What Is And What Are The Uses Of Maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate that is commonly found in sports supplements and processed products. It belongs to the group of sugars with high glycemic index. Sometimes it can have a thickening function. What exactly is the use of maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is a common ingredient in industrial foods. For this reason, you need to know how it can affect your body and whether its intake is safe for health. In this article, you will discover maltodextrin and its uses, so that you know everything about it the next time you read this word on a food label.
Uses of maltodextrin
The uses of maltodextrin are diverse, depending on the product to which it is added. In ultra-processed foods, it acts as a thickening agent. This ingredient improves the organoleptic characteristics of many foods.
This sugar is also found in sports drinks to delay fatigue. According to research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, maltodextrin consumption during physical training stimulates glycogen resynthesis.
Maintaining adequate glycogen levels reduces fatigue and improves performance. Glycogen is a type of reserve glucose that the liver can use when it needs to increase energy production.
?
In general, maltodextrin is a soluble white powder. It can be obtained from various foods. Some of them are rice, corn and wheat.
To obtain this ingredient, the foods we have mentioned must undergo an industrial process that changes their nutritional properties. The starch is heated to high temperatures. Then, the manufacturers add enzymes that speed up its decomposition. Finally, a hydrolysis process takes place that creates maltodextrin.
The final product has an energy intake of 4 kilocalories per gram, just like any other carbohydrate. But what differentiates sugars is their glycemic index (GI). This is the ability of a food to raise blood sugar levels.
In this sense, maltodextrin has a higher GI than table sugar. Therefore, consuming it puts a lot of stress on the pancreas. Continued use will lead to organ depletion and insulin problems.
Is Maltodextrin Safe for Health?
In addition, research published in the journal Nutrients has linked the intake of maltodextrin and other food additives to changes in the intestinal microbiota. This process supports systemic inflammation of the body and increases the incidence of complex and chronic diseases.
But the case of athletes is different. Experts recommend that athletes consume carbohydrates regularly to ensure the replenishment of nutrients they lose during training. This practice reduces the incidence of muscle injuries.
One of the goals of sports nutrition is to replenish glycogen stores. According to a study published in the journal Nutrients, athletes need to consume carbohydrates to do this.
Contraindications to maltodextrin
Experts also say that people with intestinal dysbiosis should not consume additives, such as maltodextrin, on a regular basis. The additives are able to modify the microbiota and promote the excessive multiplication of bacteria in the small intestine.
Maltodextrin substitutions
The food industry often uses maltodextrin substitutes to ensure adequate organoleptic characteristics of the food. The most common are sugar, honey and molasses. These substitutes are no healthier than maltodextrin itself. In fact, experts discourage regular consumption of sugars with high glycemic index.
The best and most practical thing is to regulate and reduce your carbohydrate intake in order to improve your health. This is the best approach for sedentary people.
Things are different in athletes, because sugars can be the main substrate to produce energy. But they must also control their intake so as not to experience harmful effects.
Uses of maltodextrin: it is a common food additive
