Xanthan Gum
4.9
5
6
7
So far, so good.
NOW is a good brand. good quality & reasonable prices. I've never used X gum before. So far, I've used it to make vinegarette salad dressing & it turned out fine. It takes very, very little, and you need to sprinkle it in & beat it well. I took one star because some general directions as to how much to use would be nice (it says how many servings per container, but does not give any approximate amounts to use for a particular application). Not a deal-breaker, though.
April 22, 2013
Great Value for Bread Makers!
When I first began making bread I thought there was no way I'd go through this jar very fast, but now we are loving the gluten free breads and pizza's so much that next order I will get the large jar of Xanthan gum!
March 27, 2013
a must have
I use this for many things ... from making topical applications to thickening up gravy or freezer jam, to suspending ingredients in liquid, as a fake quick-acting pseudo-emulsifier, to adding smoothness and body. It takes such an infinitesimal amount so one bottle lasts a long long time (I go through a bottle every 2 years or so).
Because it's amazing ability to absorb water it's advisable to first mix it with another dry product that easily dissolves, like sugar or salt ... alternatively, when you don't want to effect the taste you can add it to a bit of oil, then stir that result into the liquid ... this is generally how I get it to easily incorporate into say something like gravy that is too thin. Like with all thickeners, it should not be the primary thickener (or the texture will be weird). Rather use it as a supplemental thickener.
Note that saccharides (like table sugar) will give it more rigidness (thicker).
July 23, 2012
Great for Low Carbers
Takes the place of corn starch and flour when you thicken pudding and gravies. For those on a low carb diet it is a miracle and an asset to any kitchen. Swanson always has the lowest price available for Xanthan Gum as well. Great Product and a regular staple in our kitchen.
March 14, 2012
Great Price
Because I am trying to cook with gluten free products, many of the recipes call for xanthan gum.
This is a quality product for a great price!
January 6, 2012
Xanthan gum is incredibly useful in cooking
People are scared off by the weird name, but this is just a soluble fiber that holds a lot of water and so thickens things up. Xanthan is the only common gum that has a "shear thinning" property, so that it essentially gels up when not being stirred, but then is liquid enough to pour and to release flavor in your mouth when it is agitated. Guar gum and other food gums just thicken and so they make things seem slimy.
Soup too thin? Want an oil and vinegar salad dressing that doesn't separate? Want the poppy seeds to not settle out of that dressing? Want your homemade ice cream to be smoother? Xanthan gum does it all.
It is incredibly potent, essentially flavorless, and provides a little fiber.
I only docked it one star on convenience because it can clump up when you add it to liquid, and there are xanthan gums (hard to find, though) that don't clump up as much. To prevent the clumping, just pre-mix with another dry ingredient.
June 6, 2011
