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Mailbag: Thickeners
10-Feb-2004

I've been low-carbing for quite a while now, and the thing I miss most is thick sauces. What are good low-carb thickening agents for sauces? I live overseas and don't have the new special low-carb products available.

Thanks for your help!

Cheryl

Dear Cheryl,

My favorite thickening agent is xanthan gum. Guar gum is also another all-natural product that works well. These are generally available in health food stores in the US, and can be ordered online from several sources, my favorite is Bob's Red Mill. I'm not sure if they ship internationally, though.

Xanthan can be a little tricky to work with; about 1/2 tsp will thicken 1-2 cups of liquid, depending on how thick you want it. It's best to sprinkle on a little at a time and whisk like mad to incorporate it, and to go slowly because it does take a little while for the thickness to "develop".

Other options are, of course, butter and cream, these work well for reduced sauces! Another ingredient not seen to often in the US but that is slightly lower in carbs than cornstarch is arrowroot flour. I don't have too much experience with it, but I seem to remember that you use less of it than you would cornstarch, for the same thickening effect. Arrowroot also is transparent in liquids, and doesn't leave them cloudy the way flour does.

This would be a great topic for a column!

Thanks for writing, and I hope this helps.

Regards,
Joan