Category: Thickeners

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), red seaweeds, the source of carrageenan, have been used for food since the 15th century. Today, carrageenan is a common food additive used as a thickener, but it can appear under a variety of other names on product labels. Knowing these alternative names is key to understanding the ingredients in your food.

While it may seem like a simple substitution, guar gum has up to eight times the thickening power of cornstarch, making a one-to-one replacement of flour impossible. You can use guar gum instead of flour, but only in tiny, precise amounts, and for different functions entirely. Guar gum acts as a potent binder and thickener, whereas flour serves as a primary ingredient for structure and bulk.

Extracted from red seaweed for centuries, thickener 407—or carrageenan—is a natural hydrocolloid used to thicken, stabilize, and emulsify a vast array of food and personal care products. It is a versatile ingredient that interacts with proteins to improve texture and consistency.

Over 80% of the world's guar gum is produced in India, yet this versatile ingredient is known by many different names and codes globally. This guide explores the various monikers for guar gum, detailing its botanical origins, common industrial aliases, and food additive identifiers to provide a comprehensive understanding.

Guar gum can absorb up to 10 times its weight in water, a remarkable property that makes it an efficient thickener and stabilizer. This leads to the central question: **is guar gum soluble in water**? The simple answer is yes, but understanding the precise mechanics of its hydration is crucial for achieving optimal results in various applications.

While 100 grams of arrowroot flour contains approximately 85 grams of net carbs, it can be used in small, controlled amounts for a keto diet. This starchy powder, often used as a thickener, is technically ok for keto if portion sizes are carefully managed to avoid exceeding your daily carbohydrate limits.

While cornstarch is a common and effective thickening agent, it is very high in carbohydrates and completely unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. Fortunately, there are several excellent keto-friendly thickeners available, and understanding which keto version of cornstarch to use for different applications is key to success.

While both xanthan gum and CMC are common food additives used as thickeners and stabilizers, they are fundamentally different in their origin and properties. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide derived from bacterial fermentation, whereas CMC is a chemically modified plant cellulose. This distinction results in different behaviors when used in food products, cosmetics, and other industrial applications.