Erythritol: Natural & Healthy Sugar Substitute
Last Updated on June 3, 2023
Erythritol belongs to a class of compounds called sugar alcohols. Used as a natural sweetener, erythritol is about 60 – 80% as sweet as sucrose (sugar). It is used primarily in chewing gum, baked goods and beverages and occurs naturally in pears, soy sauce, wine, sake, watermelon and grapes.
After much toxicology and clinical studies, erythritol has been found to be safe for consumption as a sugar substitute, even when consumed on a daily basis and in high amounts.
About Sugar Alcohols
Sugar Alcohols are NOT to be confused with artificial sweeteners.
Sugar alcohols, like maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol, are often used as sugar substitutes because they provide a sweet taste that does not raise blood sugar to the degree that sucrose does. This is because they convert to glucose more slowly in your body and do not require much insulin to metabolize.
In addition, sugar alcohols do not cause tooth decay, which is another plus to their use.
However, many people report experiencing gas, bloating and diarrhea when eating sugar alcohols (typically only when eaten in excess, but this varies from person to person).
From a Body Ecology perspective, however, if you do not have these upsetting symptoms, we do recommend most sugar alcohols over even natural sugars because sugars feed candida, contributing to systemic fungal infections.
Dosage
According to a 2007 study published in the “British Medical Journal,” symptoms of gas and bloating may occur with consumption of as little as 5 grams of certain sugar alcohols. Osmotic diarrhea can occur with ingestion of 20 to 50 grams. However, some sensitive individuals may experience diarrhea from as little as 10 grams. Chewing gum generally contains 1 to 2 grams of sugar alcohols per piece. This means that chewing just a few pieces of gum throughout the day may cause symptoms, depending on the amount of sugar alcohol in the gum and your sensitivity to the particular ingredient.
THE ERYTHRITOL DIFFERENCE
But erythritol appears to be quite a bit different than the others.
To begin with, it contains much fewer calories:
Table sugar: 4 calories per gram.
Xylitol: 2.4 calories per gram.
Erythritol: 0.24 calories per gram.
Due to its unique chemical structure, our bodies don’t break it down.
It goes pretty much unchanged through our system, without causing any of the harmful metabolic effects of excess sugar… or the digestive issues associated with other sugar alcohols.
Feeding studies with up to 1 gram per kg (0,45 g per lb) of body weight show that it is very well tolerated. However, one study showed that 50 grams of erythritol in a single dose did increase nausea and stomach rumbling.
Unless you’re eating massive amounts of it at a time, then it’s unlikely to make you sick or have to run to the toilet.
Here are a few things that make erythritol a standout as a sugar alcohol.
Erythritol is:
- Fermented – it is made by fermenting the natural sugar found in corn.
- Heat stable up to 160 degrees C.
- Non-caloric – While most sugar alcohols are low calorie, erythritol has zero calories.
- Non-glycemic – Does not raise blood sugar – erythritol is considered suitable for people with diabetes because it does not raise plasma glucose or insulin levels.
- The easiest sugar alcohol to digest – more than 90% of erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine, so minimal amounts reach the colon where other sugar alcohols end up causing diarrhea and other symptoms.
- Noncarcinogenic– studies have shown that erythritol, like xylitol, does not have carcinogenic properties.
- An antioxidant – erythritol helps to fight free radicals, responsible for the aging process. It is considered to be even more efficient than other sugar alcohols because it is so readily absorbed and yet not metabolized (it is excreted unchanged).
- Erythritol has the status of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) from the FDA and is widely used in many other countries like Japan, the European Union, Mexico and Canada.
Unfortunately, erythritol is not that sweet on its own, so it’s often combined in foods and beverages with other sweeteners… sometimes artificial sweeteners like aspartame, making it less than desirable.
Also,erythritol is the most expensive of the sugar alcohols to produce. This makes it difficult for food manufacturers to use it in all commercial products.
RECOMMENDED
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/erythritol
https://www.livestrong.com/article/500028-chewing-gum-and-diarrhea/
https://bodyecology.com/articles/erythritol_what_you_need_to_know_natural_sugar_substitute.php
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