If you’ve read our blogs, you know I have a personal beef with sugar. Added sugar was once my crutch in life. When I felt stress, I turned to chocolate. If I celebrated something, I turned to cake. And when I felt bored, I baked sweet stuff. It’s so addictive! And here’s my other beef with sugar – it can be difficult to identify. Because many of us are onto the fact that sugar is destructive, companies put it in the nutritional information with different names. I decided to do a blog series on the many names of sugar. First, let’s answer the question: what is dextrose?
The History of Dextrose
Dextrose occurs naturally in some fruits. It was first isolated from raisins in 1747. In 1792, scientists realized it was different from cane sugar, but could sweeten foods. Also occurs naturally in honey and other fruits like dried apricots and dates. It’s now often extracted, processed, and refined to the point that it is no longer a naturally occurring sugar. Instead, it’s an added sugar.
How is it Made?
Dextrose is a simple sugar made from a starch – usually corn. It’s heated with a bit of acid to turn it into a refined syrup. Dextrose has several qualities that make it attractive. It helps baked products to brown easily in the oven. As well, it’s not as sweet and it can calm down intense flavors, like spice. Finally, it’s a preservative too, so the baked goods last longer.
What is Dextrose Used For?
Dextrose is chemically identical to glucose, which is blood sugar. So, when people are experiencing dips in blood sugar levels or dehydration, sometimes dextrose is either injected or swallowed. It’s quick acting and effective.
Most commonly though, dextrose is a sweetener and preservative in commercially baked goods. You can find it in sauces, seasoning mixes, chips, cured meats, canned foods, pickles, crackers, and jams. Bill was just looking at sunflower seeds for a post, and apparently it’s also in those! Side note – read the nutrition label for everything!
How Does it Affect Your Body?
So, dextrose is a sugar and it can give you a boost of energy to help with physical and mental focus. Bodybuilders sometimes use it in supplements to take after an intense workout. It’s also used by students right before an exam. Dextrose is high in the glycemic index. This means that it increases your blood sugar quickly. That can be good in some cases. It means it would literally take Bill out! If you eat too much dextrose, it can cause stomach upset – pain, nausea, and vomiting. It can also lead to thirst, frequent urination, and shortness of breath.
What Are the Long Term Effects of Dextrose?
Like any sugar, dextrose can lead to weight gain over the long term. Your body will store any dextrose not immediately required. That storage leads to body fat. Over time, excess stored fat can lead to serious diseases, such as heart disease, fatty buildup in your liver, and type 2 diabetes. It can also lead to kidney disease. Your kidneys filter sugar out of your urine, so having high blood sugar levels puts strain on your kidneys.
Dextrose, like other sugars, increases your symptoms of depression. It can also worsen skin conditions, like acne. Overall, none of the long-term effects are positive.
My Thoughts on Dextrose
Honestly, I didn’t realize that dextrose could occur naturally. I thought it was just another chemical that people put in baked goods so you didn’t see it as sugar. However, the small amount you’d get from dried apricots and grapes would not be harmful to you. The amount you get in commercial baked goods is what will get you in trouble.
It’s important to look at the ingredients in processed foods you take in. Now, obviously, we’re on keto so we try not to take in any kinds of sugar. But I was truly blown away by how many products contain dextrose. Even if you don’t shy away from the donuts, candies, and sports drinks, it’s important to know what you are putting into your body. Be aware – dextrose = sugar.
Wendy
