Quoted from Lola

no need for gums if you have arrowroot and linseed

The need for gums is to mimic the 'stretch' and 'cohesion' of gluten that would be missing from the non-glutinous grains.  In my opinion, arrowroot and flax (linseed) do not provide that characteristic sufficiently.  However...in some of my older gluten-free baking books, gelatin can be substituted for xanthan or guar.  Chia may do the same.

Posted by ruthiegirl: "I don't think that any of the gums (xanthan, guar, etc) are BTD compliant. If you cut out spelt and then add in xanthan gum to replace it, you might feel worse, rather than better."

For those that are eating 100% BTD/GTD compliant, I say you are absolutely correct and one should NOT compromise by ingesting a non-compliant food.  However, for the rest of us that are not sensitive to either gum, and have suffered damaged intestinal villi from gluten, and for whom spelt is NOT an option, then the effects would be much more positive.

In gluten-free baking, you only use 1 tsp. of either gum per 1 cup of gluten-free flour.  One of my favorite recipes (which I don't use anymore, sigh...) calls for 3 tsp. xanthan.  If I were to cut up that loaf into 18 slices, that would amount to ingesting 1/2 gram per slice.  If I make spelt bread (for my husband) that calls for 3+ cups of flour and is cut into 18 slices, if I were to eat one slice, I would be ingesting a little over 1/8 cup (2 TB) per slice.  For me, even 1 tsp. would trigger an allergic reaction of dermatitis herpetiformis.

Although difficult, (I've been baking my own bread since the 70's ) I work really hard at not eating so many grains...especially bread.  However, since I have experienced such devastating results ingesting gluten, (that went undiagnosed for over 30 years) the occasional 1/2 gram of gum is easily handled.  

After getting my secretor status (nonnie) results, my SWAMI gives guar a black dot.  I still avoid it, but if I do ingest it...well...I just have to pick my battles.

Changeling