Maltodextrin Side Effects
89Maltodextrin Side Effects
Maltodextrin side effects are somewhat complicated due of the types of food Maltodextrin is often paired with. Maltodextrin is a food additive that is often added to junk foods like candy, soda, and potato chips. It is considered safe by the FDA, which is not the same thing as healthy. Maltodextrin, by itself has limited side effects, but can have some habit forming tendencies. Since it's derived from starches such as potatoes and corn, it's relatively free of harmful effects. Maltodextrin is a food additive that's basically a filler, with relatively no nutritional value, and is tasteless or slightly sweet. It is considered safe in moderate consumption, with no reported side effects. Maltodextrin, when made from potatoes and corn, is also gluten free, making it safe for those with a gluten allergy or intolerance.
Maltodextrin has the interesting characteristic of being able to pass very quickly from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. Like glucose, it can pass relatively easily through intestinal walls and into the blood. This causes only one point of concern. The body is habit forming, meaning that it functions best when it can predict and prepare for its surroundings. The body is constantly adjusting its practices based upon our habits. If you take a nap at a certain time each day, then after a little while, you'll start feeling really sleeping around that time each day, even if you want to skip a day and not take a nap. That's because your body, in preparation, releases melatonin, which is a sleep hormone, into your bloodstream because it's expecting you to take a nap.
Junk food is often very easy to digest, requiring very little processing and digestive activity. It's mostly sugar and fillers like Maltodextrin. And though it can't be proven, my belief is that the more junk food a person eats, the more lazy the digestive system becomes. The body realizes that it doesn't need as many digestive enzymes and work to digest the empty nutrition being given it. If this really is the case, and there is some evidence to support this theory, then what happens is that when a person with a lazy digestive system eats complex foods like vegetables and other nutrient dense foods, the body might find itself somewhat unprepared to glean the maximum benefit from the food. So many of the vital vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional benefits are wasted because our bodies are more in the habit of breaking down easily digested foods.
Maltodextrin Side Effects -- Craving Junkfood
We talked in the above section that one of the potential great Maltodextrin side effects is that it can encourage the digestive system to become lazy, because the foods that Maltodextrin is added to are often empty and devoid of complex nutrition. The fault for this isn't with Maltodextrin alone, but with the combination of Maltodextrin and the foods it's often paired with. But let's carry that a step further. If you like to eat junk food and you snack on it most of the day, your body might start developing a craving for it. If it knows that there's a food source out there that has lots of energy and requires almost no work to digest, like a bag of potato chips, then pretty soon, your body might develop a craving. This is very counterproductive to health for obvious reasons. If this is you, check out my article on How to Stop Food Cravings.
Maldodextrin, Dextrose, and Artificial Sweeteners
Maltodextrin and another compound called Dextrose are often added to artificial sweeteners as well. In fact, Maltodextrin and Dextrose are the first two ingredients in Splenda. These compounds mostly just round out the flavor of the artificial sweetener, since Sucralose, which is the sweet essence of Splenda, is immensely sweet. Again Maltodextrin is being used as a filler with a substance that's less than helpful to the body. And though there are no immediate side effects to pairing Maltodextrin with an artificial sweetener inside something like diet soda, just think about the message you're sending to your body by drinking a combination like that?
If you're constantly snacking on things that the body either can't digest, like artificial sweeteners, or doesn't need to digest, like glucose and maltodextrin, then it won't probably be long before your digestive system begins to grow lazy. You'll have to eat more just to get the same vitamins and minerals from your food that a healthy person would get and you may feel a negative impact on your metabolism because of it. Your body wants real food, not processed artificial food. Don't eat junk food all day long. If you do, I think you'll find that the biggest Maltodextrin side effect is that your digestive system has become lazy and wants non-foods instead of the real thing.
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Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I've recently become an ingredient reader as well. There are so many artificial compounds out there that aren't really all that good for the body. That's great that you go to great lengths for your daughter's health. You're a good mom. Thanks very much for stopping by.
Thanks again for a very informative hub, Benjimester. So many people fail to read ingredient labels, and simply go by the taste of a food, instead of by the nutritional value and what is really in it.
Maltodextrin ranks somewhere up there with aspartame - definitely an ingredient which should be avoided at all costs! Voted up
Thanks Shona! I agree. People need to know what they're eating.
Thanks for the info. You don't mention that some people, like me, are totally intolerant of Maltodextrin, some worse than I. You know that warning on dietetic foods containing artificial sweetener maltitol "Caution: Excessive consumption can have a laxative effect?" Anything containing maltodextrin causes excess belly motility and several days of diarrhea, a few hours after consumption. It actually sends others running for the bathroom immediately.
Thanks for that extra info Sue. I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as Maltodextrin intolerance. Thanks for sharing that.
Know one is really saying that maltodextrin is safe or not Now what is the real on it
Not quite sure whether I understand the question.
WOw, this is useful. Great hub.
Thanks Brenna.
Great hub. Maltodextrin is surely a poison just like high fructose corn syrup and MSG.
Poison is a bit strong of a term to apply to it, but I agree, it's definitely not good for the body overall.
This is a great article. I was recently diagnose with celiac or intolerance to gluten and started reading more the labels. Articles like his help me a lot. Great job.
Yeah, reading the labels is pretty crucial these days. Hope it helps you with your gluten intolerance.
How would a person benefit from it for dietary purposes? Could your body crave healthy food as well, if consumed together? (1st ingredient in product Sensa.)
I suppose if it was mixed in with an otherwise healthy meal, that your body would probably just form an association and crave the meal rather than the individual components. Even if it were really craving the simple sugars, it might still form a craving for the meal as a whole. I'm not sure.
Thank you for your advice! It makes a lot of since. My daughter is strung out on junk food and wakes up with cravings, whereas my son doesn't. I thought it was just a girl thing. My daughter is really thin and my mom suggested "pumping her full of fat and sugar" to help her gain weight. The results were counter productive. I will forever keep this is in my mind. You should think about being a nutritionist! You have a knack for it!
Thanks Natasha. That's very cool of you to say. I ate tons of junk food myself as a kid. I just naturally grew out of it once I hit 25 and still wanted to stay healthy and in shape and knew I had to drop a bunch of junk. It's really tough to stop eating snacks and junk food once the cravings start to set in, but you should probably try and help her dial down on the junk food if possible. She'll probably feel more energy and just better in general. Thanks very much for your comments.
Hi that was an interesting article. I have been taking lots of maltodextrin for years when I play sport. Only recently have I become a Vegan and looking at different ways to get nutrition before, during and after sport. In the book Thrive Fitness it says if the body reconstructs tissue with filler cells it degenerates and recommends whole foods to do the same job such as medjool dates etc. This is the first time I have come across this theory! as I am still here, have not noticeably degenerated I would like to get more positive information about the subject before I completely change my sporting nutrition habits.
Hey there, thanks for stopping by. That book sounds like it has some great info. Whole foods are a great way to go.
Hello & Hi
I just read your post here, as i am researching ingredients within "Arizona" Lemon Iced Tea Mix. Of which Maltodextrin is one of the ingredients. It seems as if many of your readers seem to feel that due to the quick nature in which Maltodextrin is absorbed into the body that it is somehow "bad" for us...i myself do not feel that is a bad thing and honestly see no cause for alarm.
I would like to share this with you all... I have SEVERE EYE Alergies and my eyes constantly water and are irritated constantly! BUT when i drink Arizona Lemon Iced Tea which i make from the mix my eyes clear up, stop watering and itching and I can function like a normal person once again...anyone else have this reaction or have any comments please let me know. Thanks.
Hey Throttle, I agree with you for the most part. Just because Maltodextrin is absorbed quickly isn't too much cause for alarm. I'm more worried about the dependency and cravings that it leads to, and not about any particular directly negative effects. And I like Arizona Iced Tea. They make a good product.
I'm more concerned of side effects of maltodextrin overtime, that no labs (that I've stumbled upon online) seem to be publishing. Maybe I have to look harder.
My comment to Throttle about Arizona Iced Tea in relation to his/her allergies is that I believe the ice tea is flushing his body of histamines. Flushing the histamines will reduce the reaction, lessening the irritation to his/her eyes. This happens with me when I have hives and drink electrolytes. I don't believe it is the maltodextrin helping it, but I'm no expert. There are recipes online for homemade electrolytes using pure water, fresh lemon and a pinch of sea salt.
Anything that is going to 'train' me to eat more, or consume a product more, isn't something I want to buy.
Good article! Thanks.
Hmm, that's really interesting, and I can definitely see your point. I love drinking lemon water. That's really great advice. It's so hard to judge the long term side effects of things, and we don't usually figure them out until it's too late.
This produce is in Sensa, the new diet fad.
Good article. To throttle- The allergy relief I can assure you is not coming from the maltodextrin. Tea leaf, lemon, and water all help in flushing the system. Maltodextrin has no benefits and is addicting. Fast food chains are using this along with several other chemicals to from that addiction. Sensa is not a worthy diet supplement and is only to make money. The FDA has a lot of money coming in from lobbyist of all sorts and if the chemicals used do not cause immediate health problems may label them as "safe".
I also tend to read all labels and find that if there are ingredients that are hard to pronounce or sound like they were created in a lab they are 9/10 not good.
My 2 cents...
i don't want to die
Thanks for the extra info, ahealthyone. That all makes a lot of sense.
I don't want you to die either, whoever you are. Not really sure how we can help though.
Gosh, great comments. I was simply looking up Maltodextrin as it is listed in a soup that I recently bought. Everything else on the label was natural (which I know is different than organic). I was mostly looking to make sure there was no MSG or other chemicals when I bought the "natural" Campbell's Select Harvest soup. I generally make my own soup or purchase organic soup for when I have nothing to bring to work. It's amazing what is legal to put in foods!
I just purchased a product called Body by Vi. The second ingredient listed is maltodextrin. It's presented as a healthy way to loose weight. Doesn't sound healthy to me. Anyone else using this product?
Hey guys. Thanks for the comments. Rose, good job doing your homework and finding out what's in the food you eat. Pilgrim, it's not uncommon for maltodextrin and dextrose to be added to protein shakes and weight loss powders. It bulks them up cheaply, giving the powders more overall volume, and functions as a sweetener. So that's generally why it's in there. It's a functional filler.
Love this hub and the comments. I also grew up as a junk food kid. I have always been quite thin too. For about 4 years now I have slowly changed my entire diet. I even went vegetarian for almost 3 years. I gained about 10-15 lbs in the beginning of the switch over! (which is a good thing in my case) I have noticed a big difference in my life and feel more energy than ever after eating! Now when I put even the smallest filler or not healthy ingredient into my body- I can feel it...I usually will stop eating the food or feel full when I know I am not.
Now I am expecting a child and I am very happy to eat as natural and organic as possible so that she/he will not have to break a junk food habit like I did.
Also, lemon water is an amazing detox for your liver...especially a mug of warm lemon water or lemon tea in the morning!
Thanks for your great write-up! Your theory seems to be right on target.
Thanks for the above hub, Voted Up :)
Thank you for this info - I bought a "food"?? item that had this in it -- I just threw the item away ! ! I didn't know what Maltodextrin was when I bought it. Thanks again - everyone needs to KNOW what they're eating and what it does to the body.
Thanks very much guys. It's really cool to see how many different people are doing research on the foods they eat.
Diana -- Sounds like you have a really good handle on your health. That's awesome. I totally agree with you about the lemon. Lemon water is the best. Congratulations on your pregnancy. I'm sure you'll have a really healthy happy baby.
Dilipchandra -- No problem man. Thanks for stopping by!
Sylvia -- It's awesome that you're doing your research. Though fillers like maltodextrin aren't nearly as bad as some of the other ingredients in processed food, you're smart to stay away from it.
Considering using Sensa but I need to always check product reaction with coumadin, a blood thinner. Any comment with regard to the reaction of Maltodextrin with coumadin?
40 years ago I would suggest people read the labels....the past 10 years or so I've been saying "if you're reading a label; you probably should not be eating it." The only reason now to read a label..on fresh food...is to make sure the industry hasn't added stuff to it, like 'enhanced' fresh meat. What is THAT all about. Fresh ground turkey has natural flavor added...rosemary...why? Makes me nuts.
I'm not sure if maltodextrin would have negative side effects with a blood thinner. I don't imagine that it would, because it's just a simple carbohydrate, but I can't be positive.
Cassandra, yeah what in the world is enhanced meat? I don't know why in the world food companies are allowed to get away with so much nonsense. It's a scary time. Eating healthy is getting harder and more expensive everyday.
Thanks for sharing - I love learning about each and every item on those food labels. The more we keep educating each other, the better chance we have to make a real change for the long run.
Sure. Thanks for stopping by!
This is listed as the first ingredient in the weightloss product called, Sensa. What do you think?
I wonder if users could get addicted to the weight loss product?
Wow, the first ingredient? That's pretty scary. That sounds like a waste of money. It's possible that they could get addicted to it, but I would be more worried about them just plain wasting their money.
Interesting info here. I m learning that I have food sensitivities which have been causing headaches, constipation, neck pain and anxiety...caused by wheat, dairy and now corn, of which maltodextrine is a derivative. Thanks for the additional info.
Sure. Thanks for stopping by.
I just got a product called CocoaVia, by M&M Mars Botanicals. Anybody hear ever hear of it? It's cocoa that has no sugar, or fat, and is added as a powder to food, or drink for the flavanol content of the cocoa. There's another product called Honest CocoaNova, which brews the cocoa beans, like you'd brew coffee, or tea, and then adds sugar, and flavoring(Mint, cherry, or chocolate), and carob, chicory, and, for the mocah, coffee. It is tasty, has a pleasant effect after you drink it, and is supposed to lower your blood pressure(they don't claim this, but online theobromine, which it contains, is noted for this). Honest Teas makes it. The only thing I didn't like was the sugar, so I got CocoaVia as a way of avoiding that, and it has maltodextrin in it. I wonder if that's the "feel good" component you're supposed to get from the chocolate/cocoa. I just tried my first one, and defintely felt "something". It has a thirty-day money back guarantee, so I might try it a bit, but disappointing to see it has this additive in it. I'll report back.
Hmm, that sounds pretty cool. I'll have to check that out. I like Honest Tea a lot. They have good products. Thanks for the info!
Jah!
Well, I tried a couple more CocoaVias, and they definitely make me feel weird, like when I have an artificial sweetner. I wrote to the company, asking why the maltodextrin was inthete, and they never wrote back. I called today, and told them I'd like to return the product, and they said ok. Never asked why.
I just bought a body by VI product,a friend of mind is selling it,at first I was sceptical but bought it anyway.Now Im reading at the label and found all these ingredients that are oh boy,just b y the name i already dont like.Thanks for this info,I am thinking about taking it to the seller.I sure dont want this chemical in my body.
Lian, yeah you're smart not to eat highly processed non-foods. I wouldn't eat it either.
Are there any links to this causing migraines?
Hmm, not that I know of, unless the migraines are precipitated by an allergic reaction.
I have just stopped eating wheat,sugar and gluten. Now I have a delemma of what to sweeten my my coffee with. I think I am having trouble getting headaches from Splenda and am now more convinced than ever.Maltodextrin is in everything I want to eat...maybe I should stick with veggies and fruit.
Yeah, it's hard to go wrong with veggies and fruit. I like Stevia well enough. It takes some getting used to, but the flavor isn't bad. You could also try honey.
This is crap. How can you blame all this on Maltodextrin, a very key ingredient in molecular gastronomy foods. You can use it to turn fats into powder. All of you seem close minded and you can tell have done no research for truth. This is voted down.
I guess I'm not sure what you're referring to as "all this." The only thing that I accused Maltodextrin of is possibly causing people to crave junk food.
This sounds great. I am a long distance cyclist. Easy and fast to digest, not sweet! Perfect for those 100 mile rides. What kind of candies should I be buying?
Not sure what candies have the highest content.
Maltodextrin doesn't seem the way to go on a regular basis. But I've read a bunch of literature - albeit, a lot from companies pushing training products - that it's the best source of carb boost for intense workouts. And by intense, I mean you're going to push your workout well over an hour. I use Gu for my long run days only, which tend to be 1.5-2.5 hrs. (And then only 1 packet, not ever 45 min.) Any research on maltodextrin just in these training circumstances, not as a regular part of my diet? I've seen natural recipes people make from dates, but I don't know if they're pragmatic, and they're certainly not convenient.
Hey there, I don't know how they can justify saying that Maltodextrin is good for extended workouts like that. It's a simple carb and will most likely be fully expended well before your hour workout is done. I take maltodextrin inside of the protein shake that I drink. I always assumed they put it in there as a simple filler and not because it had any particular benefit for the workout. I don't know.
Hi, just read this article, very interesting. I often suffer from arrhythmia which appear to initiate from the vagus nerve which passes the stomach. A build up of gas or food often seems to be the trigger. I have also noticed things like packet sauces, gravy, stock cubes being a common factor with these symptoms. I am doing a bit of detective work but all these food items have one thing in common - maltodextrin!! Any thoughts???
erthfrend 18 months ago
EXCELLENT HUB!!! I totally and completely agree with you 100 % about junk food, the digestive system and about how one's body might begin to crave it for the reasons you shared. This was definitely a very helpful hub for everyone and alot can be learned from it. I also have to say I am an ingredient reader for every single thing I buy, I always have been because I dont like artificial anything but a couple years ago we adopted our daughter and she has a metabolic disorder so I have to check all ingredients for her as well. I had seen maltodextrin and always wondered what it was. Now I know, thank you! Something we definitely dont need in our bodies!