What is your take on sugar alcohols? Are they good or are they bad? Have you noticed whether or not your foods contain sugar alcohols? If so, have you checked to see how many grams that food contains?
If you’ve looked lately at the “Nutrition Facts” panel on a pack of sugar-free gum, candy, even protein bars and other foods, you might be surprised to see that it contains “sugar alcohol.” There’s a reason these ingredients have this consumer-friendly name — that’s because part of their structure resembles sugar and part is similar to alcohol.
Don’t be confused by the name. While they share a similar name, sugar alcohol and alcoholic beverages do not have the same chemical structure. Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, while sugar alcohol does not.
What is Sugar Alcohol?
Sugar alcohol acquired its name because of its molecular structure. It’s a hybrid between a sugar molecule and an alcoholic molecule. Put more simply, sugar alcohols are similar to sugar in structure but are either poorly metabolized or digested. They occur naturally in foods and come from plant products such as fruits and berries. It has become popular as a “sugar replacement” in food such as protein bars because as a sugar substitute, it provides fewer calories (about a half to one-third less calories) than regular sugar because sugar alcohol is converted to glucose more slowly, requires little or no insulin to be metabolized and doesn’t cause sudden increases in blood sugar. This, of course, makes sugar alcohols more popular among individuals with diabetes. Yet, they are more commonly used now by just about everyone.
The two major sugar alcohols found in protein bars and most low sugar foods are maltitol and erythritol. Sugar alcohols are not commonly used when we prepare our food at home, but they can be found in many processed foods.
If you check out products that claim to be “sugar free,” which include hard candy, chewing gum, cookies, sodas, throat and cough lozenges, etc., you will find they contain sugar alcohols.
You might be wondering why sugar alcohols are used so often. Well, they do help to sweeten the flavor of foods – especially those marketed to diabetics. However, there is often a misconception that all foods containing sugar alcohols can be consumed more frequently because it is a product that is labeled as “sugar free.” However, some products still can contain a large amount of carbohydrates, so be sure to check the labels. Manufacturers do have to list the grams of sugar alcohols if they have labeled their foods as “no added sugar” or “sugar free.” If it is more than 1 g. of sugar alcohol you will find it under the panel under “total carbohydrates.”
Pros and Cons of Sugar Alcohols
Some of you may feel that it is positive that sugar alcohols contain less calories (1.5 to 3 calories per gram) than sugar, which has four calories per gram. Sugar alcohols have a tendency to add texture to foods and even retain moisture better. However, you must also take into consideration the negatives associated with sugar alcohol. A biggie, which I have experienced, is bloating. Sugar alcohols can also cause diarrhea. There is some evidence that sugar alcohols, much like fructose (natural fruit sugar) in fruit and fruit juice can have 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.
Do you really know what you’re consuming? Is sugar alcohol bad for you? The short answer to that question seems to be that sugar alcohol is not necessarily bad for you. However, neither is it, by its natural character, healthy for you either.
Sugar Alcohols vs. Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin (Sweet & Low®) and aspartame (Equal® or Nutrasweet®), are not the same. One difference between these two specific types of sugar substitutes is that artificial sweeteners contain zero calories whereas sugar alcohols contain about 2.6 calories per gram. Artificial sweeteners don’t contain carbohydrates so they do not cause blood sugar to elevate, while sugar alcohols have some effect on blood sugar. Overall both can be useful in the management of diabetes, but for those who are not diabetic, you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.
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.
Whatever you think about sugar alcohol, artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes, my rule of thumb is always that the most natural form of a food is the healthiest one. If you eat sugar alcohols and find that your stomach hurts, bloats, or gives you diarrhea, why would you want to pick that over a natural, healthier “clean” food?
As always, when you are purchasing and using your foods, check the labeling and see if it is truly something you want to put into your body!