"Polyols" or sugar alcohols are a number of different carbohydrates that are neither sugars nor alcohols--and are commonly used as artificial sweeteners in a range of products, from ice cream to chewing gum.
While these tasty sweeteners appear to be the perfect solution for both low-carb dieters and low-carb food producers, recent studies of sugar alcohols have painted a somewhat different picture.
To begin with, sugar alcohols are not entirely carb-free. Most studies have indicated that sugar alcohols contain approximately 1/2 to 1/3 the amount of calories as sugar--and in the form of carbohydrates.
In addition, studies have shown that sugar alcohols are absorbed by the small intestine, but the process is slower and fractured. This affects a rise in blood sugar, but again is smaller and more gradual than with sugar--and the rise tends to vary from person to person.
Sugar alcohols also have a laxative effect on some consumers. Since they are only partially absorbed, they bring water into the bowel--and undigested carbs into the colon, creating gas and bloating as the carbs are acted on by bacteria.
Over-consumption of sugar alcohols can often have an adverse effect on low carb dieters, even when they can digest them properly. Sugar alcohols can trigger cravings in low carb dieters, causing them to deviate from dietary restrictions.
In addition, sugar alcohols can often cause low carb dieters to choose an unhealthy diet of sweets, which appear to be carb-free, over a varied diet that includes essential nutrients.
If you are currently on a low carb diet and want to mix sugar alcohol products into your diet, it is very important that you monitor your total sugar alcohol intake--and keep it at a minimum while consuming a healthy diet.
One easy way to do this is to determine the total amount of carbs in sugar alcohol products you are consuming. You can do this by subtracting the amount of fat and protein calories per serving from the total amount of calories per serving. Simply multiply the grams of protein by four and the grams of fat by nine. Now subtract the sum of the two from the total amount of calories per serving.
Using these figures, you can determine whether or not carbs are being "hidden" in "carb free" sugar alcohol products you consume, allowing you to make a better-informed decision that fits the prescriptions of your low-carb diet.
Benji Paras runs http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com along with informative articles and the latest low-carb headlines.
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged... Read More
We all have an image of "fit" - lean, even... Read More
Are you Telling Yourself It's Too Hard to Lose Weight?Telling... Read More
Ready for a hardcore diet to get lean in a... Read More
Are you tired of getting the same old advice when... Read More
From driving up your blood pressure and cholesterol, to increasing... Read More
Green tea has been highly valued in Asia for centuries... Read More
Frankly, I'm puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who's... Read More
Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat... Read More
Learning the jargon is part of the weight loss journey.... Read More
Diet information is everywhere. In advertisements, on TV, in magazines;... Read More
It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed,... Read More
You gain weight when your calorie intake is more than... Read More
For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would... Read More
Gaining up to 20 pounds over four years can significantly... Read More
I have tried many "diets" here in the USA and... Read More
When we hear all the success stories of the gastric... Read More
There's more to gastric bypass than surgery and rapid massive... Read More
Ephedra and Ephedrine consumers are still under the assumption that... Read More
For people that are obese, losing weight quickly can seem... Read More
New Years Resolutions do not work because you are really... Read More
Weight loss is a hot topic among college students today,... Read More
You may have read the old stories about how much... Read More
While low-fat dieters and non-dieters may want to avoid chicken... Read More
To continue the educational series on your health and fitness... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
Dealing with your sweet-tooth can be one of the greatest... Read More
When I decided to lose weight I of course decided... Read More
Losing Weight is All About Counting Calories/Carbs and Exercising. Or... Read More
When embarking on a weight loss program people will almost... Read More
If you are losing, trying to lose, or think you... Read More
If you are about to begin a diet, the number... Read More
You may not like what I'm about to say, but... Read More
How's this for a diet: Take in fewer calories than... Read More
Have you heard about coconut oil diets yet? People are... Read More
Gastric Bypass surgery is becoming increasingly more popular for the... Read More
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure... Read More
Congratulations on waking up each morning and greeting the day... Read More
No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy... Read More
Fat Burners refer to the hundreds of products on the... Read More
Weight Loss Their Greatest Opponent --------------------------------- Before high school and... Read More
If you're serious about losing weight and getting fit, you... Read More
Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More
Browsing one of the Russian websites I have recently found... Read More
Obesity raises the risk of various types of cancer. And... Read More
There are several factors in winning at weight loss. Sometimes... Read More
Dumping syndrome is an effective result of the gastric bypass... Read More
WHAT DOES BEING FIT REALLY MEAN?The "INSIDE-OUT" approach to fitness... Read More
These fat burning tips can help you discover a fat... Read More
Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it:... Read More
Weight Loss |