Can anyone tell me...

[24/7Mamma]

...If, healthwise, the sugar alcohol Maltitol is more like splenda (in which case I want to avoid it) or like Stevia? I started with a low carb diet about a year ago. But after reading Real Food (Nina Planck) we have moved to local, pastured meat, eggs and am now working on the raw dairy angle as well. I sometimes buy the low carb chocolate from Trader Joe's which has Maltitol in it. I would like to know if this is safe to continue to buy, or if I need to find an alternative.

Thanks so much!

[rottinluv]

I'm not very good at explaining things, but I'll give it a try...

Maltitol isn't like Splenda or stevia. Sugar alcohols are in a class by themselves, with maltitol probably being the one of the hardest to handle.

Very basically, you have artificial sweeteners like Splenda and aspartame. Then there's natural sweeteners like stevia, and finally sugar alcohols. The only sugar alcohols that I can handle are erythritol and xylitol in small amounts, so I use mostly stevia. YMMV.

I hope this helps at least a little!!

[RyanS]

Maltitol is the sugar alcohol that raises your blood sugar the most. It really should be avoided if possible, especially if it's "maltitol syrup."

What Are Sugar Alcohols - Blood Sugar and Sugar Alcohols

[24/7Mamma]

That's a very helpful explanation. Thank you!

OK, here's a link to what I have been buying. Its not the syrup.

Sugar Free Dark Carb Safe Bar, sugarfree dark bar D-LECTABLE

Since its a dark chocolate where presumably, a person would eat about 4 squares, I wonder if the glycemic impact would be all that big? Here's my dilemma. I am expecting. I don't want to eat something that should be avoided during pregnancy, but I don't eat enough of this in one sitting to have the tummy upset that can sometimes plague people, so I'm not worried about that. What I would rather not do is not have chocolate for the next 9 months! lol But I won't touch Splenda or Nutrasweet or anything like that while pregnant.

So does maltitol come under the category of "this is horrible for you and could harm you and your baby" or does it come under the category of, "the glycemic index factor could be better with other products, but its not dangerous to your health or your baby."

[BikerAng]

Just my 2 cents, since malitol raises blood sugar as much as regular sugar (and can cause nasty side effects if too much is eaten) I'd just eat 4 squares of 80% or higher really good quality dark chocolate (with real sugar, preferably organic cane juice). The carb counts aren't too crazy per serving with higher percentage dark chocolate.

[24/7Mamma]

I see your point. :-) I'll look to see what else there is the next time I go. Thanks!

[Faia]

I have, on my desk in front of me, a package of Lindt 90%. While it lists a serving as 4 squares, I find it actually rather difficult to eat that much at one time.

Calories: 210
Calories from fat: 170
Zero trans fat or cholesterol.
Carbohydrate: 14g

I am still trying to find 99% without having to order online...

[treebunny]

I agree with BikerAng; I'd eat the real sugar in small amounts.

There is a Lindt outlet in my town. I read the label on 85% and 90% today. The 85% only has 8 grams carbs for the same size serving ??? The salesperson said it wasn't a misprint and she will ask about why this is at the company meeting she's going to in a week.

99% would be like unsweetened baking chocolate... easily available at the supermarket.

[Faia]

Aside from the sugar and fat content, there is still the roasting to consider. It should still have some entertainment value to get a bit of the 99% and baking chocolate side by side.

[24/7Mamma]

OK, confession time. I had some 80% (I think?) dark chocolate once and it wasn't even remotely sweet. I didn't like it very much. I don't need it to be super sweet, like a milk chocolate, but every time I look at all those little bars at Trader Joe's, they are awfully expensive if they are going to taste bitter like the one I had.

Can anyone recommend one that doesn't taste too bitter?

[BikerAng]

I think the Lindt 80% is great, it's really creamy for a dark chocolate. I love chocolate though, I could probably eat the 99% with no problems. I remember reading on another thread a while ago people really liked the dark chocolate "sticks" at Trader Joe's. They are packaged in a blue and white box and contain individual serving size sticks of chocolate. The French Dark Chocolate truffles are amazing (they recently switched to coconut oil instead of partially hydrogenated soybean oil), I think the serving size is 5 truffles and they may have a bit higher count on the carbs but they are definitely not bitter.

[treebunny]

Originally Posted by 24/7Mamma

OK, confession time. I had some 80% (I think?) dark chocolate once and it wasn't even remotely sweet. I didn't like it very much. I don't need it to be super sweet, like a milk chocolate, but every time I look at all those little bars at Trader Joe's, they are awfully expensive if they are going to taste bitter like the one I had.

Can anyone recommend one that doesn't taste too bitter?

Many people find that after a few months of low carb that things taste much sweeter. I find this true and am sometimes surprised by sweet tastes where you don't expect them. For example, raw almonds taste sweet to me.

[Faia]

Originally Posted by treebunny

Many people find that after a few months of low carb that things taste much sweeter. I find this true and am sometimes surprised by sweet tastes where you don't expect them. For example, raw almonds taste sweet to me.

Very true. I am finding that 1/4 to 1/2 of the "usual" sugar called for in recipes is plenty, sometimes even quite sweet tasting. Some of the things that used to be 'normal' before shifting to LC are now almost sickeningly sweet. Things like the avocado/cocoa "pudding" that call for a few tablespoons of honey are now fine with just a half teaspoon.

99% of our sugar goes through fermentation first nowadays. I still have yet to get a hydrometer to test actual numbers, but the kombucha we make starts at 35 calories per serving for the fresh tea before it goes into the fermenter. I am still curious as to what it comes out as after.

[vli1127]

BikerAng, I didn't recognize you LOL. Nice pic

[rottinluv]

I think dark chocolate is an acquired taste. I didn't even used to like Hershey's Special Dark! I thought the 80% was horrible when I first tried it! I would take the tiniest nibble, and just let it melt in my mouth. As my taste buds became accustomed to it, I was able to take larger nibbles, until now, where I can pop a whole square into my mouth and chomp away!

Give your taste buds time to adjust to the different taste.

[BikerAng]

Originally Posted by vli1127

BikerAng, I didn't recognize you LOL. Nice pic

Thanks Vicki! We took a trip to Montana in September, that was Lake Louise I think (the most beautiful campsite ever!).

[24/7Mamma]

OK, I'll give it another try. I have noticed that things taste sweeter, too. Come to think of it, the dark chocolate I had was over a year ago, just before I started LCing. Maybe it will taste better to me now. Thanks for the encouragement!

[2big4mysize]

Maltitol is hydrogenated maltose and not one of the naturally occurring SAs.
It is one of the few sugar alcohols that doesn't cause the "cooling effect" on the tastebuds and it sweets like sucrose but with 1/2 the cals so it is used in many sweets.

It also gives the mouth feel of a fat in the product so you get lower fat lower sugar and lower cal from just one sweetner.

ANd is one of the highest levels that can be consumed of all SAs before the causes bathroom issues amount og 100 grams.

the world health safety of addatives gave it their highest safety recommnedation too with unlimited amounts for consumption.

[rottinluv]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

ANd is one of the highest levels that can be consumed of all SAs before the causes bathroom issues amount og 100 grams.

the world health safety of addatives gave it their highest safety recommnedation too with unlimited amounts for consumption.

And yet, it's one that I can barely handle a minute amount of.

[2big4mysize]

yep it can feed you and the bacteria in the gut and instead of the RUNS which is what the FDA requires a limit for give you bloating and gas effects.

[Ilpirata]

Originally Posted by 24/7Mamma

I see your point. :-) I'll look to see what else there is the next time I go. Thanks!

At Trader Joe's they have boxes of "100 calorie" dark chocolate bars. These aren't like the 100 calorie packs at the reg store that are full of garbage but rather are just tiny little bars so one serving is 100 cals. Also look for the "confection perfection" dark chocolate squares. I have incorporated both (all natural) into my LC WOE

[pocahontas]

I buy the Trader Joe's 85% bars and occasionally the Lindt 99% bars at World Market. The squares are fabulous with a smear of peanut or almond butter.