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The Question
06/23/09 11:36 AM

"Stevia sweetener interests me. I am concerned with the Erithrytol it contains. I am sensitive to sugar alcohols. Is Erithrytol in this category?"
Asked By: plichter  
Category: Food and Nutrition

Background Info Hide
I am overweight and I am type 2 diabetic since 1997. I am sensitive about using artificial sweeteners as my wife (non-diabetic but overweight) does not tolerate products with aspartame. My sensitivity to sugar alcohols is that I get significant abdominal bloating from its consumption.

Expert Answers (2)

06/24/09 10:12 AM

Hello,

Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol (a type of sugar substitute), approved for use in the United States. It occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods.

Absorbed in the small intestine, rather than the large intestine, it is thought that erythritol is less likely to cause gastric side effects as other sugar alcohols.

If you are sensitive to sugar alcohol, the general recommendation is to avoid all variations of this sweetener. There may be stevia products on the market without the addition of eryhtritol. It might be worth checking.

Take care.

Answered By: Liz Quintana
Accreditations: EdD, RD, LD, CDE
Sources Show
06/24/09 10:24 AM

This is a great question! Erythritol is a sugar alcohol. It occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods, but for use as a commercial sweetener is is produced from glucose by fermentation with a yeast. Erythritol is extremely low in calories and is 60-70% as sweet as table sugar. It usually has little effect on blood glucose values and does not seem to promote tooth decay. The good news is that Erythritol seems to be different from other sugar alcohols because it is absorbed in the small intestine. Therefore, it is unlikely to have a laxative effect. (Other sugar alcohols are digested in the large intestine). There are also reports of less gas and bloating with Erythritol vs. other sugar alcohols. Keep in mind that if you over consume this product, then you may suffer these side effects. Just as with anything else, moderation is the key. Also, be sure to check your food labels carefully. Just because a product is labeled "sugar free" does not make it carbohydrate free. Products made with sugar alcohols may still contain a significant amount of carbohdyrate. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for asking such a great question! The dLife website has a lot of great information on this subject.
Answered By: Jodi Limacher
Accreditations: MS, RD, CDE
Sources Show

Community Answers (0)

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