The entire island’s worm population has taken up residence on our patio. Oddly, they play dead during the day and then come alive again at night, wiggling their way up the walls, into flower pots and sometimes, into Jasper’s water bowl — which makes me think they’re either hot, or suicidal. Regardless, this couldn’t be happening at a worse time as my Mum arrives this week and is likely to be unimpressed by the worm infestation.It’s one of life’s mysteries, why, no matter how grown-up and sensible you are, is it impossible to get your house to a parent-impressing level of respectability and general hygiene?

I know that no matter how hard I try, at some point there’ll still be the shameful discovery of some dirt underneath the cutlery tray or something embarrassing under the bed.

This does however paint an unfair picture of my Mum.

She’s a fabulous guest — cooks, cleans and presents us with cups of tea and glasses of wine at every opportunity.

So the second mystery is really why I get so worried about what she thinks of the state of my house.

It’s not like it will stay messy for long anyway — as she’ll have whipped round the bathroom and rearranged the cupboards within 45 minutes of unpacking her bags.

There are really only two solutions here — firstly, to hire a cleaner and secondly, to accept that I’ll never understand the mystery of the mother-daughter-house-tidying dynamic.

Fortunately, although as a rule I don’t like unsolved mysteries, I’m ok with this one. Perhaps because I’ve just solved another, which seems to be some kind of compensation—.

Question of the week:

What are sugar alcohols? They are a mystery to me!

K. OATLEY, St. George’s<$>

Sugar alcohols are a hydrogenated or partly-hydrogenated form of carbohydrate commonly used as low-calorie sweeteners and bulking agents within processed foods.

Although they are technically “alcohols”, they do not contain ethanol - the alcohol found in all alcoholic drinks.

Despite first impressions, sugar alcohols actually occur naturally, coming from plants such as fruit, wood, vegetables and grains.

However, in general they are produced commercially from glucose and starch.

Sugar alcohols include: Arabitol, Erythrinol, Glycerol, Isomalt, Lactitol, Maltitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol and Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates (HSH). They are commonly found in sugar-free cookies, candy, sodas, toothpaste and mouthwash.

As for their health benefits, there are pros and cons here. On the one hand, they can help to reduce the calorific punch of “sweet” foods, yet on the other they don’t really hold any nutritional value.

Do I eat/drink sugar alcohols? Save for the odd emergency piece of chewing gum, no.

That’s because I prefer to get my sugar fix from more nutrient rich natural sugars, such as fruit (and ok, the odd bit of chocolate.) However, here are the positives and negatives of sugar alcohols so you can make your own mind up!

POSITIVES>

[bul] Sugar alcohols contain less calories than sugar - generally they fall in at between 1.5 - 3 calories per gram, compared to sugar which has 4 calories per gram. Therefore, they can be useful for those who are trying to lose weight by restricting their calorie intake.

[bul] In addition to being sweet, some sugar alcohols also produce a cooling effect in the mouth - which is why they are often used in chewing gums such as Trident and Extra.

[bul] One very positive aspect of sugar alcohols is that as they are not metabolised by bacteria in the mouth, so they don’t contribute to tooth decay.

[bul] As sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed during digestion, they don’t tend to cause spikes in blood sugar and do not require insulin to be processed. This makes sugar alcohols a popular sweetener for diabetics. However, a word of caution: the American Diabetic Association (ADA) only recommends sugar alcohols in moderation and notes that some Type 1 diabetics have seen their blood sugar rise when consuming large amounts. In terms of carbohydrate value, the ADA recommends that diabetics count half the grams of sugar alcohol as carbohydrates, since about half is actually digested.

NEGATIVE$>

[bul]Because they tend to be less sweet than sugar, sugar alcohols are often combined with artificial sweeteners. The pairing is complementary as the sugar alcohols hide the unpleasant aftertaste associated with some sweeteners, but the sweeteners themselves boost the sugary taste of the product. The problem? Many people are now choosing to avoid artificial sweeteners in favour of more natural foods with less risk of side-effects. Some artificial sweeteners have been linked to headaches, gastric upsets and fatigue in some sensitive individuals. In addition, some artificial sweeteners are best avoided during pregnancy.

[bul] As the sugar alcohols are not completely digestible, the remnants are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, often causing a laxative effect and potentially triggering gas, bloating and diarrhoea — especially in those with an already sensitive bowel. Note however that the International Food Information Council states that sugar alcohols are more likely to cause digestive upset if consumed on an otherwise empty stomach.

[bul] Although sugar alcohols do contain fewer calories than sugar, this is often only marginally the case, and may not be worth risking the potential side-effects.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at 291 4725 clinicalnutrition]gmail.com. Course deta: www.nutrifitbermuda.bm