Did you know some health supplements contain hidden sugar, like maltodextrin? Today, I will share a simple test to find hidden sugar in your food and health supplements.

Iodine mixed with water is a golden color. If you combine iodine with starch, it turns blue. When you add iodine to bread, for example, it turns blue. Or, if you put maltodextrin in water and add a few drops of iodine, the water will turn blue.

My brand of electrolyte powder doesn’t have any sugar or maltodextrin in it. However, when we look at a competitor’s electrolyte powder that also claims it doesn’t have sugar or maltodextrin, it turns blue when iodine is added.

Maltodextrin behaves like sugar, spiking insulin, but can be classified on a label as a carb and not a sugar. On the glycemic index, table sugar is at 65, and glucose is at 100—maltodextrin is between 105 and 185.

Maltodextrin is the most common starch added to supplements and other products. If there is less than one gram of maltodextrin in a product per serving size, the company doesn’t even have to state it.

Maltodextrin can also be found in flavorings, energy gels, sports powders, and even baby formulas. It’s important to be aware that some so-called keto-friendly products can also contain maltodextrin.