• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sparkles in the Everyday!
  • Home
  • Top Recipes!
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Everyday Recipes!
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Gardening
  • Sustainability
  • Wellbeing
  • About
    • Contact, Terms and Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Top Recipes!
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Everyday Recipes!
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Gardening
  • Sustainability
  • Wellbeing
  • About
    • Contact, Terms and Privacy Policy
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Top Recipes!
      • Gluten-Free Recipes
      • Everyday Recipes!
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Gardening
    • Sustainability
    • Wellbeing
    • About
      • Contact, Terms and Privacy Policy
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Gluten-Free Recipes

    What are Gluten Free Starches and Gums?

    This blog generates income via ads and this post may contain affiliate links · This blog uses cookies,. For more information see our Contact, Terms and Privacy Policy.

    So what are Gluten Free Starches and Gums and how do they help in gluten free cooking?

    This is part 2, in a 3 part series all about Gluten Free Flours, Starches, Gums and DIY Gluten Free Flour Mixes.

    Arrowroot, Tapioca and Potato Starch - Gluten Free Starches and Gums

    3 Part Gluten Free Ingredient Series

    DIY Gluten Free Flours!Arrowroot, Tapioca and Potato Starch for gluten free cookingGluten Free Flour Mixes

    Part 1 - Best Gluten Free Flours 

    Part 2 - Gluten Free Starches and Gums (You are here)

    Part 3 - DIY Gluten Free Flour Mixes 


    Gluten Free Starches and Gums

    What are Gluten Free Starches? 

    Good question.... 😉

    Arrowroot starch - Gluten Free Starches and Gums

    Gluten Free Starches are essential in gluten free baking - if you want to have similar results to gluten-filled baking.

    Different starches perform differently in baking and here are three common starches and how to use them.

    If you want to make your own gluten free flour mix - having one of these starches included in the mix will make all the difference to your cooking and baking.

    Arrowroot Starch

    How is it made? - Made from root stalk of the tropical plant Maranta arundinacea  and it is dried and ground (it looks a bit like talcum powder).

    Taste, Texture and Nutrition - It can be used as a starch and a light flour and has Vitamin B, iron and potassium.

    Can it be substituted for wheat flour? - It is best used when mixed with another flour when baking and you want a less dense baking and a more springy texture. Can be substituted for corn starch. 

    Useful tips - Great for thickening soups, sauces, puddings and pie fillings. Great for people who are allergic to corn. It is also great for making food appear glossy when made as a clear glaze.

    Tapioca Flour/Starch

    How is it made? - Tapioca Flour/starch is made from boiling the root of the Cassava plant and then dried and ground into a fine texture.

    Taste, Texture and Nutrition - It is a light flour and a mild flavour and used as a thickening agent.

    Can it be substituted for wheat flour? - Does not substitute for wheat flour but is best used in a mix with other flours.

    Useful tips - It is similar to arrowroot and can be used as a thickener and has a slightly sweeter flavour than arrowroot. It is great to use to make golden crust with a lighter texture (in breads and muffins). 

    *Hint - Arrowroot and Tapioca are best mixed with cold water before adding it to the hot mixture to thicken.

    Potato Starch

    (not potato flour) 

    How is it made? - It is made only from the from the starch proteins of the potato.

    Taste, Texture and Nutrition - It has a mild flavour.

    Can it be substituted for wheat flour? - Does not substitute for wheat flour. It is best used with other flours.

    Useful tips - It gives a light texture flavour to bread, muffins and quick breads and gluten free cookies and keeps baked goods moist and fresh.

    Corn Meal - Gluten Free Flours

    I have also included Cornflour here as it depends on how it is processed.

    Cornmeal, Corn Flour and Corn Starch

    How is it made? - Ground corn kernels or maize. It is very common because it is very versatile.

    • Cornmeal - ground to a courser texture (in some places called Polenta)It has a strong corn flavour and is high in fibre.
    • Corn Flour  - ground to a much finer texture than corn meal. 
    • Corn Starch - is the white powdered starch from corn grain.

    Useful tips -Corn Meal is best used for cornbread, tortillas, porridge and breading. Corn flour is great for making batters for frying. Corn starch is best used to thicken sauces.


    What are Gluten Free Thickeners and Emulsifiers?

    ...commonly known as 'Gums'.

    Gluten Free Starches and Gums for Gluten Free Cooking and Baking

    2 of the most talked about Gums are Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum.

    These types of 'gums'  help to keep your mixes, mixed and give more of that 'gluten' stretch - without the gluten!

    Xanthan Gum 

    • How is it made? -Helps make baked goods bind together and it s made by a fermentation process of glucose, sucrose or lactose

    • Useful tips - Helps make baked goods bind together. This is better for baked goods and yeasted breads

    Guar Gum

    • How is it made?  - made from Guar plant seeds (bean-like legume plant) and ground into a fine powder.
    • Useful tips - it is usually cheaper than Xanthan gum and is best for cold foods and pastry fillings.

    (Gluten Free Starches and Gums (mostly gums) have been know to cause upset tummies in some people - please research a little more if you think this may affect you.)

    This is not an exhaustive list but a great place to start!

    Now click across to part 3 - DIY Gluten Free Flour Mixes

    Gluten Free Flour Mixes including Gluten Free Starches and Gums

    or to part 1 - All the tips to Gluten Free Flours!

    DIY Gluten Free Flours!

    Enjoy

    🙂

    Follow Sparkles In The Everyday on Pinterest

    Pinterest imageYou can save this this information to your Pinterest page, for when you need to know all about gluten free flours and are ready to do some cooking!!  ?

    Simply hover over an image and the Pinterest sign will come up, so you are able to click on it to save it to your Pinterest board.

    You can follow along for other great recipes and lots more by following the Sparkles In The Everyday Pinterest Board.

    More Gluten-Free Recipes

    • Best Homemade Guacamole with a Twist!
    • Healthy Breakfast Parfait with Toasted Almonds
    • Easy Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Piccata
    • Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Trending Recipes

    • The Best Gluten-Free Banana Cake Ever!!
    • Fluffy Gluten Free Lemon and Yoghurt Muffins!
    • Gluten Free Bread made in a Bread Machine!
    • Australian Anzac Biscuits (Gluten-Free option too)
    • Easy Gluten-Free Naan Bread!
    • Easy Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pizza Base!
    • Gluten-Free, No-Bake Toblerone Cheesecake!
    • Silky Baked Apricot Ricotta Cheesecake! (gluten free too!!)

    WELCOME!

    Hi! I'm Barb and this is where I share the simple 'sparkles' of everyday life.

    Often it is the little things that make an ordinary day - great!

    Delicious everyday meals, gluten-free recipes, home cooking, easy crafts, DIY home ideas, lifestyle tips, wellness, inspiration, and lots more!
    Welcome!!  😀

    More about me →

    • Everyday Recipes!
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Wellbeing
    • Home Ideas

    Recent Post

    • East tomato and lentil curry gluten-free
      Easy Tomato and Lentil Curry - Gluten-Free, Vegan!

    Wellness

    • Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful!
    • 6 Easy Ways to Be a Little More Confident!
    • Little Ways To Make Everyday More Awesome!
    • Easy Ways To Boost Your Mood in the Working Week!

    Follow Along

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
    • Twitter

    Subscribe!

    Contact

                        Email : sparklesintheeveryday@gmail.com

    Reader's Popular Posts

    • The Best Gluten Free Banana Cake Ever!! The Best Gluten-Free Banana Cake Ever!!
    • Gluten Free Bread in a Bread Machine Gluten Free Bread made in a Bread Machine!
    • Gluten Free Old Fashioned Tomato Relish Old Fashioned Tomato Relish! (GF)
    • Fluffy Gluten Free Lemon and Yoghurt Muffins!
    • How to cook Chicken Mignon The Tips To Cooking Delicious Chicken Mignons!
    • Really Easy Pumpkin and Potato Bake! Really Easy Pumpkin and Potato Bake!
    • Curried Minced Chicken - GF Everyday Meals - Curried Minced Chicken
    • Oven Baked Bacon and Tomato Risotto Gluten Free Easy Oven-Baked Bacon and Tomato Risotto! (GF)
    • Easy Gluten Free Lemon Cake!! Gluten Free Easy Lemon Cake!!
    • Easy Gluten-Free Toblerone Cheesecake recipe Gluten-Free, No-Bake Toblerone Cheesecake!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Follow Along

    • Follow along with Facebook, Instagram, 

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2014-2022 Sparkles In The Everyday