Beware of those sugar-free bunnies and chicks
- col-bobbie-randall
- April 16, 2025
- 411
Candy bunnies and chicks are in every store. Easter is a great time to remember these molded barnyard animals made from our favorite confectionery, chocolate.
Remember that only the brown or dark brown chocolates contain healthy cardiac benefits; the darker the chocolate, the more healthy antioxidants. White, pink and even green varieties of chocolate are sold at this time of the year. These variations contain all the fat and calories of brown chocolate without the benefits of the cacao bean.
Beware of chocolates and other candies that contain sugar alcohols. Some of the most popular are described on the label as sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, glycerol, ribitol, isomalt and maltitol.
Do not confuse sugar alcohols with artificial sweeteners, aka the pink, blue, yellow or green packs. The artificial sweeteners contain no calories, and the side effects or sensitivities of consuming them vary.
Sugar alcohols are slightly lower in calories than sugar. They do not promote tooth decay or cause a sudden increase in blood glucose as sugar does. Sugar provides 4 kcal/gram, and sugar alcohols provide an average of 2 kcal/gram, half the calories as sugar.
Contrary to their name, sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols. They are carbohydrates with chemical structures that only resemble sugar and alcohol. They have nothing to do with alcoholic beverages.
Because sugar alcohols are not really sugars but behave similarly, foods that contain sugar alcohols can be labeled sugar-free because they replace sugar. People with diabetes often prefer consuming products with sugar alcohols because they have a slower glucose response than sugar-containing products.
They are used mainly to sweeten sugar-free candies, cookies, cakes, pies, condiments and chewing gum. The FDA classifies some of these sweeteners as generally recognized as safe and others as approved food additives.
Sugar alcohols provide fewer calories than sugar because they are not completely absorbed in the body. For this reason, the sugar alcohol is the culprit of the stomach distress after chomping down on a sugar-free chocolate bunny or cookie.
The main side effect of consuming treats sweetened with sugar alcohols involves the gastrointestinal tract. Even a small amount can cause stomach bloating, foul-smelling gas and diarrhea. The more candy eaten made with a sugar alcohol, the more severe the symptoms.
The sugar alcohol candies, cakes, cookies, pies and chewing gum contain other carbohydrates that can affect blood glucose. Just because a sugar-free piece of pie sounds like a safe treat, the flour and fruit can still increase blood sugar.
Consider the tradeoff of eating a 4-ounce sugar-free chocolate bunny made with sugar alcohols, complete with stomach bloating, smelly gas and diarrhea, compared to the consumption of 2 ounces of a sugar-laden chocolate without the gastrointestinal problems. The calories are very similar. The difference is the sweetener and the amount.
Whichever type is chosen, think about the rabbit’s anatomy before chomping down. I have a good authority who claims the chocolate bunny ears are healthier than the nose or the tail. Taste testing is required before placing any chocolate into a child’s basket.
Bobbie Randall is a registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.