12/18/2025
Dr. Doug Corrigan, in his Shedding Light on Essential Oils Group, posted this and it is something everybody needs to be aware of:
HIDDEN SUGAR ALERT‼️
WHY MALTODEXTRIN Can Be Worse Than Table Sugar‼️
Most people know to look out for sugar on food labels. But what about maltodextrin? Maltodextrin is a common food additive made from corn, rice, potato, tapioca, or wheat starch. It’s often marketed as a safe filler, thickener, or “carb source.” But here’s the catch:
Maltodextrin has a glycemic index of 100–136. This is higher than pure glucose (GI 100) and much higher than table sugar/sucrose (GI ~65). Its GI is also higher than High Fructose Corn Syrup (GI ~80).
The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking system that measures how quickly carbohydrates in food are digested and converted into glucose, raising blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI (70 or above) are rapidly broken down, causing a sharp rise in blood glucose. In response, the pancreas releases a surge of insulin to help move that glucose into cells for energy or storage. Frequent spikes from high-GI foods can stress insulin regulation and contribute to weight gain, energy crashes, cravings, and long-term metabolic issues.
That means maltodextrin can spike your blood sugar and insulin faster and harder than straight sugar!!
Why is the GI of Maltodextrin so High?
1) Maltodextrin empties from the stomach faster than high-concentration glucose solutions, This gives maltodextrin a head start in reaching the small intestine.
2) Maltodextrin is already partially broken down starch, so your digestive enzymes convert it into glucose almost instantly.
3) Maltodextrin acts like a “glucose generator” in the gut, rapidly releasing many glucose molecules in a short time.
4) Once hydrolyzed, it dumps a highly concentrated surge of glucose into your gut, maxing out absorption transporters and sending blood sugar soaring.
And here’s the labeling trick —> Because it’s not listed as “sugar,” it hides in foods marketed as “low sugar,” “complex carbs,” or even “sports nutrition.”
Sneaky label names to watch for:
• Maltodextrin (corn, rice, wheat, tapioca, potato)
• Dextrin
• Modified starch
• Hydrolyzed starch
• Glucose polymers
• Maltodextrin syrup
All of these behave almost the same way in your body —> as ultra-fast glucose.
Bottom line: Just because it’s not called “sugar” doesn’t mean it’s not sugar. Maltodextrin will raise your blood sugar more sharply than table sugar itself, and food labels intentionally hide this fact.
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Thank you, Dr. Corrigan, for the heads up WARNING and reminder for us to READ LABELS. And also to know the sneaky label names to watch for. 👍