Net Carbs and Maltitol

[joeyjoejoe]

Hi,

I have been on the Atkins diet for about a week or so. I was surprised at how quick all of the cravings for sugar and starches erased. I used to eat a ton of carbs now I don't miss them at all.

In order to keep myself satisfied, I ate a lot during my initial week. I would eat bacon cheeseburgers, steaks, sausage-egg-cheese omelettes, etc.

But after getting used to going without carbs, I decided I could even speed up the weight loss. I found the last few days that I've been completely satisfied eating just a can of tuna for breakfast, some broiled fish or grilled chicken with mushrooms and spinach for lunch, and a low-carb protein bar for dinner (with plenty of good supplements mixed in). I figured I was getting the best of both worlds -- Atkins, while still going extremely low carb and never going hungry.

Then I noticed something. The "low carb" bars I was eating (2 net carbs per bar) actually had 18g of carbs. 2g were subtracted for fiber, but the other 14g they subtracted were for maltitrol. I spent a good $100.00 at the Vitamin Shoppe on a long time supply of these things.

So I research on the internet and see varied opinions. I see Dr. Atkins discounted Net Carbs all the way up until 2002 when (surprise) Atkins Nutritionals started promoting them. It's hard to get a straight answer out of anyone who works for Atkins now without them trying to sell you something.

In fact, they went as far as to say that carbs derived from maltitrol SHOULD be counted toward the carb total *UNLESS* they are Atkins products or other brands that are sold by Atkins.

Now I've only been eating these bars for three days (I only weigh myself once a week so I don't become obsesed with it) and I can't read these lipolysis strips worth a crap, but now I'm worried if my body is being thrown completely out of ketosis and if it will remain that way until I eliminate these bars from my diet.

Anyone have any insight?

[Justjen72]

I stay away from bars. I have found that my body reacts to the sugar alchohols like it would sugar. It doesn't make me gain anything, but it sure keeps me from loosing as well. :(

[Nancy LC]

Yeah, I'd definitely treat them with respect. :p What I think happens to lots of folks is they eat the bars, aren't full, then eat a meal. The end result is they get too many calories and stop losing weight. Or the bars are too yummy so they over indulge on them.

I'd definitely avoid them for induction and only buy them if you can actually use them to replace a meal.

[cc48510]

Maltitol isn't a carbohydrate by the strict chemical definition [A Mono-, Di-, or Polysaccharide consisting of Carbon and Hydrate (Water,)] its an Alcohol [not the drinking kind,] but it still isn't much better than Sugar. Gram for Gram, it has about 53% of the effect on your Blood Sugar that Sucrose has [76% for Maltitol Syrup,] and 68-75% of it is absorbed. So, figure that for every 2g of Maltitol, you'll get the effect of 1g of Sugar, and for every 4g of Maltitol Syrup, you'll get the effect of 3g of Sugar. So, 14g of Maltitol would have the effect of 7g of Sucrose [Table Sugar.] 14g of Maltitol Syrup would have the effect of 10g of Sucrose. Definitely not as bad as say a 3 Musketeer Bar with 41g of Corn Syrup, but definitely not 2g of Net Carbs. I treat Maltitol, Maltitol Syrup, and Polyglycitol Syrup (HSH) as 1/2g to 3/4g of Carbs per 1g, and thus no longer consume products containing large amounts of Maltitol.

Maltitol Syrup = 76% of the GI of Sugar
Polyglycitol Syrup (HSH) = 57% of the GI of Sugar
Maltitol = 53% of the GI of Sugar
Xylitol = 19% of the GI of Sugar
Isomalt = 13% of the GI of Sugar
Sorbitol = 13% of the GI of Sugar
Lactitol = 9% of the GI of Sugar
Mannitol = NON-GLYCEMIC
Erythritol = NON-GLYCEMIC
Glycerine = NON-GLYCEMIC
Polydextrose = FIBER [AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED]
Tagatose = NON-GLYCEMIC [Some studies indicate it may actually reduce the GI of foods its eaten with.]

http://www.mendosa.com/netcarbs.htm

[Nancy LC]

Cool! Didn't know about glycerine and erythritol.

Wish Tagatose would hit the market!

[el123]

wow that is extremely good to know... i will be on the lookout for more products containing those last few on your list! anyone have any good suggestions right off the bat?

[Dewi]

Hi J,

I don't count malitol. But I also dont eat the bars everyday. A few folks on the site says it causes stalls. I use the bars in emergency situations. (I usually cant even finish the whole thing.) If I do eat a bar its usually in the am or as a midday snack. I carry one in my backback for after the gym to take a bite of in case I get hungry to hold me over till I make it home for dinner.

My coworker, he loves them and sometimes he eats them as breakfast and as lunch. He loses weight but i think it deprives him of the sense of actually eating food. He has fallen of the wagon quite a bit of times becuase I personally think he has all these food cravings from not actually eating real foods.

Everyone is different, you will find out during your next weigh in if it does indeed stall you.

Good Luck,
Dewi

[cc48510]

wow that is extremely good to know... i will be on the lookout for more products containing those last few on your list! anyone have any good suggestions right off the bat?

7-11's Diet Pepsi Slurpee is made with Splenda, Tagatose, and Erythritol. I don't know of any other products made with Tagatose. The company that has the Patent on the process to extract it, is asleep at the wheel. They aren't making any significant efforts to get it on the market. Unfortunately, noone else can make it available to the public because of the patent.

Polydextrose is in a number of foods, such as Keto Ice Cream Mixes if I remember correctly. Erythritol is used in some bars now, but its usually mixed with higher GI Polyols: Maltitol, Maltitol Syrup, and/or Polyglycitol Syrup (HSH.) Carborite [formerly Carbolite] makes a bar called "At Last!" with Erythritol, Inulin, and Splenda. It contains Maltodextrin [partially broken down Cornstarch,] but its near the bottom of the list. Their Peanut Butter and Chocolate Truffle Bars also contain Maltitol and Partially Hydrogenated Oils, as do many of their other products...so check the labels CAREFULLY.

As for Mannitol, I couldn't say. I haven't seen products made with it in a while.

[DianaO]

BArs=bad

Stay away from them and the weight comes off better

[hcomeau]

Stay away from the bars! They slow you down and will make you crave regular carby food again. All the crap that companies are making is just to jump on the low carb bandwagon. I am disgusted that the Atkins company makes so many "frankenfoods" because Dr. Atkins would advise us to stay natural and on a clean induction! Try to have a clean induction, that means only the foods on the induction list and nothing else, even it is says low carb!

I am really suprised that the bars didn't have a impact on you with side effects. I ate one one time and it sent me straight to the bathroom! Malitol, Lactitol, Sorbitol and most others send me straight to the bathroom. If I am dying for some choc or just have to have something, instead of cheating I will pick up a Z-carb choc bar. Most 7-11's carry them and they are made with Erythotol so they don't have really bad side effects. These are not good on a regular basis but only when you feel that you are going to cheat.

Good Luck

[sybs]

The bars are not good...the malitol is worse! Stalled me forever! Once I cut all that stuff out I started losing like 1-2 lbs a week!

[Samuel]

Hi,

In fact, they went as far as to say that carbs derived from maltitol SHOULD be counted toward the carb total *UNLESS* they are Atkins products or other brands that are sold by Atkins.

Can you get me more details about this?

[MyJourney]

here is a quote from Low Carb Living Magazine (I apologize, I cant remember who posted the quote originally)

Most food chemists and scientists agree that their absorption ranges from about 10 to 15 percent to upwards of 50 percent, depending on the sugar alcohol (and the individual) in question, and by that measure they clearly contribute something to both daily carb totals and calorie intake.

It is our feeling that prudent dieters (and all diabetics) should include one-third to one-half of the grams of sugar alcohol in a food in their daily carb totals, meaning they should count a food containing 15 grams of sugar alcohol as contributing at least 5 grams to there daily carb total.

Many food manufacturers, however, have now adopted a policy of deducting sugar alcohols fully from the total carbohydrate count, which creates what appear to be near zero-carb confections.

This somewhat misleading zero-sum policy poses the danger that the low-carb nutritional movement will make the same mistakes that derailed the low-fat trend-- giving people the impression that they can eat all they want of these products and still lose weight. Granted, health will still improve as long as dieters control their intake of carbs; blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides will fall even if you're consuming too many calories, as long as you're sticking with a low-carb regimen. But losing weight is another matter.

[MyJourney]

I reccomend counting half of the maltitol carbs as net carbs if you are going to eat maltitol. Also, keep in mind that some of those carbs on the bars may be from glycerine, not just maltitol.

[4beans4me]

I count half of all SA's.

[Fridaylove]

I cound SA's too as they don't cause problems for me.....sometimes my tummy starts to feel a little, shaky, but that's it and it stops.
I try to stay away from them though

[Karin289]

I believe the Atkins Advantage bars have no maltitol -- lots of fiber (10 grams?) and glycerin. Not real food, but probably better for you than most other LC bars that use maltitol. A lot of people don't like them, though.

[sydnarella]

I rarely EVER eat the frankenfoods. I finally tried a pint of Atkins chocolate peanut butter ice cream the other day - and by that I mean, the WHOLE pint. Thats my problem with those types of foods, I can't stop, so I hardly ever buy them.