Maltodextrin: Buyer Beware!

I'm not a health freak, don't have health issues that require diet modification and never really paid much attention to reading ingredient labels until my dog Lucy became diabetic and when I spent two months with my parents, my mom is prediabetic.

I started reading food, drink and supplement ingredients/inactive ingredients to ensure that Lucy wasn’t ingesting anything that would spike her blood glucose levels. I also started doing this for my mom to ensure that sugars weren't high in what she was eating and drinking.

Since 2015 I have been looking at active and inactive ingredients in foods, drinks, medications and supplements and have noticed this year the increase in the use of maltodextrin. There are two types of maltodextrin: regular maltodextrin and digestion resistant maltodextrin. Most of the products I have researched have maltodextrin in them and this is a bad thing for anyone that needs to watch their blood glucose levels; this applies to our diabetic dogs and cats as well. So I feel it important to write a blog about maltodextrin and what it does to the body. But first I want to quickly go over what diabetes is for humans, dogs and cats.

Humans

Prediabetes can turn into type 2 diabetes in humans and there are multiple reasons which include: excessive weight, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and genetics. Diet modification, exercise and oral medications can help reduce elevated blood glucose levels. Insulin injections may also be required, especially when prediabetes turns into type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes in humans means that the pancreas has failed to produce enough or any insulin and insulin injections are required. Diet can help with lowering insulin requirements but like I said, type 1 diabetics require insulin.

Dogs

Diabetic dogs are comparable to type 1 human diabetics since their pancreas has failed and no longer produce enough or any insulin. This can happen for many reasons, from acute or chronic pancreatitis to being genetically predisposed to diabetes mellitus. Reducing carbohydrates can help lower blood glucose levels but a diabetic dog will require insulin injections to help with blood glucose levels.

Cats

Diabetic cats are considered either type 1 or type 2 diabetics. Their pancreas has either failed and doesn't produce enough or any insulin or they can be insulin resistant due to genetics, age, obesity, inactivity, certain medications (steroids for example) and stress. Insulin will be required for life for cats considered to be type 1 diabetics and diet should be modified to reduce or omit carbohydrate. Cats that type 2 will most likely require insulin and diet modification. There are cats that have gone into remission from type 2 diabetes and diet can play a big factor in this, I have read where cats went into remission once all dry food was cut out and they were fed a high protein, low to no carb diet.

Now that there is a quick understanding of diabetes in humans, dogs and cats I am going to explain what maltodextrin is and why this additive should be avoided!

Maltodextrin is a starch that has been processed from corn, potato starch, rice, wheat, cassava and tapioca. It is a white powder and is used in many different products.

Maltodextrin is used in many products, it is used as:

• A thickener
• A filler
• A bulking agent
• A supplement for energy (used after working out for example)
• Pill coating

Maltodextrin may be added to ice cream, yogurt, gelatin snacks and much more. You can find maltodextrin in a lot of sugar-free products. For those of us with pets It is added to a lot of supplements and can often be found in soft chewable, powder and paste supplements for pets.

Wait a minute, it’s added to sugar-free products? YES, buyer beware! I was looking for sugar-free Jell-o for my granddaughter and reading ingredients…maltodextrin is the third ingredient! The Jell-o Play sugar-free also has maltodextrin in it, but the Jell-o sugar-free snack cups don’t.

There are two types of maltodextrin:

• Digestible maltodextrin – other names include modified starch and will include the type of starch (e.g., potato starch). High glycemic index (GI), 95 – 136 and is 4 grams of carbohydrates per gram.
• Digestive-resistant maltodextrin (DRM), also called resistant maltodextrin or resistant dextrin. Very low glycemic index (GI) of 5 or less. If a product has digestive-resistant maltodextrin in it, it should be listed as such.

As you can see, maltodextrin is incredibly high on the glycemic index and is higher than table sugar. Here is a breakdown of the glycemic index (GI) of some sugars for reference.

And the most frustrating thing is that food and supplement manufacturers don’t have to list it as a sugar on nutrition labels because technically it is not a sugar, it’s a “starch derivative.” This is sneaky and misleading. But maltodextrin spikes blood glucose levels more than sugar or honey. I have read stories where people have taken maltodextrin supplements after a workout and they had blood glucose crashes and weren’t diabetic.

Make sure that you always read your labels for active and inactive ingredients and beware of maltodextrin!

Below is a recipe for pill putty for pets, this is the second time I have made it and the dogs go crazy for it. For my latest recipe I used homemade smoked chicken breast and Mabel jumps up and down waiting for her supplements! It isn’t pretty but it is safe to give diabetic pets.

And since we are talking about blood glucose levels I want to share some products that are great for treating hypoglycemic events!

For humans in the USA - Glucose SOS Rapid Recovery comes in four flavors and dissolves instantly to quickly get blood glucose levels to safe levels.

Glucose SOS Rapid Recovery Berry Medley Flavor

Glucose SOS Rapid Recovery Kiwi Strawberry Flavor

Glucose SOS Rapid Recovery Sweet and Tangy

Glucose SOS Rapid Recovery Green Apple

For pets – Energy Boost is an easy to administer gel and includes antioxidants to help cats and dogs recover quickly and safely from a hypoglycemic episode.

USA link: https://shoppettest.com/energy-boost-for-pets-b12/

Canada link: https://shoppettest.com/energy-boost-for-pets-b12/

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.

For a printable version of this blog click here.

Until next week stay comfy, don’t stress and you got this!

Michelle Miller-Matlock

AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator

Founder/Administrator of DDO: Diabetic Dog Owners University

Administrator of Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook

Want to learn all you can in a simple and easy to follow format? Please join DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University , graciously sponsored by PetTest.

Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!

Do you need a blood glucose meter kit for your diabetes arsenal? Click here to purchase one if you live in the USA. Click here to purchase a meter kit if you live in Canada.

PetTest USA link: https://shoppettest.com/

Link to PetTest Canada: https://pettest.ca/

If you live in Australia, Wantsa Medical offers PetTest products.

UK residents can purchase PetTest Supplies from Home Health UK.

New Zealand now has PetTest products through VetPost.

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