WLSFoods

Sugar by Any Other Name

Fructose

Artificial Sweeteners

Stevia

Maltitiol, Sorbitol, and Other Sugar Alcohols

Sugar by Any Other Name

In chemistry, the ending "ose" indicates sugar; so beware of ---ose ingredients on food labels . Talbe sugar, the white granulated type, is known as sucrose. Here is a list some of other names of sugars you might encounter:

sucrose dextrose

fructose lactose

glucose maltose

"ose" sugars are pure carb, thus 1 gram of sugar = 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories.

Look for these other commonly used sugar-carbohydrate ingredients :

white and brown sugar succanat

turbinado demerrara

molasses corn syrup

maple syrup honey

barley syrup malt syrup

rice syrup cane juice and syrup

fruit juice concentrate**

**Beware of foods that boast no-added sugar, or sucrose-free. Read the label carefully; many foods such as jams and fruit drinks are sweetened with concentrated grape or apple juice, which are very sweet, high-fructose syrups, and yield the same carb and calorie count as sucrose (table sugar).

***Note that "sucralose" (Splenda) ends in ---ose, because it is made from sucrose sugar, but it is calorie and carb-free. Actually, you might want to think of it as ending in "lose" instead!!

Fructose

Fructose is sometimes promoted as a suitable sweetener for diabetics and low carbers because it does not require insulin to be used by the cells; thus there is no rise in insulin level. However, it is still a carbohydrate and yields 4 calories per gram, just like any other sugar. Fructose has an added disadvantage - because it doesn't require insulin, it is rapidly absorbed by the liver and converted to glycerol - ultimately leading to increased triglycerides and cholesterol levels. There are also studies showing that fructose also contributes to insulin-resistance. While fructose occus naturally in fruits and vegetables, it is present in relatively small amounts, and the fiber, pectin and minerals in these foods balance the fructose content. The fructose that is added to commercially processed food is a highly refined, purified sugar created in a lab from corn and other syrups. It is everywhere - fruit drinks, soft drinks and iced teas, baby foods (yes!), jams and jellies, candies, desserts and baked goods.

Artificial Sweeteners

As a group, artificial sweeteners are classed as "non-nutritive". Thus, they provide a sweet sensation to the tastebuds, without raising blood sugar levels or insulin, and are useful for weight-loss because they are calorie- and carbohydrate-free.

The most common artificial sweetener in use is aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet). Aspartame is calorie- and carb-free, however it is far from being an ideal sweetener. First, it is not chemically stable, meaning that when exposed to heat and air, it breaks down into its chemical constituents - phenylalanine and aspartic acid. This makes it unsuitable for cooking, or for storage over more than a couple of days. Also, many people have experienced unpleasant symptoms from consuming aspartame, from mild headaches and stomach upset to migraines and depression. The manufacturers continue to assert that the product is safe, and indeed most people can enjoy it without any problem whatsoever. Moderation is the key.

In Canada, food and beverage manufacturers are using a combination approach in their products - using aspartame with another sweetener, acesulfame-potassium (Ace-K, Sunette). This sweetener is not absorbed and yields zero carbs and calories. It has a bitter after-taste, but when combined with another sweetener, this is eliminated. By combining sweeteners, an improved sweet taste is achieved, and reduced amounts of each chemical is required.

Sucralose (Splenda) is spun from regular sucrose sugar in such away that the body doesn't recognise it, so it is not absorbed. Thus it contributes no calories or carbohydrates in its pure form. It remains stable in heat, so is ideal for cooking and baking. Splenda is available for home use as a bulk sweetener, which measures spoon for spoon exactly the same as sugar. It is also available in a more concentrated form in convenient packets. However, these Splenda products also contain maltodextrin, which gives it the necessary bulk. Thus, it does contribute a small amount of calories and carbohydrate. Either form of Splenda, whether it's the bulk form in the box, or the little packets, will yield 0.5 carb grams per amount equivalent to 1 tsp (5 ml) of sucrose sugar. Just remember that the powder in the little packets is much more concentrated, so a smaller volume is needed to give the desired sweetness.

More and more commercial products made with Splenda are becoming available - especially beverages, soft drinks and iced teas, desserts, condiments and candies. Keep an eye on your grocer's shelves. Also visit our Shopping Page for some popular products available in Canada.

Also available in Canada is cyclamate (SugarTwin, Sucaryl), a zero-calorie/carb sweetener. There is still some controsversy that this chemical may cause bladder cancer in rats; it has never occured in humans in over 30 years of study. It is still banned in the US. Cyclamate is not used in commercial products, and is only available as a "table top" sweetener. It comes in bulk form, measured spoon for spoon like sugar, or as concentrated packets, tablets and liquid, There is also a brown sugar flavour, which some enjoy. Cyclamate is stable in heat, so is fine to use in cooking and baking.

Stevia

This is a non-caloric, zero-carb natural sweetener, derived from a South American plant stevia rebaudiana, and has been in wide use in Asia for some years now. It's becoming more readily available in North America; look for it in health food and natural food stores. So far, it appears to be well-tolerated, with no reports of negative effects. It is available as a liquid extract - either concentrated or dilute, a white crystalline powder made from the extract or simply the powdered green herb leaf. It provides an intense sweet taste, which has the potential to be bitter. Some people find it has a slight anise/licorice flavour which may or may not be objectionable. Also, some studies suggest that it may possibly stimulate the release of insulin; in Protein Power Lifeplan, the Eades' recommend using stevia with caution. It is stable in heat, so is fine to use in cooking.

Maltitol, Sorbitol and Other Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols - also called polyols - are a class of carbohydrate that are neither sugars nor alcohols. This group includes maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, and hydrolysed starch hydrolysates (HSH). These popular sugar substitutes provide the bulk and sweetness of sugar and corn syrup, but are incompletely absorbed in the intestine. Thus they provide fewer calories and carbs than sugar, and result in a much slower, and smaller rise in blood sugar and insulin. They are generally recognised as safe for diabetics to consume for this reason, and products sweetened with these products may legally be labelled "sugar-free" in both Canada and the US. Sugar alcohols do not promote oral bacteria, and xylitol in fact inhibits bacterial growth, thus do not cause tooth decay.

There is a great deal of confusion about whether or not these products provide carbohydrates, and how they should be counted toward a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Some authorities say they provide zero carbs because they are not absorbed. Others, such as Diabetic Associations across North America, are taking a more cautious stand. Currently, food labelling regulations in Canada and US do not require (yet) including maltitol et al in the Total Carbohydrate data of the nutrients list. However, the amount must be listed in the ingredients panel.

So how do you count them in your carb budget for the day? Some say 0 carbs, so just go by the label and only count the carbs from any sugar or starch in the food. Others, such as the Canadian Diabetes Association, recommend counting the full amount as carbohydrate grams, especially for patients using carb-counting for insulin dosage and insulin pumps. Still others take a median approach, and suggest counting each gram of maltitol as 0.5 carb grams.

All authorities recommend using caution and definitely moderation is key. Because they are not completely absorbed in the bowel, they have a nasty reputation of holding onto water, and promoting diarrhea, gas and bloating****. This is politely termed the "laxative effect". Sorbitol and mannitol are the worst offenders, maltitol and lactitol less so. The label should indicate the serving size. This is the amount considered safe to eat before the laxative effect takes over. So beware that overeating these foods can have serious effects. Especially for children, who of course will experience the effect from an even smaller amount.

Many low carbers enjoy an occasional chocolate bar or candy sweetened with one of the sugar alcohols, and find there is no effect on their weight loss or ketosis. Some do find it will put them in a stall. Others find they definitely experience a blood sugar "rush" from eating even a small amount. For a few, the laxative effect is pronounced, and even a small amount will trigger unpleasant symptoms. This is definitely a case of YMMV (your mileage may vary). For some low carbers, planning for one of these treats now and then helps to stave off cravings for serious carb binges. Indeed, even at full count, a 40 gram chocolate bar sweetened with maltitol has an average of 12 carb grams, as opposed to regular plain chocolate with 25 carbs in a similar sized bar. Just beware that they can also trigger the sweet cravings you hope to avoid.

***** Sugar Alcohols have a pronoounced effect on gastric bypass patients. It is my personal opinion that if you are going to consume these for the first time that you do so in great moderation and in close proximity to a washroom.

Shari from Nanaimo recommends the following

(I look for bars that have less than 5g sugar and 5g fat and contain at least 10g of protein per serving. Sometimes that serving isn't a whole bar for me because some of them are HUGE and others are very dense.)

~ Kraft South Beach Diet 'Cereal' Bars (only in the US though)

~ BioX Xtreme Protein 32 (only eat 1/3 to 1/2 at a time, they're HUGE) - Save-on-Foods, GNC

~ BioX 3 Carb Protein Bar (some flavours are OK nutritionally, some are not)

~ Genisoy Low Carb Crunch - I like all three flavours - Save-on-Foods, Costco

~ Some Designer Whey Detour/Uturn bars (check label for requirements)

~ Weider Extreme Protein (1/2 bar, also HUGE) - Save-on-Foods and other places

~ Jamieson Slim Down Protein Bar - Almond Coconut Triple Layer is the only flavour that meets our restrictions

~ Premier Nutrition Protein Bar (1/2 bar - I'm not so fond of the flavours but others like them) - Costco

~ Powerbar makes only one we can have, it's the 'no sugar added' Mocha Almond Fudge

~ Slimwhey (small bar & not a great deal of protein, but it will do in a pinch)

~ There is one flavour of the Walmart brand (sorry, can't remember the name) that meets our restrictions as well

Protein Powders: (two Canadian on-line order sources with free shipping over $100 - http://www.supplementscanada.com/ & http://www.sndcanada.com/gc/gc_page.exe plus Popeye's carries most things we would buy)

~ Syntrax Nectar - Roadside Lemonade & Fuzzy Navel

~ 4 Ever Fit Fruit Blast - Crantastic Razz

~ BioX Power Whey ISOLATE - Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry (Widely available even at grocery stores, just be sure to buy the isolate and not the complex)

I like these brands for taste and ease of mixing. PVL brand is widely available but not a great product. Only the PVL Coolers and the PVL Iso Gold are made with whey isolate and they do not mix very well. The more agitation the more the protein breaks down. -Shari

Sarah Dickinson would like to add Syntrax Nectar Crystal Sky (fruit punch) to the protein powder list. She says that she doesn't like it quite as much as the Roadside Lemonade and Fuzzy Navel, but she would definately buy it again. She agrees that it is much sweeter tasting than the other flavours, so if you like that sort of thing it would be good.

Also I have been told that GNC has a very flexible return policy and has been known to take back tubs of powder.

Food Products:

- Silhouette Yogurt

-eggs and egg beaters

~ Fat free cheese slices - not great, but they contain 5g of protein each and are only 30 calories

~ Skim Milk Cheese (not part-skim, label must say 7% m.f.) - 1/4 cup is 60 cal, 2g fat, 10g protein - Save-on-Foods or anywhere that sells Paradise Island Cheese

~ Laughing Cow Light or Swiss Knight Light Cheese (round 'box' with individual wedges) - each wedge is about 50 cal, 2g fat, 5g protein - quite soft & spreadable

~ Baby Bel Light, I think it's a little more fat than the wedges but a little firmer

~ Philadelphia Ultra Low-fat Cream Cheese - 1tbsp is 20 cal, 1/2g fat, and 2g protein - whisk it into pan juices to make a creamy sauce for chicken breast or fish, use it as a base for creamy salad dressing etc.

~ Fat free sour cream - makes great 'creamy' sauces, use in tuna salad to replace some or all of the mayo etc.

~ Hellmans Ultra low-fat Mayo - It tastes the best to me.

~ fat free cottage cheese or dry curd cottage cheese - 1/2 cup is 110 cal, 1/2g fat, 22g protein for dry or about 17g protein for fat free.

~ Kinetix Soy nuts - individually packaged in three flavours - 10g protein - Walmart

~ Miso paste - one cup of miso broth gives you about 2g protein - Lighter miso will be milder than the darker ones, just make sure the first ingredient is soy beans and not rice.

~ Edamame (soy beans) - I buy them whole in large bags at the asian market but I think you can get them at grocery stores now. I over-microwave them and the outer shell becomes crispy. Crunch the shell (but don't eat it) then eat the bean inside. It's like eating french fries, but waaaaaaay better for you.

~ Low-fat Chicken & Turkey smokies - I can't remember the brand name but you buy them at Costco. They're in the deli section where you find the ready-made salads etc. They have regular smoked and roasted red pepper flavours.

~ Oberto beef jerky - Costco again. A box of twelve (two or three flavours) individual servings is about $10

~ President's Choice (Superstore) Blue Label ketchup and barbecue sauce are both good and made with sucralose instead of sugar.

~ President's Choice Blue Label pre-cooked frozen meatballs. Easy and post-op friendly.

~ President's Choice Blue Label Spicy Black Bean instant soup

~ Michelina's Advantage frozen entrees. Look for the ones that do not come with a 'carby' side dish... meat & veg. only.

~ Stagg Chili (only two flavours, though) - Silverado Beef and a vegetarian one that is bean-heavy... I think they both say 97% fat free on the label. I like the beef one, the veg one is all beans.

~ Campbell's half-fat soups - mushroom is my favorite. Make them with skim milk to boost the protein.

~ Kirkland (Costco) canned chicken breast - six large tins for about $12

~ Natural peanut butter - any brand that contains only peanuts or buy it in the fridge at your health-food store.

-Ricotta Cheese

-Ground turkey or tofu are excellent substitutes for hamburger

-Veggie Patch Portaballa and Garlic Patties (Costco). Tasty and good texture.

- For those who can "Only eat White Bread" try Smart Bread. Looks and tastes like white but is actually whole grain. Made by Dempters found at Quality Fooods , Walmart.

-Kashi Cereal. Also look in the "Health "aisle of Safeway. They have some great cerals by Natures Way that actaully don't taste like cardboard. Aim for under 10 grams of sugar unless there is a lot of natural fruits on board

.- For those of you reintroducing carbs back into your diet I have found President Blue Label (Superstore) carries 100% whole pasta as well as Catelli's Healthy Harvest

-Rizopia puts 100% Rice Pasta which is Glten Free, Egg Free, Fat Free and Cholesterol Free. Good source of fibre

-Renee's Naturally Light salad dressings. Purchased in the cooler section of most grocery stores (Save-on-Foods & Superstore for sure) the spring herb garlic and mediterranean are the ones I have tried. They are lower in fat than the regular and they don't have added sugar.

Try Habitant brand for some soups. They seem to have a good selection of bean & pea based soups that meet our requirements. I buy the split pea ones and add tiny cubes of smoked tofu.

Pacific brand broths. They have organic and regular and are lower in sodium that anything else plus they have wonderful flavour. If memory serves the flavours are: chicken, beef, veg., mushroom (my fave), and onion. You can get them in health food stores for big money, but some grocery stores have them. The mushroom and onion flavours are harder to find but Thrifty Foods, Quality Foods, and Save-on-Foods all carry the brand. They come in 1L tetra packs and 300-ish ml tetra packs (more expensive & harder to find).

Organic Gourmet Wild Mushroom Soup 'N Stock paste. It's a concentrated little jar of wild mushrooms to use as boullion. The 200-ish gram jar cost around $8 but it is super concentrated and really worth it. I bought it at Save-on-Foods but I've seen it in health food stores for more money.