Polyglucose is an artificially synthesized water-soluble dietary fiber. ?

Water soluble dietary fiber belongs to the major category of polyglucose. ?

Here is a detailed explanation:

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What is Polyglucose?

Definition: Polyglucose is an artificially synthesized low calorie, low glycemic index polymer. It is mainly composed of glucose molecules (usually derived from corn starch), combined with a small amount of sorbitol and citric acid.

Structure: Its molecular structure is complex and highly branched, and the digestive enzymes in the human small intestine cannot break it down into monosaccharides for absorption. Therefore, it is almost not digested and absorbed by the human body, providing extremely low energy (about 1 kcal/g).

Nature:

Solubility: Highly soluble in water (with a solubility of over 80%), forming clear or slightly turbid solutions with low viscosity.

Sweetness: It has a mild sweetness, about 0.1 times that of sucrose.

Stability: Good stability to acid and heat, suitable for various food processing applications.

Fermented: It can be partially fermented by intestinal probiotics in the large intestine, producing short chain fatty acids (such as butyric acid), which is beneficial for intestinal health.

What is water-soluble dietary fiber?

Definition: water-soluble dietary fiber refers to a kind of dietary fiber that can be dissolved in water to form a viscous solution or gel. They cannot be broken down and absorbed by digestive enzymes in the human body, but are partially or completely fermented by intestinal bacteria in the large intestine.

Source: Naturally occurring in plant-based foods such as fruits (pectin), oats and barley (β - glucan), beans (guar gum, partially hemicellulose), konjac (glucomannan), seaweed (alginate, carrageenan), etc. Some are artificially synthesized or modified, such as polydextrose, resistant dextrin, etc.

Function:

Regulating blood sugar: Delaying gastric emptying and absorption of glucose by the small intestine.

Reduce blood lipids: bind bile acids in the intestine, reduce their reabsorption, and promote cholesterol metabolism.

Increase satiety: absorb water and expand, increase food volume.

Regulating gut microbiota: As a prebiotic, it promotes the growth of probiotics such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.

Promote defecation: the short chain fatty acids produced by fermentation can stimulate intestinal peristalsis, and the gel formed can keep feces moist, soft and easy to excrete (but excess may lead to diarrhea).

Characteristics of Polyglucose as Water soluble Dietary Fiber

Highly soluble: This is one of its most prominent properties, making it very easy to add to various liquid and solid food and beverage products (such as low calorie beverages, dairy products, baked goods, candies, jams, meat products, health supplements, etc.) without significantly changing the product texture.

Low calorie: Almost not digested or absorbed, with extremely low calories (about 1 kcal/g), it is an effective ingredient in sugar and calorie reducing formulas.

Probiotic effect: It can effectively proliferate beneficial gut microbiota (especially bifidobacteria) and improve the gut microbiota environment.

Regulating blood glucose and blood lipids: As a water-soluble fiber, it has the effect of delaying glucose absorption and promoting bile acid excretion.

Improving intestinal function: promoting bowel movements, helping to prevent and alleviate constipation.

Good processing performance: acid and heat resistant, does not affect food flavor (no adverse odor or taste), low viscosity, easy to operate.

Regulatory recognition: Widely approved worldwide (including China, US FDA, EU, Japan, etc.) for use as dietary fiber and food additives (as thickeners, stabilizers, fillers, leavening agents, moisturizers, etc.). In China, it is listed in the "Catalogue of Health Food Raw Materials" and can be used in health foods that claim specific health functions (such as regulating gut microbiota, promoting bowel movements, and assisting in lowering blood lipids).

summarize

Polyglucose is an important, artificially designed and manufactured functional water-soluble dietary fiber. ?

It possesses all the core characteristics of water-soluble dietary fiber, including non digestibility, solubility in water, prebiotic effects, regulation of blood glucose and lipid levels, and improvement of intestinal function.

Compared to some naturally sourced water-soluble fibers such as gum and β - glucan, it has unique advantages in high solubility, low viscosity, stability, ease of addition, and clear standardized production. Therefore, it is widely used as a dietary fiber fortifier in the food industry.

Simply put, when you see 'polyglucose', you should know that it is a specific type of water-soluble dietary fiber designed and produced specifically to meet specific food processing needs and nutritional functions.