Erythritol Facts

Erythritol is the sugar alcohol (polyol) that has the least impact on blood sugar. Erythritol has almost zero calories, carbs, and glycemic index. The reason is a bit different that most sugar alcohols, which are only partially absorbed in the small intestine. Most (60-90%) of the erythritol is absorbed into the blood, but is then excreted in the urine. Because of this, Erythritol tends to produce much less intestinal distress than other sugar alcohols.

Erythritol occurs naturally in small amounts in some fruits, and in greater amounts in certain mushrooms and other fungi, and in fermented foods such as wine and soy sauce. The form used in foods is generally made by the fermentation of plant sugars.

Erythritol has 60-80% of the sweetness of sugar. Especially when used plain it tends to have a cooling effect in the mouth. It can be used in baking, where it also has some of the tenderizing effects of sugar (results won’t be exactly like sugar, though). It can at least partially replace sugar or artificial sweeteners for most uses. I find it especially useful in combination with chocolate (candy, brownies, etc.) where using purely artificial sweeteners produces unsatisfactory results.

Erythritol Taste Profile

Erythritol, a polyol (sugar alcohol), is currently used as a bulk sweetener in reduced calorie foods. It occurs naturally in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, as well as foods such as mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese. Since 1990, erythritol has been commercially produced and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as enhance their taste and texture.

Sweetness is one of the five basic tastes perceived by humans. Of all the tastes, it is the only one universally associated with pleasure and enjoyment; among the senses, tasting sweetness is a sure-fire trigger for feelings of pleasure and contentment.

But sweetness also packs a powerful physiological punch, traditionally associated with carbohydrates such as sucrose (from sugar) or glucose and fructose (found in honey and fruit). Such carbohydrates are full of food energy and deliver it in a concentrated burst. However, to coin an old phrase, you are what you eat, and these days we know more about the relationship between the energy in food and the effect it has on our bodies.