Used in Tofutti products, maltodextrin is a food additive produced from starch by partial hydrolysis. While it can be derived from any starch, it is most commonly taken from corn.
It is usually found as a white hygroscopic spray-dried powder that is easy to digest. It’s absorbed as rapidly as glucose, and either tastes sweet or flavourless.
Many athletes enjoy this compound because it converts into energy quite fast. Maltodextrin is used in many sport drinks, and some athletes will purchase small packets of it to add to their water bottles for a boost during workouts.
It’s commonly used in soda and candy, canned fruits, desserts, sauces and salad dressings but can also be found as an ingredient in a variety of other foods.
Maltodextrin is used as a filler or thickener, and is relatively inexpensive to buy. It contains fewer calories than sugar does, and can act as a sugar substitute, similar to Splenda.
Most of the time, maltodextrin is used in fairly small amounts and does not have a significant impact in regards to protein, fat, carbohydrates or fiber content.
It is processed, but it’s made from real food as opposed to chemicals, and is recognized as a safe ingredient in food. Maltodextrin is a great solid builder for standard and low-fat products, and is an excellent and effective spray-drying aid for flavours, fruit juices and other products that are difficult to dry.
Maltodextrin can be found in many Tofutti products, including Tofutti’s chocolate fudge treats, hooray hooray bars, sour supreme, Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese and more.