Sugar Alcohol?

EKarma

So, I'm just about sugar free everything.. I try to get most sugar naturally from fruits and veggies.. Anywho. I recently watched the "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" on Youtube and the doc actually showed how HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) was almost as bad as Ethanol (alcohol), both of these are poison to our bodies when taken in excess..

Ok.. Fine. I totally agree with that. But I notice that alot of my sugar free stuff has sugar alcohol in it.. Will my body digest this the same way? Will it send signals to my brain that I'm not full? Does anyone know anything about sugar alcohol? Will 20 years down the road bring a new study saying that I'm still poisoning my body?!

Enlighten me.

p.s. Everyone should watch that video. It's an eye opener and now that I've watched it, it's all over TV about HFCS being a poison. I do believe that's why America is going through an obesity epidemic. Just watch, if you have the time.

xx

JoyousMaximus

It's also called sorbitol and, given that in excess it can cause the "runs," it can't be to great for you. However, here is a link to a website about it and multiple agencies say it is safe. Personally, I avoid foods that have disclaimers.

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/sweeteners-and-lite/polyols/sorbitol#Safety

adopt4

You trade one evil for another. Fake sweeteners also make your body think that you are getting something sweet and release insulin - even though there's no sugar to trigger that. It tricks your body. Too much of anything is too much.

I've read on here that low fat also has a lot of fake sugar in it, so once again, trading one bad for another.

GreenEyedMonster

I'm thinking unless you're constantly chewing a fresh piece of sugar free gum every hour you prob wouldn't have to worry about it... then again I wouldn't put half a drop of rat killer in my body either so I'm not sure that arguement is valid.

rtmama

I watched that video, and it was an eye opener!

I wanted to correct something you wrote though...

quote: "and the doc actually showed how HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) was almost as bad as Ethanol (alcohol), both of these are poison to our bodies when taken in excess.."

He showed that any type of processed SUGAR is almost as bad as alcohol. Table sugar, HFCS, all of it.

He said table sugar is not worse or better than HFCS. He said it's basically the same, and has the same effect on the body. It will make you fat!

He recommended that people eat sugar (fructose) with fiber, meaning eating whole fruit (with fiber) as opposed to drinking juice or eating other sweet foods.

as for "fake sugar substitutes" it's my impression that it has the same effect on your brain. Empty calories that have no nutritional value.

azwildcatfan94

I think that will all things, moderation is the key. I have heard that sugar alcohol has a side effect of painful gas. OK, I admit it, I found that tidbit on the internet AFTER experiencing it first hand (when I wasn't dieting and ate a BUNCH of "sugar free" chocolate). So, I choose to eat foods with sugar alcohol in it as sparingly as possible. I mean, let's face it, whatever that food is, it isn't as nutritionally packed as say, a bowl of oatmeal. But, I am human and sometimes I want some ice cream. And, a skinny cow ice cream bar is fewer calories than a sugar filled one. So, I will risk the side effect (and for one ice cream bar, the side effect isn't too bad) if it will keep me out of Cold Stone Creamery. However, I try to do it as little as possible because I think it does still increase your cravings for more sweets.

chiaruscuro

I have heard that sugar alcohol has a side effect of painful gas.

Yeah that's true because the body has a hard time processing the sugar alcohols due to a lack of certain enzymes. The sugar alcohol causes some disturbance; hence the unfortunate gas [or diarrhea to some].

BrendaLee

I watched that video too. Made me think differently about sugar in general. Damn it. lol

Here's a link about sugar alcohols:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/sugaralcohols.htm