➤ D-Psicose (C6H12O6), also known as D-allulose, or simply allulose, is a low-calorie monosaccharide sugar used by some major commercial food and beverage manufacturers.
➤ It has 70% of the sweetness of table sugar.
➤ The caloric value of allulose in humans is about 0.2 to 0.4 kcal/g, relative to about 4 kcal/g for typical carbohydrates.
➤ The body doesn't metabolize it leaving most of it excreted unchanged.
➤ Although it is not a sugar alcohol (which can upset the gut) it still can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
➤ Since it is technically a sugar, products using it can not be labeled "sugar free."
➤ It's been made since 1940 but was only approved for safety in the US in 2014. The European Union has still not approved it.
➤ Production is mostly from fermented corn using enzymes.
Allulose has potential for stabilizing blood glucose levels for patients suffering diabetes.
But is it truly safe? I can't say at this point. Although I run a high volume practice, I do not have the clinical experience to give a professional opinion (my patients generally aren't using it). However, I would be cautious. We are the experiment. Better is to the break the sweet tooth.
[Toyoda, Yukiyasu; Ogawa, Masahiro; Nagata, Yasuo; Tokuda, Masaaki (2015). "Rare sugar d-allulose: Potential role and therapeutic monitoring in maintaining obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus". Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 155: 49–59.]
