Sugar alcohols (common ones: maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol) are not sugar nor are they alcohol. While they are safe for diabetics because they don’t cause an upsurge in blood sugar and are lower in calories than sugar, they can cause bloating and even diarrhea. Sugar alcohols are found in very low levels in some raw fruits and vegetables, and do not cause problems in this natural state.  However these highly processed commercially produced sugar alcohols used in the diet industry are very different from the ones found in nature.