To Count or Not to Count? Sugar Alcohols

By Regina Schumann

Have you recently picked up a "low-carb" protein bar and looked at the label? Thrilled that it's just "2g net impact carbs"?

Wow, and look at the "low-carb" candy selections hitting the stores - some as low as "0g net impact carbs"! Too good to be true?

Those protein bars, chocolates, cookies, cakes and candies that are quickly becoming popular amongst new low-carbers may not be exactly what you bargained for. Somewhere in the label, if you look closely enough, you'll find a "Total Carbohydrate" listing that is much, much higher.

So what gives?

Here's the scoop on Sugar Alcohols, Fiber and Glycerin - often found amongst the ingredients of the low-carb alternatives - especially the sweets & treats!

Read full article here: countcarbs.com

Sugar Free Blues

From the Weston A. Price Foundation Site:

"When William Dufty published his classic book, Sugar Blues, he probably did not envisage the dilemma that so many people would face in later years with the profusion of sugar substitutes. It’s a dilemma that many health-conscious people have witnessed, if not experienced themselves, and it frequently seems to “pop up” over pop (or soda, depending upon one’s regional vernacular).

The dilemma goes something like this: “I would really like to cut out all the sugar and empty calories I get from soft drinks, but I’ve heard that the aspartame in the diet drinks is bad for me too. What should I do?” Certainly the best answer would be to give up soft drinks entirely in favor of a more health-promoting alternative, but this is much easier said than done for many long-time addicts of the sugar-water industry. Unfortunately, the dilemma doesn’t end with our choice of beverages.

A cursory glance down the aisles of any grocery store these days will reveal a host of sugar-free, low-calorie products, all promising to be the dieter’s best friend. Readers of Wise Traditions may already know that the words “sugar-free” on a product label frequently translate into “DO NOT TAKE INTERNALLY—CONTAINS ASPARTAME,” but what about all of the other sugar substitutes out there?"

Read full article: westonaprice.org