Polydextrose
A glucose-based fibre, in our probiotic strips.
What it is
Polydextrose is made from glucose, with a little sorbitol and citric acid, heated so the glucose links up every which way into a branching tangle.
It’s added to foods as a fibre: it bulks things up without much sugar or many calories. In our Probiotic + Prebiotic Strips, it rides along with Lacey.
AnnouncerPolydextrose was not consulted about its shape. It went every which way on its own.
Polydextrose is glucose linked every which way. Your enzymes can’t cut most of it, so it travels on as fibre.
Try your tools on it
It’s all glucose, but the links point in so many directions that your enzymes, built for the tidy links in starch, can’t cut most of them. Most of it reaches the colon.
A plate of polydextrose
glucose
Who eats it, Downtown
Many colon microbes nibble at it, bifidos included. It’s a slow meal, eaten a little at a time all the way along the colon.
LaceyWhat they make
Short-chain fatty acids, slowly and only partly. Slow fermentation means the gas comes gradually too.
Serve the polydextrose to the crew and see what they make.
Where you’ll find it
- Added to foods: reduced-sugar snacks, baked goods, drinks
Where it ends up: Downtown, on the map.
Coming up next on Channel GG
Fibre
The parts of plants your own enzymes can’t cut. Some of it feeds the crew; some just keeps things moving.
