As many become more familiar with Net Carbs, the question arises “Are all sugar alcohols the same?” The answer is NOPE! Some are great and can help fill the gap of sweets while your body becomes FAT ADAPTED. Others however can create more issues than they solve. Below is a list of the (current) most common sugar alcohols that I find and what my thoughts are on them.
The Good:
1: Erythritol This is by far the best sugar alcohol I have found. Study’s show it doesn’t raise blood glucose and its insulin response is between 0 – 3 on the insulin index. (Glucose being 100). Erythritol is naturally occurring and can be found in grapes, mushrooms, pears, and some fermented foods. It is easy on most people guts. Its only downside is some people find it has a cooling effect on the month after consumption. Erythritol can be combined with Stevia leaf extract that seems to limit this effect for some people.
2: Xylitol I almost put this on the below list for one major reason. It can be deadly to dogs if they get enough of it. We had a personal experience with our pup getting into gum sweetened with Xylitol. We got lucky and caught the issue in time and knew how to raise his blood sugar back up. Other than the dangers to animals, it can be a good solution for people. It has a slight blood glucose response (13 on glycemic index) and a slight insulin response (11 on the insulin index). Used in moderation, this can be a good tool to use.
The Ehh:
Sorbitol and Isomalt. Both are low on the Glycemic index (Both 9) and low on the insulin Index (11 and 6 respectively). They make the Ehh list because both can have GI issues. Sorbitol can have a laxative effect on people and Isomalt can cause GI distress and gas.
The I wouldn’t if I were you…
Maltitol and Mannitol: Maltitol has almost 75% of the blood glucose response as sugar does. Mannitol can cause diarrhea and bloating.
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