Sweet Low Carb Foods - How Do They Do That?

If you're a low carb diet enthusiast, you've probably tried some of those tasty low carbohydrate bars, candies or maybe even broke down and baked a loaf of that really easy to make and great tasting low carb banana bread.

And after getting your head around the concept of 'net carbs', you may still be wondering what are those sweeteners listed on the labels, such as mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol and others, and how they fit into your Atkins, Protein Power, South Beach or other diets.

Known as sugar alcohols, these and other low carb sweeteners are being seen more and more in diet products. And usually you can find several types in your low carb food. Although they are all effectively no to low calorie sweeteners (0.5 to 3.0 calories per gram) they are generally much sweeter than sugar, which allows even the higher calorie per gram products to be classified as low carb and low calorie sweeteners.

The reason you'll see a number of them in your low carb chocolates for instance, is simple. The food tastes better. Food technologists have found that different combinations of low carb sweeteners can have a better flavor in certain foods than when using one type alone. For instance, if you're making muffins, you want a sweetener that can stand up to the heat of an oven. But if it won't give you the texture or 'mouth feel' you'd expect, then it won't be popular, no matter how low the carbohydrate count. If you were making a chilled low carb dessert or a low carbohydrate ice cream, you'd want it to be sweet when cold. So the bottom line is taste.

Given recent attention to protein based fat replacements, which have great potential for use in all but fried foods, its easy to imagine that some new and tasty low fat, low carb, higher protein and low calorie treats will be coming soon. And that has brought out some strange concerns, such as the idea that if we're not protected from ourselves by banning these foods, we might starve by consuming too few calories from these low and no calorie dessert and snack foods.

But after looking at some of the shoppers I saw during a recent trip to my grocery store, all I could think was, where's my low carb cheesecake recipe?

Mike Boyd is an author and contributing writer for the popular http://www.healthy low carb.com, an online information source for low carb diets, free low carb recipes, diet basics,books, product reviews and informative up to date low carb dieting research low carb cheesecake recipe

---

Get NeanderThin on the Cave Man Diet

Are you up to a cave man diet? You won't... Read More

Top 10 Questions and Answers on Atkins Diet

1. What is Atkins Diet? Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced... Read More

5 Amazing Diet Tips for Powerful Weightloss

Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More

Lose Weight Quickly And Easily - Weight Loss Information

For people that are obese, losing weight quickly can seem... Read More

Obesity is Big Business

Obesity and overweight, weight reduction and weight management therapies, miracle... Read More

Eating On The Run For Weight Loss

"I'm too busy!" "I'm always on the run." "I... Read More

How To Drop Your Weight and Become Healthier Using These 7 Everyday Life Tips

These days more and more people are getting intellectual instead... Read More

7 Little Known Facts About Cellulite

Cellulite is a condition for which cures are commonly sought.... Read More

Obesity And Fast Foods - The Lethal Link

Obesity and fast foods - there's little doubt about the... Read More

Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery

Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More

How To Burn 50% More Fat In Every Workout With Secrets For Weight Loss Success

If your health and fitness are important to you, you... Read More

Court Overturns Ban

In December 2003, the FDA incorporated an ephedra ban making... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery ? Get Your Vitamins!

Gastric bypass patients face a great task in the following... Read More

Turn Off the Fat Genes - A Book Review

Once in a while a good title comes along and... Read More

Lose Weight Permanently And Maximize Health With New Diet & Exercise Habits

I'm sick of all the fad diets I see people... Read More

The Most Under-Rated Aspect of Weightloss

If I were asked, "what is the most difficult thing... Read More

Weight Loss from Exercise

Weight loss from exercise can be achieved by walking, running,... Read More

20 Ways to Lose Weight

20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at... Read More

Six Super Easy Weight Loss Tips

If you have been trying to lose weight permanently, then... Read More

A Warning of the Complications of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery involves stapling the stomach to make it... Read More

Successful WLS Patients Make Right Their Nutritional Wellness

It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow... Read More

The Tao of Weight Watchers Part Two

As I explained in the first part of this article,... Read More

The TRUTH About How to Lose Weight

The huge companies stealing your money by promising impossible results... Read More

Protecting Your Spine and Lower Back While You Lose Weight

When most people begin a Weight Loss program or diet... Read More

Forget All About That Calorie Counting Crap And Learn How To Lose Some Weight!

That's a pretty "in your face" statement, but really it's... Read More

Healthy Diet Answers: Want Fries With That Mister ?

Yes, my healthy diet has at times suffered at the... Read More

The Psychology of Weight Loss: Part 2 ? How are You Motivated?

New Years Resolutions do not work because you are really... Read More

Help for Sugar Cravings

Many people have asked me what foods they should eat... Read More

Dieting Mistakes - 5 Easy Tips to Avoid Disaster

Looking to avoid the dieting mistakes many of our weight... Read More

The College Student?s Guide for EASY WEIGHT LOSS!

Weight loss is a hot topic among college students today,... Read More

The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss

Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More

Low-Carb Diets: Are You Losing More than Weight?

The average American eats about twice as much protein than... Read More

Fat Burners: The Biggest Rip-Off of the Weight Loss Industry?

Fat burners have become very popular in today's society, especially... Read More