I understand that sugar alcohols are bad... but what exactly are they? is it like a substitute for real sugar or something? Chemically, does anyone know what they are composed of?

Sarah
157/153/135

Sugar alcohols are also called "polyols." They're not really sugar or alcohol. They're naturally occurring chemicals in a lot of the foods we eat, so, for the most part, they don't need FDA approval to be added to foods, which makes it cheap and easy for food companies to use them as sugar substitutes without having to pay for lots of research.

Some of them are very benign to most people. Your toothpaste, for instance, has long been made with sorbitol and xylitol. Nobody has complained about that that I can recall. Some of the others, like maltitol and lactitol, cause intestinal distress for some people.

They have been used in sugar-free foods for many years, mainly for diabetics. The operating idea seems to be that diabetic candies made with ingredients like sorbitol don't require insulin to be utilized with the body.

That's not, though, the same as saying that they have no impact on insulin, which is what we low-carbers are concerned with.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

awesome... thanks so much for the information, doc. it certainly cleared that up for me.

Sarah
157/153/135

...and you probably want to avoid them like the plague.

Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/146/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

There's an interesting article if you follow this link:

http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips010.html?rd=2&vo=1



Rob
310/238.5/180
Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof

One tequila, two tequila,
three tequila, floor

Rob, Thank you for that article........VERY interesting!!!!

Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/146/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

That is a good article Rob. Keep that one bookmarked as the sugar alcohol question pops up frequently. In the process of adopting a new life/eating style we have to treat ourselves as guinea pigs in an experiment. You just never know how you will react to new products. It's also amazing how much control our minds (emotions) have over our bodies. I used to swear that I could gain weight just sniffing donuts. Maybe I wasn't that far off!!

Rave
232/177/130
57yo. 5'2"
Started Atkins 6/1/02

Please refer to this article:

http://lowcarbeating.com/article_showeach.php?id=270&scat_num=43&scat_name= Newbie%20Topics&cat_num=22&cat_name=Low%20Carb%20K nowledge

thanks so much for the info, everyone! BTW, i LOVE the icon, Rave! Cute dog...

Sarah
157/153/135