Sugar Alcohols

Health benefits and concerns

Diarrhea

Some foods contain sugars that are absorbed slowly, such as fructose in fruit juice or sorbitol in dietetic confectionery. Through a process called osmosis, these unabsorbed sugars hold onto water in the intestines, sometimes leading to diarrhea. By reading labels, people with chronic non-infectious diarrhea can easily avoid fruit juice, fructose, and sorbitol to see if this eliminates the problem.

Ear infection

Xylitol, a natural sugar found in some fruits, interferes with the growth of some bacteria that may cause ear infections. In double-blind research, children who chewed gum sweetened with xylitol had a reduced risk of ear infections.

Immune function

Nearly all forms of sugar (including honey) interfere with the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria. In one study, when healthy volunteers consumed a large amount (100g) of refined sugar, their white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria was impaired for at least 5 hours. The importance of these effects in the prevention of infections in humans remains unclear. Nevertheless, many doctors recommend a reduced intake of sugar for prevention and treatment of infections (e.g., colds, flu, bronchitis, and urinary tract infections). Unlike other sweeteners, stevia has been reported to possess anti-viral activity.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Preliminary evidence suggests that some people with IBS have greater trouble than healthy people absorbing the sugars lactose (as found in milk), fructose (as found in high concentration in fruit juice and dried fruit), and sorbitol (as found in some dietetic candy). In this report, restricting intake of these sugars led to reduction of symptoms in 40% of people with IBS symptoms. Therefore, when attempting to uncover food sensitivities, people with IBS should consider the possibility that fruit juice and dried fruit might trigger symptoms.

Retinopathy

Animal studies suggest that dietary fructose may contribute to the development of retinopathy (damage to the eye’s retina). Although such an association has not been demonstrated in humans, some doctors advise their diabetic patients to avoid foods containing added fructose or high-fructose corn syrup. On the other hand, the fructose that occurs naturally in some fruits has not been found to be harmful.

Tooth decay

Certain sugar substitutes appear to have anti-caries benefits beyond that of sugar reduction. Xylitol is not fermented by the oral bacteria, and it inhibits bacterial growth. Sorbitol is only slowly used by oral bacteria and it produces less dental caries than sucrose.Children chewing gum containing either xylitol or sorbitol for five minutes five times daily for two years had large reductions in caries risk compared to those not chewing gum. Xylitol gum was associated with a slightly greater risk reduction than sorbitol gum. A double-blind study found 100% xylitol gum was superior to gum containing lesser amounts or no xylitol. Another study found xylitol-containing gums gave long-term protection against caries while sorbitol-only gum did not. Other resea

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The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.

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