Maltodextrin, Mallitol, Sorbitol...

[capecodda]

I feel like I have found my home..as far as what my body has been telling me for 45 years. I just hope the damage is not past the point of no return. I have known for many years that for some reason, maltodextrin blows my intenstines up like the Hindenburg . It took a while to figure out what was doing it but it has become a way of life to check labels. However, I know that Sorbitol is even worse. Most of the dextrins, mallitol, and a few others reak havoc and cause excruciating bloat. Does anyone have the same problem and/or know if these additives are somehow related to glutens? I just thought they were alternative sweeteners.

[bklynceliac]

sorbitol is bad stuff. It doesn't have any gluten elements, but it's a gastric irritant of the first rate. It's used often as a sweetener for chewable medicines and candies, but it's main side effect (or purpose when used in laxatives) is drawing a great deal of water into the intestinal tract. That of course can cause problems. It's not a major deal for healthy folks, but for those of us with "stomach issues", it's a good thing to avoid. And watch out, because it's in a lot of gums and mints.

Don't know much about the other two unfortch...

[capecodda]

sorbitol is bad stuff. It doesn't have any gluten elements, but it's a gastric irritant of the first rate. It's used often as a sweetener for chewable medicines and candies, but it's main side effect (or purpose when used in laxatives) is drawing a great deal of water into the intestinal tract. That of course can cause problems. It's not a major deal for healthy folks, but for those of us with "stomach issues", it's a good thing to avoid. And watch out, because it's in a lot of gums and mints.

Don't know much about the other two unfortch...

Thanks for the info! I rarely get into anything with sorbitol anymore as I have learned over the years what it's in so if I do, it's usually from walking in my sleep to the snack cabinet. (I have kids.) Pain is a good deterrant though. Eventually I nix another food from my list.

[Daxin]

AS far as I know, maltodextrin is made from corn, so it should be okay.

[gfp]

AS far as I know, maltodextrin is made from corn, so it should be okay.

So long as its made in the US or Canada....

[Nancym]

Open Original Shared Link are sugars that end in a "ol", like malitol and sorbitol. Your body can't digest them, so they usually end up in the intestines are are digested by the microbes living there. Anyway, that process causes huge gas and, if you eat too much, diarrhea. So there's always a caution about that on the label of those things.

There is one sugar alcohol however that doesn't do that. It is called Open Original Shared Link. It gets absorbed in the blood stream and excreted via urine, so it bypasses that whole intestinal issue. However it is expensive compared to malitol or sorbitol, so manufacturer's rarely use it. I buy it and use it myself when I make no-sugar stuff. But you really need to mix it with other sweeteners.

Sugar alcohols are found naturally in fruits, veggies, milk, but usually not in the quantitites we eat when we have sugarless candy.

Maltodextrin isn't a sugar alcohol, so not sure why you have problems with that, unless you're sensitive to corn. Perhaps it isn't the maltodextrin you're reacting to but something else in the same food?

[Nancym]

If you're a food scientist wannabe like I am, you'll find this really amazing: Open Original Shared Link

Medical applications

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Dental care

Xylitol is a "Toothfriendly" sugar substitute. In addition to discouraging tooth decay by replacing dietary sugars, xylitol may actively aid in repairing minor cavities caused by dental caries. Recent research[1] confirms a plaque-reducing effect and suggests that the compound, having some chemical properties similar to sucrose, attracts and then "starves" harmful micro-organisms, allowing the mouth to remineralize damaged teeth with less interruption. (However, this same effect also interferes with the yeast micro-organism and others, so xylitol is inappropriate in making bread, for instance.)

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Diabetes

Possessing approximately 50% less food energy,[citation needed] xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar, and is absorbed more slowly than sugar; thus it doesn't contribute to a rapid rise in blood sugar level and the resultant hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.

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Osteoporosis

Xylitol also appears to have potential as a treatment for osteoporosis. A group of Finnish researchers have found that dietary xylitol prevents weakening of bones in laboratory rats, and actually improves bone density.[2][3]

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Ear and upper respiratory infections

Studies[4] [5] have shown that xylitol chewing gum can help prevent ear infections (acute otitis media); the act of chewing and swallowing assists with the disposal of earwax and clearing the middle ear, whilst the presence of xylitol prevents the growth of bacteria in the eustachian tubes which connect the nose and ear. This action that xylitol has on bacteria in the back of the nose is best explained on the site dealing with the nasal application of xylitol. [6] When bacteria enter the body they hold on to our tissues by hanging on to a variety of sugar complexes. The open nature of xylitol and its ability to form many different sugar-like structures appears to interfere with the ability of many bacteria to adhere.[7] Xylitol can be applied nasally through a saline solution containing xylitol, such as Xlear Nasal Wash.

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Candida yeast

A recent report suggests that consumption of xylitol may help control oral infections of Candida yeast; in contrast, galactose, glucose and sucrose may increase proliferation.[8]

They say don't ever use a sugar alcohol in bread because it'll kill the yeast.

[MayaRose]

However, I know that Sorbitol is even worse. Most of the dextrins, mallitol, and a few others reak havoc and cause excruciating bloat. Does anyone have the same problem and/or know if these additives are somehow related to glutens? I just thought they were alternative sweeteners.

Hi, I'm new, and joined after doing a google search for any connection between sorbitol and gluten. Here's why: I've been taking a Bromelain supplement during the past week, that among other things contains sorbitol. Shortly after I started taking it, I got extremely nauseous and just felt lousy as happens if I have a gluten exposure. I didn't associate the nausea with the bromelain, though, as I started taking a couple of other supplements (recommended by doctor) at the same time, and also got some take-out food that supposedly was gluten-free but could conceivably not have been (cross-contamination or whatever). Anyway, I just today read the fine print on the bromelain label and saw it says "contains wheat/gluten"! I am usually so careful about these things; couldn't believe I missed that. Read through the list of ingredients again and didn't see anything that could be wheat-derived, so I emailed the manufacturer, Source Naturals, to inquire. Got back an email from the company's "technical researcher" saying that sorbitol is the source of the wheat/gluten in the product! I don't see how that's possible, and have emailed back for further explanation. I thought sorbitol was derived either from fruit, veggies, or corn.

[ravenwoodglass]

Got back an email from the company's "technical researcher" saying that sorbitol is the source of the wheat/gluten in the product! I don't see how that's possible, and have emailed back for further explanation. I thought sorbitol was derived either from fruit, veggies, or corn.

It is amazing isn't it how they can engineer one toxic and addictive substance into so many forms that it is virtually impossible to find it without a science degree. My biggest shock was the day I looked at some mints I used to eat occasionally and read their new label that said - glucose (wheat). Before that I never would have even thought to question the source of glucose as I always thought it was 'just sugar'.

[Centa]

I'm familiar with the details of the list of food additives to watch that is linked to this site, but I've been trying to skip maltodextrin, dextrin anything and caramel coloring anyway

Does anyone else have a bloating response when they eat these? Anyone else with a thought on this?