Is Xanthan Gum Vegan?

Answer: The broadly accepted answer is that xanthan gum is typically vegan. It’s the resulting product when a special kind of bacteria is introduced to fermented sugars.

But let’s learn a bit more: Xanthan gum is a kind of mysterious ingredient. We’re covering some major questions in the vegan community below…

Source: Walmart.com

As with many aspects of the vegan lifestyle, there are always caveats. With Xanthan gum, the fermentation process can in some cases incorporate dairy products.

That said, companies tend to opt for non-animal ingredients whenever possible (like corn) as they’re often cheaper and easier to access.

Here’s a video that explains more details on how it’s made…

Why Would You Use Xanthan Gum?

We typically use xanthan gum to thicken our soups, sauces and desserts.For gluten-free diets, xanthan gum is a convenient binding ingredient in baked goods.

Here are some common foods made with xanthan gum:

• Salad dressings
• Breads
• Creamy sauces
• Cakes
• Puddings

For vegan foods, xanthan gum can easily mimic the density and creaminess of dairy and eggs.

What Can You Substitute for Xanthan Gum?

If you’re not sure about a xanthan gum product and you’d prefer to swap it for something else, you’ll have no trouble, as long as you pick the right tools for the job.

To thicken sauces and liquidy desserts, try using plain old all-purpose flour or tapioca starch if you’re gluten-free.Salad dressings are a little bit trickier.For these, try guar gum instead, but go easy as it can alter the texture in higher amounts.

Baking also takes some strategic analysis of what you’re making.You can usually trade the xanthan gum for psyllium fiber, chia seeds and agar powder, though each has its particular strengths that translate well to breads, cakes or cookies.

The Bottom Line

Xanthan gum is a versatile pantry ingredient for vegan and gluten-free cooking and baking.While there’s a chance it could be derived from animal-based products, it’s far more common to encounter plant-sourced xanthan gum in the grocery store.

Bottom line: If you want to be really sure, do some research online or contact a xanthan gum manufacturer directly to get details on ingredients, but there probably isn’t much of a reason to.

Joey Bruno

Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!