[MustangMolly]

I am currently using a mix of IP and alternative products and wanted to know if Malitol is bad? I see it in some of the alternatives I want to try.

[leannekarella]

This is a good article about it.

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nut...a/maltitol.htm

It's a sugar alcohol, but it's not the best one. It DOES have carbs, and it DOES impact blood sugars more than other sugar alcohols.

I avoid most if not all sugar alcohols (usually end in "ol" zylotol, moltitol, etc) on this diet, and that I'm diabetic.
It's kind of a lie that it's better for diabetics. It's really NOT for me.

[MustangMolly]

Originally Posted by leannekarella

This is a good article about it.

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nut...a/maltitol.htm

It's a sugar alcohol, but it's not the best one. It DOES have carbs, and it DOES impact blood sugars more than other sugar alcohols.

I avoid most if not all sugar alcohols (usually end in "ol" zylotol, moltitol, etc) on this diet, and that I'm diabetic.
It's kind of a lie that it's better for diabetics. It's really NOT for me.

Thanks very much!

[IdealProteinNewbie]

Also, to try and put it delicately...it can cause stomach "distress" for some people.

[bargoo]

I am not on IP but about Malitol I wouldn't touch Malitol with a ten foot pole or any of the sugar alcohols. If I use them I am not able to leave the house, especially the bathroom.

[Momto2cs]

There is malitol in ip products too. It can cause bad gi distress. I can't eat any without serious bloating, gas and pain.

[IP43]

I tried posting but it didn't work so my apologies if this appears twice. I know there are warnings on diabetic food with malitol not to eat more than the recommended amount due to the laxative effect. As an aside, I found out some info on Splenda (and other sweeteners I'm sure) that explains how it effects your digestive system. It's a bit scary to think of what we're putting in our bodies sometimes, but for those experiencing "digestive" issues, this may be why: (I've just cut and pasted -- this isn't my personal research below...) I feel like the "harbinger of doom" for dissing Splenda, when that's all we seem to be allowed but here it is...


----- info on splenda---:

You've probably heard of and may even use SplendaŽ, also known as sucralose. For those who don't use it or haven't heard of it, SplendaŽ is an artificial, chemical sweetener.

Despite advertisements stating “Made from Sugar, so it Tastes like Sugar”, which attempt to confuse consumers, SplendaŽ is not natural and contains no elements of natural sugar.

You may also be surprised to learn that SplendaŽ contains chlorine. Yes, the same chlorine that goes in swimming pools. And here's the worst side effect:

Just like chlorine kills off micro-organisms in swimming pools, SplendaŽ and sucralose kill off healthy bacteria that lives in your gut -- healthy bacteria that is VITALLY important to virtually every aspect of your health.

Recently, a study at the University of Duke confirmed this very finding. Not only is sucralose a heavily-processed, chemical artificial sweetener, but it's also damaging to your gut health, which goes on to affect every other aspect of your health.

Here's a direct quote from that study:

"SplendaŽ suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly affects the expression of the transporter P-gp and cytochrome P-450 isozymes that are known to interfere with the bioavailability of nutrients. Furthermore, these effects occur at SplendaŽ doses that contain sucralose levels that are approved by the FDA for use in the food supply.”

Did you know that over 80% of your immune system finds its home in your gut? In fact, there are more than 100 TRILLION living bacteria in your gut that control many aspects of your health, and due to things like the ingestion of artificial sweeteners like SplendaŽ, most folks have created a massive bacterial imbalance in their body.

But, it doesn't just stop with the use of SplendaŽ or other artificial sweeteners. There are MANY other factors that are contributing to the bacterial imbalances that BILLIONS of folks are silently suffering from all around the world.

[RareBird]

Originally Posted by IP43

I tried posting but it didn't work so my apologies if this appears twice. I know there are warnings on diabetic food with malitol not to eat more than the recommended amount due to the laxative effect. As an aside, I found out some info on Splenda (and other sweeteners I'm sure) that explains how it effects your digestive system. It's a bit scary to think of what we're putting in our bodies sometimes, but for those experiencing "digestive" issues, this may be why: (I've just cut and pasted -- this isn't my personal research below...) I feel like the "harbinger of doom" for dissing Splenda, when that's all we seem to be allowed but here it is...


----- info on splenda---:

You've probably heard of and may even use SplendaŽ, also known as sucralose. For those who don't use it or haven't heard of it, SplendaŽ is an artificial, chemical sweetener.

Despite advertisements stating “Made from Sugar, so it Tastes like Sugar”, which attempt to confuse consumers, SplendaŽ is not natural and contains no elements of natural sugar.

You may also be surprised to learn that SplendaŽ contains chlorine. Yes, the same chlorine that goes in swimming pools. And here's the worst side effect:

Just like chlorine kills off micro-organisms in swimming pools, SplendaŽ and sucralose kill off healthy bacteria that lives in your gut -- healthy bacteria that is VITALLY important to virtually every aspect of your health.

Recently, a study at the University of Duke confirmed this very finding. Not only is sucralose a heavily-processed, chemical artificial sweetener, but it's also damaging to your gut health, which goes on to affect every other aspect of your health.

Here's a direct quote from that study:

"SplendaŽ suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly affects the expression of the transporter P-gp and cytochrome P-450 isozymes that are known to interfere with the bioavailability of nutrients. Furthermore, these effects occur at SplendaŽ doses that contain sucralose levels that are approved by the FDA for use in the food supply.”

Did you know that over 80% of your immune system finds its home in your gut? In fact, there are more than 100 TRILLION living bacteria in your gut that control many aspects of your health, and due to things like the ingestion of artificial sweeteners like SplendaŽ, most folks have created a massive bacterial imbalance in their body.

But, it doesn't just stop with the use of SplendaŽ or other artificial sweeteners. There are MANY other factors that are contributing to the bacterial imbalances that BILLIONS of folks are silently suffering from all around the world.

If you're having intestinal issues, and use a lot of Splenda, of course you should consider that it could be contributing to your problems, but before anyone panics (and reading this did concern me, so I did a bit more reading, especially when the author referred to the study being done at "The University of Duke")... Take a look at what these links say:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/46...hlorine-in-it/

So we're talking about 3 ATOMS of a substance that occurs naturally in food...

And here's the abstract of the Duke University study:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18800291

It was done in rats, often in higher doses than recommended by the FDA, and it doesn't say it affects the bioavailability of nutrients, it says in the study, it "enhanced expression levels of P-gp, CYP3A4, and CYP2D1, which ARE KNOWN TO LIMIT THE BIOAVAILABILITY OR ORALLY ADMINISTERED DRUGS."

I'm not saying Splenda is a better choice than honey... I'm just saying for what it is (a healthier alternative than some artificial sweeteners), maybe the naysayers are making too much of what the study actually says...

[RareBird]

Sorry... that OR in the statement about bioavailability should have been OF...

[leannekarella]

As with everything you're "adding" to your diet... sugar alcohols, Splenda, stevia... It must be done with moderation.

I have NEVER had so much Splenda that it messed with my stomach, and I do use it quite a bit in my cooking...it's not a true 0/0/0 product, but it does NOT affect my glucose readings (diabetic) in any way. Sugar alcohols do. I use liquid stevia on occasion, and do not have a problem, either. I use it in my iced tea and hot tea.

The key is moderation. Especially on this diet. The reason you should limit your intake of artificial sweeteners (my coach said equivalent to 4 pks of splenda a day max) is that it can trick your body into A)producing insulin because it THINKS it's getting sugar (I do not have this problem with Splenda in moderation, though I do with sugar alcohols and aspartame) and B)the sweetness can actually make you CRAVE more sweets, which doesn't help with the diet, obviously.

There are tons of doom and gloom on the internet about EVERY artificial sweetener, and all I can say is from personal experience, as a diabetic who has to watch everything that goes into my body, Splenda and stevia seem to be the least of the monsters. My personal opinion, of course.

I must say, I do eat a few alternative products on this diet that contain sugar alcohols. Moderation.

[ladylunk]

Before this diet you could not find anything artificially sweetened in my house. I would always choose anything with regular sugar over diet anytime as all the studies do scare me. Now I am okay with using the sweetners to get to where I want to be, will I always use them after to maintain??? These are things I am still working out. I still don't even know if I am going to finish this diet properly yet. Right now for me it is temporary use. Just trying to keep the mio away from my son as he likes to put it in his water, and that bothers me, I just don't think that stuff is for kids.