Sugar Substitutes - Erythritol Natural Sweeteners To Save Calories

Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol (a type of sugar substitute) which has been approved for use in the United States and throughout much of the world. It is 70% as sweet as table sugar and excellent-tasting, yet it is virtually non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is absorbed by the body, therefore unlikely to cause gastric side effects unlike other sugar alcohols. Under U.S. FDA labeling requirements, it has a caloric value of 0.2 calories per gram (95% less than sugar and other carbohydrates), but other countries such as Japan label it at 0 calories.

Erythritol and Human Digestion
Erythritol has long been part of the human diet. In the body, erythritol is absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine, and then for the most part excreted unchanged in the urine. Because erythritol is normally absorbed before it enters the large intestine, it does not normally cause laxative effects as are often experienced after over-consumption of other sugar alcohols and most people will consume erythritol with no side effects. This is unique, as other sugar alcohols are not absorbed directly by the body in this manner.

As a whole, erythritol is generally free of side-effects in regular use, but it is important to note that if you consume vast quantities of erythritol, effectively consuming it faster than your body can absorb it, it may cause a laxative effect. In effect, the dose-laxation response curve does not begin until you cross you body's natural absorption threshold. This threshold is usually higher than most people eat in a single sitting. Other sugar alcohols have a much more linear dose-laxation response curve that begins as soon as you consume even a single gram. Erythritol is also much more difficult for intestinal bacteria to digest, so it is unlikely to cause gas or bloating, unlike other common sugar alcohols such as maltitol, sorbitol, and lactitol.

Physical Properties

Heat of Solution
Erythritol has a strong cooling effect (negative heat of solution) when it dissolves in water, which combines superbly with mint flavors, but often proves distracting with more subtle flavors and textures. The cooling effect is only present when erythritol is not already dissolved in water, a situation that might be experienced in an erythritol-sweetened frosting, chocolate bar, chewing gum, or hard candy. When combined with solid fats, such as coconut oil, cocoa butter or cow's butter, the cooling effect tends to accentuate the waxy characteristics of the fat in a generally undesirable manner. This is particularly pronounced in chocolate bars made with erythritol. The cooling effect of erythritol is very similar to that of xylitol and among the strongest cooling effects of all sugar alcohols.

Taste & Synergistic Sweetening
The taste of erythritol is extremely clean and crisp, although it tends to linger poorly compared to sugar and has a slightly harsh after-feel when high concentrations are consumed. Due to this potential harshness and erythritol's relatively low level of sweetness (70% that of sucrose), it is frequently combined with high intensity sweeteners like sucralose. Erythritol exhibits some degree of sweetness synergy with most high intensity sweeteners, and has a surprising ability to mask undesirable characteristics such as bitterness, metallic notes, and other aftertastes.

Blending for Sugar-Like Properties
Beyond high intensity sweeteners, erythritol is often paired with other bulky ingredients that exhibit sugar-like characteristics to better mimic the texture and mouthfeel of sucrose. Often these other ingredients are responsible for the gastric side effects blamed on erythritol. The cooling effect of erythritol is rarely desired, so hence other ingredients are chosen to dilute or even negate that effect. Erythritol also has a propensity to crystallize and is not as soluble as sucrose, so ingredients may also be chosen to help negate this disadvantage. Furthermore, erythritol is non-hygroscopic, meaning it does not attract moisture, which can lead to products, particularly baked goods, drying out if another hygroscopic ingredient is not used in the formulation.

Very commonly, inulin is combined with erythritol, due to inulin offering a complementary positive heat of solution (warming effect when dissolved that helps cancel erythritol's cooling effect) and non-crystallizing properties. Unfortunately, inulin has a propensity to cause gas and bloating when consumed in moderate to large quantities, particularly in individuals unaccustomed to it. Other sugar alcohols are sometimes utilized with erythritol, particularly isomalt due to its minimally negative heat of solution, and glycerin which has a positive heat of solution, moderate hygroscopicity, and non-crystallizing liquid form.

Erythritol and Bacteria
Erythritol has been certified as toothfriendly. The sugar alcohol cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria, and so does not contribute to tooth decay. Interestingly, erythritol exhibits some, but not all, of the tendencies to "starve" harmful bacteria like xylitol does. Unlike xylitol, erythritol is actually absobed into the bloodstream after consumption but before excretion; however it is not clear if the effect of starving harmful bacteria occurs systemically at this stage.

Natural Sugar Substitutes

Artificial Sugar Substitutes

Information Provided by Wikipedia

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