What Is Maltodextrin, And Is It Bad For You?

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Health risks of maltodextrin

Is maltodextrin bad for you?

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), maltodextrin is listed as a GRAS(generally recognized as safe) food additive; however, one may still need to be careful because it adds a lot of useless calories to food. If excessive amounts are consumed, it can cause health conditions. Maltodextrin is extremely bad for metabolism because it lacks nutritional value and may also spike blood sugars.

The dangers of excessive intake of maltodextrin include:

  • Side effects: High consumption of maltodextrin can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas and diarrhea. Cramping, bloating, and skin irritations are some of the other allergic reactions reported after eating foods containing maltodextrin. It can also contribute to constipation because it contains zero fiber.
  • Gut flora: Beneficial gut bacteria are important for good digestive health. Maltodextrin hampers their growth. It is also known to cause intestinal disorders by aiding the bacteria known to hurt the intestine. Maltodextrin also helps the survival of salmonella leading to severe infections. It also increases E. coli and other bacterial adhesions to intestinal cells by promoting the formation of biofilm. It may also cause low-grade inflammation that can result in bowel diseases.
  • Genetically modified corn: Research has identified several health issues including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, kidney damage, reproduction difficulties, and allergies that can be caused due to maltodextrin produced from genetically modified corn.
  • Nutrition: Maltodextrin lacks nutritional value. One teaspoonful provides nearly 30 calories and 3.8 grams of carbohydrates. That is the entire nutritional value of maltodextrin, as it contains no vitamins or minerals. It is processed to such a high extent that all other nutrients get stripped out of it.
  • Blood sugars: One of maltodextrin's dangers is that it can cause blood sugar spikes due to its high glycemic index. This can be highly dangerous for people with diabetes or insulin resistance. While the glycemic index of table sugar is 65, maltodextrin takes it up to 106 to 136, and it gets absorbed into your bloodstream pretty quickly.
  • Weight gain and obesity: The high calorific value of maltodextrin can lead to weight gain and obesity, along with associated health complications.

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