Thickeners are substances added to food to improve its consistency. Most of them are harmless to our health, but among the thickeners used in the food industry, some, when consumed in larger quantities over a long period, can cause many diseases. It is therefore worth knowing something about the thickeners we find on the labels of the most popular products and those we add to food ourselves – especially since natural, healthy alternatives are available in health food stores.
What are thickeners?
Thickeners are macromolecular compounds, swelling (gelling) substances in water, which, when dissolved, produce viscous and sticky solutions. Their main task is to ensure the appropriate consistency of food products. Although a large part of thickeners are neutral for our health, it should not be forgotten that some of them have an adverse effect on our body.
Where are thickeners used?
Thickeners are mainly used in the food industry for the production of jellies, preserves, marmalades and jams, artificial honey, puddings, creams, sorbets and ice creams, jellies, candies, marshmallows, lollipops, margarines, yogurts, sour cream, mayonnaise, sandwich sauces, ketchups and many others. Thickeners are also used in printing for the preparation of printing inks, as well as in the cosmetic industry.
Let's also remember that we also use them in daily cooking – for instance, when preparing desserts, ice cream, sauces, fruit preserves, etc. It is therefore worth knowing which of the thickeners available on the market are natural.
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Types of thickeners
Food additives from this group (thickeners) are assigned E 400-499 symbols by the European Union. There are currently sixty-nine emulsifiers and thickeners approved for use in Europe. Thickeners can be divided into two main groups, namely natural and chemical.
Natural ones (and thus those that we can use in the kitchen without fear for our health) include substances such as:
- starch
- gelatine
- guar gum
- Agar-Agar
- agave inulin
- millet flour
- rice flour
- almond flour
- arrowroot
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Chemical ones (i.e., those to be avoided) include, for example:
- xanthan gum
- diphosphates
- triphosphates
- polyphosphates
- mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids esterified with acetic (lactic) acid
Agar-Agar and arrowroot – some of the best thickeners
Agar-agar is a thickener that is becoming increasingly popular and widely available in our stores. On the packaging of some products, it is hidden under the symbol E-406. Agar-Agar is a natural and healthy thickener and stabilizer, produced by seaweed and naturally occurring marine algae from the Gelidiaceae Gracilariaceae families.
Its use is very similar to gelatine, but it is safer for health. As a plant-based product, Agar-Agar is an ideal solution for vegans and vegetarians – to which it owes a large part of its popularity. This thickener is completely natural, ecological, and has no taste or smell, thanks to which it does not change the taste of the dishes to which it is added. If you don't know what to thicken soup with, know that agar-agar is also suitable for this. Agar-Agar is most often used to prepare fruit jellies, jams and preserves, creams and sorbets. Based on Agar and milk, you can make yogurts, kefirs, puddings or ice cream.
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) has also gained immense popularity among thickeners, as it also does not change the taste or smell of dishes, and perfectly thickens cakes, ice cream, sauces, and, for example, soups. Moreover, it is an excellent gluten-free flour and is therefore so eagerly chosen – not only by people struggling with celiac disease, allergies, or gluten hypersensitivity.
Thickeners play an important role in our daily diet. Therefore, it is worth choosing those that are natural in origin. After all, the health of ourselves and our loved ones is at stake. We invite you to our store, where you will find many natural, healthy thickeners.
See also other posts:
3 things you should know about guar gum
Arrowroot - where can it be used?
3 best recipes using agar agar
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