I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.

On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol


What does that mean?

--
RIch

On Jan 12, 5:31*pm, RichD > wrote:
> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>
> What does that mean?

I have no idea what "sugar alcohol" means and do not see it mentioned
on any canned products I have. First, is the label on something made
in the US, or perhaps some other English speaking country? Label laws
do vary. Is the item perhaps something with added alcohol, and the
term "sugar alcohol" means the ethyl (drinking) alcohol added was
fermented from sugar cane? The closest I can come is Devil John
Moonshine no. 9 which is described as spirits distilled from 98% sugar
cane and 2% corn, and it contains 45% alcohol by volume. Devil John
was a civil war soldier, lawman, and moonshiner from Kentucky. A
Kentucky company now makes this legal version of moonshine much as it
was made in the 1800s.

On 1/12/2012 6:31 PM, RichD wrote:
> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>
>
> What does that mean?
>
> --
> RIch


I had not heard the term and googled it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol

Looks like they mean things like sorbitol and mannitol which are made by
hydrogenation of sucrose, are sweet, but caloric content is lower.

Funny sorbitol is not as effective as I thought it was. I was told they
used to make sorbitol candy but it has a laxative effect since it is
largely undigested.

On Jan 12, 5:31*pm, RichD > wrote:
> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>
> What does that mean?
>
> --
> RIch

Wikipedia is your friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol

John Kuthe...

On Jan 12, 6:21*pm, Frank > wrote:
> On 1/12/2012 6:31 PM, RichD wrote:
>
> > I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> > of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> > On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> > 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>
> > What does that mean?
>
> > --
> > RIch
>
> I had not heard the term and googled it:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol
>
> Looks like they mean things like sorbitol and mannitol which are made by
> hydrogenation of sucrose, are sweet, but caloric content is lower.
>
> Funny sorbitol is not as effective as I thought it was. *I was told they
> used to make sorbitol candy but it has a laxative effect since it is
> largely undigested.

They really should be listed under a separate category from carbs.
Sugar alcohols don't act like carbs, nor like fats. Glycerol, which
forms the backbone of mono, di, and tri-glycerides is a sugar
alcohol. The digestive upsets caused by sugar alcohols vary by person
and by type. My nephew is a big fan of erythritol. My only problem
with sugar alcohols is the mouth chill. Anyone who has ever chewed a
piece of sugarless gum knows the sensation. Sugar free chocolate
tends to be made with maltitol. Some folks love sugar alcohols. I
wish I was among them. They are metabolized more like alcohols,
rather than sugars, but more often end up as glucose rather than
ketones. Therefore, they have limited usefulness for those who are
controlling carbs. Hope that helps.

--Bryan

RichD wrote:
> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>
>
> What does that mean?

It means it contains a product that is a known laxative. Don't buy it!

Why are you trying to cut sugar consumption? Sugar in and of itself isn't a
bad thing unless perhaps you have reactive hypoglycemia, pre-diabetes or
diabetes. And then you need to watch your overall carbs. So a large fruit
salad could be worse for you than a small piece of candy.

Frank wrote:
> On 1/12/2012 6:31 PM, RichD wrote:
>> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
>> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>>
>> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
>> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>>
>>
>> What does that mean?
>>
>> --
>> RIch
>
>
> I had not heard the term and googled it:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol
>
> Looks like they mean things like sorbitol and mannitol which are made
> by hydrogenation of sucrose, are sweet, but caloric content is lower.
>
> Funny sorbitol is not as effective as I thought it was. I was told
> they used to make sorbitol candy but it has a laxative effect since
> it is largely undigested.

It's still made. Available in most any grocery or drug store. Mainly aimed
at diabetics and dieters but IMO it's really bad stuff.

On Jan 12, Bryan > wrote:
> > > I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> > > of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> > > On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> > > 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
> > > What does that mean?
>
> They really should be listed under a separate category
> from carbs. Sugar alcohols don't act like carbs, nor like fats. >**Some folks love sugar alcohols. *They are metabolized more
> like alcohols, rather than sugars, but more often end up as
> glucose rather than ketones. *Therefore, they have limited
> usefulness for those who are controlling carbs.

I'm still unclear on the concept. For someone pre-diabetic,
should he treat sugar alcohol like sugar?

And what is the relationship between carbs and sugar?

--
Rich

"RichD" > wrote in message
...
On Jan 12, Bryan > wrote:
> > > I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
> > > of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>
> > > On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
> > > 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
> > > What does that mean?
>
> They really should be listed under a separate category
> from carbs. Sugar alcohols don't act like carbs, nor like fats. > Some
> folks love sugar alcohols. They are metabolized more
> like alcohols, rather than sugars, but more often end up as
> glucose rather than ketones. Therefore, they have limited
> usefulness for those who are controlling carbs.

I'm still unclear on the concept. For someone pre-diabetic,
should he treat sugar alcohol like sugar?

And what is the relationship between carbs and sugar?


Sugar alcohol can raise blood sugar. The only way to tell if it will for
you is to test your blood sugar before you eat whatever the food is and then
test again 2 hours later. I don't eat sugar alcohols but I do have gum on
occasion. I can have one piece. I used to chew a whole pack of small
pieces at a time and that would raise my blood sugar.

l, not -l wrote:
> On 12-Jan-2012, cwdjrxyz > wrote:
>
>> On Jan 12, 5:31 pm, RichD > wrote:
>>> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
>>> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>>>
>>> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
>>> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>>>
>>> What does that mean?

>> I have no idea what "sugar alcohol" means and do not see it mentioned
>> on any canned products I have. First, is the label on something made
>> in the US, or perhaps some other English speaking country? Label laws

In most countries you would have to say which sugar alcohol by name.

>> do vary. Is the item perhaps something with added alcohol, and the
>> term "sugar alcohol" means the ethyl (drinking) alcohol added was
>> fermented from sugar cane? The closest I can come is Devil John
>> Moonshine no. 9 which is described as spirits distilled from 98% sugar
>> cane and 2% corn, and it contains 45% alcohol by volume. Devil John
>> was a civil war soldier, lawman, and moonshiner from Kentucky. A
>> Kentucky company now makes this legal version of moonshine much as it
>> was made in the 1800s.
>
> Sugar alcohols are often used in foods to reduce net carbohydrates; in my
> experience, the specific sugar alcohols are listed in ingredient lists, not
> the general term. Most frequently seen are zylitol, sorbitol and manitol.
> They are used a lot in sugar-free candies and other goods marketed to
> diabetics and dieters because they are not fully absorbed by the body and
> result in sweetness while holding down net carbs.
>
> Some sugar alcohols, such as ethelyne glycol (used in antifreeze) are
> poisonous and not used in food or drink - except by folks wanting to do
> harm.

Or cheapskate Austrian wine makers. The antidote to ethelene glycol
poisoning such as there is one is to dose the patient with ethanol.

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/02/wo...pagewanted=all

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 1/12/2012 8:03 PM, Bryan wrote:
> On Jan 12, 6:21 pm, > wrote:
>> On 1/12/2012 6:31 PM, RichD wrote:
>>
>>> I've been trying to cut my sugar consumption, I'm one
>>> of the geeks reading the ingredients labels on canned products.
>>
>>> On some items marked "low sugar", it reads like:
>>> 5 grams sugar, 15 grams sugar alcohol
>>
>>> What does that mean?
>>
>>> --
>>> RIch
>>
>> I had not heard the term and googled it:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol
>>
>> Looks like they mean things like sorbitol and mannitol which are made by
>> hydrogenation of sucrose, are sweet, but caloric content is lower.
>>
>> Funny sorbitol is not as effective as I thought it was. I was told they
>> used to make sorbitol candy but it has a laxative effect since it is
>> largely undigested.
>
> They really should be listed under a separate category from carbs.
> Sugar alcohols don't act like carbs, nor like fats. Glycerol, which
> forms the backbone of mono, di, and tri-glycerides is a sugar
> alcohol. The digestive upsets caused by sugar alcohols vary by person
> and by type. My nephew is a big fan of erythritol. My only problem
> with sugar alcohols is the mouth chill. Anyone who has ever chewed a
> piece of sugarless gum knows the sensation. Sugar free chocolate
> tends to be made with maltitol. Some folks love sugar alcohols. I
> wish I was among them. They are metabolized more like alcohols,
> rather than sugars, but more often end up as glucose rather than
> ketones. Therefore, they have limited usefulness for those who are
> controlling carbs. Hope that helps.
>
> --Bryan

Like I said, I never heard of the term and I spent a summer, ages ago,
on a summer job as an analytical lab tech where we monitored the
conversion of glucose and sucrose to sorbitol and mannitol. They were
sold as food additives or converted to surfactants, explosives and other
derivatives.

To me, it is a manufactured term for use in marketing. Makes it sound
like a type of sugar, which it is not.

Does not fit the carbohydrate definition:

carbohydrate: any of a large group of organic compounds, including sugars,
such as sucrose, and polysaccharides, such as
cellulose, glycogen, and starch, that contain carbon, hydrogen,
and oxygen, with the general formula Cm(H2O)n: an important source of
food and energy for animals

"Mike Tommasi" > wrote in message
...
> That's a crosspost... grunt.
Hi Mike point of interest - In the late '80s a well-known Australian wine
company was finrd for illegally adding sorbitol to its wines.

Cheers!

Martin