Maltitol?

[GS1]

OK, what's the deal with this stuff? Does it act as the Russel Stovers package says that it will? The chocolates are awsome, but will it effect my weight loss? Should I steer clear of it?

[Moonwalker]

yes.. Maltitol is the WORST sugar alcohol.. stay far far away!!

[GS1]

Darn digity!

[EET]

I have a lot of problems with this stuff. It gives me horrible gas. One night I was doubled over in pain and my husband was so concerned he almost took me to the hospital.
After this horrible evening, I realized that I also had not been losing weight. STALLED...I even gained a few pounds during the weeks of eating products with maltital.
What could be worse? PAIN AND GAIN!

[ian559]

it is the devil!!!!!!!!

[scott123]

Maltitol is not that bad. If it causes you digestive problems, you just need to ease tiny amounts of it into your diet. And don't ever eat it on an empty stomach either.

If it stalls you, you just need to count all the sugar alcohol carbs in it, that's all.

P.S. If maltitol was causing you pain, that's proof that your body was not digesting it, so if you got stalled, it's not from the maltitol. You either get pain (non digestion) or stalled (digestion), not both.

[tomsej]

OK, what's the deal with this stuff? Does it act as the Russel Stovers package says that it will? The chocolates are awsome, but will it effect my weight loss? Should I steer clear of it?

I ate about 3 handfuls of SF licorice with maltitol in it. I went further than gas - I was on the big white phone for HOURS.

I thought I caught cholera or something (this was from a bulk store, so I didn't find out until I wnet back a week later).

Stay away from sorbitol as well. It is just as bad. If you want a sweet fix, I suggest experimenting with things not sweetened with sugar alcohols.

Tom.

[lilgizmo]

Maltitol is pure EVIL! Several months ago I ate only 4 of the SF mini hershey bars (I believe that was the serving size) and 10 minutes later my tummy was a rumblin and grumblin...like a volcano ready to erupt...then 30 minutes later I was forced to remain on the "throne" for about an hour straight, then every 15 or 20 minutes after that for the day! Avoid this crap like the plague ;)

[Cali_Girl]

This is such sad news!! :( I've been eating candy with Maltitol so that I wouldn't feel deprived of sweets.

I'm wondering if I'll lose faster if I stop using it? I think I'll try this week and see what happens.

[cheez whiz]

I think it effects people in different ways. I ate in Maltitol in my later stages of weight loss and it did not effect me. But do not overeat the stuff.

[ItsTheWooo]

Here's the skinny...

Maltitol is 75% absorbed by the body, meaning it has 3 calories per gram rather than 4. Its glycemic index is about 40 (whereas traditional table sugar has a glycemic index of somewhere around 65).

Your average serving of white bread has a glycemic load of about 16-18 (glycemic index of 100 * 16-18 carbs per serving / 100).
Your average LC candy bar contains about 10-15 grams of sugar alcohols from maltitol, thus yeilding a glycemic load or about 4-6.

Thus, eating a maltitol sweetened candy has a similar effect on your body as eating a very small serving of regular bread. In moderation it probably won't do much harm, but if you make it a regular habit it isn't a good idea.

Personally, I count 1 gram of maltitol as equal to .75 gram of an impact carb. Sounds logical to me.