Contents
Caloric sweeteners
What are caloric sweeteners?
Chemically these substances are sugars with alcohol groups, also called polyols, which functionally behave like sucrose (table sugar), providing body or volume to food.
Their caloric value is the same amount as sugar, 4 kcal per gram of product, so they are suitable for hypocaloric products.
The body does not need insulin to metabolize these sugars, so they may be suitable for some types of low-sugar diets or diets for diabetes.
Why do sweeteners cause diarrhea?
However, sweeteners have a great disadvantage, and that is that their absorption is usually very slow, to the point that they reach the intestinal lumen without being absorbed. In the intestine, having not been digested, or being only partially digested, they absorb the water causing diarrhea.
What foods contain calorie sweeteners?
Among the main foods that have caloric sweeteners we have the following:
- Low calorie desserts
- Industrial ice cream
- Candies
- Chewing gums
- Mustard sauce
- Dairy products
- Medicines
- Toothpastes
- Etc.
Other food caloric sweeteners that are commonly used in food:
More information on food additives
