However, there is one major caveat to most sugar alcohols: They can cause digestive issues.īecause of their unique chemical structure, your body can’t digest them, and they pass unchanged through most of your digestive system until they reach your colon. Erythritol has been found safe for both human and animal consumption ( 2). Multiple studies on its toxicity and effects on metabolism have been performed in animals. Overall, erythritol appears to be very safe. It provides only about 6% of the calories found in an equal amount of sugar. SummaryĮrythritol is a sugar alcohol used as a low calorie sweetener. The final product looks like powdery white crystals.
In large-scale production, erythritol is created when a type of yeast ferments glucose from corn or wheat starch. With only 6% of the calories of sugar, it still provides 70% of the sweetness. To begin with, it contains many fewer calories: However, erythritol appears to be quite different from the other sugar alcohols. Most sugar alcohols are found in small amounts in nature, especially in fruits and vegetables.īecause of the way these molecules are structured, they can stimulate the sweet taste receptors on your tongue. Most of them function as low calorie sweeteners in sugar-free or low sugar products. Erythritol belongs to a class of compounds called sugar alcohols ( 1).įood producers use many sugar alcohols such as xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol.
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