Sugar alcohols aren't carb-free

       I've written about the "net carbs" concept, which
       subtracts fiber (an indigestible carbohydrate) from the
       total carbohydrate count of foods. This approach allows
       far more vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds into
       low-carb diets.

       But food manufacturers, eager to capitalize on a trend,
       have added more substances to the list of carbohydrates
       that we supposedly do not have to count. Chief among
       these are sugar alcohols, also known as polyols. Sugar
       alcohols are widely used in low-carb products such as
       candy, cookies and ice cream.

       These sweeteners, derived from plant sources, include
       maltitol, sorbitol, lactitol, erythritol, xylitol and
       isomalt. They are slowly and incompletely digested.

       Maltitol, the most commonly used, has the highest
       absorption rate. You get roughly 2.5 calories from every
       gram of maltitol. Digestible carbohydrates have 4
       calories per gram.                                     

       The carbohydrates you absorb from sugar alcohols have a
       modest effect on blood sugar, resulting in fewer
       blood-sugar swings and less rebound hunger. However,
       they're still carbs. And most of these products have
       little nutritional value.

       I am not saying you should never eat sugar alcohols. I
       am saying that they these are not the "free foods" the
       labels imply. When you eat a sugar-free candy bar with
       25 grams of sugar alcohol, you will likely absorb 12 or
       13 grams of carbohydrate.

       Why do food processors use sugar alcohols instead of
       sucralose (marketed as Splenda) that, at least in liquid
       form, has zero carbs? Because sugar alcohols don't just
       make foods sweet, they also create the chewy, creamy
       textures that come from sugar.