| Food and Nutrition Q&A: | |
by Chelsy Leslie, RD, from the May 2004 newsletter
As the demand for sugar-free, reduced-sugar and low-glycemic foods increases, polyols are being used to replace sugar in many foods. Polyols are a type of carbohydrate that is only partially digested in the intestinal tract. They provide fewer calories per gram than carbohydrates, ranging from 0.2 to 3 calories per gram compared with 4 calories per gram from carbohydrates. Polyols are also called sugar alcohols, although they are neither sugar nor alcohol.
Polyols were initially only used in diabetic foods, but now they can be found in products all over the supermarket. Polyols are currently being used in chewing gum, candy, ice cream, baked goods, chocolate, and fruit spread. They can also be found in non-food products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, breath mints, cough syrups, and cough drops.
A product may contain several different types of polyols or they may be used in combination with no-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, or sucralose. Sorbitol is a commonly used polyol, but you may also find erythritol, mannitol, isomalt, lactitol, xylitol, or maltitol on food labels.
Polyols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine, which is why they provide fewer calories per gram than carbohydrates. Because they aren’t completely absorbed, consuming large amounts of polyols at one time can cause gas or laxative effects similar to reactions to high fiber food. Just as people can adapt to high fiber diets over time, they can also usually adapt to polyols. However, the foods containing polyols (candy, baked goods, etc.) tend to be low in important nutrients and probably shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities anyway.
Polyols cause blood glucose levels to rise more slowly after consumption, compared with carbohydrates. This is what makes them popular in diabetic foods. However, it is important to keep in mind that products claiming to be “sugar free” do not necessarily mean calorie- or carbohydrate-free. Foods sweetened with polyols may have other calorie-containing ingredients that may raise blood glucose levels.
Another advantage polyols have over sugar is they do not promote cavities. Bacteria in the mouth cannot easily change polyols to acids that can damage the teeth. The food label may contain the FDA-approved health claim, “does not promote tooth decay.” Chewing gum that contains xylitol can help protect the teeth by neutralizing acid in the mouth and by stimulating the production of saliva that can help rinse away sugar residues.
Products that contain polyols may be useful in helping people achieve their health goals. However, remember that “sugar-free” doesn’t translate into “all-you-can-eat.” Even if a product is labeled as “sugar-free,” it may still contain calories—and sometimes it has just as many calories as the original product! Check out the Nutrition Facts panel on food products and pay attention to portion size.
See also:
Xylitol
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