From Dr. Lauren Deville - Naturopathic Doctor

Image by Jean-Dominique POUPEL from Pixabay

Maltodextrin is an additive found in highly processed foods, used as a thickening agent, a preservative, or an anti-caking agent.

It’s made from a starch, sometimes rice, potato, or wheat, but most often corn.

Is Maltodextrin Bad For You?The fact that maltodextrin is highly processed is already a big strike against it. Other common food additives carry a lot of known adverse associations—and that’s just the ones that have been studied.

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate, which means (like all carbs) it carries 4 kCal/gram—but typically the more highly processed a carb is, the higher the glycemic index. That means those carbs hit the bloodstream as glucose more rapidly. Maltodextrin has a higher glycemic index even than table sugar. This doesn’t usually have a tremendous impact upon blood sugar simply because the amount of maltodextrin in most foods is low, though. As a supplement additive, for instance, though would be negligible.

Also, corn in the US is mostly genetically modified, so chances are high that maltodextrin is too—unless it’s in a product labeled either non-GMO or organic.

Maltodextrin’s Impact on the MicrobiomeThe biggest potential concerns with maltodextrin have to do with potential gut inflammation.

This study shows that maltodextrin encourages biofilm formation in pathogenic E coli, and also increased its ability to adhere to the intestinal lining. This bacteria is associated with the lesions of Crohn’s Disease, suggesting that in those susceptible to Crohn’s, maltodextrin can encourage disease progression.

This study also shows that maltodextrin impairs function of the cells in the intestine involved in production of mucus, which is a first line of defense for the intestine to protect against pathogens.

The UpshotAs a general rule, it’s a good idea to avoid highly processed foods and food additives, whether or not there are studies yet that demonstrate that that particular food additive can be problematic. My overall philosophy on nutrition leads me to expect that it’s best to minimize processed foods and ingredients, as they are likely to have unforeseen effects upon the body. This also applies to GMOs, though there’s enough evidence of more specific objections to these.

Conversely, unprocessed foods the way God made them are, as a general rule, healthy. There may be some individuals who need to restrict some of those foods for a period of time, but (by and large, and in moderation) they are still good for you.

That said, small amounts of maltodextrin here and there are unlikely to be a problem for most people. If your gut happens to be your “weak link,” you might want to be a little more strict about avoiding it, though.

Maltodextrin: Is It A Concern?