33Fuel - 0% Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is the most widely-used ingredient in ordinary sports nutrition. First appearing in energy gels in 1987 it’s also been at the heart of ordinary energy drink blends, protein powders, protein bars and energy bars for over 30 years.
This pedigree suggests it must be perfect for human performance. Sadly, this is far from the case. No need to take our word for it - you only have to look at where and how maltodextrin is most commonly used and its potential side effects.
Maltodextrin is:
- Used as a pesticide in agriculture [1]
- The second ingredient in a Pot Noodle
- Heavily used in shampoo & cosmetics [2]
- Nutrient negative [3]
- A suppressant of beneficial human gut bacteria needed for healthy human function [4]
The real reason maltodextrin has remained hugely popular in ordinary sports nutrition is it is incredibly cheap (less than 1p’s worth is required for an ordinary energy gel for example).
It is also legally allowed in the ‘carbohydrate’ section of a nutrition label and can be left out of the ‘sugars’ section (despite being a sugar). As maltodextrin producer Bell Chem explains:
“[maltodextrin] is generally used in the production of sodas and candy… Many soft drinks and other flavored beverages contain maltodextrin in their formulas so that they can have a lower amount of sugar on their nutrition facts labels.”
So manufacturers get a healthier and better looking product, without the expense and trouble of actually making a healthier and better product.
Call us old fashioned, but at 33Fuel we believe in actually making those better products in the first place, not fooling you into buying something that’s little more than processed rubbish in a fancy wrapper.
This is why we have never used maltodextrin and we never will.
Shop our 100% maltodextrin free range of natural sports nutrition
References
[1] Pesticide Properties Database, Maltodextrin
[2] The Derm Review, maltodextrin has “highest reported cosmetic ingredient use frequency”
[3] Bell Chem, “maltodextrin… can lead to a net decrease in a person’s vitamin & mineral levels”
[4] Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta: 'Maltodextrin, modern stressor of the intestinal environment’
More on maltodextrin from the 33Fuel blog
Maltodextrin in sports nutrition