Difference Between Sugar and Sugar Alcohols
Despite the fact that sugar alcohols are used in many foods, they remain a mystery to humans. As a substitute for sugar, they can benefit you. Authority Nutrition helps us figure out the details.
There are many different types of sugar alcohols, the most popular of which are xylitol , erythritol , sorbitol, and maltitol . They are a hybrid of sugar and alcohol, but luckily (or perhaps unfortunately) they won’t get you drunk. Instead, they are used as sweeteners instead of sugar in many healthy foods (such as protein bars and sugar-free gum) because they are lower in calories and have other health benefits.
For example, chronically high blood sugar levels can be harmful to your health, and sugar alcohols raise blood sugar levels much less than regular sugar . As an added bonus, many sugar alcohols also help protect teeth from tooth decay.
It seems that the benefits of sugar alcohols, which are also a prebiotic, far outweigh the disadvantages. That being said, you may not want to rely on them too much, as they can cause digestive problems in large quantities. For a more complete review of sugar alcohols, check out the Authority Nutrition article below.
Sugar Alcohols: Good or Bad? | Authority Nutrition
Vitals is a new blog from Lifehacker dedicated to health and fitness. Follow us on Twitter here .