What is Polydextrose
The term polydextrose (E1200) appears very often among the ingredients of foods, supplements (protein bars) and dietary products (substitute meals, products for diabetics, etc.).
Analyzing the word, we note the poly suffix (the same as polysaccharides), followed by the word dextrose (synonymous with glucose).
Composition
In polydextrose we find not only glucose (90%), but also 10% sorbitol and 1% citric acid; the various monomers that constitute it are bound together mainly by alpha 1.6 bonds, not separable from salivary and pancreatic amylases.
Organoleptic characteristics
The flavor of polydextrose, which appears as a white powder with a neutral and clean smell, is slightly sweet, given that its sweetening power is about 1/6 of that of table sugar.
Prebiotic and Laxative
Although it is a fiber largely excreted intact with faeces, the polydextrose still has a calorific value of one Kcal per gram (4.2 kJ / g); in animals, moreover, it has shown interesting prebiotic properties, underlined by the ability to act as a substrate for the growth of beneficial bacteria (symbiotic) in the colon.
Its partial fermentation in the large intestine, especially when taken together with generous amounts of water, contributes to increasing the fecal mass and accelerating intestinal transit. At high doses it can even be used as a laxative, even if you run the risk of suffering the classic gastrointestinal problems from excessive fiber consumption (abdominal cramps, meteorism and flatulence).
The intestinal bacterial fermentation of polydextrose, in addition to supporting the development of a friendly microflora, hinders that of putrefactive species, decreases fecal pH, increases the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and suppresses that of carcinogenic metabolites, such as indole and p -resol. Being a fiber, the glycemic index of the polydextrose is particularly low; slowing the digestion of starches and the absorption of sugars, it also tends to decrease the index and the glycemic load of the meal. In one study, for example, it was found that the simultaneous ingestion of 12 g of polydextrose and 50 g of glucose determines a glycemic increase of 11% lower than the same amount of glucose taken alone.