Log-In | Join Now | Sitemap Email this Page
EMAIL 		Print this Page
PRINT 		12 14 16
TEXT SIZE
Stevia sweetener inte
Diabetes Questions & Answers
Your diabetes questions answered by our Experts and Community


Can't find the answer you are looking for?
Ask a new question

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,CPT
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)

There are currently no community answers to this question. Be the first to Post an Answer

Most Recent Food and Nutrition Questions:

I bought sugar-free cookies from the supermarket, and the label said it was 0 grams of sugar, but 8 grams of sugar alcohols. What does that mean?
I usually cook a turkey with an apple or onion inside will this raise the carb. count?
Ref "Carb cuttng secrets". I have been taught that vegtables have such a low GI that I should discount them when calculating fast acting insulin dose
Why does oat meal raise my blood sugar. I eat it with noting on it, just plain and my levels spike to way over 230
Thoughts on why my glucose is higher in the am than when I go to bed and tends to lower after I eat semi-high carbs in the am? My doc is befuddled...
I see my doctor every 3 months,type 2 diabetic for 10 yrs,today he tells me my trigliceride#'s are too high,what foods affect tri's the worst?
Do you have any suggestions for celiac, food allergic, and diabetic people for lowering carbs?

 

*** All information contained on dLife.com is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Our Expert Q&A is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional or for professional medical advice related to diabetes or another medical condition. Please contact your physician or medical professional with any questions and concerns about your medical condition.