arrowroot and Xantham Gum

[aylaelise]

What do you know about Arrowroot Powder and Xantham Gum. I know I was using it when we were Gluten Free. I would like to know more about why people use them

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I use arrowroot regularly in place of cornstarch or other thickeners in order to avoid the processed nature of cornstarch. I like how it doesn't affect the taste as much either.

I have Xantam Gum in my cupboard for a cookie recipe I have that calls for it. All I know is it helps things hold together the way gluten would if the recipe had gluten.

[kjbrown92]

I personally don't like the taste of arrowroot starch (it tastes "sharp" to me). But it works like cornstarch but cornstarch is probably cheaper since corn is subsidized by the government, so it's used more. Xanthan gum is also a corn product, so used more than guar gum (which is a legume), but both of them are commonly used to replace the "glue" in gluten. I haven't seen a recipe that calls for xanthan gum that isn't gluten free.