Sugar Alcohols, should we use them

[Desertthorn]

I just ordered my first bottle of sugar alcohols from carbsmart and I'm rather excited. Ive never used it before and have advocated never using it.

The trouble with "tol's" sorbitol, maltitol, etc is that they are carbohydrates but made up of molecules that are to big for the stomach to digest or absorb easily so the don't create MUCH rise in blood sugar or MUCH of an insulin release. But notice the word MUCH. Sugar alcohols do have some absorbtion and some more than others. Malittol is one of the worst offenders. You absorb about 2.5 calories for every gram you eat. If you eat plain white sugar you absorb 4 calories for every gram so you really can't trust sugar alcohol labels, and at least with sugar you know exactly what your getting.
So why am I ordering it. There are just some recipes that work better with them as they make the texture of some foods crunchy or creamy when Splenda just wont do.
So I will proceed with caution and Ill let you know how it goes.

[Porcelain]

They give me headaches and diarrhea. I just don't think they are good for you in the amounts some people eat them. I do like an occasional piece of something sweet though. I would like to try the bark made with cocoa and coconut oil with a dab of peanut butter but I am in the no sweets challenge and I won't do it. I also know I have a problem with carbs so I probably won't even try it until I am closer to 150 or so. I am losing slowly now so I don't want to give my body any more excuses to be slow.

[liv]

Did you get Erythritol? Supposedly it is will NOT have the laxative impacts some of those other ones have. Malitol even in small doses give me gas. Not sure if I ever want to make that kind of an impact

If you get erythritol I would like to hear how it works out for you.

[Chicklady]

I use erythritol when I'm not using Stevia. I've had none of the "effects" from it that i get with maltitol. erythritol however, has this aftertaste. actually, it's not a taste, it's a sensation---kind of cooling, as though you ate a mint, but wothout the mint taste. For most recipes, therefore, I use erythritol for the bulking and stevia to balance the sweetness. Anyway, you can get it bulk from honeyville grain for a pretty good price.