What are polyols?
ANSWER: Polyols are sugar-free sweeteners. They are also referred to as sugar replacers or sugar alcohols. These sugar-free sweeteners are neither sugars nor alcohols. They contain less energy than sugars (see table below).
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How many calories do reduced calorie sweeteners have?
ANSWER: Reduced-calorie sweeteners usually have between 2 and 3 calories per gram.
The FDA allows the use of the following caloric values:
| Polyols | Calories per gram | | sorbitol | 2.6 calories per gram | | xylitol | 2.4 calories per gram | | maltitol | 2.1 calories per gram | | isomalt | 2.0 calories per gram | | lactitol | 2.0 calories per gram | | mannitol | 1.6 calories per gram |
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I see sorbitol listed on so many food labels. What is sorbitol?
ANSWER: Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is found in numerous food products. It is about 60% as sweet as sucrose/sugar with one-third fewer calories, or about 2.6 calories per gram. An excellent texturizing agent, sorbitol also occurs naturally in a wide variety of fruits and berries.
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Is sorbitol considered safe for consumption?
ANSWER: Sorbitol has been affirmed as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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How does the body process sorbitol?
ANSWER: Absorption of sorbitol by the human body is slow, allowing part of the ingested sorbitol to reach the large intestine where metabolism yields fewer calories. That means when sorbitol is used, the rise in blood glucose and the insulin response associated with the ingestion of glucose are significantly reduced.
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What is xylitol?
ANSWER: Xylitol is a sweetener that occurs naturally, especially in fruit, berries, vegetables and mushrooms. On food labels xylitol is classified broadly as a carbohydrate and more narrowly as a polyol or sugar alcohol.
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Is xylitol considered safe for consumption?
ANSWER: Xylitol was affirmed as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1986.
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What is maltitol?
ANSWER: Maltitol is a member of a family of reduced calorie sweeteners known as sugar alcohols. It is about 90% as sweet as sugar and only has 2.1 calories per gram.
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Would maltitol affect my blood sugar level?
ANSWER: Since the conversion of maltitol requires little or no insulin and does not cause a significant increase in serum glucose levels, it is considered suitable for people with diabetes. Diabetes and requirements for its management may vary among individuals; therefore, the use of maltitol should be discussed with your physician or registered dietitian. Foods sweetened with sugar alcohols may contain other ingredients, which also contribute calories and other nutrients, and this must be considered in meal planning.
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What is isomalt?
ANSWER: Isomalt is made from sucrose and looks much like table sugar. Isomalt is a mixture of two sugar alcohols—gluco mannitol and gluco sorbitol.
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How is isomalt digested/metabolized?
ANSWER: Isomalt, like all sugar alcohols, is a slowly digested carbohydrate, which is only partially digested in the intestines. Some of the unabsorbed portion is metabolized by naturally occurring bacteria in the lower part of the intestinal tract, which in some people may cause softer stools or intestinal gas, similar to how the body responds to certain high-fiber foods.
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What is mannitol?
ANSWER: Mannitol is a reduced-calorie sweetener with only 1.6 calories per gram. Diabetes and requirements for its management may vary among individuals; therefore, the use of mannitol should be discussed with your physician or registered dietitian.
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Will I experience any gastrointestinal upset if I eat food with these polyols/sugar alcohols?
ANSWER: Usually these sweeteners do not cause a problem. If foods made with sugar alcohols are consumed in excessive amounts (roughly estimated as 25 to 50 grams per day), people may experience some gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas or loose stools, similar to how the body responds to certain high-fiber foods. Symptoms depend on an individual's sensitivity and the other foods eaten at the same time.
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