Happy Fun & Flexible Friday!
What will you do for fun today?
A number of you have asked me
to repost my Wednesday post..
here it is: The Health Gal-Amy Hendel-Ash Wednesday-Fat Tuesday
Due to a trademark law, we have been asked to change our
Friday column name so…we’ve changed it to
ASK NUTRISAVVY R.D.
What do you think?
Please share your thoughts…and now…our A.N.S.R.D.
🙂
Q. What is maltodextrin? Is it safe to consume?
A: Maltodextrin, just another form of sugar.
Let’s break it down Malto (malt – You’ve likely heard of “malt-sweetened”) + dextrin (dextrose = sugar).
And, in fact, it is a “sugar”! Maltodextrin is a highly processed substance often found in sodas and candy.
This polysaccharide (saccharin – Have you heard of the term “saccharine-sweet”?)
is derived from a starch such as corn or wheat. It is easily digested as are many simple carbs,
which explains why it is easy to over-consume the foods it that contain it.
An interesting concept that wikipedia points out is that because the
processing removes the proteins, a wheat-derived Maltodextrin may be actually be gluten-free.
Now just because a product or substance is gluten-free, that doesn’t necessarily make it healthy.
Remember this is highly processed and found in empty-calories treats so will do little to help control your weight.
My suggestion: If you don’t recognize an ingredient, error on the side of caution,
even if it isn’t toxic it still may be damaging to your diet and your health
. Excess sugars (and many of these unrecognizable ingredients are just that)
may age you faster and are a factor implicated in type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Choose mostly whole foods vs highly processed because studies show that plant foods
(your fruits and veggies, whole grains and legumes) do more to benefit your heart and overall health
– and may even keep you looking and feeling younger and more energized.
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