Ananda Mahony
NaomiSugar Alcohols - can they really claim to include "no sugar" (LINK)
March 28th 2008 06:55
A minor problem arises when foods containing sugar alcohols claim to be “sugar-free” or “low-sugar”. While technically correct, consumers may assume that the food will therefore have little or no impact on blood sugars. As discussed in the last blog, sugar alcohols reduce the energy density of foods and therefore have less impact on blood sugars however, there is still some impact which diabetics need to take into account. It is considered safe to assume that sugar alcohols will have approximately half the impact of sugar on blood sugar levels 1.
Due to the incomplete digestion and absorption, a portion of the sugar alcohol remains in the gut. This can lead to fermentation by bacteria in the intestine and issues such as bloating and excess. Additionally, sugar alcohols hold a lot of water in the bowel and for this reason they may cause diarrhoea. Manufacturers state that this effect is usually an initial response and that increased tolerance usually comes with repeat consumption. However, with some consumers, digestive issues may be an ongoing issue.
An important factor that needs to be taken into account is the total daily consumption of sugar alcohols. Over a day it is likely to be the total quantity consumed that impacting on blood sugar levels and the digestive system with greater quantities more likely to cause side effects. The American Diabetic Association advises a warning “may cause diarrhoea: on quantities higher than 50g/day for sorbitol and 20g/day for mannitol 2.
Broken into categories based on chemical structure, there are 3 types of polyols: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol are derived from monosaccharides, isomalt, lactitol and maltitol are disaccharide derived and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) are derived from polysaccharides. In the next blog, I will outline the details of a few commonly used sugar alcohols.
Due to the incomplete digestion and absorption, a portion of the sugar alcohol remains in the gut. This can lead to fermentation by bacteria in the intestine and issues such as bloating and excess. Additionally, sugar alcohols hold a lot of water in the bowel and for this reason they may cause diarrhoea. Manufacturers state that this effect is usually an initial response and that increased tolerance usually comes with repeat consumption. However, with some consumers, digestive issues may be an ongoing issue.
An important factor that needs to be taken into account is the total daily consumption of sugar alcohols. Over a day it is likely to be the total quantity consumed that impacting on blood sugar levels and the digestive system with greater quantities more likely to cause side effects. The American Diabetic Association advises a warning “may cause diarrhoea: on quantities higher than 50g/day for sorbitol and 20g/day for mannitol 2.
Broken into categories based on chemical structure, there are 3 types of polyols: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol are derived from monosaccharides, isomalt, lactitol and maltitol are disaccharide derived and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) are derived from polysaccharides. In the next blog, I will outline the details of a few commonly used sugar alcohols.
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