4. Sugar alcohols are hard for the body to
digest; the effect on blood sugar levels is less
than standard sugar. When counting
carbohydrates for products made with sugar
alcohols, subtract half of the grams of sugar
alcohol listed on the food label from the
total grams of carbohydrate. eating too
many sugar alcohols may cause digestive
complaints like gas, cramping and diarrhea.
7. Locate the total carbohydrate in one serving. You
will see that the total carbohydrate is 29 grams.
The amount of sugar alcohol is 18 grams per
serving.
Calculate half the grams of sugar alcohol (18 grams
of sugar alcohol divided by 2 equals 9 grams).
Subtract only half of the grams of sugar alcohol
from the total carbohydrate Count this product as
20 grams of carbohydrate (29 grams total
carbohydrate minus 9 grams sugar alcohol equals
20 grams of carbohydrate).
8. You may wonder why manufacturers
would put sugar alcohols in foods and
other products, or why people might
seek them out. Here are a few reasons
why consumers choose these products:
9. Fewer calories. Sugar alcohols contain fewer calories (0.2 to 3 calories per
gram) than sugar (4 calories per gram), making them a diet-friendly choice
for people who want to limit their caloric intake, but still enjoy sweet foods.
Safe for diabetics. Sugar alcohols are absorbed more slowly (and
incompletely) by the body. Unlike regular sugar, they require little or no
insulin for metabolism. *People with diabetes should consult their
physician, dietitian or other health professional about incorporating sugar
alcohols into their daily meal plans.
Better dental health. Sugar alcohols do not promote tooth decay since
they are not metabolized by the bacteria that produce dental cavities.
Fewer drug interactions. Sugar alcohols do not react with the
pharmacologic ingredients in medicines as much as sugar sometimes can.
Individual tastes. The different types of sugar alcohols vary in sweetness,
from being about half as sweet to equally sweet as sugar.
10. Sugar alcohols do not lose their sweetness when heated,
although many artificial sweeteners do.
Sugar alcohols do not absorb water like sugar does. Therefore
the surface of foods made with sugar alcohols won't become
sticky as quickly as products made with sugar.
Molds and bacteria do not grow and multiply on sugar
alcohols as well as they do on sugar.
They can use a combination of sugar alcohols, sugar and/or
artificial sweeteners to give the most pleasant taste,
appearance, and texture to a food product.
11. Scientists have concluded that they are safe for human
consumption.
For some people, consuming certain sugar alcohols in
excessive amounts may cause gastrointestinal upsets
such as gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Problems will depend on your individual sensitivity
level and the other foods you consume at the same
time avoid them if they cause discomfort.
12. locate the sugar listing on the soda's nutrition label—40
grams. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. Do the
math. That innocent can of pop contains 10 teaspoons
of sugar and 160 empty calories.
Even if you don’t drink regular soda, that is equivalent
of about 31 teaspoons (124 grams) of added sugar every
day. That sugar alone adds up almost 500 extra
calories—about 25% of the average person's caloric
intake.
13. Food Serving Size Added Sugar
Angel food cake 4 oz piece 7 tsp
Banana Cake 4 oz piece 2 tsp
Brownie, no icing 1 oz piece 4 tsp
Cheesecake 4 oz piece 2 tsp
Chocolate cake,
iced
4 oz piece 10 tsp
Chocolate chip
cookie
1 cookie 2 tsp
Coffee cake 4 oz piece 5 tsp
Cupcake, iced 4 oz piece 6 tsp
18. Mannitol: occurs naturally in pineapples, olives, asparagus,
sweet potatoes and carrots. Mannitol has 50-70 percent of the
relative sweetness of sugar, which means more must be used
to equal the sweetness of sugar. Mannitol lingers in the
intestines for a long time and therefore often causes bloating
and diarrhea.
Sorbitol: is found naturally in fruits and vegetables. It is
manufactured from corn syrup. Sorbitol has only 50 percent of
the relative sweetness of sugar which means twice as much
must be used to deliver a similar amount of sweetness to a
product. It has less of a tendency to cause diarrhea compared
to mannitol. It is often an ingredient in sugar-free gums and
candies.
Xylitol: is also called "wood sugar" and occurs naturally in
straw, corncobs, fruit, vegetables, cereals, mushrooms and
some cereals. Xylitol has the same relative sweetness as sugar.
It is found in chewing gums.
19. Isomalt: is 45 - 65 percent as sweet as sugar and does not
tend to lose its sweetness or break down during the heating
process. Isomalt absorbs little water, so it is often used in
hard candies, toffee, cough drops and lollipops.
Maltitol: is 75 percent as sweet as sugar. It is used in sugar-
free hard candies, chewing gum, chocolate-flavored
desserts, baked goods and ice cream because it gives a
creamy texture to foods.
Hydrogenated starch hydro lysates (HSH): are produced
by the partial hydrolysis of corn. HSH are nutritive
sweeteners that provide 40 - 90 percent of the sweetness of
sugar. HSH do not crystallize and are used extensively in
confections, baked goods and mouthwashes.
20. Sugar alcohols are found in sugar-free candies,
desserts, and gum. They are a form of a sweetener that
is reduced in calories. Sugar alcohols contain
approximately half the calories of sugar and other
carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols do not contain alcohol.
Examples of sugar alcohols include xylitol, sorbitol,
mannitol, maltitol, and isomalt.
21. Advantages of sugar alcohols include the fact that
they are lower in calories than sugar, which can be
beneficial for patients trying to control their blood
sugar levels. They also do not promote tooth decay.
However, there is no guarantee that foods that
contain sugar alcohols are themselves low-calorie
foods. Some patients may experience a laxative
effect or other gastrointestinal side effects from
sugar alcohols
22. The World Health Organization (WHO) has
reviewed sugar alcohols and concluded that they
are safe for human consumption. The U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies some of
the sugar alcohols as Generally Recognized as Safe
(GRAS). Jennifer Marsico, RPh
