bio... tell me about Dextrin

[jimmie 48]

i'm looking for information and of course, found some but you explain it so much better.

is dextrin a starch? sugar?


dextrin (plural dextrins)

1. (chemistry) Any of a range of polymers of glucose, intermediate in complexity between maltose and starch, produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch; used commercially as adhesives

[biogeek]

Well it's both!

Starches are made up of a whole bunch of sugars stuck together. Chemically, starch is just a bunch of glucose molecules in a really long chain. Of course, there are all kinds of starches, just like there are many types of sugars. Dextrin is just another type of starch (or sugar if you will) and to make matters confusing to most folks, they also come in different chemical arrangements. Some types of dextrin are poorly absorbed by the body, so they hardly raise blood sugars, while others are readily absorbed and act just like glucose. You need to know which kind your food has as it is a popular food additive.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more info.

[jimmie 48]

i'm guessing .... really guessing... that if the dextrin is acting like glucose, it would trigger cravings. is that right?

i need to get the ingredient list off this product i bought. brb.

[jimmie 48]

i got these vegetable chips at the mennonite market.
there is no nutritional list on these foods. just an ingredient list.

sweet potatoe
taro
squash
carrot
green bean
non hydrogenated canola oil
dextrin
sea salt
product may contain more than 10% ppm of sulfar dioxide as a naturally occuring ingredient.

[biogeek]

I would expect it to cause cravings in those that are susceptible to its sweetness (though some dextrins are not sweet, in which case, they are used as a binder or thickener agent and shouldn't cause sugar cravings).

[biogeek]

Dextrins are in your chips? Weird. I'm used to seeing them in tapiocas and puddings, but heck, seems like they're putting it in everything these days. Some of the veggies that make up these chips are known to be starchy and sweet (i.e. sweet potato, carrots, and some squashes) and I wouldn't think that the dextrins would be *more* sweet than these veggies. If you feel comfy eating these veggies, you should be ok with dextrins.

[jimmie 48]

i think that might be the case with these chips, that the dextrin is a binder. i saw that on several of the sites i visited. i've had these chips twice now and i've not experienced anything like cravings.
sweetness is weird to me since being on atkins and low carb in general. jack can eat a candy bar and think of nothing of it's sweetness but i can eat a carrot and think 'gosh how sweet is this!'
the chips are crunchy crunchy!

thanks for info.

[biogeek]

oooooh! I love *crunchy, crunchy*!!!! What brand are these chips? LOL I'm with you and sweet things in noticing how sweet certain veggies taste compared to my life before Atkins. I can't imagine eating a candy bar! Oi!

[jimmie 48]

a milky way would have me climbing the walls and then i suppose i would get sick sick sick. i can even smell the sugar in those things!

brand..... i got them at the mennonite market so there really isn't a brand. they bag them there. i'll get a picture for you. [i love that i know how to do that techy stuff. LOL LOL ]

[jimmie 48]

i get these at a place called Planktown Market. ClickaCoupon.com - Grocery

HEY!!! a $2 coupon! cool beans!