Zevia, a brand-new natural soda we see yogis sipping claims it has “no sugar and is sweetened with Stevia,” but beneath the zero grams of sugar is 7g of erythritol. The new Bai Antioxidant Infusions lists the same ingredient. Popular Think Thin bars are advertised as “sugar-free,” but maltitol is the fifth ingredient (and 12g of “sugar alcohol” reside in the nutrition facts). 5 Foods That Fuel Your Workout So what are these sneaky sugars? They all belong to a category of carbohydrates called “sugar alcohols,” which are either extracted from plants or manufactured from starches. “They contain calories, but less than regular sugar, to varying degrees. And they still provide that sweet flavor,” says best-selling author and nutritionist Julieanna Hever, MS, RD. They also have less of an impact on blood sugar, so they’re often used in products made for diabetics. But that doesn’t mean you should start seeking out Xylitol every time your sweet tooth kicks in. “Because they’re low-digested carbs, they’re not digested the way other sugars are,” explains Hever. “So, they can be stressful on the GI tract.” So, unpleasant digestive symptoms may result if you consume too much, although the amount that actually causes them varies wildly person to person. See how artificial sweeteners trick you into eating more, plus, how to avoid them with Well+GoodNYC’s “Are Sugar Substitutes Hiding In Your Food?"
