Sugar alcohols

[kvyd]

Can anyone tell me how they are broken down and how they effect the body.

Ive heard they are over all bad for you. can someone give reasons and such.

thanx

 

[atherjen]

go to www.mercola.com and search artificial sweetners, aspartame, sucralose, etc.
scary.

 

[OmarJackson]

Originally posted by atherjen
go to www.mercola.com and search artificial sweetners, aspartame, sucralose, etc.
scary.

no offense to mercola or nothing, but the testimonials on his site are hilarious. one lady was like "i started using splend and the next day i was sluggish and depressed." hmmm.... maybe thats because your a fat sack of shit. anyway i've been using splenda every day for more than a year and i haven't noticed anything, except that i am enjoying my oatmeal again.

regardless, sugar alcohols are not the same as artificial sweetners, some sugar alcohols do have calories in them.

 

[Jodi]

I don't care for Mercola myself.

 

[Akateros]

Here's the Low-Carb Forum info page on artificial sweeteners, including sugar alcohols:
http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips006.html

Bottom line appears to be "technically, they're not supposed to count". However, in practice, I know they are anathema to me; not only do they wreak evil in my bowels even in tiny doses, but they will completely stall an otherwise swimming diet for days.

And my brother, who is diabetic, says they mess up his insulin levels and blood sugar much more than they're claimed to, so he doesn't consume them either.

 

[kvyd]

alright, thanx. Im just going to avoid them.

 

[Vieope]

Originally posted by Akateros
And my brother, who is diabetic, says they mess up his insulin levels and blood sugar much more than they're claimed to, so he doesn't consume them either.

True

What Are Sugar Alcohols?

The sugar alcohols commonly found in foods are sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. Sugar alcohols come from plant products such as fruits and berries. The carbohydrate in these plant products is altered through a chemical process. These sugar substitutes provide somewhat fewer calories than table sugar (sucrose), mainly because they are not well absorbed and may even have a small laxative effect.

Many so-called "dietetic" foods that are labeled "sugar free" or "no sugar added" in fact contain sugar alcohols. People with diabetes MISTAKENLY think that foods labeled as "sugar free" or "no sugar added" will have no effect on their blood sugars. Foods containing these sugar alcohols need to have their calorie and carbohydrate contents accounted for in your overall meal plan, as it is carbohydrate that raises blood sugar levels. Since many people typically overeat "sugar free" or "no sugar added" foods, their blood sugar may be significantly elevated.

So the next time you pick up a dietetic food labeled "sugar free" be sure to check the label to see if these sugar alcohols are listed. Most importantly, be sure to check what the total carbohydrate content is per serving of any food, and incorporate that carbohydrate in your overall meal plan. If the product contains any total carb grams, it may likely come from sugar alcohols.

 

[Nuclear Blast]

If I had to choose a sweetner, it would be Splenda. Seems to be the best for you out of all of them. I'm sorry, but despite the gallon or so of water I drink a day, I consume a couple of glasses of decaf tea a day and I "must" have my splenda added as well as to my morning oatmeal.

 

[Nuclear Blast]

Oh, and by the way, for anybody that does comsume protein bars...just a reminder, they also contain sugar alcohols. So if you're gonna totally eliminate them from your diet then you might as well not ever eat another protein bar ever again (any type)!

 

[camarosuper6]

I would die without Splenda on my morning oatmeal.

 

[greekblondechic]

stevia! stevia! stevia!

 

[atherjen]

I agree with Vivian - I use Stevia now as suggested by my ND

 

[Nuclear Blast]

What is Stevia? Never heard of it before.

 

[atherjen]

Originally posted by Nuclear Blast
What is Stevia? Never heard of it before.

http://www.healthy.net/hwlibrarybooks/stevia/questions.asp