My mom, who used to be convinced that Atkins would "kill me," has finally come around and is supporting my WOE. The other day she sent me a package of sugar-free gummi worms. Problem is, they're the homemade kind, sold in a little bag at a local Mennonite store. The ingredients are listed, and they're labeled "sugar-free," but there is no nutritional information. I know sugar-free doesn't mean low-carb in all cases, so can someone please tell me if these are OK? I ate two the other day and got the typical OD-on-sugar-alchohols reaction.

Here's the ingredients: Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, gelatin, citric acid, lactic acid, natural and artificial flavoros, artificial colors (including red #3 and #40, yellow #5 and #6, blue #1), mineral oil, carnauba wax.

The word "starch" in there has me worried...

I don't know about the ingredients other than they are all not good. I'd personally stay clear of them.

Vikki

Isn't it citric acid that's a well suspected staller when it's in diet soda?
Well, it doesn't sound like you'll eat too many of them! I've found gummy bears with good net carbs counts and sugar alcohols, which don't seem to both me, but since gummi things are pure whateveritis, I can only have ONE.
Which takes a lot of the fun out of it.

I have some personal experience with sugar free gummy worms, and it wasn't a good thing. I didn't gain weight from eating them but the first day I got them I ate to many( probably six or seven I would guess) and was sick to my stomach. I mean curled in a ball with cramps and gas. I wasn't sure if it was the worms at that point so I had two the next day and the same thing happened only to a lesser degree. I threw the remainder of them in the trash. By the way I am for the most part not sensitive like some people around the forum. I have never had this problem before or since.


Gabrielle

Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate -- A Blend of Sugar Alcohols
gelatin -- A Low-Quality Protein
citric acid -- A non-caloric additive
lactic acid -- A non-caloric additive
natural and artificial flavoros -- Usually non-caloric
artificial colors (including red #3 and #40, yellow #5 and #6, blue #1) -- non-caloric additives
mineral oil -- I'd guess this would be a Fat.
carnauba wax -- I believe this is probably non-caloric, though it may be a lipid (fat.) It is used to coat the Gummy Bears.

Hey, thanks cc48510 — that was really helpful. I already know how these affect my stomach much, much worse than the sugar alcohols in SF chocolates, but if I limit it to two a day, I'm OK. Just wanted to make sure that "Sugar-Free" in this case did mean low-carb. Thanks!

But hey, I'd like to say it's great that your mom is coming around. Her heart's in the right place.

For those interested in gummy worms (or bears etc.) without the sugar alcohol... danger... I found this recipe on the forums:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...ght=gummy+worms

Bookmarked it to try as soon as I have some plain gelatin. Sounds like it'd be a decent replacement. Now if I can only find some candy molds to make little mini shapes....