Probably more than you ever wanted to know about sugar and sugar substitutes.
Sugar and other sweeteners are a major part of any diet.
Anything ending in “ose” is a sugar. Sugars are carbohydrates. To
clarify, carbohydrates are molecules of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
produced by plants through photosynthesis. The term saccharide is a
synonym for carbohydrate; a monosaccharide (mono=1) is the fundamental
unit of carbohydrates. Disaccharides (Di=2) are molecules containing 2
monosaccharide units. Di and monosaccharides are also known as sugars,
simple sugars, or simple carbohydrates. Next are oligosaccharides, and
polysaccharides. Oligosaccharides are made of 3-9 monosaccharide links.
Polysaccharides consist of 10 to thousands of monosaccharide links. A
complex carbohydrate refers to many monosaccharide units linked
together. In addition, you will often hear the terms “long”, and
“short” carbohydrate chains. Short carbohydrate chains are those under
10 sugar molecules. And long chains are those over 10 sugar molecules.
Which fits in conjunction with the above terms, Oligosaccharides and
Polysaccharides.
Not everything that is a sugar is something we would relate to when
thinking of sucrose or common table sugar. Diabetics and people
looking to reduce calories are often looking for sugar substitutes.
This article started from a desire to find a good sugar substitute.
There were far more options than would have been imagined. There are
still other sugars and sugar substitutes that are not included either
because they are obscure and were not found or because they are not
commonly found in our diets. If you know of something I have missed
that should be included please email me at
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.
No endorsement is intended for any particular
product. All Items are listed alphabetically and there will be some
overlap between entries.
Acesulfame-K – Also know
as “Ace-K,” (Sunette®), or acesulfame potassium, was discovered in 1967
in Germany. It was approved in 1988 by the FDA as a tabletop sweetener
and for use in baked goods, frozen desserts, beverages, and candies.
Consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, and potassium
atoms, acesulfame K is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Acesulfame K
is not digested, so it contributes no calories to the diet. Some animal
studies suggest a possible cancer-promoting effect.
Alitame Like aspartame, Alitame
is made from amino acids. Alitame is 2,000 times sweeter than sugar.
Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company and manufacturer of this sweetener,
petitioned the FDA in 1986 for approval. As of 1992, the approval is
still pending.
Aspartame You might recognize
aspartame as the product contained in the blue packet with “Nutra
Sweet” printed on the front. Once saccharine began to lose its luster,
aspartame gained popularity. While aspartame might be popular in diet
soft drinks, coffee and tea, it’s not recommended for baking as it can
lose its flavor after being exposed to heat for certain period of time.
Adding it to foods once they stop cooking, however, is fine. There
currently is concern with aspartame as it has been linked to cancer by
studies in both the United States and Europe.
Brown Rice Syrup is a natural
sweetener with a mild, buttery flavor and a delicate sweetness that
makes it ideal for use in baking and desserts. Unlike simple sugars,
such as monosaccharides and disaccharides, Brown Rice Syrup is a
polysaccharide, or a complex sugar. The unique structure of complex
sugars allows them to be absorbed and broken down more slowly than
simple sugars, avoiding rapid spikes in blood glucose. Slower
absorption also allows the body to utilize complex sugars for energy
instead of having to store them as fat for later use. Brown Rice Syrup
is made by fermenting brown rice with special enzymes that break down
the natural starch content of the rice. This process produces a
translucent syrup that's an alternative to white and brown sugar.
Cellulose is something we don’t
normally think of as sugar but it ends in ose so is therefore a sugar.
Cellulose is an excellent source of insoluble fiber derived from plant
sources. Insoluble fibers may regulate bowel transit time and support
the health of the GI tract. Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber does
not feed undesirable bacteria well and is not readily fermented into
short chain fatty acids.* It has no effect on cholesterol levels and
inactivates many intestinal toxins.* High intake of insoluble fiber is
associated with a decreased risk of unfavorable conditions of the
colon, potentially supporting balanced intestinal microbiology.*
Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener
made from corn and can be found in numerous foods and beverages on
grocery store shelves in the United States. Contrary to its name, HFCS
is not high in fructose. At the time HFCS was developed, the only
sweetener in all other corn syrups was glucose; none contained
fructose. So the name "high" fructose corn syrup, in comparative terms,
makes sense and is entirely appropriate. But when compared to table
sugar (sucrose), HFCS is not at all "high" in fructose. In fact, HFCS
is nearly identical in composition to table sugar (sucrose), which is
composed of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. HFCS is
composed of either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, with the
remaining sugars being glucose and higher sugars. HFCS is used in foods
and beverages because of the many benefits it offers. In addition to
providing sweetness at a level equivalent to table sugar HFCS makes
foods such as bread and breakfast cereal "brown" better when baked, and
gives chewy cookies and snack bars their soft texture.
Cyclamate This is the sugar
substitute used by Weight Watchers. It’s used for cooking and baking.
It’s sweeter than sugar, about ten times sweeter, so keep this in mind
when opening a package of “Sugar Twin.”
Cyclamate was synthesized in 1937 at the University of Illinois by a
student who accidentally discovered its sweet taste. The patent for
cyclamate was first purchased by DuPont and then later sold to Abbott
Laboratories. In those days, Abbott’s reported interest was to use the
product to mask the bitter taste of an antibiotic and a pentobarbital
elixir. Cyclamate was initially marketed as tablets that were
recommended for use as a tabletop sweetener for people with diabetes
and others who had to restrict their intake of sugar. Although it is
approved for use in many countries, cyclamate is banned in the United
States due to concerns over potential carcinogenicity.
Dextrose, occurs naturally in
food, and is moderately sweet. It is a monosaccharide (basic unit of
carbohydrates, C6H1206) and has a high glycemic index (digested
carbohydrates ability to raise blood glucose levels, also called Gl)
ranking at 100. Dextrose is labeled a simple carbohydrate Other Names:
D-Glucose; Anhydrous dextrose; Cartose; Cerelose; Corn sugar;
D-(+)-Glucose; Dextropur; Dextrosol; Glucolin; Grape sugar; Sugar,
grape; α-d-glucose; component of Kadalex; D-Glucose, anhydrous;
Dextrose, anhydrous; GLUCOSE (D); Sirup; Glucose, anhydrous; Glucose
liquid. Also called corn sugar and grape sugar, dextrose is a naturally
occurring form of glucose.
Diabetisweet Diabetic Sugar
Substitute for Baking and Cooking Looks, tastes, and bakes just like
sugar. Maintains its taste at high temperatures, so it’s ideal for
baking and cooking. DiabetiSweet® has the same granulated texture as
sugar, DiabetiSweet® is sweetened with Acesulfame-K, a high intensity
non-nutritive sweetener. It also contains Isomalt, a heat-stable
bulking agent that adds volume to cakes, breads, and other recipes.
DiabetiSweet® does not contain aspartame, saccharin, sucrose, fructose,
sorbitol, maltodextrin, or dextrose.
Equal® Equal is an artificial
sweetener containing aspartame, dextrose, and maltodextrin. Major
concern would be the aspartames recent link to cancer.
Erythritol a ployol (sugar
alcohol), is a sweetener which is suitable for a variety of
reduced-calorie and sugar-free foods. It can be used as a sugar
substitute in most sugar-free recipes. Erythritol has been part of the
human diet for thousands of years due to its presence in foods such as
pears, melons, grapes and mushrooms. Erythritol is derived from a corn
source. Erythritol resembles sugar in consistency and taste but has a
caloric value near zero. It is also a sugar alternative for
diabetics. Eyrthritol, like Xylitol, may also inhibit cavities by
denying plaque bacteria the fuel (sugar) it needs to erode tooth
enamel. Low in calories: Erythritol has a very low caloric content; its
value is 0.2 calories per gram for food labeling purposes in the United
States and 0 (zero) calories per gram for food labeling purposes in
Japan. Foods containing substantial amounts of erythritol are very
unlikely to cause gaseous and laxation side effects. Clinical studies
conducted in people with diabetes conclude that erythritol may be
safely used to replace sucrose in foods formulated specifically for
people with diabetes.
Fructose, Also known
as “fruit sugar”, fructose is roughly 50% sweeter than ordinary sugar,
tastes wonderful, and does not raise blood sugar levels like table
sugar. When taken in moderation, fructose can be taken by diabetics
after first consulting with their physician. Fructose is derived from
corn and is approximately 1.8 times sweeter than regular table sugar.
Unfortunately we cannot supply an exact equivalency for substituting
Fructose for table sugar. Experimentation will yield the best results,
keeping in mind how much sweeter Fructose is. In general, if a recipe
calls for 1 cup of sugar, a little over a 1/2 of a cup should be close.
Sweeten to taste is the best advice! Fructose's chemical name is
levulose. Fructose is also called the fruit sugar. Fructose is found
in fruits, honey..
Galactose is a simple sugar
derived from the breakdown of the milk sugar lactose. Because galactose
is toxic to the lens of the eye, infants lacking the enzyme needed to
metabolize it develop cataracts at a young age. Epidemiologist Paul F.
Jacques has now compared levels of this enzyme, called galactokinase,
with dairy food consumption in 106 persons aged 40 to 70 - 73 of them
with cataracts. The just-completed study offers the first strong
indication that galactose may play a role in adult cataracts
Glucose, this sugar is the chief
source of energy in the body. Glucose is chemically considered a simple
sugar. It is the main sugar that the body manufactures. The body makes
glucose from all three elements of food, protein, fat and
carbohydrates, but in largest part from carbohydrates. Glucose serves
as the major source of energy for living cells. It is carried to each
cell through the bloodstream. The cells cannot, however, use the
glucose without the help of insulin. Glucose is by far the most common
carbohydrate and classified as a monosaccharide, an aldose, a hexose,
and is a reducing sugar. It is also known as dextrose, because it is
dextrorotatory (meaning that as an optical isomer is rotates plane
polarized light to the right and also an origin for the D designation.
Glucose is also called blood sugar as it circulates in the blood.
Glucose is initially synthesized by chlorophyll in plants using carbon
dioxide from the air and sunlight as an energy source. Glucose is
further converted to starch for storage.
Honey is a source of simple
carbohydrates. Its composition on average, is 17.1 percent water, 82.4
percent total carbohydrate and 0.5 percent proteins, amino acids,
vitamins and minerals. The average carbohydrate content is mainly
fructose (38.5 percent) and glucose (31percent). The remaining 12.9
percent of carbohydrates is made up of maltose, sucrose and other
sugars. Honey supplies energy at 64 calories per tablespoon. Honey
appears to be a carbohydrate source that is relatively mild on its
effects upon blood sugar compared to other carbohydrate sources Honey
contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino
acids and antioxidants. The vitamins found in honey may include
(depending on floral variety) niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid;
minerals present include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese,
phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Just as the color and flavor of honey
varies by floral source, so does the vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and
amino acid content. Honey has a phytochemical profile which includes
polyphenols that can act as antioxidants. Antioxidants perform the role
of eliminating free radicals, which are reactive compounds in the body.
The use of honey as a wound dressing goes back to ancient times and has
now been ‘rediscovered’ by modern medicine. The antibacterial
properties of honey may help clear infection in wounds, and the
anti-inflammatory action of honey may reduce pain and may improve
circulation which hastens the healing process. Honey stimulates the
re-growth of tissue involved in healing, making healing faster and
reducing scarring.
Lactose is made from galactose
and glucose units. Lactose or milk sugar occurs in the milk of mammals
- 4-6% in cow's milk and 5-8% in human milk. It is also a by-product in
the manufacture of cheese.
An acetal oxygen bridge in the beta orientation joins the galactose and
glucose units. To recognize galactose look for the upward projection of
the -OH on carbon
Lo Han Guo (Siraitia grosvenorii)
has been used as a food, beverage, and traditional medicine. It is from
the plant family, Cucurbitaceae. The cucumber, melon, squash, and gourd
are also apart of this family. The most unique component of Lo Han Guo
are the triterpene glycoside. These non-caloric sweeteners are known as
mogrosides. Lo Han has traditionally been used as a analgesic,
expectorant, antitussive, and to treat infiltration of the lungs. The
Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends for lung
complaints including dry coughs and as a laxative. The fruits are used
in Chinese medicine for heat stroke with thirst, acute and chronic
throat inflammation, aphonia, chronic cough, constipation in the aged,
and as a sugar substitute for diabetics.*
Maple syrup is a 100%
natural food, processed by heat concentration of pure maple sap. This
sap is a sterile, clear liquid, which provides the trees with water and
nutrients prior to the buds and leaves opening in the spring. In the
boiling, concentrating, and filtering processes, all the nutrients
remain in the syrup. There are some quantitative differences in maple
syrup's nutritive composition due to metabolic and environmental
differences among maple trees. The main sugar in pure Maple syrup is
sucrose. The darker grades, especially Grade B syrup, contain small and
variable amounts of fructose and glucose.In pure filtered maple syrup
the main minerals present are: calcium, potassium, manganese,
magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. In pure maple syrup trace amounts of
vitamins are present, mainly B2 (Riboflavin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), PP (Niacin, B1), Biotin, and Folic Acid. Many amino acids are present in trace amounts. The
total solid's in pure maple syrup amount to 66.5%, with the remaining
33.5% consisting of water. The table below represents the main elements
within the total solids. Maple syrup is 88-89% sucrose and about 11%
glucose. There are also trace amounts of other sugars. Diabetics and
others concerned with sugars should treat maple syup tha same as table
sugar.
Maltodextrin is a sweat, easily
digested carbohydrate made from cornstarch. The starch is cooked, and
then acid and/or enzymes (a process similar to that used by the body to
digest carbohydrates) are used to break the starch into smaller chains.
These chains are composed of several dextrose molecules held together
by very weak hydrogen bonds. Maltodextrin digestion starts right when
it enters the mouth, beginning the reduction of maltodextrin into
smaller linked glucose molecules.
Maltose Barley malt is a common
version of maltose and technically refers to malt sugar, which is a
buff-colored crystalline powder. Evaporating the water out of barley
malt syrup makes malt sugar. Malt sugar is becoming increasingly
available in health food stores as a sugar replacement that is less
sweet but adds a better texture and pleasing nutty flavor to baked
goods. Liquid barley malt is available in barley extract and
barley-corn malt. The extract is 100 percent barley malt and usually
tastes as strong as blackstrap molasses. Barley malt is mostly
carbohydrate although it contains small amounts of vitamins and
minerals. Maltose is made from two glucose units.Maltose or malt sugar
is the least common disaccharide in nature. It is present in
germinating grain, in a small proportion in corn syrup, and forms on
the partial hydrolysis of starch. It is a reducing sugar.
Maltitol Sugar-free Sweetener is
available in syrup, crystalline and powder form. It is used in place of
common sugar (sucrose) in cooking and baking. Maltitol is a member of a
family of bulk sweeteners known as polyols or sugar alcohols. It has a
pleasant sweet taste--remarkably similar to sucrose. Maltitol is about
90% as sweet as sugar, It is claimed to be non-cariogenic, and
significantly reduced in calories. Maltitol is made by the
hydrogenation of maltose which is obtained from starch. Like other
polyols, it does not brown or caramelize as do sugars. Maltitol may
also be used to replace fat as it gives a creamy texture to food.
Maltitol is slowly absorbed. Therefore, when maltitol is used, the rise
in blood glucose and the insulin response associated with the ingestion
of glucose is significantly reduced. The reduced caloric value of
maltitol (2.1 calories per gram versus 4.0 for sugar) is consistent
with the objective of weight control. Mannitol is also used as a
sweetener for people with diabetes. Mannitol also has a negative heat
of solution. For this reason, mannitol is a sweetener in
"breath-freshening" candies, the cooling effect adding to the fresh
feel. In doses larger than 20g it acts as a laxative, and is sometimes
sold as a laxative for children.
It is sometimes used as a dilutant for heroin or other illicit drugs
Molasses
Cane Molasses
There are three major types of molasses: unsulphured, sulphured and blackstrap. There are also three major grades of molasses: first molasses, second molasses, and blackstrap molasses.
- Unsulphured molasses is the finest quality. It is made from the
juice of sun-ripened cane and the juice is clarified and concentrated.
- Sulphured molasses is made from green (unripe) sugar cane and is treated with sulfur fumes during the sugar extraction process.
- Each season, the sugar cane plant is harvested and stripped of
its leaves. Its juice is then extracted from the canes (usually by
crushing or mashing), boiled until it has reached the appropriate
consistency, and processed to extract the sugar. The results of this
first boiling and processing is first molasses, which has the highest sugar content because comparatively little sugar has been extracted from the juice.
- Second molasses is created from a second boiling and
sugar extraction, and has a slight bitter tinge to its taste. Further
rounds of processing and boiling yield the dark blackstrap molasses,
which is the most nutritionally valuable, and thus often sold as a
health supplement, as well as being used in the manufacture of cattle
feed, and for other industrial uses.
Sugar Beet Molasses
Molasses
from the sugar beet is different from cane molasses. Only the syrup
left from the final crystallisation stage is called molasses;
intermediate syrups are referred to as high green and low green.
It is about 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose but also
containing significant amounts of glucose and fructose. The non-sugar
content includes many salts such as calcium, potassium, oxalate and
chloride. As such, it is unpalatable and is mainly used as an additive
to animal feed or as a fermentation feedstock. It is possible to
extract additional sugar from beet molasses through a process known as
molasses desugarisation. This technique exploits industrial scale
chromatography to separate sucrose from non sugar components. The
technique is only economically viable in areas where the price of sugar
is supported above the world market e.g. in areas with trade barriers,
and is prevalent in the US and is also seen within the European
community.
The non-sucrose elements in the beet sugar production process are called molassegenic because they take equal amounts of sucrose with them to the molasses stage where it cannot normally be economically extracted
Polydextrose Litesse®* is a
water-soluble specialty carbohydrate which is manufactured from
glucose. Developed and manufactured by Danisco Sweeteners, Litesse® is
unique in being only partially metabolized by the body. The result is
that Litesse® contributes only 25% of the calories of sugar, and only
11% of the calories of fats. It can also improve the mouth-feel and
texture of calorie reduced foods. Litesse® has been labeled as fiber in
a number of countries around the world for many years. Litesse® is used
in confections, beverages, frozen deserts, cultured dairy products,
baked goods, nutrition bars and fruit spreads and fillings.
Saccharine The main ingredient
in the popular pink-packets of “Sweet N Low,” saccharine is one of the
more well-known sugar substitutes. Saccharine was popular years ago but
fell out of favor when it was concluded laboratory rats developed
cancer after using this artificial sweetener. It’s not recommended for
pregnant or lactating women, however. Saccharine can be used to sweeten
drinks of all temperatures and can be used in place of sugar in recipes.
Raffinose is not a sugar that you
will usually associate with sweetness or see used as a sweetener. It is
found in legumes and is the cause of flatulence.
Sorbitol, originally derived from
the mountain sorberry, is a naturally occurring sweetener found
primarily in fruits and berries. This product is manufactured from
glucose, but is only 50-75% as sweet as regular sugar. Because it is
absorbed and metabolized slowly, sorbitol has little effect on blood
sugar levels. This product therefore may be useful in replacing regular
sugar in recipes for diabetic diets. Use in making jams, canned fruits,
and homemade candies, etc.
Sorghum syrup is a natural sweetener made by processing juice squeezed from the stalks of certain types of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) called sweet sorghum or sorgo. Sweet sorghum is grown for syrup or forage, whereas most other sorghums, commonly referred to as milos or kafirs,
are grown for grain. Specialized milling equipment is necessary to
extract the juice, and evaporative pans with heating units are used to
steam off excess water, leaving syrup.The correct label for sorghum
syrup is "sorghum syrup" or "pure sorghum." Molasses, unsulphured
molasses, cane molasses, and cane syrup are byproducts of sugarcane
processing and sugar crystallization. "Sorghum molasses" is a blend of
sorghum syrup and sugarcane molasses. Sorgum syrup has a unique taste
all it's own and is very popular in parts of the southern United
States. It should be treated as sugar for diabetic purposes.
Stevia is a naturally sweet plant
native to Paraguay that is 30 times sweeter than sugar in its
unprocessed form. With more than 1,000 studies and patents on Stevia,
it is known to be all-natural, contain zero calories and have a zero
glycemic index. Through a patented process the pure glycosides can be
extracted from the Stevia leaves and turned into an intensely sweet
powder that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is claimed to be
safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. 2 drops = 1 tsp. of sugar.
Sucralose is what is contained in
a yellow packet of “Splenda.” Splenda is gaining in popularity not only
because it’s made of sugar, thereby tasting almost like sugar, but
because it measures the same as sugar, which makes it more convenient
for baking than other sugar substitutes. Sucralose is six hundred times
sweeter than sugar, however, so if one is not using the Splenda brand,
one will have to do some math to figure out how much to add to your
baking. Concerns have been raised about sucralose because of the
chlorine in it. The manufacturer claims it is totally safe.
SweetOne is a brand
of sugar substitute sweetened with acesulfame potassium, an intense
sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Sweet One offers an
alternative for people who are limiting their intake of sugar. Sweet
One tastes like sugar and it doesn't break down in heat, so you can
cook with it. It has zero calories! Each packet of Sweet One contains
the sweetness of two teaspoons of sugar; this sweetness does not
increase proportionately when using Sweet One in cooking and baking. In
recipes for sweetened sauces and beverages, all the sugar can be
replaced with Sweet One. However, recipes for most baked goods require
sugar for proper volume and texture.
Trehalose is a multi-functional
sweetener found naturally, for example in honey, mushrooms, lobster,
shrimp and foods produced using baker's and brewer's yeast. The
commercial product is made from starch by an enzymatic process.
Trehalose is almost half as sweet as sucrose or table sugar. The
metabolism of trehalose is similar to that of other disaccharides.
Ingested trehalose is hydrolyzed to glucose and absorbed in the small
intestine. The makers of Trehalose say it has been shown to elicit a
very low insulin response and provide sustained energy. Trehalose
protects and preserves cell structure in foods and may aid in the
freezing and thawing process of many food products by assisting in the
maintenance of the desired texture of the food. It is also heat stable.
Because trehalose is only half a sweet as sucrose it is more likely to
be used for cell preservation than for sweetness.
Whey Low™ is a patent-pending
blend of all-natural sugars. The manufacturers claim that Whey Low
offers the same sweetness, taste, and food properties of sugar with 70
to 80% lower glycemic index and 75% fewer calories and impact
carbohydrates than sugar. Whey Low™ contains fructose, which is
obtained from corn syrup (glucose), and lactose, which is obtained from
whey or milk. Both the fructose and lactose that go into Whey Low™ are
extremely pure crystalline sugars and contain no allergens or any
proteins that could possibly be allergens. These two simple sugars are
not known to cause any allergies.
Xylitol is a
natural substance derived from the xylan of birch and other hardwood
trees, berries, almond hulls and corn cobs. It was discovered in 1891
by German chemist, Emil Fischer, and has been used as a sweetening
agent since the 1960's. Xylitol is a substance that occurs naturally in
many fruits and vegetables, and in fact, is produced in small amounts
(5-15 grams per day) in the human body during normal metabolism.
Xylitol enjoys wide acceptance in Japan, Finland, and the Scandinavian
countries. In the Soviet Union it has been used for decades as a
sweetener for diabetics. Numerous clinical and field studies performed
over the past 30 years have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of
xylitol as a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol These ingredients
were given this consumer-friendly name because part of their structure
resembles sugar and part is similar to alcohol. Sugar alcohols do not
contain ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages. Sugar Alcohols,
(Polyols) & Polydextrose occur
naturally in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, including berries,
apples, and plums, but for large-scale commercial use they are
manufactured from common sugars. While they are chemically very similar
to sugars, they are less sweet than sugars and have fewer calories per
gram. Currently the following sugar alcohols are permitted for use as
food additives: hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, mannitol, sorbitol, sorbitol syrup, xylitol and erythritol.
Another food additive, polydextrose, a compound synthesized from
dextrose (glucose), is also permitted. Because it has a low digestible
energy value, it is used to provide bulk in foods, thereby reducing the
caloric content. Unlike polyols, polydextrose is not sweet but has a
slightly tart taste and thus can add texture to food without adding
sweetness. It is often used as a replacement for sugar, starch, and fat
in foods such as cakes, candies, pudding, and desserts. It is known
that eating too much of these substances can cause gastro-intestinal
discomfort and laxative effects. This is a result of sugar alcohols and
polydextrose being poorly taken up from the gastrointestinal tract. The
likelihood of such effects occurring is related to the amount consumed
and, therefore, increases with the consumption of more than one product
containing sugar alcohols and/or polydextrose. There is a wide
variation, however, in sensitivity between individuals to these
effects. Also, it is possible with frequent consumption of products
containing sugar alcohols and/or polydextrose to develop a tolerance,
and be able to increase consumption without experiencing adverse
effects.
Mannitol and sorbitol,
along with other sugar alcohols, have been promoted as useful sugar
substitutes for diabetics. Unlike sucrose and glucose which cause quick
changes in blood glucose concentration, these sugar alcohols do not
produce significant changes in blood glucose concentration because,
once absorbed, they are converted to energy by processes that require
little or no insulin. People with diabetes, however, should consult
their physician or other health professionals about the usefulness of
sugar alcohols in their diet before increasing the amount of foods they
eat that contain these substances.
Sugar alcohols are also resistant to metabolism by the bacteria in the
mouth which break down sugars and starches to release decay-causing
acids. As a result, sugar alcohols in general are considered not to
promote tooth decay. Studies have indicated that xylitol in particular
may actually help to prevent tooth decay.
The following table highlights some of the key properties of specific sugar alcohols and polydextrose.
Table 1. Physiologic Properties and Metabolism of Sugar Alcohols and Polydextrose
|
Sweetener/ Name of Compound
|
% Relative Sweetness vs. Sucrose (normal sugar)
|
Impact on Blood Sugar and Insulin Secretion
|
Calorie Value kcal/g
|
Derived From
|
Mannitol
|
50 - 70
|
Low
|
1.6
|
Fructose
|
Sorbitol
|
50 - 70
|
Low
|
2.6
|
Glucose
|
Sorbitol Syrup
|
25 - 50
(depending on sorbitol content)
|
Low
|
3
|
Corn, Wheat or Potato Starch
|
Xylitol
|
100
|
Low
|
3
|
D-xylose
|
Maltitol
|
90
|
Low
|
3
|
High Maltose Corn Syrup
|
Maltitol Syrup
|
25 - 50
(depending on maltitol content)
|
Low
|
3
|
Corn, Wheat or Potato Starch
|
Lactitol
|
30 - 40
|
Low
|
2
|
Lactose
|
Isomalt
|
45 - 65
|
Low
|
2
|
Sucrose
|
Erythritol
|
60 - 80
|
Low
|
0.2
|
Glucose
|
Polydextrose
|
0
|
Low
|
1
|
Dextrose (Glucose), Sorbitol & Citric or Phosphoric Acid
|
Overall, the benefits of permitting the use of sugar alcohols and
polydextrose as food additives in certain foods are greater than the
potential for laxative effects that could result from excessive
consumption of these substances. It is important for consumers to be
made aware that sugar alcohols and/or polydextrose are added to certain
foods, to recognize the names of these compounds and to be aware that
excessive consumption of such foods could lead to gastro-intestinal
discomfort and laxative effects.
Most of the above sugar substitutes have been approved by the FDA and
Health Canada as safe for use by diabetics. Those who are diabetic,
pregnant or nursing would probably find it in their best interests to
check with their physicians before using any of these products
regularly.
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