Whey Low- Do These Claims Make Sense?

[fci5767]

I've been using the sweetener Whey Low for a while now and my mom has used it for about nine months. It tastes and looks exactly like sugar because it is made of a blend of sugars. I'm not trying to sell the product, I just want to know if it really is a better alternative to splenda or aspartame.

The website makes a lot of claims that I'd like to be true, but I'm not sure. Are there any food chemists or nutritionists out there who can help figure this out?

The product is available at whey low (http://www.wheylow.com) There is scientific data on the website but here are some of the claims that the company makes:

In your diet, Whey Low® helps you achieve & maintain a healthy & attractive body image.
Caloric value of 1 Calorie/gram (table sugar = 4 Calories/gram) supports low-calorie diets.
Effective carbohydrate content (or net impact carbohydrates) of 1 gram/teaspoon supports low-carbohydrate diets.
Natural sugars in Whey Low® inhibit absorption of dietary carbohydrates such as starch and sucrose.
Low calorie and net impact carbohydrate values important to type 1 and type 2 diabetics, health-conscious, overweight, and obese individuals

By controlling your body weight, you reduce your risk for these overweight-related diseases
Type 2 diabetes
Stroke
Heart disease
Hypertension
Breast, colon, and prostate cancers

Helps you control after-meal blood sugar excursions
Glycemic index less than 12 for non diabetics and ~20 for diabetics (glucose = 100)
Reduced glycemic index important to low-carb dieters, type 1 and 2 diabetics, and glucose intolerants
Reduced insulin requirement for Whey Low® eases stress on over-worked pancreas of the diabetic.
Clinical studies planned to determine long-term benefits for the diabetic

Helps you realize a healthier immune system
Unabsorbed sugars of Whey Low® and starch stimulate growth of healthful gut bacteria (called the prebiotic effect).
Healthful gut bacteria, lactobacillus and bifidus, thrive on lactose in Whey Low®.
Recent literature studies show immune system stimulation from healthful bacteria.
Prebiotic effect important to all health-conscious individuals
Planned clinical studies with Whey Low® to quantify anticipated benefits

May help you avoid or postpone osteoporosis
Unabsorbed lactose and other carbohydrates known to enhance calcium absorption
This property is important to middle-aged women predisposed to osteoporosis.
Planned clinical studies with Whey Low® to test enhanced calcium absorption.



It really sounds too good to be true. It has been approved by South Beach as an acceptable sweetener for that program. I'm curious to know what others think.

[fci5767]

Bumping to see if someone has any ideas.


Beth

[Paris M]

I use it, sparingly, since I gave up all artificial sweeteners and I don't have any problems with it.

The creator actually responded on the WW thread over at eGullet and responded to this very question.

I would like to see some peer-reviewed lit on the subject but for now I think it's a good option.

[funniegrrl]

Originally posted by fci5767
It tastes and looks exactly like sugar because it is made of a blend of sugars.

I don't understand why this would be acceptable to people who shun Splenda, since it is modified sugar just as Splenda is.

[bobmark226]

The other question is: just how much of this do you actually use that it would make that much of a difference? You didn't say anything about baking, so I'm perhaps incorrectly assuming it's just the odd teaspoon or two here and there. While sugar might have a negative impact, I don't know that a small amount of this used daily is going to be the be-all or end-all on any health issue.

The majority of the claims shown are geared to Diabetics and are certainly sound enough, but they also apply to Splenda and most other "diet" type sweeteners.

Bob

[Paris M]

Originally posted by funniegrrl


I don't understand why this would be acceptable to people who shun Splenda, since it is modified sugar just as Splenda is.

It's not modified sugar at all, it's a blend of natural sugars: sucrose, lactose and fructose. Splenda is modified with chlorine.

[Paris M]

Originally posted by bobmark226
The other question is: just how much of this do you actually use that it would make that much of a difference? You didn't say anything about baking, so I'm perhaps incorrectly assuming it's just the odd teaspoon or two here and there. While sugar might have a negative impact, I don't know that a small amount of this used daily is going to be the be-all or end-all on any health issue.

The majority of the claims shown are geared to Diabetics and are certainly sound enough, but they also apply to Splenda and most other "diet" type sweeteners.

It's excellent to bake with! My MIL who does SBD used it over the winter holidays to make all types of cookies and cakes.

I use it anywhere I would use sucrose - coffee and baked goods mainly. Primarily, I use it daily in coffee, so, no, for me, it's not the be-all or end-all things that's gonna make or break my health for the day.

Yes, but if you are a diabetic and do not want to use an artificial sweetener Whey Low is a good alternative.

I use it because a) I have to keep my glucose levels in check because of a severe family history of diabetes b) it's natural; I don't use artificial sweeteners & c) I like stevia but too much leaves an aftertaste and Whey Low does not.