What is Maltodextrin?

What is maltodextrin, and why we don’t use it. 

Maltodextrin is a highly processed carbohydrate that can be made from any starchy food such as rice, corn, wheat, or potatoes. It is a very versatile ingredient that food manufacturers love using in food products because it is very cheap, has a neutral flavor, is very shelf stable, and is water-soluble. It is often used in powdered foods as a flow agent or processing aid. Many high heat dehydration methods require the use of a processing aid such as maltodextrin, and the finished powder can end up being more than 50% maltodextrin. At KOYAH, our powders are freeze-dried to not only preserve the maximum amount of nutrition but also to eliminate the use of processing aids such as maltodextrin. 

Glycemic Index - Maltodextrin is actually higher on the glycemic index than table sugar, which means it can cause a spike in your blood sugar shortly after eating foods (to a higher degree than eating table sugar!). Because of this, it is often used in various sports nutrition products, where it can provide a very easily digestible form of energy during heavy exercise.

If you’re looking to avoid maltodextrin in your diet, check the ingredient labels on weight loss shakes, fruit and vegetable powders (not KOYAH’s though), pasta, cereals, yogurts, soups, baked goods, sugars, sweets, salad dressings… the list is too long. Basically, if it has an ingredient label, you may want to check it.

At KOYAH, integrity matters in everything we do, especially when making food. We believe how ingredients are processed matters and that is why our products have zero additives, preservatives, and fillers. Our goal is to make the world’s highest quality fruit and vegetable products, so you can eat more of them when life gets busy.