Some ingredients may have strange names, but aren’t really freaky at all.
Isomaltooligosaccharide powder, medium chain triglyceride oil powder, xanthan gum, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate… Oh my!
Sound scary? Well, don’t panic! There’s no cause for alarm. These ingredients may have strange names, but rest assured that they are entirely safe and good-natured, which is why they exist as components of our nutritious IsaLean Shake.
Let’s unmask each of these:
- Isomaltooligosaccharide powder: While frighteningly difficult to pronounce, this digestion-resistant carbohydrate source is quite natural and good for you. Oligosaccharides, in fact, are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. The ingredient also acts as an important “prebiotic” that helps feed healthy intestinal microbes (1). That’s really about all that’s creepy crawly about it.
- Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs): Could these be associated with that slimy “S” word? Oh yes, indeed, MCTs are a source of minor amounts of saturated fat derived from coconut oil. But not all saturated fats are the same. In fact, unlike other long-chain varieties, these medium-chain fats are easily absorbed for quick energy. Additionally, studies show they can support greater calorie burning and weight control (2;3).
- Xanthan gum: This gum comes from a group of vegetable polysaccharides with an even more bizarre name, hydrocolloids, which simply means that they consist of small (“colloid”) particles that dissolve easily in water (“hydrophilic”) (4). These types of gums in only small amounts help provide viscosity and thickness to foods such as IsaLean Shake. Some may say xanthan gum is “water loving,” but it’s no Swamp Thing.
- Silicon dioxide: Silicon dioxide, or silica, is in almost everything you eat. It exists naturally in all kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as in packaged products. The amounts used in IsaLean Shake are completely safe. Most importantly, it should not to be confused with silicone, the rubber-like polymer used in applications such as breast implants. That in any product would certainly be distressing.
- Magnesium Stearate: Made about to be a monster by some Internet sites, this ingredient is quite innocent once you consider the facts. As a magnesium salt of stearic acid, it is used in tiny amounts during manufacturing simply to help prevent sticking or clumping in undesired ways. (learn more here).
Next time, if you see these ingredients on your IsaLean Shake label, have no fear—despite what some scaremongering websites might say, each of them are completely harmless and healthy.
References
- Yen CH, Tseng YH, Kuo YW, Lee MC, Chen HL. Long-term supplementation of isomalto-oligosaccharides improved colonic microflora profile, bowel function, and blood cholesterol levels in constipated elderly people–a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial. Nutrition 2011;27:445-50.
- St-Onge MP, Jones PJ. Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides: potential agents in the prevention of obesity. J Nutr. 2002 Mar;132(3):329-32.
- St-Onge MP, Jones PJ. Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Dec;27(12):1565-71.
- Brown A. Understanding food: Principles and preparation. 1999. Wadsworth: Belmont, CA.
