"Stomach Pain and Diarrhea After Drinking Compose Zero Sugar Beverage"...The Trap of '0 Calorie Syndrome' [Matjalal X File]

Compose Coffee Zero Sugar Beverage 3 Types Early Sales End
Lotte Joke Park 0kcal Also Labeled 'Caution'
Excessive Consumption of Sugar Alcohol Causes Abdominal Pain

Editor's Note[Matjjalal X-file] uncovers misunderstandings and truths about food.

About 10 years ago, a college friend who was obsessed with dieting suffered from stomach troubles. The problem was that whenever he was hungry, he would snack on Lotte Confectionery's (now Lotte Wellfood) 'Anytime,' which was popular at the time. Anytime contained xylitol instead of sugar. It turned out that consuming excessive amounts of xylitol can cause stomach upset.

Compose Coffee Zero Sugar Beverage 3 Types

A long-forgotten memory was recently revived thanks to Compose Coffee suddenly discontinuing their zero-calorie drinks. On the 28th of last month, Compose Coffee ended sales early of three zero-calorie drinks released as summer limited menu items: Zero Sugar Peach Iced Tea, Zero Sugar Chamomile Refresh, and Zero Sugar Green Grape Green Tea. Since sales began on June 20, they were discontinued just 8 days after launch. Compose Coffee decided to remove the sales buttons from kiosks once franchise stores exhausted their inventory.

The reason for discontinuation was complaints of 'stomach pain' from some consumers. After numerous reviews on Naver blogs and cafes reported stomach pain and diarrhea after drinking Compose Coffee's zero iced teas, the company decided to halt sales. Currently, these three zero-calorie drinks are no longer found on Compose Coffee's official website menu. Compose Coffee explained that although ingredient checks through the manufacturer showed no abnormalities, they made this decision considering the brand image.

What do these repeated stomach troubles have in common? All the consumed products contained 'sugar alcohols.' Sugar alcohols are food additives that provide a refreshing sweetness as sweeteners. Despite the name, they do not contain alcohol. There are various types: xylitol, which was in Anytime, and erythritol, which is included in Compose Coffee's three zero-calorie drinks, both belong to sugar alcohols. Others include lactitol, mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, and polyglycitol syrup.

Sugar alcohols have lower sweetness and fewer calories than sugar, and their high hygroscopicity means they are used in many products. Snacks, soju, soy sauce, chocolate, gum, candy, ice cream, beverages... They are also used to keep bread and frozen foods dry. Since sugar alcohols are widely used ingredients, they are not inherently problematic. However, excessive consumption can cause issues. Therefore, products with sugar alcohols as main ingredients must clearly indicate the type and amount of sugar alcohol on the ingredient label.

For adults, daily sugar alcohol intake is limited to 30g to 50g. However, consumers with sensitive intestines may have a lower safe intake range. Let's look at the ingredient list of Compose Coffee's three zero-calorie drinks. Zero Sugar Peach Iced Tea contains 12.86g of erythritol, Zero Sugar Chamomile Refresher has 9.25g, and Zero Sugar Green Grape Green Tea contains 7.43g. This likely explains why many consumers who drank the iced tea reported stomach pain.

The stomach pain issue has made the food industry anxious about dampening the zero-calorie trend. One of the biggest beneficiaries of the zero food trend is Lotte Wellfood. Their Jaws Bar and Screw Bar 0kcal, released in April, sold 7.2 million units in one month and are approaching 20 million units sold in three months. Recently, Lotte Wellfood also launched Watermelon Bar 0kcal, but unlike before, it now includes this phrase: 'Excessive consumption may cause stomach pain and diarrhea.' This phrase was not on the Jaws Bar and Screw Bar 0kcal. Since Jaws Bar and Screw Bar 0kcal use allulose as a substitute sugar instead of sugar alcohols, this warning was not mandatory. However, from mid-this month, the same warning will be added to Jaws Bar and Screw Bar 0kcal produced thereafter. This appears to be a proactive response to the increasing consumer reports of stomach pain after consuming zero-calorie products.

Sweet 0kcal products in this world?when zero-calorie drinks and ice creams first appeared, it really felt like the world had improved. Especially for dieters or consumers needing blood sugar control, it was a cause for celebration. But zero is not a cure-all. The recent stomach pain controversy has confirmed this once again. We recommend carefully checking the sugar alcohol content and considering your intestinal condition before purchasing products.