Question:
What is the difference between sugar alcohol and sugar in foods?

What is the difference between sugar alcohol and sugar in foods? Are they both equally bad for you?    — Gene F. (posted on January 12, 2004)

January 11, 2004
Sugar alcohols don't cause a glycemic response - they don't change your blood sugar levels - supposedly...I still have some of them make me dump though.
   — eaamc

January 12, 2004
I had the first major dumping experience 12/26/03--I'm post op 12/23/02 down 129 lbs--I finished a tough workout, came home and at (3) pieces of s/f Russell Stover candies. Got up was dizzy, sweaty, cold, sick, yeck!!!! Sugar alchols have a terrible effect on me, I havent tried regular sugar and dont intend too--I was a sugar craver before sugery!
   — debmi

January 12, 2004
They are metabolized very differnlt within your system and do not add to the glycemic index of the food that they are put in with, hence, reduced calories because they 'burn off' so much quicker. They do have the added 'slight laxitive effect' to people who are not used to them, though. Even though the foods are lower in sugar, they are not lower in calories and fats, so any of the sugar alcohols should be used with consideration for the overall intake of food.
   — track

January 12, 2004
if you ask the people in the low-carb dieting newsgroup, alt.support.diet.low-carb(not WLS people) they will tell you the difference is MARKETING. I know pre-op when on a low carb diet eating bars or other foods with sugar alcohols they would knock me out of ketosis. as if all the carbs in them counted and not just the 'net carbs' I am leary of them, and if you do eat to much of it, they do have a laxative effect.
   — Patricia T.

January 13, 2004
I havent eaten enough sugar alcohols at a time to make me dump... but they sure do give me stinky gas ;-) hehe... sorry to be kinda gross... lol
   — Katrina K.

January 13, 2004
I don't really understand the difference either but supposedly you can subtract sugar alcohols and fiber from the total carbs and that is how they get the net carbs....LOL All greek to me!
   — Saxbyd

January 13, 2004
If you take note of the calorie content of the foods with sugar alcohols, they have as many if not more calories as the sugar products. And then there is the "social embarrassment" issue. They also fire up my hunger just like real sugar. I guess I don't fit the net carb mold. whether or not it influences your bloodsugar a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. If I am filled up with SF candy I will not ingest the protein and vegies that make me healthy and strong. I have made the decision to take most of this "junk food" out of my life.
   — **willow**

January 13, 2004

   — **willow**