However, despite the hare's quick start, the tortoise won the race. Like the tortoise, Palatinit of America's (Morris Plains, N.J.) new functional carbohydrate, Palatinose™ (isomaltulose) enters the bloodstream less rapidly than sucrose, causing an attenuated blood glucose and insulin response. Therefore, Palatinose provides an optimal, constant and long-lasting supply of energy in the form of glucose. It is applicable to sports drinks that aim to extend their energy supply from “fast and instantaneously available” to a “better energy” that releases carbohydrates slowly to the muscles and brain.
Palatinose is made from sugar (sucrose) by non-GMO enzymatic rearrangement. It is digested fully and provides the same caloric value as sucrose. But unlike sucrose, it has a glycemic classification of 32 and an insulin index of 30, meaning it is very low-glycemic and low-insulinemic. The carbohydrate promotes fat oxidation and avoids the hypoglycemic undershoot common with regular sugars, which may lead to earlier meal initiation. Foods formulated with Palatinose are particularly favorable to diabetics. Animal and human studies reveal that isomaltulose is fully metabolized in the small intestine.