You’d think sugar-free foods like candy and soft drinks would have less impact on blood-glucose levels and waistlines than regular candy or soft drinks. But it’s not that simple. Here’s why.
There’s still “sugar” in ’em. The sweeteners they contain—called sugar alcohols—have half the calories of sugar. Under food-labeling laws, products containing sugar alcohols are permitted to call themselves sugar-free.
Carbs raise blood sugar, too. While sweeteners like maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol may not be sucrose (the technical name for regular sugar), they do contain carbohydrates, each gram of which can raise blood glucose just as much as sugar does.
Beware the bloat. Those sweet treats can also cause intestinal distress—from bloating and gassy rumbling to diarrhea.
Calories still count. The products they’re in often have just as many calories as regular treats.
Our advice: Pay no attention to “sugar-free” claims on the packaging. Look instead at a product’s total carbohydrate count and calories. Then go enjoy a piece of fresh fruit!
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