Zero sugar but not zero carb....

[KennyA]

This caught me out at the weekend. I used to buy something of the same name from Aldi, and it was zero sugar, zero carb. Hadn't bought it for a while, and picked this up in Aldi on Friday which looked like the same stuff in a rebranded can. It has however 6g carb per can. One can would be about a third of my daily carbs....


I think this "zero sugar but not zero carb" is because it now has maltodextrin in the list of ingredients. As I understand it, this is a carb, but the regulations allow it not to be defined as a sugar. Worth watching out for this trick.

 

[lovinglife]

Just proves we always have to be on the ball. Even those with vast experience get caught out sometimes, hope it didn’t mess with your numbers too much @KennyA

 

[ianf0ster]

Two things puzzle me @KennyA
1. I thought that all energy drinks contained sugar plus a stimulant such as caffeine.
2. What use does a low carbing Type 2 have for an energy drink?

 

[KennyA]

Two things puzzle me @KennyA
1. I thought that all energy drinks contained sugar plus a stimulant such as caffeine.
2. What use does a low carbing Type 2 have for an energy drink?

No, there's a huge number that have no sugar but plenty of the thing I'm after - Caffeine.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

This caught me out at the weekend. I used to buy something of the same name from Aldi, and it was zero sugar, zero carb. Hadn't bought it for a while, and picked this up in Aldi on Friday which looked like the same stuff in a rebranded can. It has however 6g carb per can. One can would be about a third of my daily carbs....


I think this "zero sugar but not zero carb" is because it now has maltodextrin in the list of ingredients. As I understand it, this is a carb, but the regulations allow it not to be defined as a sugar. Worth watching out for this trick.


View attachment 62248

Sigh.

Reminds me of all the sugar free stuff sweetened with dates. Because that's not sugar, right?

 

[Outlier]

How very annoying of them. How very astute of you to find out, and share with us.

 

[MrsA2]

2. What use does a low carbing Type 2 have for an energy drink?

A double espresso with double cream, full caffeine of course?

 

[LivingLightly]

This caught me out at the weekend. I used to buy something of the same name from Aldi, and it was zero sugar, zero carb. Hadn't bought it for a while, and picked this up in Aldi on Friday which looked like the same stuff in a rebranded can. It has however 6g carb per can. One can would be about a third of my daily carbs....


I think this "zero sugar but not zero carb" is because it now has maltodextrin in the list of ingredients. As I understand it, this is a carb, but the regulations allow it not to be defined as a sugar. Worth watching out for this trick.


View attachment 62248

Thank you for drawing attention to this trickery.

A couple of years ago, I was caught out with the same deception. I purchased Rude Health 'unsweetened' organic almond milk when my usual brand was temporarily unavailable. Once home, I found listed in small black print on a dark background maltodextrin. I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton.

I knew maltodextrins were widely used by the food industry as thickeners and fat replacers. They have been linked to potential health risks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as diabetic customers (Johnson et al 2009; Parker et al 2010; Welsh et al 2010).

Needless to say, once back in stock, I reverted to Plenish unsweetened organic almond milk which, as its name implies, is simply roasted almonds, spring water and sea salt.

 

[Lamont D]

When you visit a drinking establishment, and on the bar there is a diet cola dispenser.
the cola is made from a syrupy concentrated concoction and then mixed with soda to give you the drink.
I always ask for a both from the fridge!

Can't imagine what is in that syrup!

 

[MrsA2]

I find I need to read the label of anything that has more than 1 ingredient. Manufacturers and food producers seem to change recipes and ingredients at will.

 

[TriciaWs]

Manufacturers in the UK have changed a lot of recipes recently to cut costs, and no 'new recipe' or 'improved recipe' on the labels because the product is worse, not better.
This means I have to recheck anything I buy because they are being very sneaky about the changes.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Manufacturers in the UK have changed a lot of recipes recently to cut costs, and no 'new recipe' or 'improved recipe' on the labels because the product is worse, not better.
This means I have to recheck anything I buy because they are being very sneaky about the changes.

Not just in the UK. My Dutch grocery app warns that the ingredients listed may not be correct, because changes may have been made in what kind of oils were used and whatnot. Which I do find pretty relevant. Ah well...

 

[Speedbird]

Thank you for drawing attention to this trickery.

A couple of years ago, I was caught out with the same deception. I purchased Rude Health 'unsweetened' organic almond milk when my usual brand was temporarily unavailable. Once home, I found listed in small black print on a dark background maltodextrin. I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton.

I knew maltodextrins were widely used by the food industry as thickeners and fat replacers. They have been linked to potential health risks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as diabetic customers (Johnson et al 2009; Parker et al 2010; Welsh et al 2010).

Needless to say, once back in stock, I reverted to Plenish unsweetened organic almond milk which, as its name implies, is simply roasted almonds, spring water and sea salt

Thank you for drawing attention to this trickery.

A couple of years ago, I was caught out with the same deception. I purchased Rude Health 'unsweetened' organic almond milk when my usual brand was temporarily unavailable. Once home, I found listed in small black print on a dark background maltodextrin. I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton.

I knew maltodextrins were widely used by the food industry as thickeners and fat replacers. They have been linked to potential health risks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as diabetic customers (Johnson et al 2009; Parker et al 2010; Welsh et al 2010).

Needless to say, once back in stock, I reverted to Plenish unsweetened organic almond milk which, as its name implies, is simply roasted almonds, spring water and sea salt.

Thank you for drawing attention to this trickery.

A couple of years ago, I was caught out with the same deception. I purchased Rude Health 'unsweetened' organic almond milk when my usual brand was temporarily unavailable. Once home, I found listed in small black print on a dark background maltodextrin. I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton.

I knew maltodextrins were widely used by the food industry as thickeners and fat replacers. They have been linked to potential health risks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as diabetic customers (Johnson et al 2009; Parker et al 2010; Welsh et al 2010).

Needless to say, once back in stock, I reverted to Plenish unsweetened organic almond milk which, as its name implies, is simply roasted almonds, spring water and sea salt.

Do you mean this one?
https://rudehealth.com/products/ultimate-almond. I only see almonds and water. No maltodextrins.

 

[MissMuffett]

Do you mean this one?
https://rudehealth.com/products/ultimate-almond. I only see almonds and water. No maltodextrins.

I checked that as well as this is the one I use as well as Plenish

 

[Speedbird]

I checked that as well as this is the one I use as well as Plenish

So only Almonds and water. No nasties as far as I can see In this particular Rude Health one. I guess it just a case of looking for the ingredients so I wouldn’t discount Rude Health completely

 

[CatsFive]

This caught me out at the weekend. I used to buy something of the same name from Aldi, and it was zero sugar, zero carb. Hadn't bought it for a while, and picked this up in Aldi on Friday which looked like the same stuff in a rebranded can. It has however 6g carb per can. One can would be about a third of my daily carbs....


I think this "zero sugar but not zero carb" is because it now has maltodextrin in the list of ingredients. As I understand it, this is a carb, but the regulations allow it not to be defined as a sugar. Worth watching out for this trick.


View attachment 62248

Interesting as it's not on the list of ingredients at Lidl, and carbs are <0.5g / 100ml

 

[becca59]

Yes got caught out with a Fevertree tonic with my Gin once. Couldn’t understand why there was a sharp rise in my levels. It’s surprising how many establishments only stock this product now, and hand it out thinking there it is zero carb. Contacted the company about it and got short shrift. As it’s supposedly healthy!!

 

[Oldvatr]

I find I need to read the label of anything that has more than 1 ingredient. Manufacturers and food producers seem to change recipes and ingredients at will.

Even single ingredient items are not immune. I once bought some frozen peas from a well known supermart, and spiked because they had been washed in sugared water to make them sweet (the artificial Sweet Pea?) and thus palatable to the younger consumers. I have had chicken and meat spike me because the animals are often injected with sugar water to again make thems succulent and appealing to the younger portion of society, and also to add water to plump them up thus putting a finger on the scales when packing the product by weight. These tricks are not new, but seem to be more prevalent in our fast food society.

 

[Oldvatr]

I got caught out by Faggots in gravy. They spiked me badly, and the hidden ingredient? Maltodextrin. The same manufacturer sells gravy granules, which also contain maltodextrin along with other chemicals.

Can anyone explain why fish fingers give me unrealistic bgl readings and for so long after. I suspect its the glue they use to stick the bread (huh?) coating to the reconstituted meat blocks. Its not bread, and I suspect it is a starch glue like cornflour. I can eat a whole fillet of whitefish dusted in white processed flour and curry powder and it does not spike me as much as 2 measly fish fingers.

 

[Lamont D]

I got caught out by Faggots in gravy. They spiked me badly, and the hidden ingredient? Maltodextrin. The same manufacturer sells gravy granules, which also contain maltodextrin along with other chemicals.

Can anyone explain why fish fingers give me unrealistic bgl readings and for so long after. I suspect its the glue they use to stick the bread (huh?) coating to the reconstituted meat blocks. Its not bread, and I suspect it is a starch glue like cornflour. I can eat a whole fillet of whitefish dusted in white processed flour and curry powder and it does not spike me as much as 2 measly fish fingers.

it will be something similar as when the gluten is replaced by a much more carbs potato starch. Starch in small amounts for someone like me does have an effect! As does manufacturers sugars for processing and binding additives.