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I happened to see this video made by Steve, with his Serious Keto channel on YouTube, and he was talking about this must-have ingredient for keto ice cream, so I watched with great interest. Keto ice cream, unless it has a tremendous amount of fat can be a little on the icy and hard side. But Steve says his secret ingredient keeps that from happening and the ice cream is smooth and creamy! OK Steve, you had me at smooth and creamy.😀
So what is this secret ingredient? Steve is using Tara Gum. Not Xanthan Gum, not Guar Gum, but Tara Gum. What is Tara Gum and why is it so magical?
Tara gum is a natural thickening and stabilizing agent derived from the seeds of the tara tree, which is native to South America. It is rich in soluble fiber, making it an excellent low-carb option on a keto diet.
Tara Gum is commonly used as a gluten-free alternative to enhance the texture of baked goods, thicken soups, sauces, or gravies, and improve the consistency of ice creams and dairy-free desserts. Because it’s virtually carb-free and requires only small amounts to achieve the desired effects, it’s a perfect choice for keto-friendly recipes that need improved texture or creaminess without adding additional carbs.
Here’s the video where Steve tests out Tara Gum. He makes ice cream, pudding, and custard with Keto Chow protein shake mix, but I would think anything that you want to be smooth and creamy or to thicken would work. Just be sure to use a very, very small amount.
Great job, Steve! Steve is so thorough with all the products he tests and with some products he even gives blood sugar impact results. That helps so much!
Wow, sounds perfect so I decided to give it a try.
I first had to find some Tara Gum, so of course I went to Amazon. It is not inexpensive, but if it can do all the things Steve says it can do, and it will last a very long time, then it will be worth it I think.
Steve used this brand.
I wanted a bottle instead of a packet so I bought this brand. I’m so picky! Now that I’m thinking about it that was $7 more for the bottle, but you do get double the amount. So actually it is the better deal.
Next I needed Keto Chow protein shake mixes. Keto Chow has so many flavors, but I happened to have Strawberry and Caramel Macchiato on hand. But see below for a few of the really great flavors and where to buy them. There are so many more great flavors too. I’m trying to think if there was one I have ever didn’t like? Maybe Root Beer. I think there was a Root Beer flavor a few years ago. The flavors also change with the seasons. Steve used Chocolate Toffee which sounds really good too!
Keto Chow is a versatile, keto-friendly meal replacement powder designed to simplify low-carb eating while providing balanced nutrition. It is high in protein, low in carbs, and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal option for those on a ketogenic diet. Keto Chow is customizable to fit individual dietary needs by choosing your preferred fat source, such as heavy cream, butter, or oil.
The powder can be used to create a wide range of delicious keto recipes, including:
Shakes and smoothies
Keto pancakes, waffles, or chaffles (it made the best chaffle!)
Ice cream or popsicles
Pudding or custards
Baked goods like muffins, cookies, or cakes
I have Keto Chow recipes here on virtaworks and also on my Pinterest page. (Pinterest.com/maxwell5968) You can make so many great things with this protein powder. Also checkout the Keto Chow website for recipes. The link is below.
This is the nutrional label for the strawberry flavor. Only 3 carbs for the entire packet. Most flavors are sweetened with sucralose. However some flavors have an unsweetened or stevia sweetened option also.
Here are just a few of the many flavors!
Use this link to earn 10% off your order!
Ice Cream
Keto Chow protein shake packet in hand I decided to make the ice cream first. I froze the ice cream canister the night before so it was ready to go. I mixed a little over 1.5 cups of water with 2 Tablespoons of butter. Steve used unsalted, I always buy salted. Heat in a microwave long enough to melt the butter then pour in a blender. Add one packet or scoop of Keto Chow, whatever flavor you like. Blend. Then add 1 Tablespoon of Allulose. Blend and while the blender is running add 1/4 teaspoon of Tara Gum. When adding, don’t add it to the center of the spinning mixture, but on one side. If added to the center the blades can get gummy Steve says. But, I used my NutriBullet, so I just added all the ingredients to the hot water and butter and blended away!
I could tell the Tara Gum was already taking an effect on the protein shake because it was already starting to thicken.
I poured the mixture in a Ninja Creami Jar and placed it in the freezer overnight.
Now it’s time to take the Ninja Cremi for a spin. This machine is SO fun. Here is the strawberry shake after two spins. Doesn’t that look amazing?
The finished product. Scoopable, smooth and creamy!
Taste Test Results- WOW! I LOVE this ice cream and for about ONE carb! And it made enough for two more dishes of ice cream! I do think it could have used a small amount of strawberry extract to up the strawberry flavor just a little bit. Or some added chopped strawberries would be very good also. You’ve got to try this ice cream. Take that Rebel Ice Cream and your 13 carbs for half a cup! This Keto Chow protein shake made into ice cream in a Ninja Creami is a game changer!
Pudding
The pudding was made with the same ingredients as the ice cream except Steve didn’t add the 1 Tablespoon of Allulose. He didn’t explain why. The protein shakes are sweetened with sucralose, but it’s definitely not overpowering. I remember my mom always saying, when we were making homemade ice cream, you always add more sugar than you think you will need. Probably the freezing process alters the taste somehow.
The finished pudding.
It definitely turned into pudding!
Taste Test Results-The Tara Gum thickened the protein shake mixture and I thought it was amazingly delicious, especially for being about 1 carb per cup!
Flan
The Flan is made the same way as the pudding except 1/2 teaspoon of Tara Gum was used. I couldn’t wait until overnight so I tried the flan after about 5 hours and it definitely had a flan-like texture and was so good! But a little longer in the fridge would be best.
The flan set up very well!
Taste Test Results-I loved the flan. I think if I had to pick between the pudding or flan I would choose the flan. VERY smooth and creamy and the caramel machiotto flavor was delicious! I added Sugarfree whipped cream to both the pudding and flan and that makes them even better.
Shakes
I didn’t add any Tara Gum to the protein shakes, but I’m sure you could. Just a little tiny bit so they wouldn’t get too thick. But I like to make the shake with just water and ice. I’ll add vanilla sometimes or extra sweetener, but neither of those are necessary. You can also add a splash of heavy cream and just put everything in a blender. I’ll also use the shakes as a creamer for iced coffee and that’s very good too. I just put cold iced coffee in the NutriBullet with a protein shake packet.
Here is a photo of a shake I made with ice and splash of heavy cream. I used the fruity cereal flavor and that was SO good. It tasted just like a delicious milkshake. What a great way to get almost 30 grams of protein! I also like creamy vanilla. I actually like all the flavors!
Taste Test Results-These shakes are so amazingly good, it’s hard for me to tell the difference between a Keto Chow milkshake and one with sugar. It’s such a quick easy treat, but can most definitely be a meal. These shakes are packed with vitamins and minerals and use good clean ingredients.
Do I think Tara Gum did a good job and was worth paying $27 for it? Yes! Most definitely. I think everything came out very smooth and creamy. I didn’t do any side by side taste tests like Steve did, but my main objective was to see whether the things I made that contained the Tara Gum tasted good or not and I think I achieved that objective. So definitely, try some Tara Gum, and the next time you crave something smooth, rich, and creamy, let Tara Gum work its magic, and taste the difference!
Bottom line-all of this smooth and creamy, very delicious and healthy protein packed goodness all for about three carbs! Amazing!
Here are some of the things I used in this entire process.
I love this brand of Allulose. Allulose is a great natural keto sweetener. I usually like to use this powdered version so it will for sure dissolve.
I love this NutriBullet. It’s very handy for mixing smaller quantities of things and for smoothies and protein shakes.
You certainly don’t need a Ninja Cremi to make keto ice cream, but I am having so much fun with this machine. This incredible machine does it all! It makes ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes, smoothie bowls, and even frozen drinks. The best part? I can customize every recipe to be 100% keto-friendly.
Using things like heavy cream, almond milk, and sugar-free sweeteners, I’ve made so many great treats in addition to ice cream, I’ve made frozen coffee frappuccinos, Italian ices, milkshakes, and smoothies. and they are very low carb! The keto ice cream in the stores is too expensive and has too many carbs! You can just keep the individual pint containers in the freezer ready to go. The Ninja Creami will eventually pay for itself!
This is the deluxe model I have, but there is a less expensive original version that would work equally well! I’ll include both models.
Here is the less expensive original model. You can also get refurbished models and save money.
I like this review of the Ninja Creami by 2 Crazy Ketos because they go into so many possible ways of using the machine and making ice cream and other things. There are also so many other reviews of the Nunja Creami on YouTube, but this one below is so good because it talks keto options.
I love these individual glass cups with the plastic lids to store everything I make in the fridge.
Thanks Steve, from Serious Keto, I have a brand new kero ingredient I’ll be using forever! ♥️