Basics Erythritol: A Low-Carb Sugar Substitute By Laura Dolson Laura Dolson is a health and food writer who develops low-carb and gluten-free recipes for home cooks. Learn about our editorial process Laura Dolson Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard Fogoros, MD on May 08, 2019 Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywell's Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Review Board Richard Fogoros, MD Updated on July 17, 2019 Print Dave King/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Overview Health Benefits Safety Cooking Tips Erythritol is a sugar substitute that is used in products such as candy, gum, chocolate, beverages, yogurt, fillings, jellies, bars, and jam. The sweetener is also available in granulated and powdered form for baking and cooking at home. Erythritol's unique qualities make it a good choice as a sugar substitute for some people. There are pros and cons you'll want to consider before including the sweetener in your diet. What Is Erythritol? Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (also known as a polyol) that is found naturally in foods such as grapes, pears, melons, mushrooms, and certain fermented foods like wine and soy sauce. The sweetener is also manufactured for commercial and home use from starches like corn. Erythritol has been used in Japan since the 1990s and has slowly gained popularity in other parts of the world. Erythritol is only one sugar alcohol sweeteners available on the market. Others include sorbitol and xylitol. Each of these sweeteners provides very few calories and has a limited effect on blood sugar. Of the sugar alcohols sweeteners, erythritol has the least impact on blood sugar. Erythritol has almost zero calories, zero carbs, and a zero glycemic-index score, which is why the sweetener is used by many people following a low-carb or low-sugar diet. How Erythritol Is Made The erythritol used in manufactured foods is generally made by the fermentation of plant sugars, usually from corn. The sugar is mixed with water, filtered, and then fermented with a natural culture and dried. The final product is a crystallized substance (either a white powder or granules) that looks and tastes like table sugar. Other methods of erythritol production are also in development. How Does Erythritol Compare to Sugar? Erythritol Contains 0.24 calories per gram Has a sweet taste that is some describe as minty or cool 60-70 percent sweetness Does not dissolve well in liquid Available only in powdered and granulated forms Sugar Contain 4 calories per gram Has a clean sweet taste 100 percent sweetness Dissolves well in liquid Available in powdered, granulated, or liquid forms Benefits of Erythritol Erythritol acts a bit differently in the body compared to most sugar alcohols. The sweeteners unique qualities may provide certain benefits over using sugar or other sugar alcohol sweeteners. Structurally, erythritol is a smaller molecule than other sugar alcohols. Even though a significant amount is absorbed into the blood (60 to 90%), it is then excreted in the urine. For this reason, erythritol tends to produce less intestinal distress compared to other sugar alcohols. Compared to other sweeteners, erythritol might be better for your teeth. A 2016 study published in Caries Research suggested that erythritol may help prevent cavities. Other research suggests that erythritol could help decrease dental plaque as well as decrease the adherence of oral bacteria to teeth. Other potential benefits of erythritol include: Erythritol contains fewer calories per gram (0.2 calories per gram) than other sugar alcohol sweeteners. By comparison, sorbitol contains 2.6 calories per gram, and xylitol contains 2.4 calories per gram.Erythritol has no effect on either blood sugar or insulin levels, whereas other sugar alcohols (like sorbitol) significantly reduce the rise in blood sugar and insulin response when consumed.When compared to other sugar alcohols like stevia, many people feel that erythritol is the closest in taste to table sugar. Safety Erythritol might be helpful for some people looking to address certain dietary needs regarding sugar, but there can also be drawbacks to using it. There are also limited safety concerns and side effects of using erythritol to consider. While erythritol might be helpful for some people who need to reduce their calorie consumption or sugar intake, it may not provide the expected benefits. For example, some research suggests that erythritol might not reduce satiety or sugar intake. In a 2016 study, researchers investigated the effects of partial replacement of sugar by erythritol in meals. The study's findings indicated that even though meals with erythritol led to smaller blood glucose and insulin response (as compared to sugar meals), there was no difference in hunger and satiety scores or overall sugar intake. The study also found no difference in the release of hormones responsible for reduced appetite and insulin production. Even though the sweetener is known to cause fewer gastrointestinal problems for most people, some people might experience certain symptoms related to erythritol consumption, such as: BloatingDiarrheaHeadacheStomachache Additionally, there are published case reports of allergic reactions to erythritol in some people using the sweetener, including anaphylaxis and urticaria (hives). People with certain health conditions should exercise caution when using erythritol in their diets. For example, if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), erythritol (or any sugar alcohol) might aggravate your symptoms. People with health conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, as well as women who are pregnant or nursing, should consult their healthcare providers before using erythritol. Cooking With Erythritol Erythritol has a sweetness level that is close to that of sugar, making it a popular choice for cooking. It can partially replace sugar or other artificial sweeteners for most uses. Erythritol comes in both granulated and powdered forms. The powder is preferable for most uses because the granulated form tends to stay grainy unless dissolved in water. If you end up with granulated erythritol, run it through the blender to pulverize it. However, don't try using a food processor, since it doesn't work to smooth out the taste of granulated erythritol. Compared to using purely artificial sweeteners (which can produce unsatisfactory results) erythritol is especially useful when combined with chocolate in candy or brownies. You can often replace erythritol one-to-one with sugar in recipes, but you might try adding 25% more erythritol than the amount of sugar called for to compensate for its less-sweet taste. However, there are a few things to keep mind when using this sweetener. For example, when used plain, erythritol tends to have a cooling effect in the mouth. Additionally, while it has some of the tenderizing effects of sugar, the results won't be exactly the same when you use erythritol in a recipe. Erythritol is not widely available in stores, so most consumers order it online. You might check with health food stores or low-carb grocery stores in your area to see if they can order it for you. Pros and Cons of Using Maltitol as a Low-Carb Sweetener Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus. Sweeteners—Sugars. Reviewed April 20, 2019. Updated March 4, 2020. Bethesda, Md.: U.S. National Library of Medicine U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002444.htm Regnat K, Mach RL, Mach-Aigner AR. Erythritol as sweetener-wherefrom and whereto?. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018;102(2):587–595. doi:10.1007/s00253-017-8654-1 US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Laboratory. Food and Nutrition Information Center. Nutritive and nonnutritive sweetener resources. Washington DC: US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Laboratory. Food and Nutrition Information Center. https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/nutritive-and-nonnutritive-sweetener-resources Rice T, Zannini E, K arendt E, Coffey A. A review of polyols - biotechnological production, food applications, regulation, labeling and health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;1-18. doi:10.1080/10408398.2019.1625859 Falony G, Honkala S, Runnel R et al. Long-Term Effect of Erythritol on Dental Caries Development during Childhood: A Posttreatment Survival Analysis. Caries Res. 2016;50(6):579-588. doi:10.1159/000450762 de Cock P, Mäkinen K, Honkala E, Saag M, Kennepohl E, Eapen A. Erythritol Is More Effective Than Xylitol and Sorbitol in Managing Oral Health Endpoints. Int J Dent. 2016;2016:9868421. doi:10.1155/2016/9868421 Overduin J, Collet TH, Medic N et al. Failure of Sucrose Replacement With the Non-Nutritive Sweetener Erythritol to Alter GLP-1 or PYY Release or Test Meal Size in Lean or Obese People. Appetite. 2016 Dec 1;107:596-603. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2016.09.009 Hino H, Kasai S, Hattori N, Kenjo K. A Case of Allergic Urticaria Caused by Erythritol. J Dermatol. 2000 Mar;27(3):163-165. doi:10.1111/j.1346-8138.2000.tb02143.x Sharma A, Amarnath S, Thulasimani M, Ramaswamy S. Artificial sweeteners as a sugar substitute: Are they really safe?. Indian J Pharmacol. 2016;48(3):237–240. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.182888 Additional Reading FamilyDoctor.org. Sugar Substitutes. Leawood, Kansas: American Academy of Family Physicians 2020 https://familydoctor.org/sugar-substitutes Shirao K, Inoue M, Tokuda R et al. "Bitter Sweet": A Child Case of Erythritol-Induced Anaphylaxis. Allergol Int. 2013 Jun;62(2):269-271. doi:10.2332allergolint.12-LE-0517