Thomas Youngerman

One Lump, or Two The Skinny on Sugar Alcohols Carb, net carb, no carbs. How do we interpret the sugar alcohol? Whether you are on the Keto Diet, Atkins, low-carb, or no-carb, how to account for sugar alcohols is important. And to make the issue even more confounding, different types of sugar alcohols act very differently in the body, and not everyone metabolizes sugar alcohols quite the same. SO, WHAT ARE SUGAR ALCOHOLS? Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate called “polyols”. They are named sugar alcohols due to their chemical structure, part of which is similar to sugar, and another part similar to alcohol. They occur naturally in certain fruits and plants yet can also be manufactured. Sugar alcohols are not calorie or carbohydrate-free but are used to reduce the caloric intake of sugar in a variety of products such as gum or cookies, and very likely in your favorite healthy snack. Time for you to do just a bit of research. Go into your pantry and pull out a couple of your favorite snacks. Take a look at the panel titled either Nutrition Facts, or Supplement Facts. Yes, they are different, but both include a section at the bottom of the panel titled either Ingredients or Other Ingredients. If you see any of the following, your product includes a sugar alcohol: Erythritol Isomalt Lactitol Maltitol Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol Okay, did you spot the sugar alcohol in the above ingredient panel? That’s right, Erythritol. A CARB IS A CARB, IS A CARB. NOT! You would be interested to note that the above product makes the following nutritional claims: 15g Protein 1g Sugar 9g Fiber 4g Net Carbs? But, as you can see, the Nutrition Facts state, Total Carbs 19g, Dietary Fiber 9g, Sugars <1g, and Erythritol 6g. How does 19g of Carbohydrates become 4g Net Carbs? Food and supplement manufacturers are very aware of the trends, and the growing popularity of Keto and low carb diets. And voila, the creation of the “net carb”. You should know, there is no legal definition of the term, the FDA requires only the information shown in the label above; Total Carbohydrates, broken down by Dietary Fiber and Sugars. The net carb concept is rationalized by the fact that not all carbohydrates affect the body the same. Some carbs are rapidly absorbed and have a high glycemic index, more about the GI a bit later. These carbs, such as simple sugars, are absorbed rapidly, and carry their full weight in terms of grams of carbs, and calories. (Note: each gram of this-type carbohydrate is assessed four calories). Fibers, on the other hand, move much more slowly through the digestive tract, do not cause an insulin spike, and so are not counted against the net carb figure. Which brings us back to sugar alcohols. Much like fiber, many manufacturers discount the number of grams and calories attributed to sugar alcohols as they have minimal impact on blood sugar levels. How do I account for sugar alcohols in computing my carbohydrate consumption while on a Keto Diet? This one is a bit tricky, and manufacturer’s telling us that products containing sugar alcohols are ideal for Keto or low-carb diets don’t help. It’s true that sugar alcohols are metabolized slower and have a lesser impact of glucose levels, however, they most certainly do contain calories (see chart), and, are used as a carbohydrate for energy production. So, yes, sugar alcohols do count. To compute your total carb intake, to include sugar alcohols, you can use several different approaches: Disregard “net carbs” and assume Total Carbohydrates, less Fiber. A safe approach but most likely overstating your carb intake. Take Total Carbs, less Fiber, and divide the remainder by two. A safer approach but could still result in being kicked out of ketosis. Take Total Carbohydrates, Less Fiber, less grams of carbs from the sugar alcohol use, i.e. the “net carb” approach. Realize, however, that sugar alcohols do include some amount of carbs and associated calories. SUGAR ALCOHOLS / THE GLYCEMIC INDEX & CALORIC INTAKE SWEETENER TYPE GLYCEMIC INDEX Cal per Gram Maltodextrin Sugar 110 4 Maltose Sugar 105 4 Dextrose Sugar 100 3.4 Glucose Sugar 100 4 Sucrose Sugar 65 4 Maple Syrup Natural Sugar 54 3 Honey Natural Sugar 50 3 Maltitol Sugar Alcohol 52 2.1 Xylitol Sugar Alcohol 12 2.5 Sorbitol Sugar Alcohol 4 2.5 Isomalt Sugar Alcohol 2 2.1 Mannitol Sugar Alcohol 2 1.5 Erythritol Sugar Alcohol 1 0.2 POPULAR SUGAR ALCOHOLS COMMONLY FOUND IN FOODS / SUPPLEMENTS: Erythritol, a favorite choice for use in dietary supplements due to its very low glycemic index and caloric value, .2 calories per gram. Although Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, it is manufactured for use in a number of supplements and food products. Due to its glycemic Index and negligible caloric value, it is believed Erythritol is safe for use in a Keto or very low carb diet. Xylitol is the favored sugar alcohol in “sugar-free” gums, candies, and mints. Ironically this sugar substitute has no detrimental effect on dental health. Xylitol, which is made from plant fiber, has a similar sweetening capacity to that of sugar. It has little effect on blood sugar levels, with a relatively low Glycemic Index, and only 2.5 calories per gram. Maltitol has the highest Glycemic Index of the more popular sugar alcohols. For those on a Keto Diet Maltitol is the least preferred sugar substitute and can stall ketosis. It has about 75% - 90% of the sweetness of table sugar. Although products using this sugar alcohol can be called sugar-free, beware as it does impact insulin and blood sugar levels. FINAL THOUGHTS Ketosis and low-carb consumers, beware. Know the type, amount, and frequency of sugar alcohol being ingested. Occasional usage should not be problematic. Although, I highly recommend using a ketosis test stick to monitor results when introducing a product sweetened with sugar alcohols into your regimen. And, sugar alcohols are somewhat notorious for having a laxative effect, causing gas and bloating, and increasing urination. Lastly, for you pet parents out there, be very careful not to let your dog ingest products sweetened with Xylitol as it can be dangerous and even life-threatening to smaller breeds.