Clinical Use of Sorbitol as a Sweetening Agent in Diabetes Mellitus

A palatable “ice cream” preparation in which sorbitol has been used as the sweetening agent in place of sucrose has been fed to 38 diabetic patients. The slow absorption of sorbitol, and its conversion to fructose and glycogen prior to its availability as glucose, has led to consideration of this substance for use as an adjunct in diabetic diets. In mild and moderately severe diabetic patients, the feeding of sorbitol ice cream as an addition to the usual diet did not significantly alter the diurnal blood glucose values. A palatable “ice cream” preparation in which sorbitol has been used as the sweetening agent in place of sucrose has been fed to 38 diabetic patients. The slow absorption of sorbitol, and its conversion to fructose and glycogen prior to its availability as glucose, has led to consideration of this substance for use as an adjunct in diabetic diets. In mild and moderately severe diabetic patients, the feeding of sorbitol ice cream as an addition to the usual diet did not significantly alter the diurnal blood glucose values.