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Sugar Alcohol & Net Carbs?

Alice_in_VVonderland
Alice_in_VVonderland Posts: 67 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I started keto recently, and I'm a bit confused on how to count sugar alcohol carbs. On a related note, my diabetic mother eats low carb cookies sometimes, and I'm not sure how much sugar alcohol affects her blood glucose levels.

I read somewhere that sugar alcohol is only HALF absorbed, so you would count half the carbs.
However, I see a lot of products figuring that NONE of the sugar alcohol carbs count.

So for an example I just saw a low carb brownie with these nutrition facts-

Total Carbohydrates - 20g
Fiber - 8g
Sugar Alcohol - 10g

It claims that the brownie is only 2g net carbs, but is it really 7g?

Replies

  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    That matches up with what I read on the American Diabetes Assoc website.
  • Antaste
    Antaste Posts: 20 Member
    edited September 2017
    Kind of depends.
    If they're using IMO or maltitol then it's partially (~50%) digested. If it's SCF, chicory root fiber, polydextrose, tapioca fiber or glycerin then it's around 10-15%. In case of erythritol, sucralose and allulose none of the sugar alcohol carbs count.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited September 2017
    I still can't get low carb cookies out of my head. So I googled it. Walmart showed a low carb cookie. 320 calories each.
    I can see there is a difference between going low carb and counting calories. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Low-Carb-Chocolate-Chip-Protein-Cookie/657675885 The print is really small, but I believe the serving is one cookie.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    edited September 2017
    Antaste wrote: »
    Kind of depends.
    If they're using IMO or maltitol then it's partially (~50%) digested. If it's SCF, chicory root fiber, polydextrose, tapioca fiber or glycerin then it's around 10-15%. In case of erythritol, sucralose and allulose none of the sugar alcohol carbs count.

    With allulose, about 65%-68% of carbs are not metabolized and do not become glucose.

    ETA to correct by adding "not."

    Also - will clarify that this is according to Tate & Lyle, the inventor or allulose.
  • Alice_in_VVonderland
    Alice_in_VVonderland Posts: 67 Member
    edited September 2017
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    I still can't get low carb cookies out of my head. So I googled it. Walmart showed a low carb cookie. 320 calories each.
    I can see there is a difference between going low carb and counting calories. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Low-Carb-Chocolate-Chip-Protein-Cookie/657675885 The print is really small, but I believe the serving is one cookie.
    Sorry, I meant to say "sugar free" cookies. This is what my mom gets-
    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Sugar-Free-Fudge-Graham-Cookies-12-5-oz/36073905

    Antaste wrote: »
    Kind of depends.
    If they're using IMO or maltitol then it's partially (~50%) digested. If it's SCF, chicory root fiber, polydextrose, tapioca fiber or glycerin then it's around 10-15%. In case of erythritol, sucralose and allulose none of the sugar alcohol carbs count.
    If erythritol and sucralose don't count at all, that means the chocolate chip keto cookies I made are even better than I thought, and mom's sugar free cookies are doing even less to her blood sugar.

    Thanks for the info!
  • Antaste
    Antaste Posts: 20 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    I still can't get low carb cookies out of my head. So I googled it. Walmart showed a low carb cookie. 320 calories each.
    I can see there is a difference between going low carb and counting calories. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Low-Carb-Chocolate-Chip-Protein-Cookie/657675885 The print is really small, but I believe the serving is one cookie.
    Lmao, thanks for showing these. "Low carb protein cookies" with only 16g of protein and over 20g of carbs, funny :D
  • nicci288693
    nicci288693 Posts: 73 Member
    edited September 2017
    Go by net carbs. (Carbs - fiber - sugar alcohols = net carbs) Thats what I've gotten from research. I've been doing keto for a little more than a month and have lost 22 pounds.
This discussion has been closed.

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