Sugar Alcohols??

[Rocky_Road]

I hate to sound stupid, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there are any downfalls to eating sugar alcohols? They seem to be in a lot of "low carb" candy bars and I wasn't sure if they were a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[Purdue Power]

They can give you the runs if you eat a lot of them.

 

[Vieope]

Diabetic people can´t eat them. Although they don´t know about it and a lot of diet product contains it.

 

[Rocky_Road]

They can give you the runs if you eat a lot of them.

I knew about this one. I used to do "low-carb", but I always stayed away from them. A lot of my friends eat the low carb candy bars for their chocolate fix. It just seemed to good to be true...

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I knew about this one. I used to do "low-carb", but I always stayed away from them. A lot of my friends eat the low carb candy bars for their chocolate fix. It just seemed to good to be true...

my cousin is a registered dietician and she always warns people to stay away from them because of the bathroom factor

 

[OceanDude]

sugar alcohols are a way to get calories and flavor into a product without having to report them as calories because they do not fall into the ream of protein, carbs or fats and are therefor exempt from the label laws for reporting nutrition/cals. Unscrupulous nutrition companies use them often.

OD

 

[Rocky_Road]

sugar alcohols are a way to get calories and flavor into a product without having to report them as calories because they do not fall into the ream of protein, carbs or fats and are therefor exempt from the label laws for reporting nutrition/cals. Unscrupulous nutrition companies use them often.

OD

I see. So, my question is, do they really not cause a significant change in your blood gluclose level or is that a bunch of bull? I've seen them in TONS of protein bars at the health food store I go to. I just haven't bought them because it seems like they're too good to be true.

 

[Jeanie]

They give me gas

 

[Rocky_Road]

They give me gas

I've heard a lot of people say that. Maybe I'll just continue to stay away from them. (although if I had gas I could give my husband a dose of his own medicine.)

 

[Cinnabon]

Sugar alcohols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Once absorbed they are converted to energy by processes that require little or no insulin. Some of the sugar alcohol is not absorbed into the blood and is passed out of the small intestine and is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Thus, overconsumption may produce abdominal gas and discomfort in some. Its all about moderation.

 

[Jeanie]

Sugar alcohols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Once absorbed they are converted to energy by processes that require little or no insulin. Some of the sugar alcohol is not absorbed into the blood and is passed out of the small intestine and is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Thus, overconsumption may produce abdominal gas and discomfort in some. Its all about moderation.

Oh , that explains the....well.....bad gas....sbd's !

 

[Vieope]

Sugar alcohols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Once absorbed they are converted to energy by processes that require little or no insulin. Some of the sugar alcohol is not absorbed into the blood and is passed out of the small intestine and is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Thus, overconsumption may produce abdominal gas and discomfort in some. Its all about moderation.

Do you remember the name of the bacteria? I guess it is the same that does that to beans.

 

[OceanDude]

Oh , that explains the....well.....bad gas....sbd's !

haha - Jeanie knows about "SBDs" - silent but deadlies. Funny how these little terms invade our culture almost universally.

OD

 

[Rocky_Road]

Oh , that explains the....well.....bad gas....sbd's !

 

[Robboe]

sugar alcohols are a way to get calories and flavor into a product without having to report them as calories because they do not fall into the ream of protein, carbs or fats and are therefor exempt from the label laws for reporting nutrition/cals. Unscrupulous nutrition companies use them often.

OD

Were these laws not re-evaluated at the turn of this year? I may be wrong, but i'm sure i read somewhere that all content must be listed and broken down.

Besides, the sugar alcohols never amounted to that many calories anyway. It was always easy enough to workout the slack by multiplying the protein and carbs by four and the fat by nine and then taking that combined figure away from the listed overall kcals.

 

[OceanDude]

Were these laws not re-evaluated at the turn of this year? I may be wrong, but i'm sure i read somewhere that all content must be listed and broken down.

Besides, the sugar alcohols never amounted to that many calories anyway. It was always easy enough to workout the slack by multiplying the protein and carbs by four and the fat by nine and then taking that combined figure away from the listed overall kcals.

I think you are correct. Have not been looking at the new labels since I already have a standard set of suppliments and sport nutrition I use and have not re-evaluated in a while. The math is easy to do but it's just a pain in the drain that they did not see fit to add them in up front in the label.

OD

 

[Robboe]

Rodger that.

Yeah, i know exactly what you mean. Although i'm still not 100% sure if i'm correct, so your homework for this week is to check some other labels next time you're in buying your supplements and report back to HQ.

Over and out.

 

[Jeanie]

we need one of these showing the gym!

 

[ponyboy]

I'm actually allergic to them. It's a mild allergy, but still gives me some breathing discomfort and tightness in the throat. Maltitol especially.