Is “Sugar-Free” Really Good For You?

Who doesn’t love a guilt free treat. If you have a sweet tooth and are trying to cut down on your sugar intake you have probably opted for sugar-free sweets or sugar-free alternatives.

But the question is how sugar-free are “sugar-free” treats”?

Some sugar alternatives contain carbs and even though they may not contain sugar, a certain portion of carbohydrates turn into sugar once they enter our body. Sugar-free treats are made up of sugar alcohols which do have fewer kilojoules and carbs than normal sugar, but they do however contain calories which will affect ones blood sugar levels.

 

These are the three common sugar alcohols found in our treats that are labelled sugar-free:

 

Maltitol – Maltitol is usually found in gummy sweets, it has fewer calories per gram than sugar but that is about all. Sugar has about 16kj per gram where maltitol has 12kj per gram. You are actually better off eating the sugar version as there is no big difference in the kilojoules and it is known that to causes stomach problems.

 

Sorbitol – This ingredient is commonly found in sugar-free chewing gum. The kilojoules are extremely low however it carries horrible side-effects. Such as dehydration, diarrhoea and high blood sugar levels.

 

Artificial sweeteners – Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose are the most commonly used. They tend to taste sweeter than actual sugar but if you are a diabetic they can worsen glucose intolerance and they are associated with an increased risk of obesity.

 

Therefore even though sugar-free treats might be free from sugar, they still affect your blood sugar levels due to the carbs they contain. So it is key to remember everything in moderation, and next time opt for a natural sweet such as a fruit or even a raw date bar.

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