You know cassava flour has no gluten in it, unlike wheat and all-purpose flour. So there is not enough protein to help stretch and bind the dough together. 

 

Gluten helps the dough to rise.

 

When kneading dough the gluten creates a net structure that gives cohesion to the dough and makes it strong, so that it does not melt while boiling. If you knead bread, the gluten makes it possible for the dough to ferment. The gluten traps in the gasses produced by this fermentation and create a light, flavorful bread.

 

What did I add to my gluten-free flour to make it rise?

 

To replace gluten, I use emulsifiers like xanthan gum or guar gum. 

 

Xanthan gum is not a natural product, it is lab created and added to foods as a stabilizer. It has a sticky consistency when liquid is added. Its biggest claim to fame is as a binding agent for gluten-free flour. Gluten is the protein in some grains that aids in their sticky consistency. 

 

Xanthan Gum is made up of bacteria called Xanthomonas Campestris. It is made by fermenting sugar with help of bacteria. 

 

Xanthan Gum in the food Industry only gives consistency to the food and does not add any benefits to it.