Does anybody else eat Werthers

[whatashock]

As I drive a lot, I like somehting to suck on, so have been eating Werthers Sugar Free.

I would not have thought they would be a problem, but I also recommended them to my dad.

I am Type 2, and he is type 1.

On Saturday, I got home from football, and had not eaten anything for about 4 hours, and my levles were higher than they usually are. The only thing I had 'eaten' was a few werthers.

My dad went out and bought some, and althoguh he has eaten them in excess (about a packet in 2 days) he says his levels have rocketed.

These things are suppsoed to be sugar free, but is there anything else that could raise levels?

 

[Dennis]

Hi Whatashock,

Most "sugar-free" sweets don't contain sugar (sucrose) but instead they contain a sugar alcohol (or polyol) like sorbitol or maltitol. These are only slightly worse for a diabetic than sugar as they contain around 75% of the carbohydrate value that sugar has. But of course the manufacturers don't warn you about this!

 

[kay957]

I didn't know Werthers did sugar free sweets! I might give them a go up until now I have been eating sugarless sweets from Lidl.

 

[whatashock]

So Dennis, does that mean I should now give them a wide berth.

Often when I check my levels, they do not seem to be any higher, so althoguh I knew they were higher in carbs, is this a real problem.

do things like sugar free polos have the same effect.

i would really like to find something that is OK, AND has some flavour.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Whatashock,

It's up to you. In very small quantities they won't do too much damage. In larger quantities you need to be aware that they have quite a laxative effect - most polyols were originally developed as laxatives, not sweeteners. If you read the small print on the packets it will nearly always warn that they can have a laxative effect. Unfortunately the only polyol that has absolutely no effect on blood sugar is erithrytol, but it is so expensive no sweet-makers will use it.

 

[the_anticarb]

I have fallen for the sugar free but not really polyol scam before too - I had some sugar free marshmallows from Sainsbury's, thought I'd finally managed to find something nice and sweet that wouldn't affect my bg's but no, they shot up after eating them. Then I found out via this forum that maltitol syrup is 2/3 (or something, can't remember exact figs) the same effect on blood sugars as sucrose so felt very cheated! Now just have the odd one or two. As my tooth is a lot less sweet than it used to be I've discovered frozen mixed berries, at only 5g carbs/100g, satisfy my desire for sweets - even better with a swirl of cream.

 

[cjohnson]

I've just bought some Marks and Spencers sugar free drops - butterscotch and strawberry and cream, does anyone know if these will raise blood sugars? Haven't eaten any yet though diabetes free hubby has been sampling them!

Thanks
Chris

 

[hanadr]

WEight Watchers do some low sugar drops. I love the blackberry ones. Just one or 2 doesn't do anything to my BG.
Hana

 

[Dennis]

I've just bought some Marks and Spencers sugar free drops - butterscotch and strawberry and cream, does anyone know if these will raise blood sugars? Haven't eaten any yet though diabetes free hubby has been sampling them!

Yes they will. They will have either sorbitol or maltitol as their sweetener and these have 75% and 65% respectively the amount of carbs that sugar has.

 

[cjohnson]

Hi Dennis

Not sure whether the M n S ones have the stuff you mentioned. Ingredients listed as: Isomalt, sucralose, butter, cream, natural vanilla flavouring, salt, emulsifier (!) soya lecithin, caramel. Carbs do seem high though at 83 g per 100g though sugar only 0.5 per 100g.

Won't be having a 100g worth though because says excessive consumption may produce laxative effects :wink: :wink: Could help with the weight loss I suppose :twisted:

Chris

 

[cugila]

I think I would give them a miss. Each sweet is around 6g carbs.....soon adds up I think.