Sugar Alcohols: Are they a Sweet Alternative to Sugar?

What are sugar alcohols? Sugar alcohols are found in many “sugar free” foods and low sugar or low calorie foods and beverages.  These products include sugar-free gum and candy, no sugar added ice creams, yogurts, and puddings, and some baked goods.  Their chemical structure consists of a simple carbohydrate attached to an alcohol group.  Some examples include lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol.  You can identify them by the -ol at the end of their name on the food label.  There has been a recent increase in the consumption…

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