Some “sugar-free” foods may have 22 grams of total carbs, but 20 grams of sugar alcohols, so they claim that the “net carb” count is 2. How should I count sugar alcohols?
Sugar alcohols also know as polyols are used to sweeten a variety of foods. They contain 2 to 3 calories per gram as compared to the 4 calories per gram that sugar contains. As for carbs, the general rule is to subtract half of the grams of sugar alcohol from the total carbohydrate. In your example, you would subtract 10 grams from the total 22 grams of total carbohydrate. That would result in 12 “net” grams for carbohydrate counting purposes. The reason that sugar alcohols have fewer calories and less blood sugar impact is because they are not completely digested in the stomach. As a result, eating too much may cause you may experience diarrhea, cramping, or gas. You may want to go easy at first, try a small amount, and learn how your body reacts. It’s a good idea to go slowly and monitor your blood sugar closely afterward when experimenting with these foods. Also, realize that just because a junk food contains sugar alcohols and not sugar, it may contain saturated fat, trans fat, and
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