In the case of Haribo's sugar-free gummies, the culprit behind the sugary alcohol is maltitol, which is found in the ingredient lycasine. A look at the nutritional panel shows that the first ingredient (and therefore the most common) of the sugar-free variety is lycasine, a hydrogenated syrup. Lycasine, on the other hand, is mainly composed of maltitol, a sugar alcohol that is almost as sweet as table sugar but half as caloric. Maltitol is great because it doesn't cause tooth decay, but it's not that good because our body can't fully digest it, so it can ferment in the intestine.
Known side effects of excessive consumption of lycasine are bloating, flatulence, loose stools and burborygmi, the scientific term for stomach noise. Instead of being made with sugar, gummy bears are made with lycasin, a substitute for hydrogenated glucose and sugar. It's no surprise that food companies have been looking for new ways to replace sugar in their products, but sugar-free doesn't always mean better for you, a case especially true in the case of Haribo's sugar-free gummy bears. According to Forbes, Haribo replaced the sugar in his bears with lycasine, which is composed mainly of sugar alcohol. While this eliminates many of the calories that come from sugar, it also adds a lot of unpleasant side effects.
Fortunately, the company has since stopped consuming these gut-wrenching candies, but the lesson remains the same: be careful when choosing a sugar-free option, you never know what effects those sugar substitutes can have. Apparently, Haribo's sugar-free gummy bears are no exception when it comes to sugary alcohol, and boy, how crazy is Amazon's review section on gummies. All in all, it turns out that sugar-free gummies will probably make you run to the bathroom. In some cases, sugar-free gummy bears act as a strong laxative and make many consumers feel quite uncomfortable, as they rush to make long trips to the bathroom. Everyone who has tried candies agrees that lycasine, an alcoholic product with sugar, can cause different levels of discomfort depending on the person. So why do gummy bears, an otherwise delicious and stretchy snack, become so confusing to sphincters once the sugar is removed? The answer lies in maltitol - a type of sugar alcohol found in lycasine - which is used as a sweetener in Haribo's sugar-free gummy bears.
Maltitol is almost as sweet as table sugar but half as caloric and does not cause tooth decay. However, our body cannot fully digest it and it can ferment in the intestine leading to bloating, flatulence and loose stools. In conclusion, when choosing a sugar-free option like Haribo's gummy bears be aware that they contain maltitol which can cause unpleasant side effects such as bloating and flatulence. It's important to be mindful of how much you consume and always read labels carefully.
