Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between the terms sweetening agent, sugar substitute and sweetener? 2. What are sugar alcohols? Should these be avoided by ex-alcoholics? 3. What is isomalt and maltitol syrup? 4. What are natural, nature identical, artificial flavours, aroma extracts? 5. Why is information about KJ (kilojoules) and Kcal (kilocalories) provided for sugar-free sweets? 6. Are Dr. C. SOLDAN® GmbH products guaranteed fructose-free? 7. Why and for whom are gluten-free products of interest?
What is the difference between the terms sweetening agent, sugar substitute and sweetener? The general term sweetening agent includes all substances used for sweetening foodstuffs. In contrast to saccharose (sucrose or household sugar), sweetening agents do not or hardly influence the sugar level in the blood. Sweetening agents are divided into Sugar substitutes Sweeteners Sugar substitutes are not as sweet as household sugar (saccharose) and also have a lower energy content. Examples are the sugar alcohols such as isomalt, maltitol syrup, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and also fructose. Excessive consumption of sugar substitutes (more than 20 to 30 g per day) may be accompanied by a laxative effect, because of their slow absorption in the intestinal tract and their water-binding action there. They are suitable for use by diabetics since they cause the blood sugar level to rise very slowly. Sugar substitutes are not cariogenic, i.e. they do not promote the production of caries. They are derived from fruits and vegetables. In the food production industry, sugar substitutes replace sugar in a ratio of 1:1 and provide the food with texture and bulk. Sweeteners are much more intensely sweet (several hundred or thousand times more) than household sugar (saccharose) while providing virtually no calories. They are used in very small quantities and serve only to provide sweetness. Examples include: sucralose, aspartame, saccharin and cyclamate. Just like sugar substitutes, sweeteners also do not promote caries.
What are sugar alcohols? Should these be avoided by ex-alcoholics? Typical examples of sugar substitutes are the sugar alcohols (sorbitol, isomalt, mannitol, xylitol and fructose). Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates and supply about half the energy content of household sugar (saccharose). They are suitable for diabetics since they cause the blood sugar level to rise very slowly after consumption. In contrast to household sugar, they do not promote the production of caries, in contrast to household sugar. Although they are chemically classified as alcohols, they are completely different to the group of substances commonly referred to as ‘alcohol’ (ethanol, spirit, ethyl alcohol). The sugar alcohols are therefore also safe for consumption by children.
What is isomalt and maltitol syrup? These are sweetening agents, more precisely sugar substitutes and more precisely still sugar alcohols. They are derived from sugar beet.
What are natural, nature identical, artificial flavours, aroma extracts? Flavours or aromas are substances, the combination of which produces a specific odour or taste. The flavour/aroma-carrying components – generally the flavouring substances – are responsible for this. Flavouring substances are categorised in the following groups: Natural flavours: Natural flavours are based on materials of plant or animal origin. Natural flavours are for example: anethole (anise), benzaldehyde (bitter almond), decanal (oranges), nootkatone (grapefruit); Nature identical flavours: These are identical to natural flavours by chemical analysis, but they are produced by chemical synthesis or laboratory isolation. Food manufacturers often have to make use of nature identical flavours such as e.g. vanillin (bourbon vanilla) or strawberry flavour (several hundred different substances that together make-up the natural strawberry flavouring), since sufficient quantities of these are not available in nature. Artificial flavours are odorants or gustatory substances derived by chemical synthesis, which do not exist in nature. The taste depends on the concentration of the flavour. Aroma extracts are mixtures of natural flavouring agents derived from substances of natural origin by means of suitable methods.
Why is information about KJ (kilojoules) and Kcal (kilocalories) provided for sugar-free sweets? The sugar substitutes are also classified as carbohydrates and therefore have a specific calorific value. Sugar substitutes taste like sugar but are not metabolised by body like saccharose or glucose, making them safe sweetening agents for diabetics. After consumption, they do not or only slowly increase the blood sugar level and do not require insulin for utilisation by the body.
Are Dr. C. SOLDAN® GmbH products guaranteed fructose-free? This question is normally asked by persons with fructose intolerance. Even if fructose is not specified in the ingredients contained in the product (i.e. no fructose is added) small amounts of fructose may nevertheless be contained. This may originate from the ingredients used, e.g. fruit juices, or be produced in the production process of the raw materials used.
Why and for whom are gluten-free products of interest? A gluten-free diet is appropriate for persons suffering from celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic disorder of the mucosa of the small intestine due to a hypersensitivity to the gluey protein (gluten) contained in many grain varieties. Which DR. C. SOLDAN® GmbH products are gluten-free? Em-eukal® Anise-Fennel (s-c, s-f) Em-eukal® Cool Mint (s-f) Em-eukal® Eiderflower (s-f) Em-eukal® Honey (s-c) Em-eukal® Currant (s-f) Em-eukal® Classic (s-c, s-f) Em-eukal® Liquorice (s-c) Em-eukal® Minis Cool Mint (s-f) Em-eukal® Minis Classic (s-c, s-f) Em-eukal® Minis Sage (s-c, s-f) Em-eukal® Minis Lemon (s-f) Em-eukal® Plum (s-f) Em-eukal® Red Apple (s-f) Em-eukal® Sage (s-c, s-f) Em-eukal® Sage-Honey BIO (s-c) Em-eukal® Sea Buckthorn (s-f) Em-eukal® Wild Cherry (s-f) Em-eukal® Lemon (s-f) Kinder Em-eukal® Multivitamin Jelly Sweets (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Bunte Schnuller (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Euka-Menthol Hütchen (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Garten-Früchte (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Gummi-Tiere (s-f) Nasch-Kultur® Hustenmischung (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Lakritz-Scheiben (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Pfefferminz-Pastillen (s-f) Nasch-Kultur® Pfefferminz-Plätzchen (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Salmiak-Gummidrops (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Saure Citrus-Mischung (s-f) Nasch-Kultur® Saure Frucht-Mischung (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Veilchen Pastillen (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Wald-Früchte (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Gelatine-Free Jelly Bears (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Large Fruit Juice Jelly Bears (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Large Red Fruit Juice Jelly Bears (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Yoghurt Bears (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Small Fruit Juice Jelly Bears with 40% less sugar (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Mini Large Fruit Juice Jelly Bears (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Wild Berries Jelly Bears BIO (s-c) Original BÄRENGARTEN® Sugar-Free Jelly Bears (s-f) Sage Sweets (s-c, s-f) Sage Sweets – with extra honey, rosemary and St. John’s wort (s-c, s-f) Tex-Schmelz® Fizzy Dextrose (s-c) Tex-Schmelz® Dextrose (s-c) Tex-Schmelz® Pocketbox (s-c) Products which are not gluten-free due to their formulations: aecht bayrischer Blockmalz (s-c) aecht bayrischer Blockmalz, tin (s-c) Em-eukal® Medicinal Herbs BIO (s-c) Kinder Em-eukal® Minis Wild Cherry (s-c, s-f) Kinder Em-eukal® Cough Lollies (s-c, s-f) Kinder Em-eukal® Wild Cherry (s-c, s-f) Nasch-Kultur® Knusper-Salmiak (s-c) Nasch-Kultur® Salmiak-Pastillen (s-c, s-f) s-c = containing-sugar s-f = sugar-free