Sugar alcohols are like sugar in some ways, but they are not completely absorbed by the body. Because of this, the blood sugar impact of sugar alcohols is less and they provide fewer calories per gram. Additionally, sugar alcohols don't promote tooth decay as sugars do, so are often used to sweeten chewing gum. One, xylitol, actually inhibits bacterial growth in the mouth.It's important to note, however, that the different types of sugar alcohols act very differently in the body
(click link below to read full article)
I find that my blood sugar spikes when I ingest sugar alcohols. A prime example for me is sugar free ice cream. It really has an adverse affect on my blood sugar. So, I steer away from it. I might as well go ahead and the real thing because I would get the same result.
In the beginning of my diabetic journey I thought that sugar free products would be sort of a no worry food group for me. That is not true in my case. I still compare the carbs on the labels to their "regular" counterparts. Sometimes their carb counts are nearly the same.
How is a person supposed to choose?
For me, it's come to putting them both back on the shelf.
Once in a while I can get by with something that is no sugar added, but I try not to do them too terribly often. I never do sugar free anymore. In my mind, there is a difference between them because my body seems to react differently. I still seem to be able to get by with diet sodas, but not the diet juices. I blame the difference on sugar alcohols.
Even with reading labels, sometimes the right thing really isn't.
Diabetes is a tricky devil.
I hope you found this information helpful.
Sherry
(Please check out my sister blog, www.thesweetdiabetic.com/sherrycreates.)
Recent Comments