What EXACTLY are Sugar-Alcohols?



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So if they’re not sugar, what are they?





Are all sugar alcohols the same?

NO!!! Some are actually nearly as bad as sugar (Malitol), and some have no affect at all (Stevia). Everything else is somewhere in the middle (And there are dozens upon dozens of different kinds of sugar alcohols).

Are Aspartame and Sucralose sugar-alcohols?

No. They are chemical sweeteners and not in the same family. You can learn more about aspartame and sucralose, here.


Yes and no.


Second, as mentioned above, different sugar alcohols affect our blood sugar very differently — both depending on the sugar alcohol itself, what you ate along with it, and your individual digestive system! Some are nearly as bad as sugar, and some have no impact at all.

So while the traditional rules of Keto say “subtract all sugar alcohols”, my experience is that people who do that, and then eat them in large volume, tend to stop losing weight. They aren’t free.

Are sugar-alcohols bad for you, otherwise?

Other than the fact that some are nearly as bad as sugar (while some are perfectly fine), the only other real problem with sugar alcohols is that they can cause digestive problems when consumed in large amounts (more than about 20g to 30g). Since the body cannot digest most of them, they travel to the large intestine where they are metabolized by the gut bacteria. If you eat a lot of sugar alcohols in a short period of time, this can lead to symptoms like gas, bloating and diarrhea.

So how do I know which ones are okay and which ones I should avoid?

First, the only way to know FOR SURE is to use a blood glucose meter to check your glucose levels after eating them. There is no one answer for every person, and what YOU respond to me be different than everyone else.

But as a general rule, you should pay attention to the glycemic index of the different sugar-alcohols. Here are a few (the higher the glycemic index, the worse it is for you).  Note that I put “sugar” (glucose, fructose) on the chart as a point of reference, so you can see how it compares.  Note that if you are doing keto (CarbX), I would avoid anything with a glycemic index over 0.   If you’re doing MacroFit (Macro Counting), I would avoid anything over 10.