I prefer my shakes on the thick side. I've heard of people using xanthan gum, guar gum and Greek yogurt to thicken their protein shakes. Has anyone had any experience with any of these, in particular the gum additives?

My first thought was....I wonder what corn starch would do? I googled for that, and found this response on Ask Yahoo:

"When making your shake, try to keep the amount of liquids involved to a minimum. Keep in mind that the amount of ice you are using could be a factor, which will also lessen the preferred thickness of your shake as it melts.

The addition of more fruits will help to thicken the consistency. Non fat yogurts, in place of milk/water, will increase the total calories of your drink, but again, if thickness is the issue, this method can't be beat. But, if you're concerned about the calories, another and less conventional method would be the use of corn starch.

Corn starch is flavorless and has almost no calories to speak of, and is commonly used by chefs to thicken sauces, and even some frostings. I mention that last part only to emphasize that it works for things that are sweet just as well as for things that are not. Use sparingly, however, because a lot can go a long way! One tablespoon per average sized blender ought to be sufficient, and make sure you mix it thoroughly. The corn starch may take time to fully thicken, so if you do decide to add more, remember to wait a full minute before doing so. Too much of this stuff is like cement! But just the right amount can be a simple and calorie-free way to thicken your Protein shakes."

My second thought was to add milk to yogurt, rather than yogurt to milk. I hope you find something that works for you. I like my shakes thin, so I will add extra milk, almond milk, Jello Water.....hey, maybe you could use unflavored Gelatin (or flavored I guess), and prepare your shake ahead of time so that it can chill a bit. As a matter of fact, I put some sugar free orange gelatin in a vanilla shake today, and it tasted like an Orange Julius or orange creamsicle. Just yummy!

I have tried both xanthan and guar gum and they work really well. Best of all is using both! Another good trick for thickening is to use fat free, sugar free pudding mix.

@@Miss Mac, love the post!

@@Bufflehead, how could i forget!? I used to add pudding to ice cream to make thick shakes in my "unfocused" days.