Got what follows from a cyber-friend of mine.  I've never heard of Maltitol
- anyone know anything?  Is this the generic term for what's found in
Splenda, perhaps?  She'd earlier asked me why I rarely, if ever, use it.
Thanks for any info you may have.

Dori Zook
Denver, CO

What's your knowlegde on Maltitol ??

This is what I found:
A disaccharide polyol produced by the hydrogenation of maltose. It occurs
widely in nature (e.g., in chicory and roasted malt).
About 0.9 times as sweet as sucrose with similar sweetness and body.
Suitable for many kinds of confectionery, particularly
good for candy coating. FDA allows the use of a caloric value of 2.1
calories per gram. Permitted for use in many countries,
including the U.S.

Maltitol (correct spelling) is "technically" not a carb, but a polyol, which
is
an alcohol with more than one -OH group.  It is indeed metabolized in the
lower
bowl, where its by-products can be absorbed, yielding about 2 calories per
gram
(half of sugar's value).  Maltitol, like most sugar alcohols, behaves as a
laxative if eaten in excess, but it should not have much, if any, effect on
insulin levels or blood sugar.
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