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(Medical-NewsWire.com, December 05, 2015 ) Charleston, NC -- So when registered dietitian Elaine Magee had to write about sugar alcohols (a form of low calorie sweeteners),she decided to give it a try with few 'sugar free chocolates'. Couple of chocolates down the throat, no problem. But then three on the body and you are done...!!! Get ready for cramping, bloated feel and other GI symptoms. If you are dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome then your digestive system is much more sensitive.
“Once you go through it, it's like, “OK, I am never gonna have that again”, says Magee, the San-Francisco based author who has 25 books to her credit including 'Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Diabetes”. However with a laugh, she does say that it does motivate a person to have a food in control.
Before you know how these artificial sweeteners work get to know the product first.
What are sugar alcohols?
Just because its in the name doesn't mean the content has to be so. Sugar alcohol does not have neither sugar nor alcohol, says Roger Clemens who is the adjunt professor at the Univeristy of Southern California's International Center for Regulatory Science. They are basically synthetically manufactured and has been named because they look a lot like sugar and alcohol but basically they are carbs.
Sugar alcohols are also called polyols and they are naturally present in plants. However, you can make them in science lab by adding hydrogen molecules to certain sugars. If you check sugar free candy, protein bars, toothpaste, chewing gum or any other processed foods for that matter, you will realise what you are putting your health into. Few of the names include sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, lactitol to name a few or typically anything that ends with 'ol'.
But note that they are different from artificial sweetners not only in their structure but also calorie wise. Artificial sweetners do not possess any calories but sugar alcohols have 0.2 – 2.7 calories per gram.
Pros and Cons of sugar alcohols
Want the sweet flavor of sugar without building calories? Then sugar alcohols can work for you, says Joy Dubost who is a registered dietitian in the District of Columbia who is also a spokeswoman of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Sugar alcohol have a good role to play in one's diet, particularly if you are trying to manage your overall consumption of sugar or added sugar”.
It can also help with diabetes since they do not affect blood sugar levels unlike other carbohydrates, says American Diabetes Association. People who are dealing with heart disease or obesity can benefit a lot as per 2003 paper in Nutrition Research Reviews. They also have other benefits when it comes to sugar alcohols as they prevent tooth decay (which is one of the reasons they are included in sugar free gums). They also inhibit plague growth or other dental issues, says study.
Now on the con side. As Magee claims, sugar alcohols are not all sweet. They lead to many digestive disorders such as bloating, gas, diarrhea etc. and can lead to many health issues if consumed in excess. This is one of the reasons why FDA asks products (candies, baked goods, jam) that add more than 50 gms to print a warning that “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect”. Just like with any other food, “if you abuse it or overconsume it or increase your exposure to it, your likelihood of having adverse effects (on your digestion) goes up.' states Clemens.
The main reason is beacuse they are not completely digested or absorbed and pass through the small intestine and are fermented by the large intestine and this fermentation can lead to gas if not anything worse.
Even if your stomach can handle the pressure, sugar alcohol are not for anyone. Many athletes need carb such as sugar alcohols to charge their energy but its quite unnecessary and proper nutritious foods can actually work in help in achieving the target.
Conclusion
You can always experiment by trying it on your own. While you may be uncomfy with many cough drops that contain manitol, you will be doing great after a scoop of reduced sugar ice cream that is made with lacitol.
If you think sugar alcohols has more side effects than benefits, always go with the natural one but in controlled portions. Watch your calorie intake and cut back on portions. You can always enjoy Mother Nature's products i.e. real fruits (that has real sugar and less calories).
Magee's strategy is eating 'the real product' watchfully. So instead of grabbing a sugar free chocolate and ending up on 'pee pot', it is better to indulge in a single Dove chocolate slowly till it melts in your mouth. “If you eat it mindfully,” she says, “You are satisfied with one”.
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