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Polydextrose

What is polydextrose?

Dietary fiber has some amazing beneficial properties for overall health. Whenever nature develops something so great, there's no doubt that humans take inspiration from it and develop their own interpretation of it. Polydextrose is a tasteless synthetic soluble fiber that is synthesized by combining glucose molecules (aka dextrose) with some sorbitol and citric acid. Polydextrose is used for weight and fat loss as well as promoting general health.

Where does polydextrose come from?

There are many forms of naturally occurring fiber found in fruits, whole grains and vegetables. However, polydextrose is commonly used in foods as a substitute for sugar, starch and fat, resulting in a lower calorie alternative to the food in question. Foods that may contain polydextrose include cakes, desserts, sweets, breakfast cereals, puddings and more.

Benefits of polydextrose

The main benefit of polydextrose is no different from the main benefit of naturally occurring soluble fiber. Studies have shown that polydextrose is a prebiotic that promotes and supports the development of "good" bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the digestive tract, which in turn help maintain immune system function and good digestive health. As a result, the FDA has classified polydextrose as a soluble fiber that is indistinguishable from naturally occurring variants.

Benefits of polydextrose for fat loss

Like other dietary fibers, polydextrose is low in calories because humans are not able to digest these compounds as well as simple carbohydrates. Instead, polydextrose is fermented by the bacteria that live in the gut. Polydextrose has been found to provide only one kcal per gram, which is only a quarter of the calories of glucose. Consuming polydextrose in conjunction with sugar and other carbohydrates has the added benefit of reducing the glycemic index of these carbohydrates, resulting in a longer-lasting release of energy. Consuming 12 grams of polydextrose in combination with 50 grams of glucose reduces the glycemic index of glucose from 100 to 89. All these properties of polydextrose make this compound an attractive dietary supplement for those who want to lose weight. The use of polydextrose in food reduces calorie density by adding volume while providing longer lasting energy, which in combination helps you eat less and stay fuller for longer.

Side effects and safety

As with every other artificial sweetener on the market today, polydextrose is completely safe and harmless to consume. Polydextrose has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in food and there are a number of studies that prove the safety of polydextrose. A safety review concluded that there are no safety issues associated with polydextrose and polydextrose has also been approved in over 50 countries for over 15 years.

As with other dietary fibers, some side effects have been associated with polydextrose. As polydextrose is largely indigestible to humans, the bacteria in the digestive tract have to do most of the work. This means that consuming large amounts of polydextrose (or other fiber) can cause bloating, flatulence and diarrhea in people who are not used to fiber. It has been found that 90 grams of polydextrose per day is the necessary dosage to cause a laxative effect in humans. If you currently consume little dietary fiber, you should slowly increase the amount of polydextrose at the beginning to reduce the likelihood of side effects.

Recommended dosage

Although there is a WHO dosage recommendation for polydextrose, as polydextrose is a dietary fiber, the dosage can be individually adjusted to meet the daily fiber requirement, which is about 18 to 25 grams per day. Polydextrose is usually consumed with food.

Polydextrose supplements

In addition to common foods, many protein-based bodybuilding supplements contain polydextrose. This includes protein bars and different types of protein powders such as weight gainers and other protein supplements.

Combinations with other supplements

Polydextrose can be combined with practically anything.

References

  1. Burdock & Flamm (1999), A review of the studies of the safety of polydextrose in food. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 37: 233-264
  2. Craig et al (1998), Polydextrose as soluble fiber: physiological and analytical aspects. Cereal Foods World, 43: 370-376
  3. Zhong et al (2000), Studies on the effects of polydextrose intake on physiologic functions in Chinese people. Am J Clin Nutr, 72: 1503-1509