sugar alcohols and chewing gum

[wendy01]

Hey everyone,
I am new at this and I was wondering if any of you chew gum. I chew sugar free and it has 2 carbs and 2 sugar alcohols. I thought I had read somewhere that sugar alcohols cancel out carbs or don't have an impact the way regular sugars do. Does anyone know if this is correct? Thanks, you guys are great!
Wendy

[cleochatra]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

No sugarless gum. Sugar alcohols are bad. Put down the gum and back away slowly and nobody gets hurt.

:^D

[Chris]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

Glycemic Index for: Green Beans

------------------------------------------------------------

Food: Green Beans
Glycemic Index: 0
Glycemic Index Rating: None

Glycemic Index Explained
The glycemic index is a measurement of the type or quality of carbs in a particular food, and how fast 50 grams of this carbohydrate raises blood glucose levels, (and consequent insulin secretion and effects produced by the pancreas) as it is digested.

Glycemic Response to Green Beans
There are so few digestible carbs in Green Beans that they have no noticeable effect on blood sugar levels.

I quoted the above from an online glycemic index counter. The phallacy is that you don't have to count the carbs in sugar alcohols because they have such a low glycemic index, so they don't cause blood sugar spikes. Well, sorbitol, the SA in most sugar free gums has a glycemic index of 9. As you can see above, the G.I. of green beans is virtually negligible. Does that mean that we don't have to count the 4.5 carbs in a cup of green beans? Of course not! So, unless you want to count the two carbs in every stick of gum, you probably should follow Cleo's suggestion.

[cleochatra]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

Sugar alcohols are derived from high-carb items like pineapple and do affect people pejoratively. Chris is preaching it. I'm just the fat chick in the choir yelling "Hallelujah!"

[wendy01]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

so do I have to give up my gum completely or is there something else out there that could compensate for it? I admit I am a gum addict and I think I will have a hard time giving it up but I will if I have to !

[cleochatra]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

You have an oral fixation, and that's ok. A lot of people do. It's a habitual thing, like people holding a cigarette. I really recommend you switch to chewing 1/2 of a piece of sugarless gum per day and wean down from there if you feel you totally can't wholly give it up...yet. Maybe start sucking on ice chips instead.

[wendy01]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

Thanks I'll try that but it will be hard but I will just keep coming here for help! You guys are great!

[cleochatra]

Re: sugar alcohols and chewing gum

wendygirl, if it makes you feel ANY better, I was total gum chewygirl, too! I kicked the habit. You will, too.