1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Low Carb Diets
Laura Dolson
Low Carb Diets Blog

By Laura Dolson, About.com Guide to Low Carb Diets

Maltitol: Just Say No!

Monday March 13, 2006
Once in awhile someone will ask why their low carb diet isn't working as well as they think it should. One of the first questions I ask is whether they are eating products with a lot of sugar alcohols such as maltitol. This one ingredient has been known to stall many a well-intentioned dieter. Before you reach for another "low carb" candy bar, be sure to read this.

Related Resources:
Comments
July 25, 2008 at 3:26 pm
(1) Tom Wilkie says:

many items that say sugar-free use maltitol. Why are these not recommended fo a diabetic,and what are the alternatives? I like cookies and crackers, but most have maltitol. Can you help me? Thanks Tom.

March 23, 2009 at 3:54 pm
(2) Annie says:

Why shouldn’t diabetics eat food with maltitol. I love chocolates any way I can get them but most of the diabetic chocolates cause me stomach problems. What is the highest sugar gram a diabetic should eat. I sometime eat a chocolate with real sugar, just a small piece with about 4 to 7 grams. Is this o.k.

July 6, 2009 at 3:06 am
(3) Meg says:

People with Diabetes need to count their carbs, talk to a Dietician and find out what your total amount of carbs should be per day. Grams of sugar are not what Diabetics count. Its the carbs. Yes, Maltitol does give you gas and diarrhea, so like with anything, moderation is the key.

November 25, 2009 at 9:36 pm
(4) Darrell says:

Maltitol has a GI that is dangerously close to sugars’. Is it better? Absolutely. Is it “safe”? No. It has approximately 75% the blood-sugar impact of sugar, but only 75% of the sweetness, so food manufacturers either use more, or bundle it with artificial sweeteners (NONE of which are safe for human consumption. Use google for more info).

Leave a Comment

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic. Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title="">, <b>, <i>, <strike>

Explore Low Carb Diets
About.com Special Features

8 Ways to Cut Drug Costs

Learn how to save money on medications with these recommendations. More >

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Low Carb Diets

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.