If you’ve had Valentine’s Day or Christmas once since you were diagnosed with diabetes, you may have eaten some of the “sugar-free Russell Stover” chocolates. They are mostly sweetened with “sugar alcohol” 7 or 8 grams With each chocolate.
However, sugar alcohol is not necessarily a harmless alternative to sugar. And there are multiple types.
In this article, we will explain what sugar is produced, how it doesn’t affect blood sugar, and the side effects of eating too many sugar-containing alcohol.
For a guide to natural sweeteners, read the best sweeteners for people with diabetes.
What is sugar alcohol?
Sugar alcohol is not actually sugar or alcohol. Instead, they are Chemical structure is a kind of carbohydrate resemble For both sugar and alcohol.
Fruits and vegetables – naturally found in plants – sugar alcohols today are commonly produced from inexpensive sources such as sucrose, glucose, and starch.
The potential benefit of sugar alcohols for people with diabetes is that they are completely absorbed and not digested by the body. This means you can get a sweet flavor without a complete diet of final glucose in the bloodstream.
They all taste “sweet” but don’t taste the same as sugar. Some have more metals, chemicals, or iron-like flavors.
By looking at the nutrition panel, you can determine whether your food contains sugar alcohol. Under “Total Carbohydrates”, it is listed by “sugar alcohol”, more specifically, the exact type of sugar alcohol. Read the list of ingredients to identify exactly what sugar alcohol was used.
However, not all sugar alcohols are created equally. Let’s look at the different types.
Types of sugar alcohol
Sugar alcohols that we probably saw in old packed “unsweetened” foods include sorbitol and martitol, but come in many different types.
- Erythritol: Made from wheat or corn used in food – considered the safest!
- Sorbitol: It is mainly made from potatoes and used in food
- Lactitol: Made from Whey (dairy products), used in foods and used as laxatives
- Martitor: Made from wheat, tapioca or corn used in food
- Xylitol: Made from burchwood, used in drugs and foods (*Note: Xylitol is fatal to eat on dogs! Keep away from pets – even sugar-free gum is dangerous. )
- Glycerol/Glycerin/Glycerin: It is mainly used in medicine, do not have food
- Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate: Made from potatoes, corn or wheat and used in food
- Isomalt: Made with beets used in food
- Mannitol: Made from sugar and used in medicines and foods
How does sugar alcohol affect your blood sugar?
The effect of sugar alcohol on blood sugar varies greatly depending on what you are consuming. (Read the ingredient list and nutrition panel to determine which one is eating!)
In general, calorie content ranges from 1 to 1 calorie per gram compared to 4 calories per gram of base sugar.
This means that sugar alcohol, which contains three calories per gram, can affect blood sugar levels almost as much as regular white sugar.
Erithritol Almost included zero Calories per gram are extremely popular in ketogenic and low carb baking as a result.
Isomalt It also contains essentially zero calories per gram and is used in many packaged “unsweetened” foods.
Sorbitol, maltitol, and hydrogenated starch hydrationOn the other hand, it contains about 3 calories per gram. Both of these are commonly used in “sugar-free” chocolates, candies and other packaging foods.
The number of grams of these sugar alcohols listed on the nutritional label does not affect blood sugar levels as much as the same amount of white sugar. Intention Increase your blood sugar levels a few times.
The best way to find it how much It is to frequently check your blood sugar levels after consuming sugar as the main sweetener.
Make a note of the amount of insulin you took to cover the carbohydrates listed on the nutritional label and/or how your blood sugar reacted during the first two hours of eating it.
All other sugar alcohols are somewhere in the center, and have around 2 calories per gram compared to the 4 calories of white sugar per gram.
The safety and side effects of sugar alcohol
Is sugar alcohol safe? In short, yes – sugar alcohol is generally safe to consume. However, you need to eat carefully and in moderation.
The side effects of eating sugar alcohol are known as “frequency-based adverse effects.” This means that eating too much in a day or eating frequently throughout the week can lead to unpleasant symptoms.
“Sugar alcohol is slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood,” the Food and Drug Administration explains. “Once absorbed, they are converted into energy by a process that requires little or no insulin. Some of the sugar alcohols are not absorbed into the blood. They pass through the small intestine and fermented by bacteria in the large intestine.”
Common side effects I’m eating too much The daily sugar alcohols are as follows:
- gas
- Convulsions,
- A loose stool
- diarrhea.
Symptoms can last throughout the day while the digestive system is working with sugar alcohol from the system.
Some people find that the longer they consume foods containing sugar alcohol, the less unpleasant digestive symptoms they experience.
We recommend taking sugar alcohol daily
There is no clear consensus on the maximum recommended daily intake of sugar alcohol.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all foods that can consume more than 50 grams of sorbitol per day. “Excessive consumption may have laxative effects.”.
Sorbitol is one of the tougher sugar alcohols in the digestive system.
There are no specific recommendations for any type of sugar alcohol, but the 50 gram limit is a wise amount to apply across the board.
As a diabetic person, should you include sugar alcohol in your diet?
This is a very personal decision. For some, baking with erythritol helps you feel better about enjoying desserts and achieve your blood sugar goals without feeling unlucky.
For others, sugar alternatives are not worth the digestive trouble, a funky aftertaste, or the overall feeling of eating a real “fake” version of the “fake” version.
Of course, try sugar alcohol! Until you try it, you won’t know if they’re right for you and your diabetic goals.
