Many people today, especially dieters, tend to use hot sauce as a flavor enhancer for food. And why not? It tastes great and has close to zero calories per serving. But, no one ever thinks about the ingredients inside these calorie free (near calorie free) sauces. Well, one ingredient tends to pop up often in many hot sauces, and that ingredient is called Xanthan Gum. Take a look below and see which hot sauces have it.

You're probably asking yourself what Xanthan Gum is. We'll break it down as easily as possible. Xanthan Gum is a popular food additive that’s added to foods as a thickener or food stabilizer. It's commonly used and can be found in many products. And not just food, but even fungicides, tile, grout, and wallpaper glue. Doesn't sound like something you would want in your food. In order to make Xanthan Gum, a bacteria named Xanthomonas Campestris is added to sugar to create fermentation. This combination creates a goo-like substance, which is then added with alcohol to make it solid. Then it is dried and made into a powder. Boom, you have Xanthan Gum.

What is Xanthomonas Campestris? Well as mentioned before, it is a bacteria, and it is known for causing various plant diseases including black rot. See Below:

Image by CABI

Any side effects from Xanthan Gum? Well, it seems to cause bloating and gas in some users and those are definitely side effects most people wouldn't want. Also, if you're trying to limit processed foods, this is something you wouldn't want in your diet. In addition, if the bacteria that makes Xanthan Gum causes black rot to plants, do you think it should be going into our bodies?

Remember, Sauce Bae hot sauce is truly all natural, and will never give in to using such additives. Use as much Sauce Bae as you'd like. We've got you covered. 

Stay Saucin',

- Team Sauce Bae