Sweetener.

[sunflowerdaisy]

This morning I visited a local coffee shop. I ordered a tea and went and picked up some sweetners. I'm recently diagnosed so not used to unsweetened tea yet!

I checked the back of the packet just out of curiosity as to what type of sweetener it was. I was surprised to see an ingredient I didn't recognise. Maltodextrin. I looked this up and I was shocked to see that it his a higher GI value than sugar! Disappointed that I thought I'd made a better choice and it wasn't. I'll be taking my own from now on.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I really don't get why a coffee shop would serve this instead of just sugar? Is it cheaper? And calling it "low calorie" is just bogus, if it's meant to suggest fewer calories than sugar.

I would say that this is just a really, really crappy product.

 

[sunflowerdaisy]

I really don't get why a coffee shop would serve this instead of just sugar? Is it cheaper? And calling it "low calorie" is just bogus, if it's meant to suggest fewer calories than sugar.

I would say that this is just a really, really crappy product.

They did have regular sugar as well but I'm trying to avoid it. I think I'll just start to not have any sugar/sweetener and try to get used to tea without!

 

[sunflowerdaisy]

Edit: I've just checked all my sweetners at home and they are all full of Maltodextrin too! These have been sold as safe alternatives for me. They simply aren't?

 

[Deb_l]

Crikey, I've just googled this stuff and it's really not pleasant is it!! It seems like it's in most processed food (that's probably another good reason to avoid such foods) and soup of all things.

I'm like you, I like some sweetness to my cup of tea and I have cut down to one sweetener but after reading this it may be time to ditch them altogether because I drink gallons of tea. I'm assuming this stuff is also in diet drinks?

This is interesting reading:

What Is Maltodextrin? | Holland & Barrett

Have you been wondering what maltodextrin is? Where can you find it, what does it do, and whether it’s good or bad for you? Learn more.

www.hollandandbarrett.com

 

[sunflowerdaisy]

Crikey, I've just googled this stuff and it's really not pleasant is it!! It seems like it's in most processed food (that's probably another good reason to avoid such foods) and soup of all things.

I'm like you, I like some sweetness to my cup of tea and I have cut down to one sweetener but after reading this it may be time to ditch them altogether because I drink gallons of tea. I'm assuming this stuff is also in diet drinks?

This is interesting reading:

What Is Maltodextrin? | Holland & Barrett

Have you been wondering what maltodextrin is? Where can you find it, what does it do, and whether it’s good or bad for you? Learn more.

www.hollandandbarrett.com

From what I've been looking at, no I don't see it listed as ingredients in drinks like Pepsi Max or Coke Zero.

It's quite an eye opening find, particularly if you are diabetic. A good article, lots of useful info. The GI number is very concerning being twice that of sugar!

 

[trophywench]

I gave up sugar in coffee when I was about 19 - all in the quest to be like Twiggy cos most of us did at the time - not appreciating that she was a lot taller than me cos they didn't tell you anything like that in teenage magazines at the time, only that she was size 10 - and I wasn't ! Anyway - in 1972 they admitted new Type 1s to hospital as in-patients to sort you out so Day 1 the drinks trolley came round in the afternoon, I was in a side ward and my sister had come to visit me, the lady asked us both if we wanted a drink and we both chose tea and replied to the Q about question that she's like a teaspoonful in hers, then added, Oh sorry Jen - I never thought to go and get you some sweeteners, I don't suppose you can have sugar now, can you? No replied the lady, I've been told not to offer you any. Ah well - I spose the sooner I get used to it the better then and I did. Bearing in mind I'd had an insatiable raging thirst for weeks and weeks I noticed fairly immediately that this cuppa slaked my thirst for much longer than had been the case for some while, so that encouraged me more than anything had done previously for some time - and I still think so! None in coffee already, the instant stuff obviously not anything posh cos goodness knows where you might have to go to buy 'proper' coffee? I'd had proper coffee and liked it cos we'd been to Majorca once and you couldn't get a decent cup of tea anywhere 'out' there, but think you had to own special equipment or something .......

Just TRY it - yes the first mouthful may make you shudder but honestly, you really will soon get used to it!

 

[rebrascora]

My partner converted me to tea without sugar/sweetener because he drinks it without. It takes time but you do get used to it. Not sure if you have tried Red Bush tea, but that has a slightly sweeter natural flavour but without any carbs and might help you to transition to no sweetener in regular tea.
With coffee, I always said I would rather not drink it as drink it without sweetness from some source ie sugar sweetener... pre-diagnosis I just used to tip some demerera sugar into it.... if i had to guess, it might be as much as 3 teaspoons or more 😱 Now, my little luxury each day is coffee without sugar or sweetener but with real double cream! Cream is lower carb than milk in case you didn't know and the fat helps to fill you up/feel sated and provides slow release energy without impacting your BG levels.... and it tastes good!

 

[susan-k-s]

I had the same shock when I realised that oat milk contains maltose, which is higher GI than glucose itself - glucose being 100 - maltose, a naturally occurring sugar, is literally off the chart! Funny how the label doesn't give you this information - I only found out when I was tracking my BG and I noticed a big spike even with just a small amount of Oatly in my tea - I did like the taste though, I must say! We're programmed to like things that are not good for us, it seems.