calories/carbs in xylitol, Ideal sweetener

straightscoop · 11-03-2009, 01:00 PM

This was under a thread in the recipe forum but I didn't get an answer there so I'm reposting my question.

I just stumbled upon Ideal sweetener and love it!! It works great in baking and has no bitter taste like stevia. And, apparently xylitol naturally prevents cavities too. But I'm curious if anyone knows about the calorie/carb stats. The packets and a teaspoon of the granular say zero calories on the package, so I was considering it calorie-free. But pure xylitol is not calorie free, it is about 10 per teaspoon. This product is nearly 100% xylitol it seems....wondering if I'm inadvertently adding 40-50 extra calories to my diet, or if the calories aren't absorbed somehow. I realize it's a sugar alcohol, does that mean the calories/carbs aren't absorbed and I can consider it zero?

rgurleyjr · 11-03-2009, 09:12 PM

I don't know how the Atkins diet looks at sugar alcohols since I don't know anything about it but yes, since I'm aware of calories, I do count it at 10 cal's per tsp. Now I love using another sugar alcohol called erythritol, it only has .8 calorie per tsp. It is 60-70% as sweet as sugar but it tastes great and has no effect on your teeth either. It is a little more expensive than xylitol and harder to find but with only .2 calories per gram, it's perfect for LC's.

LSeeber · 11-06-2009, 09:16 PM

Not sure about the calories, but...if you are not on induction and maintaining, the sugar alcohols don't cause an insulin surge or spike and so, are of benefit. On induction, I find that I cannot consume ANY of the sugar alcohols because they do have carbs (some say they don't count) but they DO count for me. If I have even one little candy, it will stall or slow down my weight loss.

11-03-2009, 01:00 PM	#1
straightscoop Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 143 Gallery: straightscoop	calories/carbs in xylitol, Ideal sweetener This was under a thread in the recipe forum but I didn't get an answer there so I'm reposting my question. I just stumbled upon Ideal sweetener and love it!! It works great in baking and has no bitter taste like stevia. And, apparently xylitol naturally prevents cavities too. But I'm curious if anyone knows about the calorie/carb stats. The packets and a teaspoon of the granular say zero calories on the package, so I was considering it calorie-free. But pure xylitol is not calorie free, it is about 10 per teaspoon. This product is nearly 100% xylitol it seems....wondering if I'm inadvertently adding 40-50 extra calories to my diet, or if the calories aren't absorbed somehow. I realize it's a sugar alcohol, does that mean the calories/carbs aren't absorbed and I can consider it zero?

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11-03-2009, 09:12 PM	#2
rgurleyjr Junior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 14 Gallery: rgurleyjr	I don't know how the Atkins diet looks at sugar alcohols since I don't know anything about it but yes, since I'm aware of calories, I do count it at 10 cal's per tsp. Now I love using another sugar alcohol called erythritol, it only has .8 calorie per tsp. It is 60-70% as sweet as sugar but it tastes great and has no effect on your teeth either. It is a little more expensive than xylitol and harder to find but with only .2 calories per gram, it's perfect for LC's.

11-06-2009, 09:16 PM	#3
LSeeber Junior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 17 Gallery: LSeeber	Not sure about the calories, but...if you are not on induction and maintaining, the sugar alcohols don't cause an insulin surge or spike and so, are of benefit. On induction, I find that I cannot consume ANY of the sugar alcohols because they do have carbs (some say they don't count) but they DO count for me. If I have even one little candy, it will stall or slow down my weight loss.