Maltodextrin: This Pervasive Substance Is More Hazardous to Your Health Than Table Sugar

Originally published by A Voice For Choice Advocacy on December 26, 2024.

EDITOR’S SUMMARY: It can be said that the human body does not know how to process artificial alternatives to real food in a meaningful way. In other words … they create havoc inside your body. And while it can be argued that table sugar isn’t beneficial to your health, if organic and therefore non-GMO, the fact that it is plant-derived, and undergoes far less processing than maltodextrin and various blends of chemical additives, makes this an area worth investigating.

Written by Carter Trent

Edited by Nicki Steinberger, Ph.D.

A lot has been written about the health dangers of consuming too much sugar. It can lead to a range of conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, there's an ingredient in packaged foods that carries an even greater health risk than sugar. It’s called maltodextrin. This additive contributes to several health problems, yet it’s promoted as a healthier alternative to sugar. Many food products labeled “sugar free” contain maltodextrin. It’s also marketed as a fast way to fuel your body before a workout, targeting health-conscious people, while quietly harming your body. According to health expert Dr. Eric Berg:

“While it isn't classified as sugar on food labels, maltodextrin has an incredibly high glycemic index score and thus can have the same damaging effects on our bodies. Manufacturers use this ingredient to sweeten products without having to put "sugar" on their nutritional information panels, leading consumers to believe they're making healthier choices than they are. For example, you might think you're doing your body a favor by choosing low-fat yogurt over regular yogurt or using Splenda vs. sugar. Still, if maltodextrin isn’t listed among the ingredients, you could unknowingly consume more sugars than in full-fat versions.”

Before dissecting the dangers of maltodextrin in detail, understanding why it’s widely used in packaged foods, and how it’s manufactured can be helpful. Maltodextrin is a neutral-tasting white powder that can easily dissolve in water. These properties make it a useful additive for the food industry since it mixes well with other ingredients, and won’t change the flavor of the products.

Uses and Processing of Maltodextrin

Food manufacturers use maltodextrin for a variety of purposes. It serves as a thickener to produce a creamy texture in foods such as puddings, salad dressings, and infant formulas. It acts as a binder to create artificial sweeteners, which are manufactured to be a substitute for sugar, and promoted as healthier alternatives. For example, it can be found in Splenda, and some stevia powders. Maltodextrin is also used as a filler to bulk up products, such as nutritional supplements. It can replace the role fat plays in food, so it’s used in baked goods and meat substitutes. Maltodextrin does this because it forms a thermoreversible gel with water, which means it’s a liquid at high temperatures, and turns into a gelatin when cooled, giving it a similar feel in your mouth as fats. Maltodextrin also blocks ice from forming. This makes it useful to improve the shelf life of frozen foods, as well as to help ice cream maintain its creamy consistency.

Maltodextrin is manufactured from crops that produce starch, such as corn, rice, potatoes, and wheat. Most maltodextrin in the U.S. is made from corn, but if you have celiac disease, you need to be aware that if it was made from wheat, the end product may contain traces of gluten. The plants are put through extensive processing to extract the starch, similar to the production of corn starch. From there, the starch is boiled, which causes its crystalline structure to break, forming a paste. This mixture is treated with acids, enzymes, and water in a process called hydrolysis, which breaks it down into units of glucose. Glucose is a type of sugar serving as a fuel source for your cells and muscles. Interestingly, your body breaks down starch into glucose during digestion, so you can think of the glucose made from hydrolysis as akin to artificially-digested corn starch. The glucose units are then dried, turning them into a powder, which is packaged up and sold as maltodextrin.

Maltodextrin’s Nutritional Impact

Because this food additive is a string of glucose units, your body quickly and easily digests it. This enables the chemical to provide you with a sudden boost of energy, making it desirable in products such as sports drinks. And since maltodextrin is classified as a carbohydrate, not a sugar, it can be advertised as sugar-free. As a result, maltodextrin is used in energy bars, sports drinks, protein powders, and packaged foods marketed as low in sugar. These products may be promoted for athletics and health, but maltodextrin’s manufacturing process is designed to strip out all of the original plant material, which also removes the nutrients, leaving only the glucose. That means the substance offers no nutritional value for your body. Not only that, it’s absorbed by your intestines so quickly, it spikes your blood sugar. Because of this, it’s dangerous to consume if you have high blood sugar, and/or are navigating metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or insulin resistance.

Maltodextrin has a high glycemic index (GI), so it causes your blood sugar to skyrocket. GI is a measure of how quickly a food converts into sugar in your bloodstream. Maltodextrin's glycemic index ranges from 95 to 136, depending on the plant source used to make the additive. By comparison, table sugar’s GI is 65. While the glycemic index tells you how quickly a particular food converts to sugar in your bloodstream, a complementary measurement, known as the glycemic load (GL), represents how much glucose per serving it delivers. For example, watermelon has a high GI of 75, but a low GL of 6, meaning the impact of eating a serving of watermelon on your blood sugar is not as intense as you may imagine. Not only does maltodextrin have an elevated GI, its GL of 94 is extremely concerning, as a glycemic load of 20 or more is considered high. That said, food’s impact on blood sugar is unique to everyone. If you are concerned (or curious), it’s best to test your levels with a glucometer or continuous glucose meter (CGM).

Despite maltodextrin’s propensity to spike your blood sugar, it is not included in the “added sugars” section of the nutrition label, in accordance with existing guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA requires food additives containing monosaccharides or disaccharides to be classified as an added sugar. A monosaccharide is the simplest form of sugar and the basic building block of all carbohydrates, while a disaccharide is when two monosaccharides are joined together. Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide, which means it’s composed of multiple monosaccharides. Consequently, the food additive is not considered an added sugar. Maltodextrin only appears on the ingredients list of a product if it meets the FDA’s definition of a direct food additive. This means when maltodextrin is added to food for a specific purpose, such as for texture, you'll find it written. But if the manufacturer considers maltodextrin an indirect food additive, then it can be kept off the label. The FDA defines an indirect food additive:

“Food additives that come into contact with food as part of packaging, holding, or processing, but are not intended to be added directly to, become a component, or have a technical effect in or on the food.”

Organics and Comparison to Sugar

Maltodextrin is more dangerous than plain table sugar for reasons other than its disastrous effects on your blood sugar levels. A comparison of sugar to maltodextrin reveals eye-opening facts. Sugar, for example, can be made from organic sugarcane, which means it’s derived from plants that aren’t subjected to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and cannot be genetically-modified. Be mindful, however, as U.S.-grown sugar beets, on the other hand, mainly come from genetically-engineered seeds. Organic food must adhere to requirements set by the National Organic Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These regulations address factors such as how the crops are grown and processed.

While it’s technically possible to produce maltodextrin from organic plants, it’s unlikely. This is due to cost. Since corn is used to make most maltodextrin, and corn receives more money from the U.S. government in the form of farm subsidies than any other crop, the cost to produce corn-based maltodextrin is low. Moreover, the use of corn means maltodextrin is most often made from a genetically-modified version of the crop. That said, you will notice on some products “maltodextrin from non-GMO corn.” Today, however, over 90% of corn is genetically-modified according to the USDA.

In addition, organic sugar is less processed than both maltodextrin and conventional sugar. Sugar is made primarily from sugarcane or sugar beets, because these contain a high percentage of sucrose. The plants are harvested and brought to a mill where their juice is squeezed out using rollers. The juice is then boiled until the syrup inside thickens and crystalizes. The crystals are put through a centrifuge to separate out the liquid, then brought to a refinery to remove content unwanted by the manufacturer, primarily molasses, to give sugar its white color. During this process, organic sugar is boiled once to retain molasses, while conventional table sugar is boiled multiple times and subjected to chemicals, such as sulfur dioxide, until the molasses is removed. After that, the crystals are packaged and shipped to food manufacturers and grocery stores. From “Health Hazards Of Sulphur In Sugar”:

“Excess intake of sulphur dioxide may cause sneezing, sore throat, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and suffocation; Due to above problems consumers of sugar are advised to take sulphur free sugar as prevention is better than cure.”

Another advantage organic sugar possesses over maltodextrin is its macronutrient profile. It contains fewer carbohydrates and sugars than maltodextrin, and hence, fewer calories. Two teaspoons of sugar holds 30 calories, 8 grams of carbohydrates, and 8 grams of sugars. The same amount of maltodextrin contains 55 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and 14 grams of sugars—almost double than sugar made from cane or beets.

Health Risks of Consuming Maltodextrin

Since excessive sugar consumption is recognized as a contributing factor to various chronic illnesses, it’s fair to ask, how does maltodextrin adversely affect your health, in addition to the dangers of spiking your blood sugar? The FDA assigned maltodextrin a status called “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) in 1983. GRAS means the chemical is considered safe for human consumption, and can be used in food. Since then, scientific studies have shown that this food additive causes negative health impacts on your body. Nonetheless, it remains GRAS today, since it can take decades for the FDA to revisit the status when safety concerns are raised. Research from PLOS One revealed maltodextrin inhibits your body’s protection against food-borne illnesses, including E. coli bacteria. It does this in an insidiously subtle way. Your gut is coated with mucus acting as a barrier to protect the lining of your intestines against germs. Maltodextrin breaks down this antimicrobial mucous layer, making it easier for bacteria to cause infection. In fact, maltodextrin can promote the growth of some food-borne bacteria harmful to your health, such as salmonella. It does this because it’s composed of glucose units, which is not only fuel for your cells, it’s also food for the germs invading your gut.

Glucose is a common ingredient in many types of sugars, including table sugar, and sugar is known to help harmful gut bacteria grow. Regular consumption of maltodextrin over time increases your risk of developing chronic disease. For instance, a research paper, “Deregulation of intestinal anti-microbial defense by the dietary additive, maltodextrin,” identified a parallel between increased consumption of maltodextrin and a rise in the incidence of Crohn’s disease. This paper went on to state:

“As food technology has advanced to produce increasingly shelf-stable products through the addition of dietary additives, we are observing a corresponding increase in chronic inflammatory diseases associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and bacterial dysbiosis. Although these additives have been designated as GRAS by the FDA, more and more studies suggest that these agents may not be safe for individuals with other risk factors for chronic disease. It is also unknown whether these GRAS additives have a pathogenic threshold, as consumption of these agents is not formally measured by any standard diet questionnaire. Notable studies have demonstrated a direct effect of these compounds on mucosal barrier integrity, which translates to exacerbated intestinal inflammation or increased bacterial burdens in animal models.”

A 2022 study, “Maltodextrin Consumption Impairs the Intestinal Mucus Barrier and Accelerates Colitis Through Direct Actions on the Epithelium,” published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, laid out how maltodextrin causes changes to your gut’s microbiome. The microbiome consists of trillions of microbes living in your body, primarily in your gut, to aid in performing functions such as stimulating immune response, protection against pathogens, and digestion. The research revealed maltodextrin disrupts the balance of beneficial microbiota to harmful ones, causing the good bacteria to decrease and the bad to increase. This creates inflammation in your gut. If the inflammation is prolonged through continual exposure to foods containing maltodextrin, it can produce chronic conditions called inflammatory bowel disease. This is the umbrella term for a group of disorders in your gut which can lead to lifelong autoimmune issues, such as Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis, which raises your risk for colon cancer. The study, “Crohn's Disease-Associated Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli Adhesion Is Enhanced by Exposure to the Ubiquitous Dietary Polysaccharide Maltodextrin,” published in the research journal PLOS One, also concluded maltodextrin damages your gut microbiome. This paper explained that the food additive is metabolized in your small intestine. There, it inhibits an enzyme involved in breaking down maltodextrin, while promoting the growth of harmful bacteria. This can then trigger disease to develop in your body.

“... reports demonstrate that consumption of MDX [maltodextrin] or other polysaccharide additives under certain circumstances may result in intestinal disease. Specifically, studies associate induction of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm piglets fed MDX-supplemented formula and the production of diarrheal enterotoxin in infant milk-based formula made with MDX by Bacillus cereus. Additionally, the ubiquitous inclusion of MDX into foods of the American diet parallels a substantial increase in incidence of CD [Crohn’s disease]. Our findings demonstrate that MDX enhances bacterial adhesion and suggests a mechanism by which consumption of this ubiquitous dietary additive may promote disease in susceptible individuals.”

Next Steps as a Consumer on a Track of Health Discovery

As multiple studies show, maltodextrin is a threat to your health. Since it’s widespread in processed foods and nutritional supplements, one action to take is to avoid these products. You can check for maltodextrin in the ingredients list of any packaged food or beverage before buying. If you see it, opt for a different brand that doesn’t contain the chemical. It’s a good idea to research products that include artificial sweeteners, marketed as sugar substitutes, or described as “no-sugar" or "low-sugar” on the package. These foods may contain maltodextrin. In regards to use for thickening and binding, alternatives to maltodextrin include pectin, extracted from fruits, vegetables, and seeds, tapioca starch, and arrowroot. Be particularly aware of blends. For example, some producers of stevia, a plant-based sweetener made from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, mix it with maltodextrin to dilute the potent sweetness of the stevia extract, but the additive is not always listed on the label. Splenda, an artificial sweetener, can contain over 90% maltodextrin. This is because Splenda is made from sucralose, which is over 600 times sweeter than sugar, so only a small amount is required in the packet. Maltodextrin is then applied to add bulk to the contents. Some Splenda products list maltodextrin as an ingredient, and others do not.

Because maltodextrin is often hidden in commercially-marketed foods, as well as so-called “health foods,” you have to be a good investigator, and do some digging to determine if an item contains this ubiquitous substance. Getting acquainted with food product research can give you more knowledge about what you are putting into your body. And while the question may be raised, is a little here and there really going to hurt you, with the plethora of chemical additives tucked into foods, and artificial variations abound, the accumulation is obviously doing more harm than good. Perhaps the overarching issue here is the lack of transparency, and domination of major food markets from multi-billion dollar “Big Food” companies. It only takes a handful of these corporations to drive chronic health disease into the lives of millions of people. From Harvard Public Health:

“About 678,000 Americans die each year from chronic food illness. That toll is higher than all our combat deaths in every war in American history—combined. That’s right: there are more deaths each year from our food than all the combat deaths from the Revolutionary War through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

With profits in mind first and foremost, pretty, processed food packages laced with who knows what line the shelves at your typical, conventional grocery stores, and “natural” grocers too. And while the overwhelming nature of this reality may seem like cause to “toss in the towel,” eat whatever tastes good, and throw caution to the wind, the exact opposite is true. You see, there’s another side of the coin. They can only get away with this if you let them. If you follow suit, and turn a blind eye … they win. Manufacturers depend on you to take the easy way out, surrender, and relinquish the time and effort it takes to grab control of your health, and make meaningful decisions about what you pop in your mouth. They are hoping, no … strategizing … to create addiction, and a “dumbing down” of your curiosity, inclination toward self-care, and proactive stance to live at your highest potential.

Thus, the responsibility for clean food production and consumption is in your hands too. Do your best not to succumb to deceptive marketing labels that may say “whole,” “pure,” and “sugar-free.” Continue to weigh alternatives to packaged foods containing maltodextrin, and do your best to stick to whole foods, animal and plant, typically found around the periphery of the grocery store. While dining out, if you don’t know how and where a restaurant acquires their ingredients … that’s a cue, and cause for questioning. Simply raising your awareness on these issues means you’re on the path to making informed decisions about your food sourcing, and as such, how you want to experience your physical body and emotional state (“food-mood connection”) after your next meal.

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