Sugar Alcohols

[joevette]

I just read a post where swolecat mentioned that fiber doesn't count towards the total calories, but sugar alcohols do. So, if something has say 20g of SA and a total carb count of 20g would it not be suitable for a pro/fat meal? I thought the stuff wasn't even digested so why would it count towards the total calories? Plus, don't diet sodas have sugar alcohols with no calories? Thanks.

[LeanMeOut]

I just read a post where swolecat mentioned that fiber doesn't count towards the total calories, but sugar alcohols do. So, if something has say 20g of SA and a total carb count of 20g would it not be suitable for a pro/fat meal? I thought the stuff wasn't even digested so why would it count towards the total calories? Plus, don't diet sodas have sugar alcohols with no calories? Thanks.

Diet soda uses Aspartame.......and I wouldn't use anything that contained 20g of SA...... despite claims they DO raise insulin levels and not only that but 20g of carbs per Pro/Fat meal is not a pro/fat meal.

[joevette]

Diet soda uses Aspartame.......and I wouldn't use anything that contained 20g of SA...... despite claims they DO raise insulin levels and not only that but 20g of carbs per Pro/Fat meal is not a pro/fat meal.

That's what I was wondering, and why I used 20g as the example. So, it still counts as carbs?

[getbig888]

yea sugar alcohol does.. but you can use something like splenda

[joevette]

yea sugar alcohol does.. but you can use something like splenda

yeah, I was looking at the serving vs. carbs on my splenda and the serving size is only .5g while it says the carbs are "less than 1g". Well, of course it's going to be less than one g when the serving size is a half a gram!

[getbig888]

either way their is chemical in splenda that does not allow it to affect blood sugar levels! this is why people who are diabetic can use it

[joevette]

either way their is chemical in splenda that does not allow it to affect blood sugar levels! this is why people who are diabetic can use it

Yeah, but I still don't want to use it in my pro/fat meals while I'm cutting if it's going to add carbs.

[getbig888]

Yeah, but I still don't want to use it in my pro/fat meals while I'm cutting if it's going to add carbs.

thats up to you. i only use 1 serving a day in my oats while i am cutting. i even drink my cofee without it

[longhornDr]

I just read a post where swolecat mentioned that fiber doesn't count towards the total calories, but sugar alcohols do. So, if something has say 20g of SA and a total carb count of 20g would it not be suitable for a pro/fat meal? I thought the stuff wasn't even digested so why would it count towards the total calories? Plus, don't diet sodas have sugar alcohols with no calories? Thanks.

It depends on what sugar alcohol it is. Some of the sugar alcohols are barely absorbed, and only about 10% of the calories would count, essentially the same as fiber. Other sugar alcohols are absorbed to a large degree and the calories would count. I cant remember which ones off the top of my head so I wont try to guess.

Either way the effect on serum insulin is minimal, the sugar alcohols are metabolically invisible carbs.

[taiboxa]

the reason aspartame owns as an artificial sweetener is its 200+ times sweeter than sugar there for they use 1/200th as much in sweetening products so like something that contains 200carbs from sugar would have <1 carb in its nutritional value

[joevette]

Interesting, thanks guys. Can you just buy aspartame, is that what's in equal? Do you know how well the calories from sucralose like in splenda are absorbed?

[taiboxa]

well its not the sucralose thats absorbed.. its the maltodextrose they put in all the fake sweeteners... but most hextose sugar isomers are not absorbed by the body... i.e. inositil

[PaRiS2005]

A lot of gums have sugar alcohols in them...and sacchrin (sp) which can cause cancer...

[IronFreakX]

nah they dont

[bigsd67]

equal and other aspartame sweeteners have maltodex and dextrose in the packets as well so it doesnt matter if you use splenda packets or equal packets. i have used the packets throughout my contest dieting and looked pretty d@mn good for the show and placed well. i wouldnt worry about the small amounts of fillers because you can do a jumping jack and they will burn off.