What is allulose? Allulose is a low-calorie (0.2 kcal/g) monosaccharide present in some foods in very small amounts, and is currently mass-produced through enzymatic conversion of fructose (the enzyme tagatose 3-epimerase converts fructose to allulose).
It has been considered a therapeutic agent towards metabolic syndrome and type-II diabetes due to having antioxidant effects, inhibitory activity toward brush-border digestive enzymes, competes with glucose for entry into intestinal cells, and increases glucose uptake into the liver.
In individuals with type-II diabetes, consuming 5 and 10 grams of allulose alongside a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) significantly reduced the peak and overall glucose response in a linear dose-response manner. Insulin was also reduced with the 10-gram dose. When this study was repeated in healthy adults, a small reduction in glucose but not insulin was observed.
Allulose (5 grams) marginally enhances fat oxidation in healthy adults when consumed before a standardized meal, and a 12-week intervention in normal-weight and overweight Korean adults reported that taking two 4-gram or 7-gram doses of allulose per day significantly reduced body weight and body fat mass, mostly from the subcutaneous depots (rather than visceral).
A dose-escalation study found that no gastrointestinal complaints were observed with the consumption of allulose until a single dose reached 0.4 g/kg body weight, which resulted in abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Paleo | Not Paleo |
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Naturally occurring “rare” sugar very low in calories | Isolated molecule that would be consumed in quantities never before experienced |
Has metabolic benefits with no known risks | Derived from corn in commercial forms |
Similar to other paleo-approved sweeteners like monk fruit |
Verdict: Not Eligible for Certified Paleo
Keto | Not Keto |
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Minimal calories | Isolated molecule that would be consumed in quantities never before experienced |
Enhances fat oxidation | |
Benefits glycemic control | |
Low-carb sweetener |
Verdict: Eligible for Keto Certified
Grain-Free | Not Grain-Free |
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Does not contain zein prolamin fraction | Isolated molecule from corn |
Corn ethanol is allowed in the Grain-Free program because it does not contain the prolamin fractions. |
Verdict: Eligible for Grain-Free Certification
ENTP polemicist and enthusiast in a myriad of areas including agricultural sustainability, applications of bacteriotherapy, autoimmunity, color theory, hard determinism, gut microbiome, fiber, antioxidants, and psychology. Founder of The Paleo Foundation and Cetogenica.com. Agnostic in general— except for I know with certainty that pineapples do not belong on pizza.
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