What are protected carbs?

[boooosted]

Just bought some Dreamfields "healthy carb living" pasta and went to cook it when I actually read the box:


Total Carbs...........41
Fiber....................-5
Protected Carbs....-31
_____________________
Digestible Carbs......5

It says "Dreamfield's patent pending formula and unique manufacturing process creates a matrix within the pasta, protecting 31 grams of carbohydrates from being digested"

Is this even possible? What is a protected carb? Sounded like bs to me especially the "creates a matrix within the pasta" part.

[gbardahl]

crazy...never heard of such a thing.

What companies are doing...it freakin crazy!!!!

[boooosted]

Yeah I'm guessing its just some type of marketing gimmick or something. I ate it anyways, but I'm not sure what I ate. I can't tell if I just ingested carbs or not. Calories are also 190 per serving so I'm guessing you do actually digest them or it would only be like 40 cals. I hope its good though because it tasted more like regular pasta than wheat.

[Murderfox]

I get that brand too. Not sure if the statement is true but if anyone can shed some light on it i'm all ears.

[boooosted]

I found some info from another forum that posts this info saying it was on the manufacturers website:

"Protected carbohydrates or "resistant starch": These are carbohydrates that resist being digested particularly in the small intestine. When they cannot be digested in the small intestine, they pass to the colon where they perform as dietary fiber. They may occur naturally, be created by chemically modifying carbohydrates prior to ingestion or achieve resistance through properly formulated foods being processed by the body. Resistant starches occur naturally at various levels in many foods, like cooked and cooled potatoes, unmilled grains, seeds, legumes, bananas, and high amylase starches. Most resistant starches are produced by concentrating naturally resistant starches and/or by chemically modifying carbohydrates in order to produce a starch with low digestibility. Dreamfields creates protected carbohydrates without chemical modification by utilizing combinations of standard food ingredients to "protect" digestible carbohydrates from being broken down by digestive enzymes. Carbohydrates resistant to digestion have been shown in scientific study to help control blood sugar, blood cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels, normalize insulin levels, and help improve the health of the colon lining, thus reducing the potential for ulcers and inflammatory diseases of the large intestine."

With that in mind, lots of people report testing blood sugar levels and seeing that it has gone up. One particular member said that it spiked his insulin but not til hours later.

[AustrianOakJr]

Sounds like a marketing gimmick. If the cals are listed on the side panel, thats what youre getting for energy. Perhaps they are changing the GI of the pasta, but big deal. Unless its listed at "insoluble" fiber, then youre getting the energy from it. I would say definitely count the carbs.

[BloodRaged]

From their site....

"Protected Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates that normally would be digested but are not digested due to a physical limitation. The added fiber and protein blend in Dreamfields creates a protective barrier to reduce the starch digestion in the small intestine. When the unabsorbed or protected starch reaches the colon and is fermented it provides many of the same benefits as fiber."


http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.com/diet....html#term0015

[TrueNorth]

They talk alot about different ways to modify the carbs to be indigestable. Here is a pending patent, you have to scroll down pretty far to get to the science of it all:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5281276.html

I don't know if its Dreamfields patent, its an old patent, but it lists a number of ways to make this happen. I read through the high amylase part, it seems they are trying to make a way for the food to be inaccessible to amylase (which breaks down starch), by hiding it in this 'matrix' which is formed. That patent says they were only trying to decrease absorbtion by 15%, again, I don't know if the patent is that of Dreamfields, but, if it is, that is a far cry from their food label which leads you to believe its 100%. That doesn't mean they are using that method, there were a multitude of methods listed.

This is a quote from Dreamfields website as well...
"There is no consensus definition or FDA regulated method for calculating or labeling net carbs."

Interpret that the way you want, to me it means they can lie about their food label without consequence.

On a different website

http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/3979008.html

In the first paragraph they state that the amylase matrix thing was ineffective in preventing absorption of carbs, and they sited several sources to read up on if you want, supporting that claim.

[boooosted]

^^^Very interesting. If there was a proven way to eat carbs without actually digesting them I'm sure it would spread like wildfire. You can't rely on the companies claims and we should know not to buy into marketing gimmicks more than anybody. Not going to mention any companies buy there's products out there that claim 14 lbs of solid muscle in just 4-7 days.

[iCookie]

So basically it could be possible to eat whatever you want but it won't make you fat.

Too good to be true.

[snorkelman]

I think I found a picture of a protected carb.

[zeetis]

^ lol repped.

This is quite a crazy concept, does it taste like real pasta?

[boooosted]

I think I found a picture of a protected carb.

lol awesome. That is one badass looking carbohydrate

^ lol repped.

This is quite a crazy concept, does it taste like real pasta?

Yeah this is why I probably won't buy it again. For one I don't know what kind it is and two it tastes like regular pasta and is the same color. I'm going to just stick with wheat