How To Count Sugar Alcohols
You might already be a carb-counting wiz when it comes to regular carbohydrates and sugarsbut what about sugar alcohols?
In our experience, many people calculate them incorrectly, even product manufacturers!
To calculate how many carbs are in a food that contains sugar alcohols, start by looking at the number of total carbohydrates and then look a little further down the label to determine how many grams of sugar alcohols there are.
Next, take the amount of sugar alcohol and cut that number in half before subtracting it from the number of total carbs.
Using the above food label as an example, you would look at the amount of sugar alcohol and cut that in half and then subtract that from the number of total carbohydrates .
The 5g of total carbs minus 1.5g of sugar alcohol leaves you with 3.5g of carbs.
Sugar alcohols are difficult to digest, which means that your body only absorbs about half of the carbs from them, which is why theyre a little easier on your blood sugar than regular cane sugar would be.
Because of this it can be easy to think of sugar alcohols as free carbs that you dont have to count, but remember that they can still affect your blood sugar so they should still be taken into consideration when youre making food choices.
Allulose A New Artificial Sweetener Thats No Longer Considered An Added Sugar
Allulose is an extremely low-calorie sweetener that occurs naturally in small amounts in wheat, raisins, dried figs, brown sugar, and molasses, according to the FDA. Marketed under the brand name Dolcia Prima , it has 90 percent fewer calories than sucrose, while being 70 percent as sweet.
You can find Dolcia Prima in Magic Spoon Cereal, which is sold online and expect to see it soon in beverages, desserts, candy, yogurt, and other treats. Thats because allulose got a big boost from the FDA in April 2019, when the agency declared it can be excluded from the total and added sugars listed on nutrition labels going forward.
The latest data suggests that allulose is different from other sugars in that it is not metabolized by the human body in the same way as table sugar, says Susan Mayne, PhD, director of FDAs Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. It has fewer calories, produces only negligible increases in blood glucose or insulin levels, and does not promote dental decay.
Under the revised guidance, manufacturers can use a caloric value of 0.4 calories per gram to calculate the total number of calories per serving of allulose, instead of the previous 4 calories per gram. The sweetener still must be included in the total carbohydrates listed, though. While allulose isnt on the list of FDA-approved sweeteners, the agency hasnt questioned notices submitted by manufacturers that the sweetener is generally recognized as safe.
Should People With Diabetes Use Splenda
Evidence from many studies suggests that consuming artificial sweetenerssucralose includeddoes not affect blood sugar levels. These studies show that sucralose should be safer than sugar for people with diabetes.
However, there is evidence that drinking diet sodas increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, along with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome that could ultimately lead to diabetes.
In one study, individuals in a group each added 15 milligrams of Splendaabout one packetper day to the food or beverage of their choice. After 14 days, those who ate Splenda had higher insulin resistance than people in another group who were not given Splenda at all.
If you have insulin resistance, it is more difficult for your body to take glucose from your bloodstream and convert it into energy. This leads to high blood sugar that, left untreated, could eventually turn into type 2 diabetes.
Researchers stress that more studies are needed to identify the health effects that consuming sucralose over the long term could have.
According to the American Diabetes Association , For some people with diabetes who are accustomed to sugar-sweetened products, nonnutritive sweeteners may be an acceptable substitute for nutritive sweeteners when consumed in moderation.”
Also Check: What Is A High Blood Sugar Reading
What Are Sugar Alcoholsanswers By Tami A Ross Rdn Ld Cde
Blue, pink, yellow, green, orangethere is a whole rainbow of colors for sugar substitutes offered today. The term sugar substitutes refers to high intensity sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners, and other low-calorie sweeteners. Then there are sugar alcohols, such as erythritol, xylitol, and mannitol. Sugar alcohols are becoming more popular as keto-friendly sweeteners. But what are they? And are they a good option for people with diabetes?
Donât Miss: What Are The First Signs Of Diabetes
Healthy Eating Is About More Than Just Sugar
Sugar is not the only culprit contributing to the rise of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. The overall quality of the standard American diet is responsible for the development of diabetes type 2 or prediabetes, says UCLA dietitian Dana Hunnes. The typical diet is high in processed carbohydrates, fat, animal proteins, and salt, and low in fiber, water, fruits, and vegetables. That high caloric tally promotes weight gain. Meanwhile, all those simple carbsin things like French fries, chips, sugar-sweetened beverages, pasta, and bread made from white flour lead to a fast rise in blood sugar. When that happens, your body struggles to churn out more and more insulinwhich fails to lower blood glucose because the cells are ignoring it.
Over time, those spikes tend to wear out your insulin-producing cells altogether and the body stops making insulin. If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, that means that each time you eat, blood sugar just keeps climbing higher and higher unless you control it with diet, exercise, and medication.
Don’t Miss: Adverse Effects Of Metformin
The Best Sugar Substitutes For People With Diabetes + Their Pros & Cons
Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day, birthdays no matter which month were in, theres always an occasion that seems to call for sweet treats. It can be hard to ignore your sweet toothbut for people with diabetes, its especially important to understand sugar to manage glucose levels.
One potential solution to this dilemma: sugar substitutes! These sweeteners promise to help people with diabetes enjoy sweet treats without putting their glucose levels at risk. Most of these products are not broken down by the body they pass through without providing any calories. However, not all sugar substitutes are created equal and some come with notable health risks of their own. Keep reading to learn about the best sugar substitutes for diabetes.
Keep An Eye Out For Sugar Alcohols
Quick question: If a product has sugar free or no sugar added on the box, it wont have an impact on your glucose levels, right? Wrong. In some cases, these products contain so-called sugar alcohols that dont work quite the same as some other sugar substitutes. Sugar alcohols are sweeteners that contain about half the calories of regular sugar. You will find sugar alcohols in the nutrition facts label under total carbohydrates.
Sugar alcohols are neither a sugar or an alcohol. They occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables. The sugar alcohols youll find in processed foods are synthetic in nature. Still, theyre considerably different from the artificial sweeteners we looked at earlier. Unlike these sweeteners, sugar alcohols can be metabolized without the use of insulin, and they can digest in your intestine . They also arent quite as sweet as artificial sweeteners and dont have the aftertaste commonly associated with them.
Sugar alcohols the FDA has approved include:
- Xylitol
- Erythritol
- Maltitol
Though theyre not artificial sweeteners, its important to remember that sugar alcohols are still considered carbohydrates. They wont have the same impact on your glucose levels that sugar will, but you should still include them while counting carbs.
Recommended Reading: What Is A Normal A1c For A Non Diabetic
Research On Sugar Alcohols And Type 2 Diabetes
Almost all of the scientific research on sugar alcohols and diabetes is focused specifically on xylitol and erythritol, so we have a pretty good idea of how these two sugar alcohols affect insulin, blood sugar, and vascular health.
Because erythritol has a glycemic index of zero, it doesnt have any effect on your blood sugar whether you are metabolically healthy or not.
A 2016 study confirmed this, stating that erythritol and xylitol had little to no effect on insulin release or glucose levels among both metabolically healthy and obese individuals.
Not only are sugar alcohols harmless for the most part, but sugar alcohols like xylitol may go beyond simply acting as a sugar substitute.
For instance, a study from 2012 found that diabetic rats had improved blood insulin concentrations and improved glucose tolerance after just 5 weeks of xylitol supplementation .
Another study on rats assigned non-diabetic rats to either a control group, a group receiving sucrose , or a group receiving xylitol for a period of 3 weeks. After 3 weeks of supplementation and regular feeding, they found that weight gain was significantly lower in the xylitol group and that the rats in the xylitol group had better glucose tolerance compared to both other groups.
Xylitol is also known for its ability to promote dental health.
But thats enough about xylitol. Erythritol deserves a moment in the spotlight for its benefits regarding vascular health.
Dont Have Time To Read
- Due to its molasses content, brown sugar contains certain minerals, especially calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. The risk outweighs the benefits.
- Excessive consumption of brown sugar causes risks of depression, liver damage, dementia and excessive abdominal fat.
- Sucralose is one of the best alternatives to brown sugar for a diabetic.
- Use Phable Care App to consult Indias leading diabetologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate Accu-Chek instant and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Lets treat diabetes together.
You May Like: What Happens If A Diabetic Eats Too Much Sugar
How To Get Started
The single best tip is go slowly. If you are used to a diet high in sugar you will find it hard to cut it out all at once, making it more likely you will cave and soon be reaching for that chocolate. Start by identifying where you consume the most sugar is it soft drinks, in hot drinks, sugary snacks or a nightly dessert? Then, cut out just one of these things at a time until your diet is 100% sugar free. Depending on your level of consumption, give yourself one to two months to achieve this.
Can Drinking Gatorade Affect My Blood Sugar Level
Gatorade is a blend of electrolytes and carbohydrates designed to protect you from dehydration. Gatorade was created in an effort to help the Florida Gators reduce heat exhaustion and illness on the field. The blend of chloride, sodium and potassium are essential nutrients, according to the dietary guidelines released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Know how Gatorade affects your blood glucose readings before adding it to your diet.
Dont Miss: Can Diabetics Eat Macaroni And Cheese
Don’t Miss: How Many Points Does Metformin Lower Blood Sugar
Calculating Your Daily Allowance
If you don’t have diabetes, the AHA recommends limiting calories from sugar to 10% of your total calories. One gram of sugar equals 4 calories.
For a 2,000-calorie diet, that means you can have up to 50 grams of sugar from all sources per day. It’s worth noting that the World Health Organization recommends an even lower percentage: no more than 5% of total calories from sugar.
If you have diabetes, it’s important to work with your doctor to figure out what’s right for you. Ask what percentage of your total daily calories should come from sugar. This will help you to make adjustments if you are obese and need to cut calories or if you are underweight and need to increase calories.
Baking With Sugar Substitutes
If youd like to bake with sugar substitutes while preparing for your next special occasion, its important not to use too much or too little of your sweetener of choice. To make life easier for you in the kitchen, weve put together a chart detailing how to use some popular sugar substitutes in recipes that call for sugar.
You May Like: Which Pancreatic Cells Release Insulin And Glucagon
Xylitol Is Toxic To Dogs
Xylitol is well tolerated by humans but highly toxic to dogs.
When dogs eat xylitol, their bodies mistake it for sugar and start producing large amounts of insulin.
When insulin goes up, dogs cells starts pulling sugar from the bloodstream.
This can lead to hypoglycemia and can be fatal (
If you have a dog, keep xylitol out of reach or refrain from buying it.
This reaction appears exclusive to dogs. Xylitol not other sugar alcohols seems the only culprit.
Summary Xylitol is toxic to dogs. If you own a dog, make sure to keep xylitol out of reach.
Also Check: What Happens If You Stop Taking Diabetes Medication
Sweetened Or Unsweetened Fruit Juices
Although 100 percent fruit juice is fine in moderation, and is a source of nutrients like vitamin C, all fruit juices can add a high amount of carbohydrates to your diet and are pure sugar. This combination can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and increase your risk for weight gain.
If you have a fruit juice craving that wont fade, be sure you pick up a juice thats 100 percent pure and contains no added sugars.
Also, limit your portion size to 4 ounces , which will reduce your sugar intake to only 3.6 teaspoons .
You might consider adding a splash or two of your favorite juice to sparkling water instead.
- increased weight gain
- high blood sugar levels
Upon further analysis, the study participants who had overweight or obesity, which are risk factors for metabolic syndrome, had likely been swapping no-calorie soda for the full-sugar versions.
They likely took this step to cut their calorie intake. This was an association, but it wasnt considered cause and effect.
A 2016 study seemed to show that those drinking diet sodas had increased blood sugar levels and waist circumference.
However, this study did not control for meals or physical activity or other variables before each round of testing was done.
Further, the authors stated that individuals with higher insulin levels at the beginning of the study may have already had metabolic issues not related to their intake of sugar-free sodas.
For most people living with diabetes, sugar-free sodas are safe in moderation.
Recommended Reading: Can You Get Diabetes If You Re Skinny
Health Effects Of Splenda
The FDA approved sucralose as safe for human consumption in 1998. They reviewed over 110 human and animal studies, looking for possible links between sucralose and cancer as well as reproductive and neurological issues. No links were found.
Since then, even more research has shown that sucralose may be a healthier alternative to sugar. However, some research suggests otherwise.
Natural And Artificial Sweeteners
It can be confusing to group together sweeteners as the terminologies are open to interpretation. For instance, some products from the stevia plant are marketed as natural, even though theyre processed and refined. Yet, some of the other products marketed as artificial sweeteners may be derived from naturally occurring substances. For example, sucralose, which is used in Splenda, is derived from sugar . Whatever the name, grouping or terminology, its important to ask what is in the particular sweetener and whether the sweetener or product has carbohydrate or calories, and how that fits into your individual goals for healthy eating.
Also Check: Glucagon Secretion
Ditch The Working Lunch
Are you rushed, not properly chewing your food, and possibly suffering from gastrointestinal issues? Do you drink your food?
How you eat and drink matters. Studies are indicating that this has more of an impact than we previously thought.
When it comes to how you eat, let’s first look at mindful eating.
Mindful eating can help to promote more healthful eating behaviours. Simply put, it means to take smaller bites, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and savour every bite. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture. Breathe. Mindful eating helps to give your digestive system the hint to prepare for digestion and to secrete necessary enzymes.
Eating with attention and intention also addresses the role of hunger and satiety cues and stresses eating in response to those cues instead of eating in response to automatic patterns. This can also help with weight loss because eating slower often means eating less.
Did you know that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full?
Thought so!
We also know that more thoroughly chewed food is easier to digest and it makes it easier to absorb all of those essential nutrients.
And what about about drinking your food?
If youre keen on crafting your own smoothies, here are a few tips:
Ways To Enjoy Sweets Without Added Sugar Or Sugar Alternatives
- Add a splash of unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk to your coffee
- Grate some carrots into your tomato sauce or bake some moist carrot muffins
- Slice some roasted beets into your salad or bake into a chocolaty red velvet cake.
- Add a splash of fresh orange juice to your homemade salad dressing, or your French toast batter.
- Stir some pineapple chunks into your stir-fry or top your chicken or fish with sliced pineapple or orange before baking.
- Defrost frozen berries and add, still warm, to a bowl of oatmeal or mix into plain yogurt, and sprinkle with diced walnuts.
- Top your burgerbeef, turkey, salmon, veggiewith caramelized onions.
- Dates, not terribly appealing to most of us on their own, have great qualities for replacing cane sugar in your favorite baked recipes try brownies, peanut butter pie, or no-bake cheesecake.
- Prepare your pancake batter with some unsweetened applesauce or grated apple.
As a last resort, Stevia, plant-based alternative sweetener, offers a very concentrated sugar like flavor when none of the options above work for you just go sparingly and use only occasionally. The more you rely on intense added sweeteners, the more you may crave them and nothing else.
Dr. Sen and Dr. Gardner have no financial disclosures.
Recommended Reading: Insulin And Phosphate