Sugar Alcohols-Long Post

[Guest guest]

Hey Gang,

There have been some questions on some other lists that I am on about sugar

alcohols. I found this in the Yale-New Haven Hospital Nutrition Advisor.

Beware of Sugar Alcohols. It seems to be the most comprehensive summary of

Sugar Alcohols that I've seen. I avoid sugar alcohols because they give me

awful gas and frequent runs to the bathroom. I try to avoid them as I do

sugar.

BobA

BPD 10-98

More than 200 pounds gone but not forgotten 'cause they keep trying to come

back!

******************************************************************

Eat any sugar alcohol lately?

If you've looked lately at the " Nutrition Facts " panel on a pack of

sugar-free gum or candy, you might be surprised to see that it contains

" sugar alcohol. " Don't let the name fool you. These ingredients were given

this consumer-friendly name because part of their structure resembles sugar

and part is similar to alcohol. Sugar

alcohols do not contain ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages.

What is sugar alcohol?

Sugar alcohols, also know as polyols, are ingredients used as sweeteners and

bulking agents. They occur naturally in foods and come from plant products

such as fruits and berries. As a sugar substitute, they provide fewer

calories (about a half to one-third less calories) than regular sugar. This

is because they are converted

to glucose more slowly, require little or no insulin to be metabolized and

don't cause sudden increases in blood sugar. This makes them popular among

individuals with diabetes; however, their use is becoming more common by just

about everyone. You may be consuming them and not even know it.

Identifying them

Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt,

maltitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH). Sugar alcohols are not

commonly used in home food preparation, but are found in many processed

foods. Food products labeled " sugar-free, " including hard candies, cookies,

chewing gums, soft drinks and throat lozenges often consist of sugar

alcohols. They are frequently used in

toothpaste and mouthwash too.

Check carbohydrates

So why are sugar alcohols used so often? For one thing, they help to provide

the sweet flavor to food in many products marketed towards individuals with

diabetes. But, beware! There is often the misconception that all sugar

alcohol-containing products are " free foods. " Some of these products may

still contain significant amounts of carbohydrates. It's important to check

the food label for the total carbohydrate contained in the product and talk

with a registered dietitian to determine how it will best fit into your meal

plan.

If a manufacturer uses the term " sugar free " or " no added sugar, " they must

list the grams of sugar alcohols. If more than one sugar alcohol is used in a

product, the " Nutrition Facts " panel will list the amount of sugar alcohol it

contains under the total carbohydrate.

If just one sugar alcohol is used, the label will list its specific name, for

example, " mannitol " or " hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. "

Pros and cons of sugar alcohols

On the positive side, sugar alcohols contain less calories (1.5 - 3 calories

per gram) than sugar (4 calories per gram), and they do not cause tooth decay

like sugar does. Therefore, many " sugar-free " gums including Trident® and

Extra® are made with sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols also add texture to

foods, retain moisture better and

prevent foods from browning when they are heated.

Unfortunately, there are some negatives associated with sugar alcohols. The

most common side effect is the possibility of bloating and diarrhea when

sugar alcohols are eaten in excessive amounts.  There is also some evidence

that sugar alcohols, much like fructose (natural fruit sugar) in fruit and

fruit juice can cause a " laxative effect. " Weight gain has been seen when

these products are overeaten. The American Diabetes Association claims that

sugar alcohols are acceptable in a moderate amount but should not be eaten in

excess.

Some people with diabetes, especially Type I diabetics, have found

that their blood sugars rise if sugar alcohols are eaten in uncontrolled

amounts.

Sugar alcohols vs. artificial sweeteners

Sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin (Sweet & Low®)

and aspartame (Equal® or Nutrasweet®), are not one and the same. One

difference between the two types of sugar substitutes is that the artificial

sweeteners contain zero calories whereas sugar alcohols contain about 2.6

calories per gram. Another issue is diabetes management. Artificial

sweeteners do not contain carbohydrates so they do not cause blood sugar to

elevate, whereas, sugar alcohols have some effect on blood sugar. Overall,

both can be useful in diabetes management when used properly.

Forms of sugar alcohol

Mannitol occurs naturally in pineapples, olives, asparagus, sweet potatoes

and carrots. It is extracted from seaweed for use in food manufacturing.

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.

Lactitol has about 30-40 percent of sugar's sweetening power, but its taste

and solubility profile resembles sugar so it is often found in sugar-free ice

cream, chocolate, hard and soft candies, baked goods, sugar-reduced preserves

and chewing gums.

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 hydrolysates (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.

[Guest guest]

Bob, Thanks for the info. Although it is a little long, the article has

some wonderful information.

Lori Owen - Denton, Texas

CHF 4/14/01 479 lbs.

SRVG 7/16/01 401 lbs.

Current Weight 302 lbs.

Dr. Ritter/Dr. Bryce

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/1/03 12:21:47 PM Central Standard Time,

raltman813@... writes:

There have been some questions on some other lists that I am on about sugar

alcohols. I found this in the Yale-New Haven Hospital Nutrition Advisor.

Beware of Sugar Alcohols. It seems to be the most comprehensive summary of

Sugar Alcohols that I've seen. I avoid sugar alcohols because they give me

awful gas and frequent runs to the bathroom. I try to avoid them as I do

sugar.

---------------------------------

I discovered the nasty effects of the " ols " back in 1989 when I quit smoking.

I practically lived on sugar-free candy for about 3-4 weeks till the worst of

the cigarette cravings tapered off, and I spent a LOT of time in the

restroom! Don't even think diarrhea (which is supposedly intermittent, LOL);

but the constant " squirts. " (Sorry)! I also gained about 30 lbs in the

process of quitting, which never left till after WLS. That wasn't totally due

to the sugar alcohols, though. Just to compulsive old me substituting one bad

habit for another.

Carol A