only slightly different, but still really good. Though I haven’t tried these yet, here is one of the many recipes on the internet: https://twosaucysisters.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/the-best-pancakes-weve-ever-made/
Wow! It’s great to hear this. I’d love
xanthan gum free mixes.
I did some conversions, based upon the test cases mentioned above of 10-15 grams of xanthan gum daily.
I use xanthan gum in gluten free recipes, smoothies, and other recipes I use. I actually use about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp whenever I use it. Very little goes a LONG way.
That comes up to about 1.2 grams… 1/10th of what was used in these tests. And I don’t even use it daily. I’ve been very happy using xanthan. I buy in bulk from Winco in Salt Lake City. It is pretty pricey.. but I use about 1 cup per year, so it really is inexpensive per use.
I’m glad I read this article and did some further research and calculations. I won’t worry about my use. Thanks for posting this article.
Hi!
I’m very thankful for you to write this article! I believe in not using xanthan gum. I believe in creating recipes by using ingredients from your great grandmothers cupboards. I produce 3 products: Relish the Harvest gourmet products.
Please feel free to visit my website and share with your followers: http://www.relishtheharvest.com
I also posted your article on my Facebook page: Relish the Harvest
Thank you!
Jessica
thank you for this web page …after I have taken Genestra Cal Mag with xanthan gum and i have so much gas & bloating …ny tummy swells up like I am 9 months pregnant so this is obviously the cause … if I refrain from having the Cal Mag I am OK ..thanks for your help
I am 68 years old and am going to start following an eating regime in order to lose weight. I have some recipes that call for 1/4 tsp. of xanthan gum. After reading the testimonials on this, I am sure I need to go in a different direction. Is arrowroot a good substitute and how do I use it……1/4 tsp xanthan = how much arrowroot. I already have a tendency for bathroom issues and certainly don’t want to add to it. Since it is in almost everything, perhaps this has added to my issues.
I am 63 years young and have been chewing gum most of my life. This last year or so I have noticed ever time after I chew a piece of gum my stomach gets sour. I have now tried just about every brand and flavor of gum out there and they all seem to do the same. I also recently read another report that gum sales has been on a decline for the last 10 + years. I feel if the gum manufacturers go back to some of the old recipes they used to use, there sales would definitely increase and there would be a lot less sour stomachs.
Have you tried Xylitol gum? It tastes great and many books say it is good for teeth too. Just be sure to check the label as some do have guar/xantham gum. I bought it a week ago, I have not used it yet and I am unsure whether to use it myself. It is definitely challenging to eat gluten/wheat and soy free, especially when it comes to baking! Good luck.
Correction: I bought the xantham gum for baking a week ago*
Good evening Fred B. I think you are on the right track with going back to what was used to make chewing gum 60+ years past and some. . . I tell folks who are stifled with all of the ingredients that bite back when used in our foods, to go create your own version/substance. . Use bulk ingredients as God has made them; not man. If there is a will, there is a way. . Good hunting. . Who knows, you might start up a new-old gum that doesn’t chew U UP!!. . Carry on. . jpakdc