Things You Need to Know about Polydextrose

Things You Need to Know about Polydextrose

–Written by Tianjia Team

What is Polydextrose?

As one commonly used sweetener in food, such as chocolates, jellies, ice-cream, toast, cookies, milk, juices, yogurt, etc., polydextrose can be easily found in our daily diets. But do you really know it? In this article, we will give detailed information about this item.

Beginning with the way it appears, polydextrose is one polysaccharide consisting of randomly bonded glucose polymers, usually including about 10% of sorbitol and 1% of citric acid. In 1981, it was approved by the US FDA, then in April 2013, it was classified as one kind of soluble fiber by the US FDA and Health Canada. Generally, it is used to replace sugar, starch, and fat with its function of increasing the amount of dietary fiber in food, and reducing calories and fat contents. Now, I am sure you already have a clear sense of polydextrose, one artificial but nutritive sweetener that will not raise blood sugar.

Characteristics of Polydextrose

With following characteristics of polydextrose: high water solubility under ambient temperature (80% water soluble), good thermal stability (its glassy structure effectively helps prevent sugar crystallization and cold flow in candies), low sweetness (only 5% compared to sucralose), low glycaemic index and load (GI values ≤7 as reported, Calorie Content of 1 kcal/g), and noncariogenic, polydextrose is suitable in wafers and waffles for diabetics.

Moreover, polydextrose is one soluble prebiotic fiber, because it can regularize  bowel function, normalize blood lipid concentrations, and blood glucose attenuation, decrease colonic pH and have positive impacts on the colonic microflora.

Polydextrose Application

Baked Goods: Bread, Cookies, Waffles, Cakes, Sandwiches, etc.
Dairy Products: Milk, Yogurt, Milk Shake, Ice-cream, etc.
Beverages: Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks, Juices, etc.
Confectionery: Chocolates, Puddings, Jellies, Candies, etc.