Feeding studies providing up to 0.45 grams per pound (1 gram per kg) of body weight show that it is very well tolerated (5, 6). What it is, how it looks, calories, side effects and how it affects your health. One double-blind, randomized trial study looked at the effects of erythritol on 485 primary school children. Erythritol is also suitable for diabetics and people following the keto diet and other low-carb diets. Dr. Josh Axe is on a mission to provide you and your family with the highest quality nutrition tips and healthy recipes in the world...Sign up to get VIP access to his eBooks and valuable weekly health tips for FREE! Related: Oligosaccharides: The Prebiotics that Support the Heart & Gut. For the normal consumer, you have to be eating a LOT of erythritol to experience these effects—like, more than 30 grams a day (a.k.a. One drawback to using xylitol is that it can cause diarrhea in some people, especially when used in large amounts. The study found that erythritol didn’t affect glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, or electrolytes. Erythritol belongs to a class of compounds called sugar alcohols. Erythritol is now commonly added to many packaged foods, snacks and drink items. This evidence-based article reviews the benefits and possible side effects of erythritol. Small carbohydrates called FODMAP are responsible for all sorts of digestive problems. This is a detailed article about sugar alcohols and their health effects. Stevia is much sweeter tasting than sugar and contains zero calories. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) © 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Examples of such products include Zsweet and Swerve (which is non-GMO certified and sourced from France). If you think you have eaten too much erythritol in your lifetime and are concerned about its effect on your gastrointestinal tract and stomach, make the switch to whole foods. Fans of this sweetener mainly love it because of its lack of calories, which can be helpful for weight management. However, erythritol, like all sugar alcohols, is not side-effect free. Erythritol does not raise blood sugar levels. a pint and a half … The energy supplied by erythritol is less than 0.2 calories per gram. For those who are overweight or have diabetes or other issues related to the metabolic syndrome, erythritol appears to be an excellent alternative to sugar. Enjoying a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low on sugar and processed foods is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. Diarrhea might sound harmless, but it can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition. With the increased popularity of low-carb diets, natural sweeteners like Erythritol have been gaining popularity. Most of the erythritol you eat is absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted in urine. The final product looks something like this: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol used as a low-calorie sweetener. Fruits like watermelon, pear and grapes naturally have minor amounts of erythritol, as do mushrooms and some fermented foods like cheese, wine, beer and sake. Multiple studies on its toxicity and effects on metabolism have been performed in animals. “Sugar alcohols” have nothing to do with cocktails, since they don’t contain ethanol (aka alcohol) like alcoholic beverages. However, one study showed that 50 grams of erythritol in a single dose increased nausea and stomach rumbling (7). It lists 10 ways that honey can improve your health, all of which are backed by science. Potential Benefits & Risks of This Sweetener. Unfortunately, the gastrointestinal issues don’t necessarily stop at some rumbling in your stomach. This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information. All rights reserved. Below we’ll cover both the pros and cons of using it in place of other sweeteners. Erythritol is a zero-calorie sweetener that is commonly man-made from genetically modified corn products. One study specifically showed that the intake of 50 grams of erythritol caused stomach rumbling and nausea. Though erythritol is one of the newer sugar alcohols on the market -- xylitol and mannitol have been around longer -- researchers have done a number of studies of it in animals and humans. Some studies show that erythritol could influence the release of certain hormones in the gut and even slow the emptying of the stomach. For some people, a group of carbs known as FODMAPs can cause digestive issues. As mentioned above, Erythritol was designed to avoid the vast majority of side-effects associated with other sweeteners, particularly other alcohol-sugars. I use a stevia erythritol blend, I am wondering if erythritol is bad for fatty liver disease because it is a sugar alcohol. & detox juicing guide. Now you know what erythritol is, and possible erythritol side effects. Is stevia and erythritol the same thing? Basically, it has all the things that are good about regular sugar, without any of the negatives, although some media outlets question its benefits. A low-FODMAP diet can reverse these problem. Although an “alcohol,” it doesn’t have anything in common with the alcohol that we’re not allowed to have. In the process, they release acids that erode tooth enamel. A review also reached the same conclusion, claiming that erythritol is more effective against dental plaque and caries than xylitol or sorbitol (16). As such, agricultural companies may be able to use it as an effective pesticide that … Studies have been mixed, but some say that erythritol can decrease plaque or even help prevent tooth decay because sugar alcohols do not react with plaque bacteria in the mouth in the way that sugar does. Remember that many erythritol substitutes are available if you can’t find any, or prefer a different product. It’s usually produce… Research typically shows that up to 0.45 grams of erythritol per pound of body weight is well-tolerated and safe for most people, but intake should not exceed that amount. More studies are needed before any claims can be made about the health relevance of these findings. Each child consumed four erythritol, xylitol or sorbitol candies three times per school day. These 10 common foods and ingredients are high in FODMAPs. Stevia Benefits. Erythritol is not as sweet as sugar on its own so it’s often combined in foods and beverages with other questionable sweeteners, usually ones that are artificial. There are some side effects and potential dangers to consider. If you’ve ever followed a low-fat diet or a fad diet that prioritized ... Did you know the average 100-year-old Okinawan male has much higher levels ... Oligosaccharides: The Prebiotics that Support the Heart & Gut, Is Allulose Safe to Consume? Stevia is an herbal plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. Lynn says: August 15, 2019 at 5:48 am. With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. Most of it gets absorbed into the bloodstream before it reaches the colon (3). Erythritol is a safe, keto-friendly sugar alcohol to try. Mayo is a popular condiment for sandwiches and often used as a base for salad dressings and sauces. Stevia is available in a leaf product or as a refined liquid or plant extract. Erythritol side effects include causing digestive issues and headaches. You’ll commonly find it in products like low-sugar, sugar-free and even no-carb foods, and while it’s generally safe, there are some common erythritol side effects to consider as well. To maintain lower average blood glucose, make sure you still consume adequate calories while using this sweetener. It’s a crystalline alcohol and a derivative of xylose— a crystalline aldose sugar that is not digestible by the bacteria in our digestive systems. It seems to have an excellent safety profile. Green stevia is said to be one of the best options if you can find it. Look for it in health food stores, major grocery stores or online. If you purchase a product that has erythritol, how do you know if it’s a GMO-free? You can experience bloating or gas and it can have laxative effects. There are plenty of other natural, health-promoting sweeteners available that can also be used in moderation instead, such as stevia, monk fruit, and raw honey. But unlike most sugar alcohols, this one has the smallest risk of side effects happening and you should consume it in large quantities in order to experience these. Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that chemically have characteristics of both sugars and alcohols. Erythritol is about 70% as sweet as table sugar, so when using it, you when converting a recipe, you need to add about 30% more to the recipe to get the same sweetness that you would have otherwise. For this reason, a very high intake of erythritol may cause some digestive side effects. All About FODMAPs: Who Should Avoid Them and How? However, erythritol sensitivity may vary between people. The reason why it doesn’t provide calories or sugar to its consumer is because the body actually can’t break it down! So if you suffer from IBS, SIBO or are having a lot of unexplained digestive symptoms such as gas and bloating, then erythritol should NOT be a part of your diet. It doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels. Giving up sugar can be tough... but there are quite a few natural sweeteners available that are low in calories, very sweet and really good for your…. Carbs, Net Carbs, and Calories Xylitol is considered a “sugar alcohol” because it has a chemical structure that’s similar to both sugars and alcohol, however it’s technically neither of these in the way we usually think of them. Once erythritol enters your body, it’s rapidly absorbed in the small intestine with only about 10 percent entering the colon while the other 90 percent is excreted in the urine. A wheal, often called a welt or hives, is a raised, itchy area of skin that’s sometimes an obvious sign of an allergy to something you’ve consumed or come in contact with. Erythritol is very well tolerated by humans and there are no known long-term health risks. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.”. Erythritol: Large amounts (more than about 40 or 50 grams or 10 or 12 teaspoons) of this sugar alcohol sometimes cause nausea, but smaller amounts are … This is why they can produce abdominal gas, bloating, and diarrhea in some individuals, as they are not completely absorbed by the body and are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. All you have to do is pick up a trendy, “skinnier” ice cream and look at the ingredients listed on the back to see what we mean. On the other hand, benefits associated with xylitol include improvements in blood sugar management, dental health and even immunity against certain infections. Sugar alcohols shouldn’t be given to dogs because this can cause severe reactions. Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol, just like xylitol. It circulates in the blood for a while, until it is eventually excreted unchanged in the urine. Erythritol appears to offer the best of both worlds. In one study conducted on diabetic rats, erythritol seemed to act as an antioxidant (to fight free radicals) and potentially offered protection again hyperglycemia-induced vascular damage. About 90% of erythritol is excreted this way (4). It is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine, but poorly metabolized, and may not carry the same health benefits as other natural sweeteners — such as monk fruit or raw honey. When consumption is high (50 grams or more per day) then digestive upset, including gas, cramping, bloating, stomachaches and diarrhea become even more likely. There are some concerns among those who reject processed … This is such a low count that it is considered to be a zero calorie sweetener. And what are the dangers of erythritol specifically? One common adverse side effect of excessive sugar intake is poor dental health, cavities and tooth decay. Erythritol can suppress bad bacteria growth, reduce acids in the mouth that can cause tooth decay, and inhibit biofilm formation. It’s in fact a type of low-digestible carbohydrate that includes fiber. Monk fruit is still good for you but it’s important to be cognizant of this side effect. Non-glycemic – Does not raise blood sugar – erythritol is considered suitable for people with diabetes because it does not raise plasma glucose or insulin levels. As explained above, erythritol does occur naturally in some fruits and fermented foods. For this reason, it’s important to keep intake in moderation to help prevent negative side effects and consider scaling back if digestive issues occur. Technically this product is a four-carbon sugar alcohol or polyol that contains about 60 percent to 80 percent of the sweetness of table sugar. A Beginner's Guide to the Low-FODMAP Diet. These include stevia and monk fruit, or honey, molasses and maple syrup if you don’t mind consuming actual sugar and calories. Added sugar is associated with many serious diseases, including diabetes and obesity. So is erythritol a safe and smart sugar substitute? Is erythritol safe? Erythritol acts as an antioxidant and may improve blood vessel function in people with type 2 diabetes. There are zero calories and zero carbs in erythritol. The main difference is that xylitol does contain some calories (it’s not zero-calorie like erythritol) but less than sugar. According to research studies, these may include improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and even some types of cancer. Erythritol appears to be quite different from the other sugar alcohols. That’s right — studies show that even though erythritol travels through your body, it doesn’t get metabolized. Erythritol was first discovered in 1848 by a Scottish chemist named John Stenhouse. However, the problem is that the grand majority of erythritol used in products today is man-made by taking glucose (most commonly from GMO cornstarch) and fermenting it with a yeast called Moniliella pollinis. Unlike other sweeteners, it doesn’t cause tooth decay. Although erythritol doesn’t have any serious side effects, eating high amounts may cause digestive upset, as explained in the next chapter. There is one major caveat to most sugar alcohols — they can cause digestive issues. However, erythritol is different than the other sugar alcohols. Possible side effects of aspartame for example may include anxiety, depression, short-term memory loss, fibromyalgia, weight gain, fatigue, brain tumors and more. It is found naturally in some fruits and vegetables and has a similar taste, texture and volume as sugar. Even small amounts of sugar alcohols can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs. 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