All About Gums (Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Muffins)

4.50 from 2 votes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley that creates an autoimmune reaction that mimics sandpaper in the gut of celiacs and gluten-intolerant folks. I know, not such a pretty picture but that is how it is.  Over time the damage diminishes the ability to absorb nutrients from our foods and that is when these folks tend to end up in my office for treatment.

When Andrew asked me to guest post again for October Unprocessed, I wondered about a topic.  After all, I write about gluten-free living, some of the most unprocessed cooking of all.  It is naturally unprocessed in so many ways with simple foods, direct from the fields and trees of my neighborhood. Fruits, vegetables, plain meats are all naturally gluten-free.  For my family, eating only gets problematic when the ingredient count rises.

Then the lightbulb went on.

Gums!

No, not Wrigley’s and Trident.

Guar, Xanthan, and methylcellulose.  One of these is included in almost every gluten-free processed food, but why?  Can we eliminate them?  Should we?

Follow along on this little tutorial.

Why?

The easiest answer is that something has to hold those recalcitrant flyaway grains of starch and flour together to mimic the protein structure of gluten. After all, even gluten-free folks want to have tender bread and flaky pie crust. We need something to stand in for the protein and hold it all together.

The wonderful folks in the processed food worlds chose guar gum, xanthan gum and methylcellulose as the best candidates.

What is guar gum?  This one is simple: Guar gum comes from guar beans. They are dried, hulled and ground to a fine powder.

What is xanthan gum?  Far more complex, xanthan gum is a compound made from mixing fermented sugars with bacteria, then precipitated with isopropyl alcohol. No home cook could produce their own, so I would put this in the “processed” category.

Methylcellulose? is synthetically produced by heating cellulose with a caustic solution (e.g. a solution of sodium hydroxide) and treating it with methyl chloride.

Taking wood pulp and treating it with lye and a poisonous gas to create a food additive? Only in the world of Frankenfoods does this make sense — not in my kitchen, thank you.  Watch your packaging for this one, it is ubiquitous in shampoos, toothpastes, and foods like ice cream simply because it works and is fairly inexpensive.

Vegan supplement capsules can also be made from this.

Why would we want to use them in food production?

Gluten is a protein that forms an elastic web that holds air bubbles in place, allowing for rise. There needs to be something similar in gluten-free baking to create bonds between flour and starch molecules.

These products are all powders that are fairly easy to handle in commercial applications, and very predictable in their actions.

All will allow for an increase in dough yield, and improve shelf life. Manufacturers are just reacting to the demand for shelf-stable products.

Are there any side effects to using them?

Yup, check out the table for each one’s special situation.  If you have a tender stomach, feel free to just glide on by and know that all of them speed the movement of food through the digestive tract. That increase in speed prevents adequate absorption of nutrients.

Interactions

Guar

Xanthan

Methylcellulose

Gas Frequently occurs Frequently occurs Frequently occurs
Nausea Possible even in small doses Possible even in small doses Possible even in small doses
Blood Sugar Can reduce blood sugar levels No known effect No known effect
Cholesterol Can reduce if used in large doses 15 grams per day No known effect No known effect
Diarrhea Frequently occurs with doses above 10 grams per day Frequently occurs with doses above 10 grams per day Citrucel is methylcellulose
Hormonal Can diminish absorption of estrogens No known effect No known effect
Medication interactions Can effect absorption of diabetes drugs, penicillin and Digoxin in doses higher than 10 grams per day Used in creation of time released medications. Creates the slip-and-slide needed in KY Jelly and artificial tears.
Food Allergy Depending on how it is grown, highly allergic people can react to the growth medium of xanthan.

Any other things we can use that might be whole foods?

Using the right combination of flours allows for elimination of gums in gluten-free baking. I’ve found that the higher the fiber content of the flour, the less need for gums.  Go here to see which flours have the best fiber content.

When I need to get a recipe to have a longer rise time, hold the air bubbles more effectively, or need a bit of flakiness, I reach for raw buckwheat flour.

Buckwheat Groats

This amazing, triangular, gluten-free grain is my go-to solution for creating the structure in my breads. I am very grateful that Buckwheat is one of the few commercially grown grain crops that doesn’t use pesticides and herbicides.

But it has to be RAW — green groats. Grind them just before you need to bake, for the freshest possible flour. I have a coffee grinder I keep for this purpose.  Believe me the investment is worth it.

It doesn’t take much to create the viscosity needed.  Replacing just 20-30 grams (2-3 tablespoons) of raw buckwheat flour in a batch of muffins will allow them to spring up tall and tender in the oven.

If you attempt to substitute roasted buckwheat flour, there will be no structure to your baked good.  Imagine focaccia instead of bread, pancakes instead of cake.  Use the raw groats and grind your own.

Raw Buckwheat Flour

Should We?

There is one caution about using Buckwheat in place of highly processed gums.

About 1% of the world has an IgE reaction to Buckwheat, meaning they are allergic. So before you transition all of your recipes to this, just try one out and watch for any changes.

Here is one of my favorite recipes that shows off this property of raw buckwheat flour. Enjoy!

Making Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

Raw Buckwheat Flour
4.50 from 2 votes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

By: Dr. Jean Layton
Egg-free, can be made vegan. Makes 8 muffins. Perfect gluten free option for enjoying the fall season.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 muffins

Ingredients 

Dry Mixture

  • 1/2 cup raw Buckwheat Flour, freshly ground
  • 1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
  • 1/4 cup Potato Starch, not potato flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Other Ingredients

  • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree, fresh or canned
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 3 Tbs. melted Butter or Oil
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Milk, cow, soy, rice, or hemp

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Stir dry ingredients together until one color.
  • Add other ingredients, and mix together.
  • Place batter into well-greased muffin tin.
  • Bake 25-28 minutes, or until well-browned
  • Allow to cool before eating.

Notes

The 1/3 cup amount of honey makes a lovely, lightly sweetened breakfast muffin. You can increase it to 1/2 cup if you like more highly sweetened ones.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 59mg, Potassium: 294mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 4920IU, Vitamin C: 1.7mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1.4mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About the Author

gluten-free-baking-for-dummiesDr. Jean Layton, is the Gluten-Free Doctor. Her background as a chef in New York combines with her medical knowledge to teach her patients how to thrive gluten-free.

As co-author of Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies, she simplifies the challenges of baking in a whole new way.

Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Plus.

A photo of Andrew Wilder leaning into the frame and smiling, hovering over mixing bowls in the kitchen.

Welcome to Eating Rules!

Hi! My name is Andrew Wilder, and I think healthy eating doesn’t have to suck. With just three simple eating rules, we'll kickstart your journey into the delicious and vibrant world of unprocessed food.

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33 Comments
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Heidi W
November 7, 2011 5:44 am

I just found your blog and love it. Thanks for this Great article on gums. I’m new to gluten free eating and was just considering xanthan gum as an ingredient to buy for a gluten free pumpkin muffin recipe. But now I’ll stick to my skepticism and pass. Thanks for the great info.

Also, I read your comment on chia seeds. My friend is just beginning to market a gluten free breakfast bar (or energy bar or meal replacement) that is made with chia seeds. http://www.jutibar.com

Admin
Reply to  Heidi W
November 9, 2011 1:33 pm

Hi Heidi,

Thanks for your comment. Skepticism is, sadly, the best way to go with most foods that come with labels these days.

Thanks for mentioning Juti Bars. I actually spent awhile on the phone today with Matt, chatting about them. He’s sending me some samples – can’t wait to try ’em! 🙂

Best,
Andrew

Sherry
October 18, 2011 6:19 pm

I appreciate the information…do guar and xanthan gums work the same in GF foods?

Jean Layton
Reply to  Sherry
October 22, 2011 10:59 am

Hi Sherry,
The two gums have slightly different properties in gluten-free baking. I find guar works better to hold the larger grind flours together and xanthan for the starchier flours.

Jean Layton
October 16, 2011 8:00 am

I appreciate all the shares, thank you so much

October 15, 2011 4:14 pm

Fantastic post Jean. I’ve forwarded it to g-free friends already. Such good information. I’ve been wondering about gums.

Anti Gum
October 15, 2011 1:37 pm

I just found this article today, and it is so informative. I had just taken more symethicone today (300 miligrams)for the oncoming attack of gas. Guar gum guar gum guar gum, it is in every grocery item. I try to avoid buying food items with it, but the list of guar gumless food is so short. Guar gum makes me have horrible aggressive gas that goes on for hours, if I don’t drink down symethicones, which are one of those pharmeceuticals which harm your innards, if you take too much. I think al the over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals are like that. And worseley, it makes me sleepy, and I am naturally a low energy person to begin with. What a nightmare my life is.

October 13, 2011 4:47 pm

Great post, Jean!

Ginny Matheson
October 13, 2011 1:02 pm

Thanks for the information. I’m just starting to consider options away from processed food, and have lost 34 pounds at Weight Watchers. They don’t mention too much regarding unprocessed foods, especially since they sell these products, themselves.

Beth Groble
Reply to  Ginny Matheson
October 21, 2020 7:20 am

My daughter and I joined WW for a while. I quit after they started encouraging purchases of their “processed foods” vs fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. It just didn’t seem like a healthy diet after-all.

October 13, 2011 7:46 am

This is a great post! Thanks for this useful information. I didn’t know you could use raw buckwheat as a binder. Also, have you ever baked with chia seed? I’ve read that it is also a good binder, but I don’t have any experience with it, myself. I’m not really a fan of gums.

Jean Layton
Reply to  Heather Jacobsen
October 22, 2011 11:01 am

Hi Heather,
I am experimenting with Chia seeds again. I tried them a long time ago when I got a sample of Salba seeds in Canada.
They have a distinctive flavor to me, kind of deep and a bit musty. So far I haven’t found a good use but you never know.

October 12, 2011 10:59 am

Excellent review, thanks!

Amber K Lee
October 12, 2011 7:53 am

This article is so timely. Last night I went to a local market and saw that Bob’s Red Mill was selling packaged guar gum and xanthan gum. I was very confused. I wanted to know if it was something good for me to purchase or eat if I saw it on a package of food. This article seems to clear that up. So, thank you again for this post.

Jean Layton
Reply to  Amber K Lee
October 12, 2011 11:44 am

Hi Amber,
Funny isn’t it, those gums are in almost every gluten free food. They don’t have to be, but lots of people feel that without the gum, their baked goods will have no structure.
I hope you get to try the muffins.
Dr. Jean

Reply to  Jean Layton
December 31, 2019 11:10 pm

I am puzzled about the source and contents of these gums, etc. Do we know what they consist of? “Back in the day” when Cool Whip became available to us, I had a friend who worked for the company who made it. He was appalled with the ingredients, namely xanthan gum, and said he would never eat Cool Whip. These things are considered “safe” but are they good or us. I am old enough to remember when cake mixes first came on the scene. Oh, the convenience is great, but all those chemicals I don’t believe are. I will NOT use one.

Reply to  Amber K Lee
February 10, 2012 6:26 pm

In my raceersh, I did find that unflavored gelatin was a great alternative, although not necessarily for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet.

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