Allulose

Low Calorie Sugar

Study Finds Anti-Obesity Potential of Allulose

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By Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND

Allulose, also known as D-psicose, is a rare sugar originally discovered naturally in a number of foods such as figs, raisins and maple syrup. It’s about 70% as sweet as sucrose but provides less than 1% of the calories because allulose is not metabolized like other sugars. Instead of being broken down for energy, allulose is largely absorbed and excreted in the urine.

The study titled “Anti-obesity potential of rare sugar D-psicose by regulating lipid metabolism in rats” by Chen et al. investigates the potential of allulose to prevent obesity in an animal model. The researchers prepared five diets based on standard rat chow containing 65.2% carbohydrate with an additional 5% carbohydrate coming from one of these five sources: cornstarch (control diet), allulose, glucose, fructose and cellulose. Chen et al. compared the effects of the carbohydrate-modified diets in rats for four weeks on body weight, lipid profile, antioxidant level and the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver.

Findings on Body Weight

The rats in the allulose group gained significantly less weight than the animals in any of the other groups, yet their food intake was only significantly lower compared to the cellulose group (and not the other groups). Both the epididymal fat and abdominal fat were also significantly lower in the allulose group. Chen et al. speculate that short-term intake of allulose leads to the least amount of weight gain because of the lower energy value of allulose compared to other carbohydrates.

Findings on Blood Lipids

Allulose supplementation may also benefit the lipid profile. For example, the triglyceride levels of the animals in the allulose group were lower than that of any of the other groups, and significantly lower than the triglyceride levels of the control group. The LDL-cholesterol level of the allulose group was 34.5% lower than that of the control group, and was significantly lower than both the control and glucose groups. Additionally, the free fatty acid level of the allulose group was lower than that of the other four groups and was significantly lower than both the control and cellulose groups.

Findings on Antioxidant Capacities of Liver and Serum

Supplementation of allulose appears to boost catalase activity and improve antioxidant capacity in rats, which may reduce free radical damage within the body. The researchers examined the serum and hepatic levels of both catalase and superoxide dismutase. The levels of the catalase enzyme were significantly higher in the allulose group compared to the other groups. While the serum and hepatic levels of superoxide dismutase were also higher in the allulose group, they were significantly higher only when compared to the serum activity in the fructose group.

Findings on Gene Expression

Chen et al. concluded that allulose supplementation contributes to the smallest body weight increase by inhibiting the expression of genes related to fatty acid synthesis and increasing the expression of genes related to lipolysis. As examples, the expression of both acetyl-coA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase, which are important in fat synthesis, were significantly lower in the allulose group. Furthermore, supplementation of allulose resulted in increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-alpha, which is also important in fatty acid metabolism.

Overall Conclusions: According to Chen et al.’s findings, the consumption of allulose does not cause significant weight increase or disorders of lipid metabolism in rats. Furthermore, supplementation of allulose appears to inhibit fat accumulation, improve blood lipids and increase antioxidant capacity in rats consuming a high carbohydrate diet.

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, has worked as both a nutrition counselor and a diabetes educator in the hospital and research settings, and now in private practice in Newport News, VA. Jill is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss – Week by Week and two upcoming books, The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition and 21 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes and Your Heart. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. Jill is a paid contributor to Sucralose.org. Follow Jill on Twitter @NutritionJill and find more at www.JillWeisenberger.com.

Importance of Clear Nutrition Information for Diabetes Management: Spotlight on Allulose

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April 25, 2019 — While some people ignore or merely glance at the nutrition information on food and beverage packaging, others closely review the label for carbohydrate information if they are on a certain low-carb diet and want to lose a few pounds. However, for those with type I or type II diabetes, the carbohydrate information provided on nutrition labels serves an even more critical role, helping those populations to manage a potentially life-threatening disease in large part through their diet. Without reliable, accurate nutrition information, those with diabetes are unable to accurately calculate the amount of insulin needed for the carbohydrates in the foods and beverages they consume.

Why are carbohydrates the most important nutrient for those with diabetes to monitor? Of the three main nutrients – protein, carbohydrates, and fat – carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood sugar levels because the body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose, or, in simple terms, sugar. Those who do not have diabetes produce insulin, the hormone needed to let glucose into cells so that the glucose can in turn fuel the body’s activities. Those with diabetes have a problem producing insulin, and need to inject insulin or take medication when consuming carbohydrates in order to enable the glucose to be used by their body’s cells, instead of remaining as sugar in the blood stream (hence the term “high blood sugar”). This is why accurate information about the carbohydrate content of foods and beverages is essential for calculating an appropriate insulin dosage. It is also important to note that various components comprise the total carbohydrate count, and there are different types of physiological effects of each. For example, the total sugar and added sugars declared on labels would increase blood sugar levels, while dietary fiber, which is also considered a carbohydrate, would not.

As you can see, people with diabetes expect that the carbohydrates, specifically sugars and added sugars, listed on nutrition labels will have an impact on their blood glucose level. This is why listing the new low-calorie sweetener allulose as a total sugar and added sugar under the total carbohydrate count on nutrition labels would be especially misleading, confusing, and potentially dangerous for the over 100 million U.S. adults now living with diabetes or prediabetes[1]. Allulose, a “rare sugar” discovered in small quantities in natural sources such as figs and maple syrup, is technically a monosaccharide and classified as a “sugar” based on its molecular formula. However, allulose is not metabolized by the body and therefore contributes negligible calories and does not impact blood glucose levels. A comprehensive label study included in a citizen petition[2] to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) corroborates the belief that consumers will be misled by the labeling of allulose as a carbohydrate and sugar. In this study of over 4,000 U.S. adults, the labeling of allulose as an added sugar led to confusion about the impact on blood glucose. In total, 52 to 65 percent of respondents with diabetes evaluating labels mistakenly believed that a flavored beverage with allulose contained sugar.   

The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of the nation’s food supply. Those living with type I and type II diabetes must place significant trust in FDA, and other regulatory bodies when abroad, to protect the accuracy and integrity of nutrition information provided on food and beverage packaging. New draft guidance published in April 2019 indicates FDA’s efforts to reduce consumer confusion over the new nutrition facts label by allowing allulose to be excluded from total and added sugar listings on labels when used as a food ingredient. For those living with or without diabetes, this will help provide additional clarity around the total carbohydrate counts on nutrition labels and allow for the enjoyment of foods and beverages sweetened with allulose, while hopefully minimizing unintended health consequences of misinformation.      

[1] New CDC report: More than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes. CDC Online Newsroom. CDC. (2017, July 18). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html

[2] Citizen Petition from Tate and Lyle. Regulations.gov. https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FDA-2015-P-1201-0001. Published April 14, 2015. 

Allulose & the New Nutrition Facts Label

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October 29, 2018 — Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended the dates for food and beverage companies to comply with the updated Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts labels, many companies have already begun to transition to the new label format. One new change is the requirement to include a line for “added sugar” underneath the line for “total sugar,” which is intended to help consumers meet the recommendation to consume less than 10 percent of their daily calories from added sugars. Given this major labeling change and the increased global focus on reducing sugar consumption, it’s important that healthcare and nutrition professionals are equipped with the proper tools and information to educate patients and consumers on how to interpret their sugar intake using the new label, which they’ve likely already begun to see popping up on packaging.

The FDA has made several major updates to the nutrition label, including changes to the nutrients that are required to be declared on the label. Now, “added sugars” must be included separately. According to the FDA, “added sugars” include “sugars that are either added during the processing of foods, or are packaged as such (e.g., a bag of table sugar), and also includes sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.” Though defined by the FDA, the term “added sugar” may still be confusing to patients and clients trying to interpret the amount and type of sugar in a product and how best to incorporate the product into a healthy diet. For example, consumers may question why 100% apple juice is not considered to contain added sugar, but the sugar from concentrated apple juice would be considered an added sugar. Especially in the case of patients and consumers trying to lose weight, some may wonder if low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) such as allulose are considered “added sugars,” since LNCS are used to replicate the taste and function of sugar and are technically added to other foods and beverages. Therefore, it is important to note the following points of information when reviewing the nutrition label of a product that contains allulose:

In the Ingredient List…

Allulose is also known as D-Psicose, or even D-allulose. These terms refer to the same sweetener, and are used interchangeably by the food industry. Patients and consumers should know that they may see some products that use the name allulose in the ingredient list, and others that use the name D-Psicose, but both indicate the same sweetener.

On the Nutrition Facts Panel…

Although allulose is considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in the United States, the FDA has not clarified how allulose should be labeled on the new nutrition label. Groups like the Calorie Control Council (CCC) continue to urge the FDA to confirm that allulose does not need to be listed as either “sugar” or “added sugar” on the nutrition label, since allulose is not metabolized in the way sugar or added sugars are. Regardless of when and how the FDA determines allulose should be labeled, patients and consumers should understand how to interpret the sugar content of products that contain allulose.

How it is processed by the body…

Allulose is a carbohydrate by chemical definition, and is specifically a monosaccharide. However, while allulose is absorbed by the body, it is not metabolized. Therefore, it contributes far fewer calories (approximately 90 percent less) than sugar, and has been shown to have no impact on blood glucose. Those trying to interpret labels of products that contain allulose should know that the calories and glycemic impact of the total and added sugars declared are not a result of allulose.

Rare Sugars: Demystifying Diamonds in the Rough

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You’ve heard terms like “raw” and “natural” to describe low calorie sweeteners, but what about “rare”? As the name suggests, rare sugars are found only in small quantities in nature. This explains why you may not have heard much about them, and why you haven’t seen rare sugars like allulose in the baking aisle or in colored packets on restaurant tabletops.

Though classified as a rare sugar, you may have eaten allulose for years without knowing it, as it can be found in certain fruits also available in the produce section of your grocery store. Like other rare sugars, allulose is a monosaccharide. The prefix “mono” meaning “one,” monosaccharides are the most basic type of sugar and cannot be broken down any further. Therefore, they have coined the term “simple sugar.” However, unlike most simple sugars, allulose is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate and is not metabolized as energy. Therefore, it has a negligible amount of calories, unlike table sugar (and that also makes it a rare find). Other common monosaccharides you may have already heard of include fructose, the most common sugar in fruit, or glucose, a common sugar in foods and the form that your body uses for energy.

Allulose is one type of rare sugar that has been well-studied and regulators have also evaluated the use of allulose in consumer food products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has granted allulose “GRAS” status, meaning it is “Generally Recognized As Safe” to use as an ingredient in food under its intended conditions of use in foods and beverages. Other common “GRAS” ingredients include household items like salt and table sugar. For more about the GRAS status, visit the FDA site filings here 400 and here 498.

Though food labels are intended to inform consumers about the contents and characteristics of the product, unfamiliar items on ingredient lists can sometimes intimidate rather than educate. This may be the case with allulose. The common name “Allulose” is used interchangeably with its chemical formula as well as other scientific names Psicose, or, more specifically, D-Allulose or D-Psicose.  All four names refer to the same simple sugar and you can look for all of these terms as you look for foods that contain allulose. While fruits and vegetables may not have an ingredient label, common ones that contain allulose include raisins, figs, molasses, and maple syrup.

 

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3830479/

https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/NoticeInventory/ucm406210.html

Allulose: A Sweet New Tool for Diabetes Management

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By: Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE —

There’s no debating it: Diabetes is a serious and growing national health concern. Nearly 30 million people (9.3% of the U.S. population) have diabetes, and 86 million (more than 1 out of 3 adults) have prediabetes.

I’ve been a certified diabetes educator for nearly 20 years and a registered dietitian for 24 years. Helping people with diabetes live healthier, happier, and fuller lives has been the most rewarding part of my career. Healthcare professionals can truly make a difference in the lives of people with diabetes by empowering them to explore various strategies and tools, and help them discover their own unique path to achieving their diabetes self-management goals.

The primary focus of diabetes management is blood glucose control. Aiming for specific, individualized blood glucose levels through eating habits, activity, stress management and sometimes medication(s), is key. Keeping carbohydrate intake consistent, and within a certain range, at meals and snacks is an important factor in maintaining blood glucose control.

Low-calorie sweeteners, sometimes known as non-nutritive sweeteners, are useful tools in managing carbohydrate intake and therefore, in managing blood glucose levels. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Position Paper “Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners” discusses the safety, function and regulatory status of sweeteners. The American Diabetes Association states that “choosing NNS [nonnutritive sweeteners] instead of nutritive sweeteners is one method to assist with moderating carbohydrate intake.” Now, there is a new tool in the low-calorie sweetener toolbox: allulose.

As a health care professional, here’s what you need to know about this new sweetener for people with diabetes:

• What is allulose? Allulose is a monosaccharide that is absorbed by the body, but not metabolized and has no impact on blood sugar. It is a low-calorie sweetener that tastes just like sucrose and also has the texture, taste and performance (structure/function) of a full calorie sugar. Food and beverage manufacturers have found that, like conventional sugar, allulose browns when baking, provides the same texture and mouthfeel sweetener properties, and exhibits bulking properties. Due to its positive technical attributes, allulose is particularly useful when combining sweeteners.
• Where does it come from? Allulose, which exists in nature in very small quantities (hence the term “rare sugar”), was initially identified from wheat and has since been found in certain fruits including jackfruit, figs and raisins. Allulose is also naturally present in small quantities in a variety of sweet foods like caramel sauce, maple syrup and brown sugar.
• How does it affect blood sugars? Research shows that allulose has no impact on blood glucose.
• Is allulose safe? Allulose has received ‘Generally Recognized as Safe’ (GRAS) status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Given its GRAS status, taste and functionality, manufacturers are looking to allulose as they consider reformulating to reduce sugar.
• How well is it tolerated? Researchers found allulose to be well tolerated without causing any gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Where can you find it? Allulose is becoming more available online as a table top sweetener, and is becoming more common as an ingredient in foods and beverages on store shelves.

As a dietitian and diabetes educator, I am always looking for ways to help people ‘do more with diabetes’ and I definitely encourage them to explore the wide variety of tools and strategies that exist so they can enjoy their food while keeping their health in mind. Allulose is a promising new tool to help them do just that — enjoy the experience of more foods, with no impact on blood sugar. For more information, check out the latest science and these FAQs about allulose at www.allulose.org.

fiberfacts.orgMelissa-Joy-Dobbins-2-150-d160606c03fad6cf1d5bf6b0fe54c694715f2059Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE is a nationally recognized registered dietitian nutritionist with more than 20 years’ experience helping people enjoy their food with health in mind. Melissa is a certified diabetes educator, a former supermarket dietitian, and also a former national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). She was named Outstanding Dietitian of the Year in Illinois by AND and Outstanding Diabetes Educator of the Year in Chicago by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. She is a paid contributor of the Calorie Control Council. Melissa is the CEO of Sound Bites, Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois, and you can connect with her on Twitter (@MelissaJoyRD), Pinterest, Facebook, and check out her blog at SoundBitesRD.com.