Products/foods with sugar alcohol in them
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
Products/foods with sugar alcohol in them
Hello everyone. I am finishing up day 12 of my sobriety and so far it's been pretty easy and craving free from me, which is weird since I used to drink chronically for 5 years straight and never sober for more than 3 days. So that's my introduction I guess for now, lol.
I have lurked at these forums for months but I just had to register by this which bothers me so much and cannot be resolved by finding an answer anywhere else on the internet. That is, does sugar alcohol cause alcohol cravings? I am having a terrible cold right now and I never take medicine but to do my job today I had to take some Dayquil gel caps. It says on the box alcohol free. Later on in the day when the Dayquil began wearing off, I started having intense (almost like a thirsty man wants water) cravings to go out and buy some vodka. I don't know where this craving came from and this is the first time I've had it in these 12 days.
I resisted the urge to go out and buy alcohol. But the more I thought about it, I looked at all the ingredients on Dayquil and it has an "inactive" ingredient of manitol which is a sugar alcohol. If I knew that I wouldn't have taken this in the first place.
My question is, do you think something this small could bring on such a strong craving?
I found one link but the site won't let me post the link since this is my first post.
But on it states "Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH). Sugar alcohols are not commonly used in home food preparation, but are found in many processed foods. Food products labeled "sugar-free," including hard candies, cookies, chewing gums, soft drinks and throat lozenges often consist of sugar alcohols. They are frequently used in toothpaste and mouthwash too."
I am wondering how something labeled "alcohol-free" can have a form of alcohol in it or am I missing something here? Thanks!
ETA: I've also been using cough drops all morning long, too. I just know that a few hours later after everything wore off I was going crazy over wanting a drink but thank God that craving finally passed...
I have lurked at these forums for months but I just had to register by this which bothers me so much and cannot be resolved by finding an answer anywhere else on the internet. That is, does sugar alcohol cause alcohol cravings? I am having a terrible cold right now and I never take medicine but to do my job today I had to take some Dayquil gel caps. It says on the box alcohol free. Later on in the day when the Dayquil began wearing off, I started having intense (almost like a thirsty man wants water) cravings to go out and buy some vodka. I don't know where this craving came from and this is the first time I've had it in these 12 days.
I resisted the urge to go out and buy alcohol. But the more I thought about it, I looked at all the ingredients on Dayquil and it has an "inactive" ingredient of manitol which is a sugar alcohol. If I knew that I wouldn't have taken this in the first place.
My question is, do you think something this small could bring on such a strong craving?
I found one link but the site won't let me post the link since this is my first post.
But on it states "Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH). Sugar alcohols are not commonly used in home food preparation, but are found in many processed foods. Food products labeled "sugar-free," including hard candies, cookies, chewing gums, soft drinks and throat lozenges often consist of sugar alcohols. They are frequently used in toothpaste and mouthwash too."
I am wondering how something labeled "alcohol-free" can have a form of alcohol in it or am I missing something here? Thanks!
ETA: I've also been using cough drops all morning long, too. I just know that a few hours later after everything wore off I was going crazy over wanting a drink but thank God that craving finally passed...
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: central n00bistan
Posts: 121
Relax.
I know the word 'alcohol' in the name is scary, but it's only there because part of the molecule resembles part of the alcohol molecule. Sugar alcohols do not behave in the brain chemistry the same way regular alcohol does.
The worst sugar alcohols can do is give you gas
I know the word 'alcohol' in the name is scary, but it's only there because part of the molecule resembles part of the alcohol molecule. Sugar alcohols do not behave in the brain chemistry the same way regular alcohol does.
The worst sugar alcohols can do is give you gas
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 581
Originally Posted by xlina 
...cravings to go out and buy some vodka. I don't know where this craving came from and this is the first time I've had it in these 12 days.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 30
I'm in my early sober days as well xlina but I can tell you that when I do get sick, the cravings seem to start. I've given it some thought and that only thing that I can think of is that I was basically hungover ever single day during my drinking days... and what was the best way to cure that crappy feeling? more and more booze.
I think now when I get a bit sick or feel a bit off, my alcoholic mind tells me to drink, because thats all its known for the past 5 or so years.
I think now when I get a bit sick or feel a bit off, my alcoholic mind tells me to drink, because thats all its known for the past 5 or so years.
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