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I can't remember the name of the protien bar it was.... but about 25 of 32g of carbs were this sugar alchohol..
Whats that??
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Whats that??
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Sugar Alcohol an ingredient in protien bar...what is sugar alchohol??
- Thread starter psychedout
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Babyfaced Assassin
New member
Sugar alcohols (most probably glycerine, glycerol and various polyols like sorbitol) are derived from sugar and are put into protein bars (especially low carb bars) to give them that consistecny and somewhat sweetness.
They have a similar calories as carbs and protein but are classed along with carbs since they scientifically don't come under proteins. Whilst they are classed as carbohydrates, they will not effect your blood sugar in the same way carbohydrates do So if you're watching that part of your diet then they are good to go.
I've heard various bad things about the glycerine in protein bars though I'll try fish out the PDF i have on it and send it to u If i can get my hands on it.
They have a similar calories as carbs and protein but are classed along with carbs since they scientifically don't come under proteins. Whilst they are classed as carbohydrates, they will not effect your blood sugar in the same way carbohydrates do So if you're watching that part of your diet then they are good to go.
I've heard various bad things about the glycerine in protein bars though I'll try fish out the PDF i have on it and send it to u If i can get my hands on it.
Babyfaced Assassin
New member
here's some more details for u
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Time to eat my LOW-CARB protein bar. What the crap?! It says there are now 30 grams of carbs in my favorite "low carb" bar! Heads are gonna roll!! Or are they? Read below...
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All About Carbs In Protein Bars, Sugar Alcohols and Glycerine!
Protein supplements are simple, economical tools that help people increase their protein intake while controlling how many carbohydrates they consume. Many people on low carb diets find that powders and bars are also especially helpful as quick, on the go, meals. However, the next time you look for low carb foods and supplements, things will look a little different.
It's going to be a little more difficult to find "Low Carbohydrate" products listed as "Low Carbohydrate."
If you're already an avid low carb supplement user you will notice it is becoming more difficult to find low carbohydrate foods and supplements. The products aren't changing, but the packaging will be. This is because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked all food and supplement makers not to use the term "low carb" or "low carbohydrate" on any packaging until the Federal Government issues office guidelines on the topic.
Why?
You may not be aware of it, but regulations do currently exist about what can be called low fat, low cholesterol, and low sodium. However, guidelines have not been established for carbohydrates. This is because carbohydrate content generally was not a concern for people until a variety of weight loss plans that restricted this nutrient became poplular. So, now we must wait for the FDA to establish guidelines before you will see low carbohydrate (or low carb) on packaging. In the meantime, you'll have to check the nutrition facts panel for carbohydrate content and decide what fits into your program. (Don't forget to be realistic - an 8 oz. glass of skim milk contains more than 10 grams of carbs and 20 grams of carbohydrates is less that you'll find in an 8 oz. serving of yogurt!) It is also important to remember that not all carbohydrates act the same in the body. For example many dietary fibers are non-digestible, so they don not add to the calorie content or raise blood sugar levels.
What Will Be Different?
If it is already a habit for you to check supplement / nutrition facts panels you'll notice that the carbohydrate content of most powdered meal replacements will remain the same. Yet fans of nutritional bars will notice an increase in total carbohydrates, but there is no need to give up the convenience of these bars. This change is a result of a recent FDA ruling that requires nutrients, which are chemically classified as polyols or sugar alcohols, to be listed as part of this number.
Alcohol In Protein Bars?
This is a different kind of alcohol then you find at a liquor store. In fact the alcohol in protein bars is a syrupy substance that is colorless and odorless yet sweet-tasting. Its chemical structure easily creates a strong bond with water molecules so it functions to keep moisture from evaporating and not allow the bar to become hard enough to chip a tooth on. The only other nutrients that are as effective at preventing bars from hardening are concentrated corn or rice syrups and fat. Because it would require quite a lot of sugars and/or fat to preserve the softness of a bar, it's obvious why you wouldn't want these ingredients.
Alcohols Or Carbohydrates?
So, why would the alcohols in a nutritional bar be listed as a carbohydrate? The reason has more to do with the current format of nutrition facts panels than any other fact. Here's why the alcohols used in these bars to help minimize sugar content (they are also used in sugar free candies) and create a soft pleasing texture, contain less than/or equal to 4.32 calories per gram. The fact that they have a caloric value presents a problem for the way supplement and nutrition facts panels are configured because there are only threee calorie yielding categories - proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time to eat my LOW-CARB protein bar. What the crap?! It says there are now 30 grams of carbs in my favorite "low carb" bar! Heads are gonna roll!! Or are they? Read below...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All About Carbs In Protein Bars, Sugar Alcohols and Glycerine!
Protein supplements are simple, economical tools that help people increase their protein intake while controlling how many carbohydrates they consume. Many people on low carb diets find that powders and bars are also especially helpful as quick, on the go, meals. However, the next time you look for low carb foods and supplements, things will look a little different.
It's going to be a little more difficult to find "Low Carbohydrate" products listed as "Low Carbohydrate."
If you're already an avid low carb supplement user you will notice it is becoming more difficult to find low carbohydrate foods and supplements. The products aren't changing, but the packaging will be. This is because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked all food and supplement makers not to use the term "low carb" or "low carbohydrate" on any packaging until the Federal Government issues office guidelines on the topic.
Why?
You may not be aware of it, but regulations do currently exist about what can be called low fat, low cholesterol, and low sodium. However, guidelines have not been established for carbohydrates. This is because carbohydrate content generally was not a concern for people until a variety of weight loss plans that restricted this nutrient became poplular. So, now we must wait for the FDA to establish guidelines before you will see low carbohydrate (or low carb) on packaging. In the meantime, you'll have to check the nutrition facts panel for carbohydrate content and decide what fits into your program. (Don't forget to be realistic - an 8 oz. glass of skim milk contains more than 10 grams of carbs and 20 grams of carbohydrates is less that you'll find in an 8 oz. serving of yogurt!) It is also important to remember that not all carbohydrates act the same in the body. For example many dietary fibers are non-digestible, so they don not add to the calorie content or raise blood sugar levels.
What Will Be Different?
If it is already a habit for you to check supplement / nutrition facts panels you'll notice that the carbohydrate content of most powdered meal replacements will remain the same. Yet fans of nutritional bars will notice an increase in total carbohydrates, but there is no need to give up the convenience of these bars. This change is a result of a recent FDA ruling that requires nutrients, which are chemically classified as polyols or sugar alcohols, to be listed as part of this number.
Alcohol In Protein Bars?
This is a different kind of alcohol then you find at a liquor store. In fact the alcohol in protein bars is a syrupy substance that is colorless and odorless yet sweet-tasting. Its chemical structure easily creates a strong bond with water molecules so it functions to keep moisture from evaporating and not allow the bar to become hard enough to chip a tooth on. The only other nutrients that are as effective at preventing bars from hardening are concentrated corn or rice syrups and fat. Because it would require quite a lot of sugars and/or fat to preserve the softness of a bar, it's obvious why you wouldn't want these ingredients.
Alcohols Or Carbohydrates?
So, why would the alcohols in a nutritional bar be listed as a carbohydrate? The reason has more to do with the current format of nutrition facts panels than any other fact. Here's why the alcohols used in these bars to help minimize sugar content (they are also used in sugar free candies) and create a soft pleasing texture, contain less than/or equal to 4.32 calories per gram. The fact that they have a caloric value presents a problem for the way supplement and nutrition facts panels are configured because there are only threee calorie yielding categories - proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Babyfaced Assassin
New member
What is Glycerol?
Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, sweet tasting, syrupy liquid. It is 60% as sweet as sucrose and has a caloric value of 4.32 per gram. Glycerol is technically a sugar alcohol.
What is it? Does anyone have a clue why that suddenly a protein bar has 20 grams of carbohydrates instead of two? What about why there is a sudden "bite" feeling in the back of your throat after eating one? Lots of people don't know, and should they? Yes.
So what exactly is it? Is it a carbohydrate? Yes and no. A carbohydrate is based on simple sugars (glucose and sucrose) they are made of a simple formula (CH2O). They are polymeric compounds made up of the simple sugars and can be hydrolyzed to yield simple sugars. The disaccharides are sometimes grouped with the simpler polysaccharides (usually those made up of three or four simple sugar units) to form a class of carbohydrates called the oligosaccharides. A carbohydrate will break down and give you a little bit of energy and used in the production of lipids (fatty acids) along with the fatty acids combined with glycerol it will form triglyceride. All carbohydrate consists of a large class of cellulose, starches, and of course sugars. Carbohydrates are organic compounds that consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They vary from simple sugars containing from three to seven carbon atoms to very complex polymers. Only the hexoses (sugars with six carbon atoms) and pentoses (sugars with five carbon atoms) and their polymers play important roles in nutrition. Plants manufacture and store carbohydrates as their chief source of energy. The glucose synthesized in the leaves of plants is used as the basis for more complex forms of carbohydrates. Classification of carbohydrates relates to their structural core of simple sugars, saccharides. Principal monosaccharides that occur in food are glucose and fructose. The three common disaccharides are sucrose, maltose and lactose. Polysaccharides of interest in nutrition include starch, dextrin, glycogen and cellulose.
The FDA (food and drug administration) had no choice but to list it as a carbohydrate only because there was nothing else to list it under. Now we all know why a protein bar had two grams of carbs per bar than suddenly went up to twenty-something. A high protein bar will have about 18-25 grams of glycerol in it, but will be listed on the label now. Too much can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea. Studies shown that devouring one-gram per kilo of body weight would be an accurate dosage. I recommend not exceeding 100 grams per day. Now that you have read this I can tell you why it should not be counted as a carbohydrate. Glycerol is chemically an alcohol; it is obtained from oils and fats, and used to retain moisture from the air. Do carbohydrates do that? I think not, not even close.
I understand if you still can't comprehend what it is from my article. It is hard for me to since a lot of people didn't know what it was, including me. So I had to do a lot of research. To make it easier I thought I might as well throw in a question and answer segment of this page.
Exactly what does glycerol do to your body?
When administered orally, glycerol has a hydrating/dehydrating effect. This is based on the fact that glycerol has an ability to hold onto water, glycerol can actually absorb so much moisture that mold growths can develop unless an antiseptic is added along with the softening agent! Glycerol's water binding ability helps keep bars soft and also may be of benefit to endurance athletes and bodybuilders alike. Endurance athletes can utilize glycerol in conjunction with extra water prior to an event in order to support hydration and therefore enhance performance. The recommended dosage for accomplishing "super-hydration" range varies and each individual should experiment sufficiently prior to use during competition. For reference, start with approximately 1-gram glycerol per kilogram body weight along with an additional 1.5L - 2.0L of water, consumed 1-4 hours prior to the event. Interestingly bodybuilders might consider taking glycerol prior to their stage appearance in lower dosages without consuming the additional water to "dry out". Leaving the water out of the equation may cause a shift of existing body water temporarily out of the tissues and into the blood. While this ought to maybe work to obtain the shrink-wrapped look, you to definitely test it out prior to the day of the show to see how you react? Glycerol supplementation will not help those who have failed to diet properly and are covered by a small layer of blubber.
What does glycerol claim to do precisely?
There is only five things I that I could find that it is claimed to do. To easy answer this question, it claims it increases blood volume, enhances temperature regulation and improves exercise performance in the heat. Also its claimed glycerol is a sweet liquid that acts like a sponge in your body. When consumed with water or a sports drink, glycerol causes greater fluid retention than drinking water alone. Hyper hydration before exercise can reduce, delay or eliminate the negative effects of dehydration. I apologize for not giving a more descriptive answer but this is all I have at the current time.
What do you think about this whole "protein bar glycerol controversy" going on?
In my opinion, I have no problem with using glycerol as a sweetener, but I do have a problem with having to explain to my readers that the bars they are eating are mislabeled…intentionally to get you to think there are fewer carbohydrates in it than there really is. It is deceptive and dishonest and it gives the food/supplement industry a bad name. I think all of you bodybuilders will agree on this
Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, sweet tasting, syrupy liquid. It is 60% as sweet as sucrose and has a caloric value of 4.32 per gram. Glycerol is technically a sugar alcohol.
What is it? Does anyone have a clue why that suddenly a protein bar has 20 grams of carbohydrates instead of two? What about why there is a sudden "bite" feeling in the back of your throat after eating one? Lots of people don't know, and should they? Yes.
So what exactly is it? Is it a carbohydrate? Yes and no. A carbohydrate is based on simple sugars (glucose and sucrose) they are made of a simple formula (CH2O). They are polymeric compounds made up of the simple sugars and can be hydrolyzed to yield simple sugars. The disaccharides are sometimes grouped with the simpler polysaccharides (usually those made up of three or four simple sugar units) to form a class of carbohydrates called the oligosaccharides. A carbohydrate will break down and give you a little bit of energy and used in the production of lipids (fatty acids) along with the fatty acids combined with glycerol it will form triglyceride. All carbohydrate consists of a large class of cellulose, starches, and of course sugars. Carbohydrates are organic compounds that consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They vary from simple sugars containing from three to seven carbon atoms to very complex polymers. Only the hexoses (sugars with six carbon atoms) and pentoses (sugars with five carbon atoms) and their polymers play important roles in nutrition. Plants manufacture and store carbohydrates as their chief source of energy. The glucose synthesized in the leaves of plants is used as the basis for more complex forms of carbohydrates. Classification of carbohydrates relates to their structural core of simple sugars, saccharides. Principal monosaccharides that occur in food are glucose and fructose. The three common disaccharides are sucrose, maltose and lactose. Polysaccharides of interest in nutrition include starch, dextrin, glycogen and cellulose.
The FDA (food and drug administration) had no choice but to list it as a carbohydrate only because there was nothing else to list it under. Now we all know why a protein bar had two grams of carbs per bar than suddenly went up to twenty-something. A high protein bar will have about 18-25 grams of glycerol in it, but will be listed on the label now. Too much can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea. Studies shown that devouring one-gram per kilo of body weight would be an accurate dosage. I recommend not exceeding 100 grams per day. Now that you have read this I can tell you why it should not be counted as a carbohydrate. Glycerol is chemically an alcohol; it is obtained from oils and fats, and used to retain moisture from the air. Do carbohydrates do that? I think not, not even close.
I understand if you still can't comprehend what it is from my article. It is hard for me to since a lot of people didn't know what it was, including me. So I had to do a lot of research. To make it easier I thought I might as well throw in a question and answer segment of this page.
Exactly what does glycerol do to your body?
When administered orally, glycerol has a hydrating/dehydrating effect. This is based on the fact that glycerol has an ability to hold onto water, glycerol can actually absorb so much moisture that mold growths can develop unless an antiseptic is added along with the softening agent! Glycerol's water binding ability helps keep bars soft and also may be of benefit to endurance athletes and bodybuilders alike. Endurance athletes can utilize glycerol in conjunction with extra water prior to an event in order to support hydration and therefore enhance performance. The recommended dosage for accomplishing "super-hydration" range varies and each individual should experiment sufficiently prior to use during competition. For reference, start with approximately 1-gram glycerol per kilogram body weight along with an additional 1.5L - 2.0L of water, consumed 1-4 hours prior to the event. Interestingly bodybuilders might consider taking glycerol prior to their stage appearance in lower dosages without consuming the additional water to "dry out". Leaving the water out of the equation may cause a shift of existing body water temporarily out of the tissues and into the blood. While this ought to maybe work to obtain the shrink-wrapped look, you to definitely test it out prior to the day of the show to see how you react? Glycerol supplementation will not help those who have failed to diet properly and are covered by a small layer of blubber.
What does glycerol claim to do precisely?
There is only five things I that I could find that it is claimed to do. To easy answer this question, it claims it increases blood volume, enhances temperature regulation and improves exercise performance in the heat. Also its claimed glycerol is a sweet liquid that acts like a sponge in your body. When consumed with water or a sports drink, glycerol causes greater fluid retention than drinking water alone. Hyper hydration before exercise can reduce, delay or eliminate the negative effects of dehydration. I apologize for not giving a more descriptive answer but this is all I have at the current time.
What do you think about this whole "protein bar glycerol controversy" going on?
In my opinion, I have no problem with using glycerol as a sweetener, but I do have a problem with having to explain to my readers that the bars they are eating are mislabeled…intentionally to get you to think there are fewer carbohydrates in it than there really is. It is deceptive and dishonest and it gives the food/supplement industry a bad name. I think all of you bodybuilders will agree on this
Babyfaced Assassin
New member
Eurorides, it's because not only do they sweeten the bar they give them a binding agent which gives it its bar consistency without the carbs
psychedout
New member
Thanks for the replies guys.
psychedout
New member
What are your guys thoughts on bars post-workout?
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