Is dextrose good or bad?

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posted by TrudiP
on 7 Apr 2016 at 15:28

Hi,

I read that people trying to kick sugar substitute with dextrose. This may be fine for families kicking the sugar habit, but is it safe for diabetics? Same question about Xylitol too, although I am a little less suspicious of that.

Thanks.
posted by Bill1954
on 7 Apr 2016 at 15:34

Dextrose is the name of a simple sugar chemically identical to glucose (blood sugar) that is made from corn. While dextrose is used in baking products as a sweetener, it also has medical purposes. Dextrose is dissolved in solutions that are given intravenously, which can be combined with other drugs, or used to increase a person’s blood sugar. Dextrose is also available as an oral gel or tablet. Because dextrose is a “simple” sugar, the body can quickly use it for energy
People with diabetes or hypoglycemia (chronically low blood sugar) may carry dextrose gel or tablets in case their blood sugar gets too low. The gel or tablets dissolve in a person’s mouth and quickly boost blood sugar levels. If a person’s blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL and they are having low blood sugar symptoms, they may need to take the dextrose tablets. Examples of low blood sugar symptoms include weakness, confusion, sweating, and too-fast heart rate.

It isn’t the kind of stuff you want to be eating if you are T2D In fact I would avoid it if you aren’t, at the end of the day it’s still sugar 🙁
posted by jameshan01
on 25 May 2016 at 07:12

Glucose or dextrose is the monomer of natural starch polymer. This monomer is also the natural physiological sugar in the human body. It is good
http://www.yameiaspartame.com/products/dextrose-anhydrous/
posted by Bill1954
on 25 May 2016 at 09:20

Dextrose is sugar and we are diabetic ie our bodies can’t handle sugar
Explain how it is good please
posted by denis carbs
on 11 Apr 2017 at 06:05

I was just given a packet of EQUAL marked zero calorie sweetener. The small print [ too small to read without my special jewellers magnifying lens ] states the contents have dextrose, maltodextrose , aspartame , acesulfame potassium.
Better to learn to drink coffee and tea with NO sweetener – it takes only a few days to get used to it and then it tastes better than before ! The profit machine seeks out ever more ‘markets’ and this stuff is aimed at people who dont want their calories but want the sweet stuff… perhaps they dont want their cake but want to eat it too…or something like that.
These things are suppled to pander to the weaker side of human nature. Avoid them !
posted by Jenni from the Block
on 11 Apr 2017 at 06:45

Hi Denis, you may want to look at this episode of one of Michael Mosely’s programs http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/michael-mosley-trust-me-im-a-doctor

In this episode (among numerous other things) is a study of the use of several artificial sweeteners and the surprise that they cause more glucose to be released in the body even though they don’t increase BGLs. Sounds odd but he does refer to this in the book somewhere. Concludes it’s best to keep away from them, suggests pure Stevia may be ok. Good luck with it all.
posted by Jenni from the Block
on 11 Apr 2017 at 10:03

Hi again Denis, thinking about my post I realise it may give the impression that there is no harm in artificial sweeteners. The Mosely program listed above doesn’t say that. It says that even though they do not increase BGLs they do cause the body to gain weight.
posted by ddraig_goch
on 11 Apr 2017 at 11:37

And what is more, they don’t help you control the sugar cravings. Not only have you just swapped one form of sweetness for another (which makes it much easier to go back to eating sugar as you don’t retrain your taste buds), but you have swapped it for something artificial and for which no real effort has been made to research the long term effects on the body (food manufacturers and governments tend to be in control of most food research monies and they don’t want to unwrap bad publicity on something which has been the main stay of the food industry since it all went low fat, low cal).

Anything ending in ‘ose’ is a form of sugar and no good for anyone, let alone anyone with diabetic tendencies.
posted by KrysiaD
on 11 Apr 2017 at 12:54

I absolutely agree that artificial sweeteners don’t get rid of sugar cravings – they didn’t help me to lose weight either.

When I was on insulin I often used to use dextrose tablets to raise my blood sugars when blood sugars went low. They were brilliant for raising blood sugars so am surprised dextrose is in equal. Another reason for avoiding it.