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Q. You recently had a question about gas from a type 2 diabetes patient. I don't have diabetes, but I have had a similar problem.I have found that sugar substitutes (sucralose and fructose) cause me trouble. Since this person is probably using these sugar substitutes, this could well be the problem.
A. Sugar substitutes, including sorbitol and mannitol, may be indigestible for some people and lead to gas and loose stools.
It is true about the sugar substitutes causing gas. Chewing gum is a big problem. I stay way from it. I do not use sugar substitues for many reasons.
I use liquid stevia as a sugar substitute and I don't believe it gives me gas.
I get very painful gas after ingesting a small amount of sorbitol. Does anyone have a remedy for this?
I use Equal or Splenda which do not cause a problem, but I enjoy sugar-free cough drops that contain sobitol, and just 2 drops can cause a big problem.
I would not recommend the sugar alcohols (like sorbitol) due to this problem. Xylitol is also highly processed (but may be helpful for sinus conditions). Also consider that aspartame breaks down into wood alcohol (methanol) and formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) when consumed -- and has been linked to many nerve / vision conditions (like my own). Splenda has been linked to rashes and thymus gland shrinkage; a local "diabetic guru" used to recommend it almost constantly, and she died of cancer. I would recommend agave nectar (which has a low glycemic index) and also lo han, which is a Chinese fruit-derived sweetener. Cargill is presently working on a stevia extract, so hopefully those artificial sweeteners will soon ride off into the sunset!
There are coconut milk frozen desserts available now under the name Coconut Bliss that are sweetened with agave. They do not contain dairy products or eggs, and most flavors contain no sugar. Their website is www.coconutbliss.com
I had some ice cream made with sorbitol, one normal sized scoop. Big Mistake! All four main sorbitol side effects showed up within 90 minutes: gas, bloating, diarrhea, and skin rash.
I am not lactose intolerant and can normally digest ice cream without a problem - the sorbitol was the only thing different. I will be sure to stay away from that!
I will admit I consumed a lot of sugar-free candy - two bags of twizzlers - but I had the worst evening. I watched my abdomen swell, grumble, and eventually "explode" in the bathroom. The only thing different about my consumption today was the candy. I just read the label :( and remember that my son and I had the same problem after eating potato chips fried with a "fat" substitute.
In your newspaper column and book, you say the no-calory sweetener stevia rebaudiana was not approved for use in the U.S. FHowever please note that for years Trader Joe's, the West Coast food marketers, have been selling a popular powdered form of stevia rebaudiana that is a powerful sweetener in tiny amounts (90% steviosides).