Jennies Macaroons

[mcle8232]

I found these at my local HEB yesterday and bought 2 boxes cause they read "Gluten and Transfat free" and I'd never seen them there before.

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well I was sick with bloating and gas last night and didn't believe it was them. So I ate more today. It was definitely them. (I'm thick-headed like that. always gotta get sick off of it more than once before I eliminate it.)... but could it be that I'm reacting to maltitol that way? Maybe they are gluten-free and my body just cannot deal with maltitol?

[Jnkmnky]

My son eats these. They make a chocolate one too. He never gets sick from them.

[eugenelowcarb]

The gas and bloating is from the use of maltitol in the macaroons. You probably bought the low sugar version which uses maltitol as an alternative sweetener. Because maltitol is non-nutritive, is does not digest very well and may leave feeling bloated, gassy, etc. The trick to eating foods that have maltitol in them is either to not eat very much of the food, or to make sure you are not eating the food on an empty stomach (the maltitol itself needs to use other nutritious foods to help it digest). If you are not concerned with the sugar content, look for Jennies versions which are not sugar free; she makes the same flavors in both sugar-free and traditional versions.

I hope this helps you enjoy your macaroons...i eat them also and are soooo good!

[mcle8232]

Thanks! I'll look for the non-maltitol ones.

Yes - I was definitely on an empty stomach.

[skbird]

Wow, didn't know they made a low sugar kind. I hauled mine out - very simple ingredients of coconut, honey and egg whites.

Maltitol causes the bacteria in your gut to grow (feeds it) which can cause bloating and diahrrea. It is a sugar alcohol or polyol. Some people can tolerate it, others can't. It's a "your mileage may vary" kind of thing. I don't like maltitol that much though it tastes the most like sugar of the sugar alcohols. Xylitol is another - it actually has some health benefits as well like preventing cavities and helping heal ear infections and some stomach problems (has been studied as a remedy for h. pylori). But it too can cause bloating - I think that's what's been causing that in me lately as I have been eating more of it. I found on the web once a chart of tolerances of different sugar alcohols, how much of each kind you can consume before symptoms occur, so I'll look to see if I can find it and post it here. Sorbitol is one of the worst (they actually use it as a laxitive!)

Stephanie

[Guest nini]

I eat the regular ones... no lmalitol ones... I love those macaroons... I don't do sugar replacements... give me real sugar!

[mcle8232]

Thanks Stephanie! It sounds like you might be a chemist too?

I teach organic chem... but have little knowledge of nutrition (other than the gluten-free diet, of course). I'm learning though. If you find that info I'm definitely interested.

BTW, I ate more maltitol-macaroons on a full tummy today. I still got bloated, but nowhere near as much discomfort.

[skbird]

Thanks! I studied chem, originally wanted to be a physicist, though. But brain fog in college ended my science aspirations. Now I'm an armchair scientist. I am always trying to learn about sweeteners because I don't do well on most sugars and don't do well at all on any artificial ones. I think sugar alcohols are neat but most cause more side effects than I am ok with. I haven't had the big "D" that some get on them but usually bloat, gas, generally feel weird. Xylitol causes me the least trauma so it's my favorite now, plus the bonus health benefits. But it has a slight minty taste to it (or cool mouthfeel) so it takes a little getting used to - I just add a little stevia to add that extra sweet finish and that helps a lot.

Erythritol is another that is associated with few side effects but it gives me gas, whereas xylitol doesn't.

As a group, the sugar alcohols are not quite as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), but also less caloric than sucrose. Their flavor is similar to that of sucrose, and they can be used to mask the unpleasant aftertastes of some high intensity sweeteners. In addition to their sweetness, sugar alcohols can produce a noticeable cooling sensation in the mouth when highly concentrated, for instance in sugar-free hard candy or chewing gum. Sugar alcohols cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria, and so they do not contribute to tooth decay.

Sugar alcohols are usually incompletely digested in the intestines by insulin-independent means, resulting in little change in blood glucose. This property makes them popular sweeteners among diabetics and people on low-carbohydrate diets. However, as for many other incompletely digestible substances (such as dietary fiber), overconsumption of sugar alcohols can lead to bloating and diarrhea. With continued use, most people develop a tolerance to sugar alcohols and no longer experience these symptoms. As an exception, erythritol is lost through urine.

The table at right presents the relative sweetness and measured caloric content of the most widely-used sugar alcohols. Although the caloric values differ, EU labeling requirements assign a blanket value of 2.4 kcal/g to all sugar alcohols.

From:

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I can't find the link to the page with the different levels of tolerance I mentioned before. It indicated erythritol was the most tolerated (also the least caloric) but I can't remember how the rest fit in. It also indicated how much of each one you could consume, on average, before having symptoms. If you have 10g of a polyol in a serving, that might be your limit (it should be listed in the nutritional info part of the label). But it could be higher or lower than that, depending on the individual.

Anyway, hope this is informative!

Stephanie