If you’ve looked at the ingredients label on keto-friendly foods, sugar-free foods, or no-sugar-added products, you’ll likely see an ingredient ending in “-ol” – which signifies sugar alcohol. Are these sugar alcohols okay to eat, or are they unhealthy?
When consumed in moderation, sugar alcohols are safe to consume and aren’t considered unhealthy.
How much is “in moderation”, and what are sugar alcohols, anyway? We’ll answer these questions next!
What are sugar alcohols?
Sugar alcohols are a type of sweetener. They are chemical compounds that taste sweet, but aren’t sugar (and they aren’t alcohol, either). Sugar alcohols are lower in calories and aren’t a source of sugar compared to sweeteners like white sugar and honey, so they are often used in sugar-free and reduced-sugar products.
Sugar alcohols don’t raise blood sugar levels like regular sugar, which is one reason they are popular among low-carb dieters and people with diabetes.
Sugar alcohols occur in some foods naturally, such as certain fruits, vegetables, and grains. When used as a sugar substitute, sugar alcohols are isolated and manmade to make a pure sweetener.
Some of the most common sugar alcohols are:
- Mannitol
- Sorbitol
- Xylitol
- Lactitol
- Isomalt
- Maltitol
(Sugar alcohols are also called polyols.)
Sugar alcohols are primarily in processed foods like sugar-free cookies, puddings, bars, and more. They are popular for sweetening keto-friendly foods as well.
Are sugar alcohols unhealthy?
Sugar alcohols can be useful tools to help reduce your sugar intake, especially if you have blood sugar problems like prediabetes or diabetes. Replacing regular sweeteners with sugar alcohols reduces calories and sugar content, which can help you meet blood sugar goals, weight management goals, etc.
Sugar alcohols are considered more natural than purely man-made artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, which is another benefit.
How much sugar alcohol can you consume before it becomes unhealthy, though? The recommended amount is below 10-15 grams per day.
What are the side effects of consuming too much sugar alcohol?
If you load up on sugar-free foods and drinks containing sugar alcohols, you might develop some stomach upset. The reason is that sugar alcohols are poorly digested, which is why they don’t contribute many calories to your diet (you can only get calories from foods if they are absorbed).
Some of the signs of consuming too much sugar alcohol include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Increased gas
To avoid these unpleasant side effects, remember to eat sugar alcohols in moderation and try to keep your intake to 15 grams or fewer per day.
Remember that eating whole, natural foods and eating regular sugar in moderation is considered a more ideal eating pattern – not filling up on sugar-free foods and processed foods containing sugar alcohols.
FAQs:
Sugar alcohols contain fewer calories than sugar since they aren’t sugars (and they don’t raise blood sugar levels like regular sugar). Like regular sugar, sugar alcohols should be consumed in moderation, and excess intake can result in stomach upset.
Eating sugar alcohols in moderation is considered healthy for most people. Some people might choose to avoid sugar alcohols due to personal preference or if they are sensitive to them digestive-wise.
When consumed in moderation (fewer than 15 grams per day), sugar alcohols are considered safe to consume.
Tagatose is a sugar that is low in carbohydrates, so it’s used as a sugar substitute. Tagatose is not a sugar alcohol.
Allulose is a popular keto-friendly sweetener because it doesn’t raise your blood sugar or affect ketosis. Allulose is not a sugar alcohol.
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