Sugar alcohols: neither sugar nor alcohol
Q. I'm confused about ingredients like xylitol and maltitol, which are labeled as sugar alcohols. What are sugar alcohols and what are they good for?
A. Sugar alcohols are the nutritional equivalent of an old-fashioned egg cream soda, which contains neither eggs nor cream. Sugar alcohols aren't sugar (although they do taste sweet) and they aren't alcohol--at least, not the sort of alcohol (ethanol) that we imbibe in alcoholic beverages.
Sugar alcohols include maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, and others--the "ol" ending usually signals a sugar alcohol. Because the shape of the molecule is slightly different than a true sugar, they are metabolized differently in the body. Significantly, they are not converted to glucose and therefore do not have the same effect on blood sugar as regular sugar.
Sugar alchohols were primarily used in foods and candies for diabetics. Now they often turn up in products for low-carb dieters as well. (Because they don't increase blood sugar, they don't count )as carbs.
As a sugar substitute, I find sugar alcohols preferable to zero-calorie sweeteners like Splenda and Equal. There are lingering concerns over the long-term safety of these chemicals. Plus, as I discussed in this blog post, there is some evidence that zero-calorie sweeteners can actually increase your appetite, especially for sweets. Not very helpful as a weight loss tool, if you ask me.
Still, sugar alcohols have some drawbacks. Overdoing it with sugar alcohols can cause temporary but unpleasant side effects such as diarrhea. A newer sugar alcohol called erythritol supposedly minimizes this effect.
You can also buy erythritol in granulated form to use as a sugar substitute in cooking and baking. I've experimented with it and found it to be most useful in things like beverages such as lemonade or liquids such as salad dressings. I did not like it much in baked goods because it really changed the texture and appearance of the finished product.
(After spending two weeks trying to develop some erythritol-based cookie and brownie recipes for a publication I was writing for, I ulimately decided I'd rather have one real brownie or cookie than a whole bunch of "guilt-free" treats made with erythritol.)
Finally, be aware that although sugar alcohols do not create an increase in blood sugar and aren't counted as carbs, they are not calorie-free. Most contribute about 2 to 2.5 calories per gram.
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Posted by: marie | Sep 8, 2009 3:56:32 AM
Dear monica
Is about sugar alcohol. i really dont know what is sugar alcohol. being a muslim we are not allowed to drink or eat that contains alcohol.is sugar alcohol is the same with alcohol that people drink. i'm really worried about sugar alcohol cause we eat some ice cream with sugar alcohol cause some of our friend have diabetis thats why we use to buy the ice cream or any foods sugar free. bur when we read the ingredients is written there sugal alcohol. what is sugar alcohol.
thank you.
Monica's Response: Sugar alcohols contain no alcohol.
Posted by: Lori | Aug 20, 2009 8:16:53 AM
I had a coworker who "introduced" me to Stevia. She had a small packet of white powder that she would pull out of her pocket at lunch for her tea. I excitedly saw the new "truvia" in my local food store, and brought some home about two or three weeks ago. I've only used it in my coffee in the mornings...one to two packs a day.
For the past couple weeks, I have been experiencing the most horrid indegestion, heartburn, or whatever you want to call it. I've been popping over the counter acid reducers two and three times a day and had an overall terrible feeling. This morning, I woke up with an upset stomach at around 3 am. I wasn't sure it wasn't a heart attack at this point since the heartburn has lasted so long. However, after several "trips" I finally got out of bed with my chihuahua, who is a devout "morning person" and who does not stay in bed after 4 am. lol Anyway, I made my usual pot of coffee, not sure I was going to feel good enough to actually drink it, and when I looked up, I saw the truvia box there. It suddenly dawned on me that THAT was the only thing I'd changed in my habits or diet since all this started. I came to the computer to find the side effects that were reported so far about truvia. There were some general ones, but they didn't seem to be too serious, so I looked up the side effects of sugar alcohol and saw the gastrointestinal repoarts.
I am now banning truvia from my system. If Stevia is safer, I'm willing to give it a try to get off the splenda, but I'm so sick today I am almost afraid to try anything else. Anybody have an encounter like mine and are there any true surveys where they actually found Stevia safe to consume?
Posted by: Todd S | Jul 21, 2009 11:07:47 AM
Brett B
You are clearly not a chemist, I am. Salt (I'm assuming you mean table salt or sodium chloride) is half chlorIDE (an anion in solution) not chlorINE (a toxic green gas). Consumption of chlorIDE is different than consumption of chlorINE. Spenlda is an organochloride like chloroform (CHCl3) and dicholormethane (CH2Cl2) both are highly toxic and are labled as such.
Organochlorides rarely exist in nature. Most if not all of the halogens are toxic in their elemental forms as well as in their organic forms. Name me one food that naturally contains chlorine or any other halogen.
Posted by: sbhappe34 | Jun 21, 2009 11:35:43 AM
I have read in the past to limit sugar alcohol it would be as dangerous as sugar for people watching their sugar.
Posted by: TERRI GAIL | Apr 25, 2009 10:54:25 AM
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS SUGAR ALCOHOL STUFF. I'M WORRIED THAT THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY LITTLE GIRLS LIVER ENZYME LEVELS BEING ELEVATED. SHE WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED AS TYPE 2 DIABETES (INSULIN RESSISTANT) ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO AND WENT OUT TO BUY EVERY SUGAR FREE THING THAT I COULD AND BROUGHT IT HOME TO HER. WELL ALL OF IT HAS THIS SUGAR ALCOHOL IN IT AND HER ALT & AST ARE REALLY HIGH. IF ANYONE HAS A SIMILAR STORY PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME. THANK YOU
Monica's Response: As your daughter has at least one diet-related medical concern, you really need to be working with a dietician or nutritionist. No-one can (should) diagnose your daughter's problem over the internet.
An observation: You don't say how much sugar alcohol your daughter is consuming but you say you "went out to buy every sugar-free thing that I could." Might be worth a try to cut back on the sugar-free stuff to see if it helps.
If your daughter's diet contained too much refined sugar , leading to her diabetes, replacing sugary foods with sugar-free foods may leave you with a diet that's still out of balance. You might try replacing those processed, nutrient-poor "sugar-free" foods with nutritious, whole foods.
Posted by: Jerry | Feb 12, 2009 12:20:40 AM
Thanks for good information keep up!!!
http://allnutri.com/pid20047/erythritol+natural+sweetener.aspx
Posted by: abrahim | Jan 25, 2009 7:57:33 PM
i almost threw away all my gum thank god for this sight
Posted by: Concordian | Dec 21, 2008 9:59:28 AM
Re yogurt:
Plain yogurt is delicious with herbs. Try basil, parsley, or thyme. Cumin, onion, and curry are also delicious. Spices like cinnamon and ginger are also wonderful in plain yogurt. I use non-fat plain yogurt than add a dollop of olive oil.
Posted by: Lisa | Jul 15, 2008 7:54:31 AM
A lot of research has been done on the effects of artificial sweeteners, specifically aspartame (NutraSweet). Dr. Reed is 100% right on. In my research, I found the same information. This is not simply "chain letters" as Brett would have you to believe.
As a student of chemistry, it is impossible to deny the actual chemical bonds, and breaking of bonds that make aspartame so dangerous. I believe that if you went to your local community college or University and spent time speaking with a chemist, you would walk out with a much better, yet disturbing, understanding of what the manufacturers of such products are doing.
I highly encourage everyone to do their own in depth research on the subject, because I truly believe that aspartame is really dangerous.
A recommendation for spicing up your yogurt, if you don't like honey. Put is some "fresh", organic fruit. You will be amazed at the flavors your palate will discover.
Posted by: Adam | Jul 14, 2008 6:54:06 PM
I sometimes sweeten my plain yogurt with agave nectar/syrup. It's all natural, from the agave plant, and has a low glycemic level. It's about as sweet as honey, you don't need a lot to sufficiently sweeten whatever you're using it in. I use it in tea also, it's great. It comes in different shades, the lighter one is more neutral in flavor.
Posted by: Salina | Jul 14, 2008 4:25:44 PM
Valerie,
I (like Peter) drizzle a little honey over my plain yogurt(I am partial to organic honey from the Manuka bush, it is thick and carmelly-tasting; I get it at my local SuperMarket) AND some blackstrap molasses. The molasses adds several trace minerals and a good dose of calcium, magnesium, and iron. Alternatively, try varieties sweetened with inulin -a pre-biotic fibre that tastes sweet and supports the probiotic bacteria that is a nice bonus to the calcium and protein in yogurt.
Posted by: Alber | Jul 14, 2008 2:45:17 PM
Morgan,
I agree. I have been off sugar (Hallo, my name is Alber and I'm a sugaraholic) or clean for three years now. I was hyperallergic as a kid and made up for it by munching huge quantities of sugar (7 spoons in a cuppa at one stage - no wonder I was diagnosed ADHD then).
One's palate does adapt very well. I use a bit of honey in coffee/tea occasionally. I can actually identify the particular feeling of a sugar craving when I eat sugar. I can also feel how I lose energy after including it in my diet for a few days.
Once you're used to no sugar you'll start appreciating the inherent flavours of foods. Even the bitter of coffee has its own kind of sweetish streaks hidden in the flavour.
I now dislike sugarry foods and find it MUCH too sweet.
Get thee back to the natural palate of thy birth.
Get thee behind me, Sugar.
Posted by: Peter | Jul 14, 2008 2:38:50 PM
Valerie,
what I always do ( and it's the greek way) is to put some honey on top of plain yogurt...its yummie.
Posted by: Morgan | Jul 14, 2008 12:48:43 PM
All this talk about sweetners, artifical or "real" or chlorinated or otherwise...
Makes me think we all should just get used to a taste palate that includes less sweet stuff period and more stuff we *know* is good for us like vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and fruits.
Posted by: Cesare | Jul 14, 2008 11:58:02 AM
"...(sugar alcohols) they are not calorie-free. Most contribute about 2 to 2.5 calories per gram." Energy values for Erythritol in various countries/areas (Kcal/g): Japan (0.0), USA/Australia/New Zealand (0.2), Europe (2.4,like any other polyol)
Posted by: Valerie | Jul 7, 2008 3:38:10 PM
Kind of along the artificial sweetener lines...
I often have yogurt as a mid-morning snack at work. I used to get "lite" yogurt for because it has less calories, but all of that is sweetened with artificial sweeteners (the brand I got used sucralose), which I started reading was not good for you and I also developed a distaste for the yogurt, I think because of that. However, other yogurts sweetened with sugar have twice as many calories as "lite" yogurt. So, I've been getting regular yogurt (sweetened with sugar) and have just been eating half of the container, though then I lose out on half of the calcium, protein, etc. from it. So does anyone know which is better -- the real sugar yogurt or "lite" yogurt? Or even better, does anyone have any ways of making plain yogurt taste better? I'd love to jazz it up myself and not have to worry about the extra sugar, artificial sweeteners, colorings, etc., but haven't found a good way yet. Thanks!
Posted by: Sam | Jun 27, 2008 3:04:17 PM
Conclusion? Stevia wins! No wonder the USDA won't approve it as a sweetener.
Monica, thanks for the rundown on sugar alcohols - I did not understand why they didn't count as "carbs" until now.
Posted by: Spenser Reed | Jun 25, 2008 10:10:12 AM
Brett,
Your information is sadly mistaken. Sucralose is manufactured by the selective chlorination of sucrose, in which three of the hydroxyl groups are replaced with chlorine atoms to produce sucralose. An alternative pathway is to selectively chlorinate raffinose. In any sense, the manufacturing process will always include chlorine.
To your second point, an excerpt from the medical journal Life Science: "These are indeed extremely high levels for adducts of formaldehyde, a substance responsible for chronic deleterious effects that has also been considered carcinogenic.
....
"It is concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts."
[Life Sci. (scientific journal), Vol. 63, No. 5, pp. 337+, 1998]
Let me also point out, that the late FDA Toxicologist Dr. Adrian Gross in Congressional Hearings said that aspartame violated the Delaney Amendment which forbids putting cancer causing additives on the market. His last words to Congress were: "And if the FDA itself violates the law, who is left to protect the public?
Please pardon my mistake in my first post; I meant formic acid, which is snake venom, not boric acid.
Please Brett, if you know nothing about a subject you want to disprove, don't! Thank you for allowing the continual poisoning of society!
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | Jun 25, 2008 9:39:12 AM
Thanks for your thoughts, Dr. Reed, and for your reality-check, Brett.
Stevia is, indeed, a good option (see this post: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_May/ai_85131524)
However it also has some limitations in terms of its effect on texture, browning, and (for me) taste.
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | Jun 25, 2008 9:35:21 AM
Jordan,
Sugar alcohols are used in chewing gum because they are anti-cariogenic, which means they do not promote tooth decay. However, it's also been observed that chewing xylitol-sweetened gum reduces bacteria in the mouth (although that may or may not be all due to the xylitol--some of the effect is simply from the effects of increased salive). Bacteria in the mouth have been linked to heart disease risk. I've also seen studies that xylitol helps reduce plaque and can even aid remineralization of teeth. But the most surprising thing I've come across regarding xylitol is its potential to reduce osteoporosis. Check it out: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_May/ai_85131524
Posted by: Brett B, Los Angeles | Jun 25, 2008 2:18:02 AM
To those reading... please disregard the awful scare tactics used by poster "Spencer Reed".
First off, the only basis for the aspartame-to-formaldehyde synthesis is, quite sadly, the internet. Yes, chain letters. There is absolutely no scientific basis whatsoever to support these claims.
Secondly, sucralose is not "bleached" with chlorine, as sucralose is actually a clear liquid in its original form. Sucralose does contain a chlorine atom, which is not only a naturally occuring element in some foods, but is also not the "chlorine" you think of when you think of bleach. Keep in mind that salt is half chlorine.
It boils down to this... If you decide to use artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, you should use them in moderation, just as anything else. Sugar alcohols are not "alcohol" and are not dangerous, as has also been suggested by "Sheila". You won't get drunk, you won't get hungover... the worst you will get is a case of stomach cramps or diahrrea. BUT, in moderation, you won't have to worry about that!
I hope to have cleared up a few things, I hate reading preposterous posts, and don't want people who are looking for TRUE information to have their heads filled with nonsense and inaccuracies. Happy dieting, everyone!!
Posted by: Spenser Reed, MD | Jun 24, 2008 8:38:36 PM
How could you even consider Splenda, NutraSweet, Sweet N Low, Equal, et al foods at all. They are neuro-toxic excitotoxins, that have been attributed to a variety of ills- cancer, migraines, checmial sensitivity, insulin resistance, addictions, et al.
What about Stevia. A super sweet plant that has been used for centuries, with no synthetic chemicals, or artificial carcinogens. It has attained GRAS in the EU, although our stupid country has lambasted Stevia to no ends, obviosly becuase the financial ties to the Bush Administration and Donlad Rumsfeld, who was responsible for aspartame's introduction to the market.
Please do your research. Splenda aka sucralose is bleached with chlorine and boric acid (snake venom), and aspartame converts into formaldhyde at temperatures in excess of 101 F!
Posted by: Sheila Joyce Gibbs | Jun 24, 2008 4:00:14 PM
Dear Madam/Sir:
If possible, could you please let me know if I may share our true story, of how myself & my late husband, basically allowed Alcohol to destroy our health?
Sugar substance is NOTHING compared to the potential harmful power ALL alcohol contains.
Please advise.
Thankyou.
Sheila
ph. no. 250-995-1643
Posted by: Dave | Jun 24, 2008 3:05:05 PM
Polydextrose is a good substitute which has similar chemical and physical properties as sugar. I use it in applications like ice cream which require more than just sweetness, and have a friend who bakes that has had a lot of success in baked goods. I can personally attest that it's a vast improvement over erythritol in brownies. Polydextrose is a soluble fiber, and may have some beneficial effects on the "good bugs" in your gut, similar to inulin; too much can cause gas or diarrhea. It is somewhat sweet, but I usually kick it up with Stevia.
That said, based both on recent research and personal experience, I would guess that no matter how closely you approximate the taste and mouth feel of a real brownie that you're still going to crave the "real thing". The insulin release triggered by a "sugar rush" is known to light up brain centers related to reward sensations from eating. Without the sugar, you don't get the "insulin fix" and the (temporarily) happy brain that goes with it.
Posted by: BillyHW | Jun 24, 2008 3:00:45 PM
"There are lingering concerns over the long-term safety of these chemicals."
But there are no lingering concerns over the long-term safety of sugar. We know absolutely that sugar is harmful to your health in the long-term.
