Ok, try this on for size.

The reason IMO people lose weight on Atkins is that they consume fewer calories. The reason we consume fewer calories IMO is because we cut back on the carbs, and that lower carb level keeps our blood sugar from spiking. When a person's blood sugar stays steady, they're not hungry, eat less, and so lose weight by reducing their calorie intake.

So, do sugar alcohols "count". Yes and no. Yes because they are calories. Since they're carbs, they will be metabolized just as any other carb and they will be the converted to glucose and either burned by the body or stored as fat. In this respect, they certainly count.

On the other hand, if the sugar alcohols do NOT cause a blood sugar response, then a person’s appetite will stay sated and that person will consume fewer calories because they're not hungry. In this respect, sugar alcohols do NOT count.

The question becomes an individual one. Do sugar alcohols cause you to feel hungry (like say a donut will) an hour or two of consuming them? If they do, then for you as an individual they must be counted as any other carb. If they don't then for you as an individual you can safely exclude them from the count of your daily carb intake.

Again, IMO low carb diets are all about controlling hunger and consequently eating fewer calories. Sugar alcohols may or may not sabotage your low carb diet. The only way for you to know is to experiment with them.

Dan