This Carb Spikes More Blood Sugar Levels Than Sugar Itself!

Keeping a balanced diet helps our body function without any complications. However, there are certain conditions that make eating certain foods a bad idea, people who are struggling with their blood sugar levels must avoid foods like fried and processed foods, sweets, and foods that have a lot of saturated fats and lack fiber. While you can avoid foods that come under these categories, what about the foods that may seem healthy but are not? Many times, we are led to believe that certain products are healthier than they are, they are advertised as ‘no sugar’ etc., making people think they can eat them. Health expert Dr. Berg who is a health educator specializing in weight loss, Keto diet plans as well and intermittent fasting, is also a well-known YouTube content creator as well, revealed the shocking truth about this carb that affects your blood sugar worse than actual sugar! This carb is found in artificial sweeteners, seasonal mixes, and many other seemingly harmless foods, maltodextrin.

Maltodextrin's High Glycemic Impact

Dr. Berg, who knows a lot about how your body uses food for energy, says maltodextrin is really bad for your blood sugar. He talks about something called the glycemic index, which is like a number that tells you how fast a food raises your blood sugar. Regular sugar is about 65, and pure glucose is 100. But maltodextrin is way higher, between 116 and 136. This means it makes your blood sugar go up super fast. He says even though it's not called sugar, it acts like a really strong sugar in your body. He wants people to know that even "sugar-free" foods can have maltodextrin, so you need to check the labels.

WebMD tells us that Maltodextrin is a white powder made from things like corn, rice, or potatoes, that goes through a lot of processing. Dr. Berg explained that it's used in lots of processed foods to make them taste better, feel better in your mouth, and last longer. You can find it in things like cookies, crackers, and cereal. It's also in candy, soda, and even some "sugar-free" snacks. Many dairy products, like instant pudding, have it too. You might also see it in salad dressings, soups, and frozen meals. Some meat substitutes and sports drinks use it for quick energy. It's also in pasta, rice, and even beer. If you're buying formula for a baby who can't have lactose, it might have maltodextrin.

Why Should We Be Worried About Maltodextrin In Our Diet?

Taylor & Francis Open Select publications explained how Maltodextrin is made and how it affects our health. They explained that they are like a chain of sugar beads, Maltodextrin, if it's between 3% and 20% simple sugar, it's called digestible maltodextrin. This report looked at how maltodextrin is made, how we digest it, and what it does to our bodies. It found that using maltodextrin instead of regular starch can make our blood sugar go up faster after eating, which isn't great for our health. So, even though it's useful in food, we need to be careful.

Dr. Berg explains that even though the FDA says this is safe for your health, it can be bad for your blood sugar.

According to WebMD if you have diabetes or your body doesn't use sugar correctly, eating a lot of maltodextrin can be a problem. It can make your blood sugar go up really fast, which is not good for your health. If you eat a lot of foods with maltodextrin, you might also eat too much processed food and not enough healthy fiber. This can lead to problems like high cholesterol, gaining weight, and getting type 2 diabetes. Foods like beans and whole-wheat pasta are better choices because they don't make your blood sugar go up as fast. It's important to read food labels and try to avoid maltodextrin to keep your blood sugar healthy.