- Cream of Tartar is Gluten Free
- It does not contain any grain
- Cream of Tartar is suitable for vegetarians/vegans
- Sometimes the food it is in may not be gluten-free
Is cream of tartar gluten free? Not a lot of people actually know about this food, and those who do, don’t really eat it anyway. So what is Tartar or cream of tartar anyway and does it contain gluten or not? Keep reading below for all this information and much more.
The world has become more and more conscious of its food habit. We are adapting to new cultures, traditions and getting introduced to a lot of new things. People having celiac disease or otherwise sensitive to gluten have a hard time adjusting to some meals. Now, we want to find out if the cream of tartar is gluten-free.
Trust us when we say we understand the pain of consuming gluten accidentally when it does not suit you. Although some people are naturally drawn towards a gluten free diet (without sensitivity), others suffer a lot. And then comes the vegans!
So, is the cream of tartar gluten free? Let’s find out…
Is Cream of Tartar Gluten Free – What is Cream of Tartar?
So, what is cream of tartar? Is it some cream you use on a cake or to prepare food? Or is it something else? For one thing, cream of tartar is not a very popular thing unless you are really into cooking.
It has many usages. But the primary reason behind using Cream of Tartar is to stabilize the egg when you are battering it.
Now, back to what cream of tartar is. Cream of tartar is not at all any creamy substance as it’s said in the name. Instead, it is just the opposite. Instead of cream, it is a powder that you use in cooking.
It is an acidic, dry powder that is a byproduct of winemaking. It comes from the grape juice during the fermentation process.
During this process, the cream of tartar crystallizes into the wine cask from where manufacturers collect it. Since it is a byproduct of winemaking, the cream of tartar has a scientific name. It is known as Potassium hydrogen tartrate or Potassium bitartrate.
Cream of tartar has a pH level of 5- hence acidic. So, that was the chemistry part of the cream of tartar. And from it, you can see that cream of tartar does not contain any grain element. Therefore, it is gluten free.
But, what do we use cream of tartar for? Cream of tartar, as said earlier, is not something very much famous. But, if you are really into baking, you may know its appliances.
The cream of tartar is used to stabilize meringues. It also prevents the crystallization of sugar and is also used for thickening or as an anti-caking agent.
You can also use it in baking powder for leavening. It works as an acid and activates baking soda. And that’s how it can do just magic in your food preparations.
But you will be glad to know that cream of tartar also has some non-food usages. Yes, cream of tartar is an all-rounder. You can use it for cleaning metals and rust. So, whether you want a gluten-free cleaning byproduct, or use it for food, the cream of tartar is a fine choice,
Is Cream of Tartar Gluten Free?
Is cream of tartar gluten free? Well, most of you will want a yes to this answer. And as mentioned earlier, it is a YES! Cream of tartar is gluten free.
But there is always a twist to it. Let’s dive deeper into the topic to know more about how safe is cream of tartar for people having celiac disease or sensitivity to gluten.
For one thing, the cream of tartar does not contain gluten elements. It is a byproduct of winemaking coming from the grape juice during the fermentation process. During this process, it crystallizes into the wine cask from where manufacturers collect it.
So, it is the whole process of production of cream of tartar. Now, as you could see, nowhere in this process any gluten elements were used. Well, let’s take a turn here.
Let’s first understand all this fuss about gluten. Why is it so bad? If you are someone who has recently found out about gluten or has discovered that you are sensitive to it, you may have so many questions, right?
Gluten is the name for all protein complexes, especially prolamins and glutelins. You can find these in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes even in oats. These substances are toxic to many people’s digestive systems. It can create a lot of discomfort in your stomach and lead to further complexities.
But if you are just sensitive to gluten, you will survive this much discomfort. Things get complicated when people have celiac disease. Consuming gluten elements can cause severe damage to the small intestine of people having the disease. It can even land you in the hospital.
Therefore, people having this disease should always watch what they are eating. Anything containing gluten elements, such as rye, wheat, or barley, should always be avoided under such circumstances. It is better than checking the label of a food item whenever you buy one.
So, bringing a conclusion to this, it can be fairly said that the fuss about gluten is serious, especially when death is related.
Now, if that is true, and cream of tartar is gluten free, what is the point of discussing all these? Well, for one thing, just because it is gluten free does not mean the food will also be the same.
After all, you are not directly consuming cream of tartar. Instead, you use this to process several food items. For example, you use it in stabilizing egg whites in meringue. Now, if you add any kind of gluten element in processing or baking, the food itself will not be gluten free anymore.
So, whenever you are using the cream of tartar for any kind of recipe, make sure you don’t add other gluten elements to it. Thus, you can ensure that it’s a gluten-free recipe- which is safe to be consumed by anyone.
So, in short, while the cream of tartar itself is gluten free, the food it is in may not be gluten free.
Is Cream of Tartar Vegan?
The number of vegans in our society is surprisingly increasing. With that, the choices of foods are increasing as well. As we know, vegans do not eat anything processed out of a living body.
So, whether it is milk or egg, you cannot make a vegan eat those. So for the vegans, the first question is whether anything has any animal substances or not.
Sometimes it filters the most delicious foods out of the list. What can you eat if you minus animal substances? Most of you will think that vegetables have plenty of variety. And yes, that is true.
But even after that, you will need things to process food. And this leads to the question, is cream of tartar vegan?
So, far as our findings go, we did not find any kind of animal-derived ingredients in cream of tartar. As we discussed earlier, a cream of tartar is a byproduct of winemaking.
So, it comes solely from the grapes. Grapes are fruit and do not have any animal-derived ingredients. Hence, since the source is vegan itself, the product is too.
We ran through different types from different brands and tried to find whether any of these had any animal-derived ingredients in them. We found no such evidence.
Hence, it is safe to state that the cream of tartar is Vegan. However, you cannot always say if the dish you are preparing with cream of tartar is vegan or not.
For example, as mentioned earlier, the product is used to stabilize eggs in many recipes. And when you use eggs in your recipe, the food does not stay vegan anymore.
So, even though cream of tartar is a vegan byproduct of winemaking, the food you will be preparing with it may not be completely vegan. One should look out for that.
Top Cream of Tartar Gluten Free Uses
So, are you up to learning some best cream of tartar uses? Cream of tartar can be used in a lot of different ways. You can make a lot of recipes using this. Here we have mentioned some of the best ways to use cream of tartar to make some amazing food. Are you ready?
- Stabilizing Egg Whites in Meringue
Probably the most common cream of tartar used is for stabilizing egg whites in meringue. If you are really into food, you will know how disgusting it is to have that sad, thin, weak meringue on your plate. But, you can change the whole scenario with just a pinch of cream of tartar.
A small amount of cream of tartar can produce a big difference in meringue. It can turn a sad, weak, weepy meringue into something gloriously fluffy and smooth. The best ratio is 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar behind one large egg white. It will result in making a thick, smooth meringue by holding the volume perfectly.
- Makes Baked Goods Lofty
Who does not love lofty baked goods? After you, you wouldn’t want your cake to look all thin, weak, and weepy? Cream of tartar can be a lifesaver in this case. The fact that it is gluten free might also help you go for gluten free baking. It helps the leavening of the baking recipe that calls for baking soda.
But, how? Cream of tartar is acidic, while baking soda is alkaline. So, you can use 1 teaspoon of baking soda with every 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar. Then use it at a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for baking powder.
- Prevents Formation of Sugar Crystals
What is the worst thing you face when making candy or caramel at home? Isn’t it the formation of sugar crystals? It ruins everything that you have worked on so hard. Also, if you don’t know how to get rid of it, you will never achieve perfection in those recipes.
The cream of tartar is the ultimate solution in this scenario. A little pinch of it can prevent the crystallization of sugar. But how? Well, the science behind it is simple. It keeps the sugar crystals small by binding to those. So, all you need to do is add a pinch of cream of tartar into the boiling sugar, and you will have crunchy candy and perfect homemade caramel.
- Use in Snickerdoodles
Gluten free snickerdoodles are the best soft and sugar cookies you can ever bake. If you are really into baking snickerdoodle cookies, you might have seen the cream of tartar in the list of the ingredients. So, what does it do in a snickerdoodle recipe? The exact purpose of the cream of tartar in snickerdoodles is debated.
However, some people believe that using the cream of tartar in a snickerdoodle brings them the chewy and tanged texture. Others believe that its effect leaves that cranky texture on the top of the cookies. In both ways, cream of tartar is an essential ingredient in the snickerdoodle recipe. You can use cream of tartar and baking soda in a 2:1 ratio in the recipe.
- Make Fluffier Whipped Creams
Do you also love whipped cream? Well, most of you do. And the pro is that it is gluten free. Therefore, eating whipped cream won’t cause any trouble for people having celiac disease. But did you know that cream of tartar is also used in making whipped cream? Let’s know-how.
The same as meringue, whipped cream also falls flat. Adding a pinch of cream of tartar makes it fluffier and more intense. Hence, it stands for a long time both at room temperature and in the fridge. So, you can enjoy the whipped cream better while having better angles for photography as well.
- Helps to Retain Color in Steamed Vegetables
Cooking is not just about making some delicious foods to eat. But, there are always some visual attractions working. Food should look good for you to crave it. If you are into cooking, you might have seen veggies losing their color after being steamed or boiled. So, while all you wanted was fresh and verdant vegetables, you get murky and dull ones.
So, here is a tip for you. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the water before boiling vegetables in it. It will help you retain the colors of the vegetables to some extent without changing their taste. Try it today!
Gluten Free Cream of Tartar Brands
Although cream of tartar is gluten free, there can be some cross-contamination during the production. These brands are some of the verified ones that have 100% gluten free cream of tartar. You can purchase their products without fearing anything dangerous.
Unpretentious Baker is one of the most famous gluten free cream tartar manufacturers. Their cream of tartar is all-natural and is verified non-GMO.
Their product can offer you restaurant quality stability and does not contain any additives, preservatives, or animal substances. Unpretentious Baker also does not use fragrances in their cream of tartar.
2. Pure
Pure Organic Ingredients is another famous manufacturer of gluten free cream of tartar. The brand is owned by the Kashi company. They produce many outstanding vegan snack products.
Their cream of tartar does not contain any fragrances, additives, or animal products. If you are a vegan, you can also check some of their other vegan food products.
Earthborn Elements is one of the most famous manufacturers of gluten free products. They have a wide variety of various gluten free food products, including high-quality cream of tartar.
Like previous brands, Earthborn Elements also do not use additives or fragrances in their cream of tartars. Hence, their products are safe to be used by anyone.
4. Badia
Badia is probably one of the most famous names heard in the US. Badia Spices started its journey back in 1967. Now the company sells its products in all of the US, including several other 70 nations worldwide.
The company has around 120 products, with its primary focus on spices. Its cream of tartar is kosher and has all high-quality ingredients, making it one of the best in the market.
Now, if you desire some real guarantee on your Cream of Tartar, go for Judee’s Gluten Free products. The brand produces only gluten free food products.
Their cream of tartar is dedicatedly packaged at a nut-free and gluten free facility. Hence, there is hardly any fear of contamination at all.
Conclusion
If you have celiac disease, or you know someone who is sensitive to gluten elements, you should better be careful. People with gluten sensitivity have a lot of restrictions on their diet.
Any breach in that may lead to serious health complications, including death. But with a little knowledge about it, you can still prepare yummy gluten-free foods.
Cream of tartar is a gluten free, vegan product. It is made out of grapes during the winemaking process. By now, you know almost everything about it. We have also given you some names of the best gluten free cream of tartars in the end.
That said, we hope you had a gracious time here. Do check our other gluten free topics on this site.
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