Following a ketogenic, or keto, diet involves significantly reducing your sugar intake to allow your body to enter ketosis, a metabolic state where it burns fat for energy instead of sugar. While this may seem restrictive, it doesn't mean you have to forgo sweet-tasting foods altogether. Sugar alcohols, sweeteners with similar tastes and textures to sugar but with fewer calories and a less significant impact on blood sugar levels, can be a satisfying option for those looking to reduce their sugar intake, including those on a keto diet. This article will explore whether maltitol, a common sugar alcohol, is keto-friendly and provide insights into its effects on your body.
What are Sugar Alcohols?
Sugar alcohols are low-calorie sweeteners often commercially manufactured. They naturally occur in some fruits and vegetables. Common sugar alcohols found on food labels include erythritol, isomalt, maltitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. They are frequently used to sweeten sugar-free or diet products like gum, yogurts, ice cream, coffee creamers, salad dressings, and protein bars and shakes.
Understanding Maltitol
Maltitol is a sugar alcohol processed from the sugar maltose. It boasts 90% of the sweetness of sugar with almost half the calories. It is commonly used in "sugar-free" candy and baking. On food labels, maltitol may also be listed as hydrogenated maltose, hydrogenated glucose syrup, Lesys, Maltisweet, or SweetPearl.
How Sugar Alcohols Affect Blood Sugar
When you consume sugar, your body breaks it down into smaller molecules that are absorbed into your bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise. In contrast, your body cannot fully break down and absorb carbs from sugar alcohols, resulting in a much smaller rise in blood sugar levels.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly foods raise blood sugar. Here are the GI values of common sugar alcohols:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Erythritol: 0
- Isomalt: 2
- Maltitol: 35-52
- Sorbitol: 9
- Xylitol: 7-13
Most sugar alcohols have negligible effects on blood sugar levels compared to white table sugar (sucrose), which has a GI of 65.
Sugar Alcohols and the Keto Diet
Sugar intake is limited on a keto diet because it raises blood sugar levels, making it difficult for your body to remain in ketosis. Sugar alcohols have a much less significant effect on blood sugar levels and are commonly found in keto-friendly products. Keto dieters often subtract the sugar alcohols and fiber from the total number of carbs in a food item to calculate net carbs.
Maltitol on Keto: Is It a Good Choice?
While most sugar alcohols are considered keto-friendly due to their minimal impact on blood sugar, some are better choices than others. Erythritol, with a glycemic index of 0, is an excellent keto-friendly option for cooking and baking. Xylitol, sorbitol, and isomalt are also suitable, but you may want to scale back your intake if you notice any gastrointestinal side effects.
Maltitol, however, is less keto-friendly. With a GI of up to 52, it's likely to have a more significant effect on your blood sugar levels than other sugar alcohols. Matt and Megha tested their blood glucose after eating Maltitol and it spiked 40 points in just half an hour. As such, if you’re on a keto diet, you may want to limit your intake of maltitol and choose a sugar alternative with a lower GI.
Potential Side Effects of Sugar Alcohols
When consumed in normal amounts through food, sugar alcohols are considered safe for most individuals. However, they can cause digestive issues, especially in larger amounts. Side effects like bloating, nausea, and diarrhea have been observed when intake of sugar alcohols exceeds 35-40 grams per day. Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience negative side effects with any amount of sugar alcohols.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Maltitol: Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits
- Lower in Calories: Maltitol has about half the calories of sugar, making it a popular choice for low-calorie diets.
- Does Not Promote Tooth Decay: Unlike sugar, maltitol does not promote tooth decay.
- Lower Glycemic Index than Sugar: Maltitol has a lower glycemic index than sugar, meaning it won't raise your blood sugar as much or as quickly.
- Versatile: Maltitol can be used in various foods and beverages, including candies, baked goods, and sugar-free products.
Drawbacks
- Higher Glycemic Index than Other Sugar Alcohols: Maltitol has a higher glycemic index than other sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol, which means it can still raise your blood sugar levels, especially if consumed in large quantities.
- Digestive Issues: Consuming large amounts of maltitol can cause digestive issues like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
- Misleading Labeling: Some manufacturers use maltitol as a sweetener and claim their products are low-carb, which can be misleading since maltitol still contains carbs.
Maltitol and the Keto Community
Despite the widespread negative community response to maltitol, The Paleo Foundation determined that many of these objections within the Keto community were based on myths perpetuated by misleading interpretations of research or misleading data. Resulting from the research, The Paleo Foundation determined to include maltitol in the Keto Certified standards.
Many of the arguments against maltitol within the Keto community are either misleading or not reliable, if not outright false. Furthermore, referring solely to the glycemic index is inadequate for properly determining whether or not a certain food can be part of a Keto diet.
How Much Maltitol Can You Safely Eat?
Maltitol is safe for the keto diet when used in moderation, though it may not be as ideal as other sugar alcohols. In general, you should be careful with packaged foods that contain maltitol, as these may also harbor other carbs. Most adults can eat as much as 40 grams of maltitol per day with no problems, and children can have up to 15 grams.
Alternatives to Maltitol
Luckily, there are plenty of keto-friendly sweeteners to choose from that are truly zero-carb, zero-calorie and have little to no effect on blood glucose levels. Erythritol, stevia, monk fruit, and other sugar alcohols with lower GI values are all excellent alternatives to maltitol on a keto diet.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto