title: Methods available to estimate the energy values of sugar alcohols.
abstract: There is increased interest in the use of sugar alcohols as substitutes for sucrose in various food products. Part of this interest is derived from studies suggesting that sugar alcohols may have lower energy values because of the way they are metabolized. Contributing to the complexity is the fact that not all sugar alcohols are similarly metabolized. Indirect and direct methods used to assess the energy value of sugar alcohols have often yielded conflicting data. Energy values obtained using mathematical models have been adopted by some countries to account for metabolic processes associated with sugar alcohol digestion and absorption. I focus on two sugar alcohols, sorbitol and maltitol, and describe various methods that have been used to assess their energy value.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008320:Maltose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009753:Nutritive Value; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D013402:Sugar Alcohols; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013012:Sorbitol; D008320:Maltose; C010745:maltitol