My mum is Swiss and therefore needs chocolate in the same way she needs oxygen. She also has a problem with high blood sugar as does my husband (thanks to the several gallons of coke he used to consume per day). So about 2 years ago I decided to try my hand at making sugar free truffles (This is The Idea I mentioned yesterday).
While I don't wish to toot my own horn, pat myself on the back or pull my own cord, they were rather fab; luckily others thought so too and i started getting lots of requests to make them. Even people who didn't need to eat sugar free chocolates wanted them as they liked them so much.I was using 'no sugar added' chocolate but found that I got very distressed internal organs and my blood sugar level spiked and I felt awful (a result of 'dumping syndrome' which is a side effect of gastric bypass surgery). But if it's got no sugar in it what caused this reaction?
So me being a questioning sort and a loyal fan of google, I did research and discovered that the reason for this is Maltitol.
In brief, Maltitol is a widely used sugar substitute from the family of sugar alcohols (Sorbitol, Xylitol, Lactitol, Erythritol etc etc) it isn't actually alcohol as we know it (if you wasnt to know more about this then I recommend www.wikipedia.com).
Despite raising blood sugar quite a bit (although less than sucrose/regular sugar), products containing maltitol have the approval of the diabetic association.
Maltitol is used in a huge variety of products, I think that it is so popular with manufactures of confectionery and baked goods because it both tastes and behaves in a similar way as sucrose does (taste and texture to name two)and is relatively inexpensive. The problem for the consumer is that it is high in calories, raises the blood sugar and keeps us really, really, REALLY regular.
So why is it so widely accepted and used by us, the public?
Because we don't know how bad it is for us and there isn't really an alternative.
Fear not dear reader, I've got An Idea and I'm not afraid to use it.
