Knowing what’s in the food you eat is just as important, if not more important, that eating well. Weight loss success is extremely dependent on monitoring food content and ingredients, such as various types of sugar alcohols. Make sure you know what you are putting into your body by reading food labels. The following article, written by Kate H. Roundtree, LDN, RD will help you better understand one mystifying nutritional element: sugar alcohols. Kate works with the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana at their Lafayette office.

Sugar Alchohols: How do they fit in?

Kate H. Rountree, LDN, RD

When learning how to read food labels, one topic of interest that patients continuously question is sugar alcohols. The population wants to know what these products are, why are they used, and how much is too much. Sugar alcohols can be consumed, but in moderation because they can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. Therefore, it is important to understand how to use these products and also where to find information on content when looking at food packaging.

Sugar alcohols are chemically formed sweeteners that can be found in many sugar free and no sugar added food products (candies, gum, baking mixes, ice cream, cookies, etc). These products are formed from naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, plants, and trees and contain approximately ½ the sweetness and calories of sugar that “regular” product have. The common names, which can be found in the ingredient list of food packaging, are mannitol, sorbitol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, erythritol, and xylitol.

Sugar alcohols are used to add sweetness with fewer calories. They are typically used in combination with high intensity artificial sweeteners (NutraSweet®, Splenda®, aspartame, etc) to offset the unpleasant after taste. They can also be used as a bulking agent in certain foods.

Sugar alcohols can be problematic when consumed in abundance because they are only partially absorbed by the small intestine. The amount absorbed is dependent on the particular sugar alcohol ingested. Sugar alcohols not absorbed by the small intestine reach the colon and are fermented by bacteria and produce gases; sugar alcohols are incompletely metabolized by humans. Incomplete absorption can lead to abdominal bloating, cramping diarrhea, and flatulence. It is important to remember that the more sugar alcohol is consumed the more intense the symptoms can be.

The pros to using sugar alcohols include:

• Contains less calories than sugar
• Causes only a slight rise in blood sugar verses a large rise when using real sugar
• Does not cause tooth decay
• Improves texture of foods
• Retains moisture in foods
• Prevents foods from browning when heated

The cons to using sugar alcohols include:

• Poorly absorbed by the body, causing GI distress, when consumed in large concentrations
• Weight gain, if overeaten
• Hypoglycemia may result in diabetics if insulin dosage is dependent on specific amount of carbohydrate consumed since sugar alcohols are used when calculating total carbohydrate content

The United States Federal Drug Administration outlines specific instructions when labeling food packaging. In the instance of sugar alcohols products labeled as “no sugar added” or “sugar free” may still contain sugar alcohols, so it is vital to always read the nutrition label on all processed foods, especially those labeled “no sugar added” or “sugar free.” Consider the serving size and the amount of sugar alcohol per serving and keep in mind that as little as 10 gm of sugar alcohols can cause GI symptoms.

Understanding the pros and cons of sugar alcohols is a key ingredient in the recipe to weight loss success. Weight loss is a lot of hard work, but knowing all of the important ingredients and factors will make your weight loss success that much easier. Next time you are at the grocery store, pay attention to the labels and use the new tools you are now equipped with to make smart, weight loss motivated, decisions. If you seek professional help, contact the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. Their medically supervised MyWeight™ weight loss program can help you become a healthier, happier you!