I am a ‘clean’ eater. By this I mean I do not consume store bought products which are processed and refined. Sometime back I was at an Ayurvedic place going through a panchakarma and the doctors wanted me to consume milk, which I politely declined. I decide to a powdered version of a fancy packaged soy milk. What made me buy it was the attractive package, and it made me forget to read the label, which happens sometimes.
I would consume this in the afternoon, as my regimen allowed me liquid consumption no solid foods. I found I was heightened after consuming it, I felt an extra doze of sugars in the body and felt confusion in the head. This of course prompted me to read the label, and sure enough the product had maltodextrin in it. What is maltodextrin? It is used as a thickener, and as a filling agent in a lot of processed foods. It is a powder that is made from starch usually any kind: maize, potato, corn (as these are all cheap alternatives). It provides lesser sugar content than the substitute being used nowadays in most products corn syrup. Bottom line: most companies use it to add texture to their products, so you may have a product screaming gluten-free, and giving you maltodextrin, and complicating issues anyways.
Here is the issue with maltodextrin, the reason I was feeling a sugar buzz (and I am ultrasensitive to this as I do not consume sugar) was because it had spiked my sugar levels. It will play havoc with your insulin levels, so it’s not safe at all for diabetics, or anyone else trying to lose weight.
Most gluten-free products include it, so watch out. Technically, it should not affect people who are intolerant towards gluten, but sometimes it may affect them and cause a side effect.
I think the single most important downside is that interferes with the production of good bacteria in the gut, and alters the gut ecosystem, producing bacteria of the bad variety, specifically the ones that trigger autoimmune disorders.
Lastly any food that is ‘mutated’ in that genetically modified (GMO) or plays no role in supporting the human body should be out of one’s diet. This is one such product. So please stay clear of it.
