Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a fast-digesting carbohydrate made from corn, rice, or potato starch. It carries a very high glycemic index (often higher than table sugar) and is used in mass gainers, intra-workout drinks, and some recovery formulas.
Why It Matters
Maltodextrin rapidly raises blood glucose and insulin, which is useful in two narrow contexts: pushing extra calories into a hardgainer's diet and refilling glycogen quickly after long, depleting workouts. Outside those contexts, maltodextrin is mostly empty calories.
Many mass gainers use 200+ grams of maltodextrin per serving to hit huge calorie counts cheaply. Read the label carefully if you are trying to gain quality weight rather than spike blood sugar four times a day.
How to Spot It on a Label
Maltodextrin appears in the ingredient deck, often as the first or second ingredient in gainers. On the carb breakdown, expect a high total carb count with very few sugars listed; maltodextrin counts as starch on a label even though it digests like sugar.
Examples from real products
Related Terms
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