WheyLow

[backpacker]

Has anybody heard of, or used WheyLow? I recently found it on a website for a local company that makes really tasty low-carb pizzas.

WheyLow has 75% less carbs than sugar.

They have a whole page comparing it to splenda, here is some of it:

How does Whey Low® compare to Splenda®?
(This question about the two sugar substitutes is our most commonly asked question.)
Whey Low® is all-natural. Splenda® is partly artificial.
Whey Low® is a patented blend of natural sugars. Splenda® contains a chlorinated organic chemical.
Whey Low® tastes exactly like sugar...Guaranteed. Splenda® does not back such a guarantee.
Whey Low® is perfect for baking, just like sugar. Splenda® requires special recipes for baking.
Whey Low® Granular has 5 Calories/tsp (5 g). Splenda® Sugar Blend for Baking has 20 Calories/tsp.
Whey Low® replaces sugar one-for-one. Splenda® Sugar Blend replaces sugar one-for-two.

Link: http://www.wheylow.com/

It sounds promising, but it's expensive! The low-carb pizza company sells it for... $8.59/pound (if you buy 5 pounds). I haven't looked for it elsewhere.

[Gaelen]

Backpacker, I've never used it although I've heard of it. I tend to use either very small amounts (1/4 cup or less) of natural sugar, or small (1 tsp or less) of stevia powder or Splenda, or things like nuts and fruit to boost the sweetness of foods. Maybe Mary in WI will pop in if she's carried WheyLow in the store...and maybe the makers would send you a small sample instead of the full five pounds.

Gaelen

[backpacker]

I was just reading about it today. I haven't checked if my local coop sells it yet or not. If so, I'll give it a test and report back.

[Karen J]

Hello.
I am new here, and in fact, this is my very first post.
I know there are quite a few low-carbers out there that use it, and it doesn't seem to present a problem (yet).
But I feel that there is something about Whey Low that seems fishy to me. First, it is made from three types of sugar- fructose, sucrose (table sugar, which is half glucose and half fructose), and lactose (milk sugar). The fructose bothers me, based on what I've read in PPL.

First, I read what VivaLac stated in the FAQ section about fructose, and then I went to page 159 of PPL ("The Trouble with Fructose") to refresh my memory. I don't think I'd buy the Whey Low.

PS- This is what VivaLac says about the fructose:
"Will the fruit sugar in Whey Low® products cause increased levels of serum triglycerides? Recently, researchers have reported that dietary consumption of very large amounts (greater than 20% of total energy intake) of fructose may cause increased serum triglyceride levels, a probable risk factor for heart disease. Published clinical studies have shown no increase in serum triglycerides when as much as 19% of total energy intake is table sugar (cf. Bantle et al., Diabetes Care 16: 1301-1305 (1993) (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8404438&dopt=Abstract) and Abraira et al., Am J Med 84: 193-200, (1988) (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3044068&dopt=Abstract)). Since table sugar, or sucrose, is 1/2 fructose and 1/2 glucose and since fructose is metabolized identically by the liver to make triglycerides regardless of the dietary source, we can see that ingestion of 9.5% of total energy intake as fructose shows no increase in serum triglycerides. Complete replacement of the average American's 80-gram-per-day consumption of "added sugars" (as part of a total energy intake of 2500 Calories per day) with 80 grams per day of Whey Low® products will result in less than 9.5% of total energy consumption as fructose. Consequently, we do not expect any significant elevation of serum triglycerides when any combination of Whey Low® Granular, Type D, or any other Whey Low® product is used as a one-for-one replacement for table sugar in the normal American diet. Most importantly, we have seen a significant decrease in postprandial blood sugar of diabetics and pre-diabetics when either Whey Low® Type D or Whey Low® Granular, respectively, replaces table sugar in their meals."

Edit- Dana Carpender wrote an excellent review of Whey Low here: http://www.holdthetoast.com/httblog/archives/000169.html

[Always]

We don't carry Whey Low because we read Dana's post about it some time ago (mentioned here) and we couldn't see anything in the ingredients to disagree with her.

Another great sweetener is made by www.lowcarbspecialties.com (http://www.lowcarbspecialties.com). We do carry that one and it bakes great. Her ChocoPerfection candy bars are THE BEST I've had and contain alot of fiber/bar.

[Karen J]

Mary in Wi, Those chocolate bars look fabulous! I have not had much experience with ogliofructose (but admit that fructose in any form raises a red flag). I should preface that by saying that I like Splenda, Erythritol, and Ace K very much. When used together, they creat a synergy that boosts sweetening power yet exposes our bodies to the least toxic amounts of the individual sweeteners.

I wonder how far away you are from the Wauconda Ill area? I've never been to Wisconsin and would love to visit your store.

[Relief]

ooligofructose is NOT fructose the name notwithstanding, if is a fiber made from chicory and is also known as inulin. It has probiotic properties--meaning that is it promotes healthy bacteria in the gut. it has less than 5 grams of usable carb per CUP! and it is highly useful in baking . I've been experimenting with it in cookies lately. the only drawback is the price. on the cocoperfection site it is 20 dollars per pound:eek: and a pound in only about 4 cups. you can get a nearly identical product from netritian.com it is just called inulin and goes for about 5 dollars for a half pound. so about half of the cost of the other. it adds the bulk and texture that is missing with the other sweeteners without the problems of sugar alcohols. I've been able to get CRUNCHY cookies wheee! i also use a combination: some inulin, some xylitol and some splenda. I aslo ONLY use the liquid splenda that I get from sweetzfree.com--zero carbs, zero aftertaste--1/4 teaspoon equals a cup of sugar!! it is a little hard to get but TOTALLY worth the effort IMO.

[Karen J]

Relief,
Thank you very much for setting me straight. :) I have heard nice things about Inulin, but didn't know that Inulin and ogliofructose were one and the same.
Isn't that what Dreamfields uses in their pasta?

Would you say that Inulin is better to use than Poly Dextrose? Poly D also adds back some of the bulk and texture of sugar.

[Gaelen]

Just one quick note about inulin (which is also an ingredient in SteviaPlus, the variant of stevia that comes in packets like sugar and artificial sweeteners, as well as in some yogurts and reduced carb baked goods and pastas)...

People with digestive issues like IBS, IBD, Crohn's and even just intermittent unclassified gastrointestinal distress should approach inulin with caution. ;) Although all of my suspected IBS symptoms pretty much disappeared as soon as I went on chemo for the real problem, I found that I could no longer tolerate even minute amounts of inulin (like the barely there amounts in a half-packet of SteviaPlus.) I have the same cramping and intestinal distress I get from sugar alcohols. I discovered on some cancer support boards that this reaction to inulin is pretty common for people with GI cancers or on chemo. Whatever the digestive mechanism for inulin, it can really be affected by cerain GI conditions, so handle with care...mileage definitely varies. ;)

[Belfrybat]

I've been using Whey Low for about three years. Really like the taste and texture, especially the powdered variety. The brown sugar variety is not worth it--very little taste. I get it from their website: www.wheylow.com (http://www.wheylow.com). The Sampler is a good deal. Now that other sweeteners are available (inulin and the like), I probably will only use WheyLow when only powdered sugar will do, like sprinkled on lc pound cake, or funnel cakes. For baking I now use inulin or PolyD from www.netrition.com (http://www.netrition.com).

[scott123]

Would you say that Inulin is better to use than Poly Dextrose? Poly D also adds back some of the bulk and texture of sugar.

I know this thread is from 5 months ago, but just in case your question wasn't answered, polydextrose and inulin are almost identical. One is polymerized dextrose (polyd) and the other polymerized fructose (inulin). They both provide the same textural qualities of sugar.

The biggest difference is price. The last time I checked, inulin is more than 5 times the price of polyd. That's why I only bake with polyd.

[cmcole]

MD Eades did a blog regarding poly-D recently, in relation to making icecream.

[scott123]

Thanks, I took a look at it. Good stuff.

[islandgirl]

I'm in on the side of caution.

I don't believe the self-styled FAQs and marketing about the WheyLow being lower in carbs, it's simply not chemically or legally (per USDA definitions of carbs) sound terminology.

I use inulin (fructooligosaccharides), polydextrose, combined sweeteners (great caution with polyols, ranging from erythritol thru sorbitol), sucralose, ace-k, stevia, all by preference. I will use the different WheyLow products when I absolutely must have some caramelization or a maceration, but in very small amounts. Since I bought a sampler pack, this should last me a decade or more ! :eek:

Because of the fructose, it will have a lower glycemic index, and that's all they should be claiming. Also, anyone with a lactose intolerance should be VERY leery of this stuff.

;)

[islandgirl]

MD Eades did a blog regarding poly-D recently, in relation to making icecream.

I'd love to read this, but brain isn't working today...is there a link?

:question:

[Mitra]

It's here: Singin' Poly-woly Dextrose All The Day (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmd/archives/2006/07/poly_wolly_dext.html)

[Gaelen]

Islandgirl, at the bottom of every page of the forum is a link in the lower right for "Protein Power" -- it's the main page of the website, which includes links to each of the Drs. Eades most current blog posts. From there, you can bookmark both Mike's and MaryDan's individual blogs.

[islandgirl]

Ta, Gaelen, I haven't been here much since the revamp (and thank you, too, Mitra!)


:nod: