Sugar Alcohol(s)-

Dx E
on 8/6/07 2:14 pm - Northern, MS

I’ve seen some Questions concerning "Sugar Alcohol" and thought I’d drop this in along with the Dumping Post… Just some crap I’ve picked up from My Nutritionist’s handouts, the web, and some info in a few Books on Glycemic Index and Diabetes… (skip if not interested…) Here’s some info I’ve picked up on Sugar Alcohol(s)- Sugar Alcohols aren’t in fact Sugar or Alcohol, But are carbohydrates, that chemically structured to resembles sugar and/or alcohol. They aren’t completely absorbed or metabolized by the body, and thus supply fewer calories. The most commonly used ones are- Sorbitol, Mannitol, Xylitol, Maltitol, and Maltitol syrup, Lactitol, Erythritol, Isomalt and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. (or HSH on ingredient labels) Their caloric make-up ranges from 1.5 to 3 calories per gram (compared to 4 calories per gram for sucrose or other real sugars.) Most of them are about half as sweet as sucrose; But Maltitol and Xylitol have the same ‘sweetness’ as sucrose. Sugar Alcohols are classified by chemical structure, such as- :Monosaccharides -( sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol) *see warning below… :Disaccharides - ( isomalt, lactitol, maltitol) :Polysaccharide mixtures - (maltitol syrup, & hydrogenated starch hydrolysates [HSH]) They are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration As either GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) or ‘approved’ food additives They are either slowly or incompletely absorbed From the small intestine into the blood. (this slow absorption is why They really don’t cause "Dumping" as medically recognized, Even though they CAN cause dumping-like symptoms in some) Once absorbed they are converted to energy By processes that require little or no insulin. (thus diabetic friendly / safe) 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. And here’s the - *WARNING - Too Much may produce abdominal gas and diarrhea for most folks. Total daily intake should be considered Since it is the total intake that induces the laxative effects. Foods that contain certain sugar alcohols And that are likely to be eaten in amounts that could produce such diarrhea Must bear the statement on the packaging- "Excess consumption may have a laxative effect." The American Dietetic Association advises – "That greater than 50g/day of sorbitol or greater than 20g/day of mannitol "may cause diarrhea." All of the Monosaccharides tend to cause more diarrhea. They are great at helping soothe that ‘sweet craving,’ But just count the Carbs and calories on the labeling. And don’t eat too much. They have a little more ‘laxative effect’ on Gastric By-Pass patients Because there is even less absorption as they miss some of the Small intestine where they would be partially absorbed in a 'complete' digestive system. When in doubt, stick to things sweetened with Splenda. Harder to find, but don’t have the ‘rumored’ negatives of Nutra-Sweet or the Diarrhea of too much Sugar Alcohol. There's also Stevia, FOS, Fructose, etc... (another post..) That’s some of what I’ve picked up along the way… aboout Sugar Alcohol. Hope it helps? Best Wishes- Dx

Capricious; Impulsive, Semi-Predictable

wjoegreen
on 8/6/07 11:33 pm - Colonial Heights, VA

RNY on 09/26/06

Excellent info there Dr,...er uh, Dx. Thanks for sharing as I have been re-evaluating my intake with my many and lengthy plateaus and am pretty much living off of my pure protein bars and oatmeal squares with about one meal a day including real food of some sort, such as shrimp, baked beans, etc. I am feeling better about the bars because I have been worrying about the carbs and carb potential causing the weight slow down. I'm guessing the diarrhea I'm not having means I'm within reasonable limits. 6 bars a day at: 170 calories, 40 from fat, 17g carbs, 0 sugar, 7 g sugar alcohol, 20g protein equals 1020 cals a day, 102g carbs, 42g sugar alcohol, 120g protein plus some regular food. So I'm estimating I am in the 1800 cals a day range intake plus my 5-8 days a week alking and joggin 4-6 miles a day that burns approximately 800-1200 calories depending on internet source and daily route (hills) and pace.