Tag: Dietary sweeteners

According to product information from various sources, some popular 'Ice' brand drinks, such as certain varieties of Sparkling Ice, may contain erythritol alongside other sweeteners. This zero-calorie sugar alcohol is frequently used to provide a sweet taste without the calories of sugar, but its presence and potential health impacts are important considerations for many consumers.

Many sugar alcohols, including xylitol, are commonly used in keto-friendly products because they have a minimal impact on blood sugar and a low glycemic index. This makes them an appealing alternative to sugar, but understanding their full effect on ketosis is crucial for those following a ketogenic diet.

The simple sugar most commonly called fruit sugar is fructose, a natural carbohydrate found in many plants. While naturally present in fruits, vegetables, and honey, it is also a significant component of added sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup.

According to the FDA, certain sugar alcohols, when consumed in excess, can have a laxative effect. This happens because the sugar substitutes used in these products are not fully absorbed by the body, leading to digestive issues.

While allulose is technically a carbohydrate, most of it is not metabolized by the body and has a minimal impact on blood sugar, which is why the answer to "Do you count carbs in allulose?" is more complex than a simple yes or no. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has even recognized this unique property, allowing it to be excluded from the "Total Sugars" and "Added Sugars" declarations on nutrition labels.

Allulose is considered a "rare sugar" because it occurs naturally in very small quantities in a few foods. This means that while figs and maple syrup contain trace amounts, the allulose you can buy on store shelves is commercially produced, not extracted directly from these natural sources.

The use of stevia, a natural, calorie-free sweetener, has grown exponentially, yet questions about its health effects persist, particularly whether it causes inflammation in the body. While some animal studies show potential risks, other evidence suggests anti-inflammatory benefits.

According to the International Food Information Council, molasses is a liquid sugar that primarily contains sucrose along with smaller amounts of fructose and glucose. The exact ratio of these sugars depends largely on the origin of the molasses and how extensively the sugar has been refined from the plant material. Therefore, the question, “is molasses sucrose or fructose?” is best answered by understanding that it is a complex mixture of several types of sugar.

According to the FDA, a food can be labeled "sugar-free" if it contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. This regulation is why products can be marketed as sugar-free even if they contain sugar alcohols, a different type of carbohydrate that provides sweetness without qualifying as sugar under the same regulatory definition.

A single-serving packet of Splenda contains a negligible number of calories, allowing it to be legally labeled "zero-calorie" in many regions. This is because the primary sweetening agent, sucralose, is calorie-free, but it is combined with other ingredients, leading many to question its exact composition, especially concerning whether dextrose is in Splenda.