Hidden sugar

[Elizabeth M Blair]

I sent in the ingredients for a ice-cream that promised 0 sugar - it was delicious - but it did not say gluten-free.  Someone on this forum explained, when I posted on it, that monk fruit was known to cause "the toots."  I was at the store again and decided to ask a staff member who walked by and the fine print, which said "alcohol sugar - i.e. Monk Fruit.  I assumed it was a fruit but turns out it is a sugar made from alcohol, so zero sugar was dead wrong.  The staff person fetched her husband who also works there and he explained it to me - he said like splenda or the other sugar substitutes, all of which I dislike.  If anyone has more to say about alcohol sugar, I would love to hear it.  The icecream was vanilla and did not taste sweet in the least, but I do not understand this product called "monk fruit."

[RMJ]

Monk fruit is considered a “high intensity sweetener” by the FDA and is not required to be listed as a sugar in the nutrition facts.

Monk fruit sweetener is often mixed with erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol.  Erythritol is only required to be listed in the nutrition facts if the labeling includes a statement about its health effects.  Manufacturers may voluntarily list sugar alcohols in the nutrition facts.

So neither has to be included in the nutrition facts where most people would look to see if there was sugar in a product. The nutrition facts are on the left of the label I attached. This label does happen to include a line for sugar alcohols. Monk fruit and erythritol need to be listed in the ingredients, which are on the right of the attached label, but many people would not know that these are sweeteners from the names.

Did you see the other thread on sugar alcohols and their adverse effects on the body?

Sugar alcohols thread

FDA high intensity sweetener information

[Elizabeth M Blair]

10 hours ago, RMJ said:

Monk fruit is considered a “high intensity sweetener” by the FDA and is not required to be listed as a sugar in the nutrition facts.

Monk fruit sweetener is often mixed with erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol.  Erythritol is only required to be listed in the nutrition facts if the labeling includes a statement about its health effects.  Manufacturers may voluntarily list sugar alcohols in the nutrition facts.

So neither has to be included in the nutrition facts where most people would look to see if there was sugar in a product. The nutrition facts are on the left of the label I attached. This label does happen to include a line for sugar alcohols. Monk fruit and erythritol need to be listed in the ingredients, which are on the right of the attached label, but many people would not know that these are sweeteners from the names.

Did you see the other thread on sugar alcohols and their adverse effects on the body?

Sugar alcohols thread

FDA high intensity sweetener information

Thank you so much!  I will read the article you cite above.  I was so excited about this ice cream. So glad to find out that this is not a good choice.  I product I mentioned did not include the amount of "monk fruit" on the label. I don't understand why manufacturers are not required to list the number of grams in this product.  Irresponsible.