Finally, a sugar substitute that is really just ... sugar!

It has long been known that sugars, like many other molecules, exist in
"right-handed" and "left-handed" versions. It has also long been known
that, for any given sugar, only one version can be readily absorbed by
the body, even though both versions behave the same way in other
respects, and both taste sweet. Thus, one version has lots of calories,
the other has almost none. But nobody had found exactly the right
version of the right sugar along with a way to produce it in quantity.
Until now, that is. See this very interesting article in _Wired_
magazine:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/newsugar.html

Looks like people with an incurable sweet tooth (not to mention
diabetics) may soon be able to freely enjoy all the sugar they want.

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On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 22:46:29 +0200, Mxsmanic
wrote:

It has long been known that sugars, like many other molecules, exist in
"right-handed" and "left-handed" versions.

I always thought that unlike amino acids, the body could use either D
or L glucose. Guess I was wrong. However, I wonder where the 38% of
the calories in this mirror universe sugar the body can use comes
from? Of course it's also possible that tagatose is actually "reverse
sucrose" and it's the fructose part our body can't handle.

In any case, make sure you tow a porta pottie around if you eat too
much of this stuff because sugars that your body can't digest tend to
cause the ****s.

--
Ron Ritzman
http://www.panix.com/~ritzlart
Smart people can figure out my email address

Interesting website.... I really like the taste of Splenta.... I wonder how
this one would taste. Wouldn't it be better to use something like Splenda
if it has less calories though?

--
Email me at:
perpleglow(AT)comcast.net


"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
It has long been known that sugars, like many other molecules, exist in
"right-handed" and "left-handed" versions. It has also long been known
that, for any given sugar, only one version can be readily absorbed by
the body, even though both versions behave the same way in other
respects, and both taste sweet. Thus, one version has lots of calories,
the other has almost none. But nobody had found exactly the right
version of the right sugar along with a way to produce it in quantity.
Until now, that is. See this very interesting article in _Wired_
magazine:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/newsugar.html

Looks like people with an incurable sweet tooth (not to mention
diabetics) may soon be able to freely enjoy all the sugar they want.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Ignoramus785 writes:

Interesting. Just For Your Information: the so called mad cow disease
as well as the cannibals' disease kuru involves a special protein that
in all respects reminds the normal protein in the brain, except that
it is left handed (symmetrically opposite, like a mirror
reflection of the normal protain). Same chemical composition etc.

According to the article, the original problem with thalidomide was
caused by this, too. One version of the molecule cured morning
sickness; the other caused birth deformities. Modern formulations of
thalidomide contain only the beneficial version of the molecule.

I feel great without right handed sugar and surely won't miss the left
handed sugar either!!!

The only question not answered by the article is: If only 25% of the
sugar is absorbed in the gut, where does the other 75% go? In the case
of polyols such as mannitol, the same phenomenon obtains ... and it acts
as a powerful laxative. Olestra has the same problem: a lot of it is
not absorbed, so it acts as a laxative instead.

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Ron Ritzman writes:

I always thought that unlike amino acids, the body could use either D
or L glucose. Guess I was wrong.

This isn't glucose, those, it's tagatose, a different sugar, so you may
still be right (I don't remember).

However, I wonder where the 38% of the calories in this mirror
universe sugar the body can use comes from?

The tagatose is seen by the body very much like normal fructose, and is
metabolized that way, apparently. However, only about 20-25% of
tagatose is actually absorbed from the gut.

Of course, that raises the question of where the other 80% of the sugar
goes, as you yourself observe. Sugars that aren't absorbed can act as
osmotic laxatives, which might not be much fun (cf. mannitol, sorbitol,
xylitol, which have much the same effect and are used as purgatives
prior to GI tract procedures).

Of course it's also possible that tagatose is actually "reverse
sucrose" and it's the fructose part our body can't handle.

The article implied that tagatose was something different, although it's
not very clear about that.

My impression that true sucrose would be fully absorbed in both forms,
although one form would not be metabolized in the usual way (not sure
what would happen to it, though).

In any case, make sure you tow a porta pottie around if you eat too
much of this stuff because sugars that your body can't digest tend to
cause the ****s.

Exactly.

Let's hope that this molecule doesn't have any unwanted effects, like
the teratogenic effects described for one version of the thalidomide
molecule.

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Perple Glow writes:

Interesting website.... I really like the taste of Splenta.... I wonder how
this one would taste. Wouldn't it be better to use something like Splenda
if it has less calories though?

The article says that Splenda isn't as suitable for cooking, whereas
tagatose behaves just like sugar.

One thing that concerns me is the claims of many beneficial effects for
tagatose. That sounds suspiciously like snake oil--a wealth of
wonderful effects are often claimed for new and misunderstood drugs and
food additives. But statistically, it's unlikely that only beneficial
effects exist; there are probably harmful effects as well. We'll see
what those turn out to be. The article itself mentions thalidomide as
one example.

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On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 12:04:31 +0200, Mxsmanic
wrote:

The tagatose is seen by the body very much like normal fructose, and is
metabolized that way, apparently. However, only about 20-25% of
tagatose is actually absorbed from the gut.

Another fate of unabsorbed sugar is being fermented by bacteria in the
colon and, along with the unpleasant effects, some of the short chain
fatty acids produced by this fermentation are usable fuel by the body.
(the calories "count") The effect would be similar to lactose
intolerance.

--
Ron Ritzman
http://www.panix.com/~ritzlart
Smart people can figure out my email address

Splenda does work well for cooking. You use it cup for cup just like sugar.
That and the fact that it tastes much better than nutrasweet it the reason
so many like and use it.

Melissa


"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Perple Glow writes:

Interesting website.... I really like the taste of Splenta.... I wonder
how
this one would taste. Wouldn't it be better to use something like
Splenda
if it has less calories though?

The article says that Splenda isn't as suitable for cooking, whereas
tagatose behaves just like sugar.

One thing that concerns me is the claims of many beneficial effects for
tagatose. That sounds suspiciously like snake oil--a wealth of
wonderful effects are often claimed for new and misunderstood drugs and
food additives. But statistically, it's unlikely that only beneficial
effects exist; there are probably harmful effects as well. We'll see
what those turn out to be. The article itself mentions thalidomide as
one example.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Ignoramus14056 writes:

When I tried pringles with olestra, after ****ting my ass become
sticky and very oily, impossible to wipe with toilet paper. As though
it was oiled by cosmoline.

That was the Olestra. It's not absorbed, so it goes right through you.
Some other food substitutes are a little different, because often they
not only pass through unabsorbed themselves, but they also bring extra
water with them, which can cause diarrhea.

Unfortunately, there's no way around this. If something isn't absorbed,
the only place for it to come out is via the rectum. And if the
substance in question is a liquid, or is hydrophilic and cannot be
readily dehydrated by the large colon, it is likely to cause diarrhea,
or at least a powerful laxative effect.

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Melissa writes:

Splenda does work well for cooking. You use it cup for cup just like sugar.
That and the fact that it tastes much better than nutrasweet it the reason
so many like and use it.

Is it safe for diabetics?

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