Erythritol: A Low-Carb Sugar Substitute

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 made by fermenting yeast with glucose from corn or wheat starch.

Erythritol has been used in Japan since the 1990s and has slowly gained popularity in other parts of the world.

Erythritol is only one of the 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.

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?

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.
• 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 increase satiety or reduce 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 overconsumption, such as flatulence or laxation (loose stools).

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 similar to that of sugar. About a quart to a half cup of pure erythritol can replace one cup of sugar. However, you may not get the same flavor and shelf life from erythritol.

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.

Compared to using purely artificial sweeteners (which can produce unsatisfactory results) erythritol is especially useful when combined with chocolate in candy or brownies.

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, although it may cost more than sugar.