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Common Bulking Agents with Sugar Free Sweeteners
Bulking agents are commonly combined with sugar free sweeteners to help with easily matching the same sweetness of sugar. This is because these sweeteners are typically many hundreds times (>X100) sweeter than sugar and therefore only a fraction of sweeteners are needed to substitute for sugar. For example replacing 1 teaspoon of sugar would require 0.015 teaspoons (1/64) for many sweeteners, which can only be accurately measured with mini measuring spoons. Adding too much and too little can completely change the flavour of the final product.
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Bulking agents can be added to sugar free sweet products to help in the physical properties of the product, such as acting as a thickening or binding agent. Another reason they are added is to balance the flavour. For example sweeteners like stevia can have a bitter aftertaste for some people and other sweeteners such as erythritol are added to products to balance the bitter aftertaste.
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Although they have their benefits and reasons for being combined with sugar free sweeteners, they should be consumed in moderation and can have adverse effects on your health.
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Dextrose
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Dextrose is a simple sugar which typically comes from corn or wheat. It is chemically identical to glucose and absorbed very quickly by our digestive system. As a result of it glycemic index of 100, it causes a very quick spike in blood sugar and insulin when consumed. It is about 80% as sweet as table sugar.
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It is typically added as a filler and additional sweetener.
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Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a powder made from starches of wheat, rice, potato or corn. It contains the same amount of calories as table sugar (4 calories per gram) but has a higher glycemic index, meaning it is absorbed quicker and causes a larger spike in blood sugar and insulin.
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It is typically added to food products as a thickener or a filler, with the additional benefit of being a preservative.
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Sugar Alcohols
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Sugar alcohols are used as bulking agents with high intensity sweeteners due to having lower calories than sugar, providing a balance for the sweet flavour and helping to match the same sweetness as sugar. The main issue with their use is they contain calories and cause digestive issues such as watery stool, bloating, gas and diarrhea.
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Therefore when used as a bulking agent, sugar alcohols may be unsuitable for many people and detract the benefits of going sugar free.
Summary
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Most bulking agents when used with high intensity sugar free sweeteners will affect your blood sugar & insulin levels, and require increased moderation on consuming the product. Since they reduce the benefits of going sugar free, bulking agents are best avoided altogether where possible, unless they are in a small quantity or where there is no alternative.
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One of our missions is to help Australians access sugar free foods without bulking agents so they can maximise the benefits of going sugar free, without removing their favourite sweet foods from their diet. If you think we are missing any great products from our list of products, please contact us and let us know.
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