Xanthan gum vs Guar gum: what is the difference?
Guar gum is milled from the guar bean and thickens cold liquids cheaply, while xanthan gum is made by bacteria and holds up to heat, acid and salt.
No single structure
No single structure
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- No single structureinferredMoleculeFinder curatedA large molecule or a mixture with no single structure to draw.
Side by side
| Xanthan gum | Guar gum | |
|---|---|---|
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
| Not on our lists |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Polysaccharides | Polysaccharides |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Food & flavor | Food & flavor |
Sources and notes
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
In more detail
Both are thickeners used in gluten-free baking, sauces and ice cream, and they come from different places. Guar gum is milled from the guar bean, a galactomannan, and it thickens cold liquids cheaply and very effectively. Xanthan gum is made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, and it produces a more stable gel that tolerates heat, acid and salt where guar gum thins out. Xanthan also gives the stringy, elastic quality that mimics gluten, which is why gluten-free bread recipes call for it specifically. Guar gum is roughly the cheaper of the two and is more likely to cause digestive upset in quantity. They are often used together because each covers the other's weakness.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Xanthan gum and Guar gum?
- Guar gum is milled from the guar bean and thickens cold liquids cheaply, while xanthan gum is made by bacteria and holds up to heat, acid and salt.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.