Maltitol, the benefit and harm of which is of most interest to people with diabetes, is a fairly common sweetener. After all, it has recently been increasingly seen in the list of ingredients for many diabetic sweets.
Maltitol for diabetes
Maltitol or maltitol is a product that is made from potato starch or corn. Most often on the package it is designated as food additive E965. Maltitol has a sweetish taste, which in intensity is about 80-90% sucrose sweetness. The sweetener has the appearance of a white powder and is completely odorless. Upon ingestion, it is split into glucose and sorbitol molecules. The sweetener is very soluble in water, but in alcohols is slightly worse. At the same time, such a food additive is fairly resistant to hydrolysis processes.
Due to the fact that the glycemic index of maltitol is half that of sugar (26), it is recommended to eat in diabetes. Maltitum does not affect glucose in the blood and therefore it is used to make sweets, which previously were not always available to diabetics, for example, chocolate. But not only does it make it so popular. The fact is that the caloric content of maltitol is 2.1 kcal / g and thus, it is much more useful for a figure than sugar and other additives. Therefore, some nutritionists recommend to include it in the diet during diets and intensive weight loss. Another advantage of this food supplement is that the use of maltitol does not affect the health of the teeth. Therefore, it is chosen by people who care about the hygiene of their mouths and are afraid of caries.
Today, maltitol is actively used in the recipe of sweets such as sweets, chocolate , chewing gum, pastries, cakes, jams.
Harm to maltitol
Like any other product, maltitol, in addition to good, can be harmful. And, although the sugar substitute does not have a negative impact on health and is actively used in many countries, they should not be abused. Maltitol is harmful only if you consume more than 90 grams per day. This can lead to bloating, flatulence and even diarrhea. Countries such as Australia and Norway use a special label on products with this sweetener, which states that it can have a laxative effect.