Do sugar alcohols count as carbs?

data
food
coffee
tracking

(Pan Dulce) #1

Hi all, I use LoseIt (and have for almost two years straight, I love tracking stuff :nerd_face:). Lately I have been drinking a Bulletproof brand mocha flavour coffee here and there (averages out to once a week). On the nutrition label 15grams of sugar alcohols are listed, and LoseIt counts these as carbs. Is this correct? According to what I’ve seen online, it shouldn’t be counted in net carbs, so any idea why LoseIt might count it anyway?

I’m not particularly worried about the health implications, I just want to know if I should write to the company, or change my tracking. Again…:nerd_face: here!

Extra Info:
LoseIt is a food tracking app, much like My Fitness Pal or Chronometer. Thanks @David_Stilley for pointing this out!


(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

I’m not familiar with the product LoseIt. I use pure erythritol or allulose sometimes. Not every day and not in beverages but for cooking and baking. I have never counted them as they are indigestible and have no nutritional value. A few sugar alcohols do have some digestible carbs or are blended with real sugars. So I would read the label and google each item like. Erythritol nutritional value. Or xylitol nutritional value and figure it out from there.


(Windmill Tilter) #3

I think it really depends on what your goals are. If you’re trying to lose weight (like most folks on Lose-It are), then counting them as a full carb is the safe approach. Synthetic sweeteners seem to cause lots of weight loss problems. Presumably that’s why Lose-It treats them as full carbs.

If on the other hand you’re in maintenance and you just have some as an occasional treat, there is probably no point in worrying about it much. Just ignore the carb count. That’s my 2 cents anyway.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #4

I think you’re safe then. I should have read your post closer, I thought it was something you were putting together not a mix. I was thinking that LoseIt was like swerve or something.


#5

Sugar alcohols vary in digestibility. Some, like erythritol, can be subtracted out completely. Others, like Xylitol and Maltitol, still have over 2 calories per gram, so should really only be half-subtracted.


(Julie Greenwood) #6

I too use Loseit! I do wish they would fix this. I use total carbs to review my day but if I go over my allotment it is nice to be able to see the alcohol sugar in addition to fiber. It makes sense for most since for instance 10 g of Splenda would record as zero carbs and 10g of Swerve would record as 10 grams of carbohydrates.
I have written to Loseit! Several times. Maybe the think the Ketogenic way of eating is a fad?