Erythritol: What Is It?
If you have tried other manmade sugar substitutes or are worried about the long-term damage these chemicals might be doing to your body, you now have another choice. Erythritol is a sugar substitute but unlike sucralose and aspartame which are made from chemicals, erythritol is a natural sweetener. In fact, erythritol has been used in Japan since the 1980s. The USDA approved erythritol for use in the United States in 1990.
Erythritol occurs naturally in different fruits like grapes, pears and melons. It can also be found in some types of mushrooms and in foods that have a fermentation process. Things like wines, beers and cheeses. Over the course of a normal day almost everyone will eat something that naturally contains at least a small amount of erythritol.
Erythritol is produced by combining a sucrose or dextrose base with water and then fermenting it with a natural culture. This process is very similar to the way yogurt is made. Erythritol is very different from other types of sugar alcohols. Unlike the others, erythritol has zero calories and none of the laxative-type effects that are associated with other sugar alcohols.
Most of the artificial sweeteners available today are many times sweeter than sugar. The opposite is true with erythritol. It is only seventy-percent as sweet as sugar and in some tests has only been as high as 40-60% as sweet. That means people who substitute it teaspoon for teaspoon with sugar will either have to get used to foods that are not as sweet or add more erythritol. Keep that in mind if you decide to bake with this product. You can also mix erythritol with sugar or other sugar replacements.
The biggest, and coolest, difference between erythritol and other sweeteners is that erythritol has zero effect on the glycemic index. That makes it a huge hit with diabetics. With erythritol both glucose and insulin levels remain unaffected. In research tests, it was also highly tolerated, up to one gram for each kilogram of body weight. Very good news for diabetics.
Erythritol has some other benefits as well. It is absorbed into the bloodstream and then secreted in the urine. Studies have shown that ninety-percent of it is excreted from the body in urine within twenty-four hours. Because it moves quickly through the small intestine and not slowly like other sugar alcohols, there is much less chance of erythritol having the same laxative effects many people experience with sugar alcohols, such as isomalt, maltitol or xylitol. It also does not mix with acids in the mouth to cause tooth decay.
It is hard to find erythritol in supermarkets. It isn't something a lot of stores are carrying yet. But it can be ordered from health food stores and is most commonly available on the internet. It comes in both powdered, granulated, and liquid forms. Erythritol is also very popular in baking, especially where other sweeteners just don't cut it, like with chocolate. The only reason you don't see erythritol on the contents labels of more reduced-calorie foods is that it is expensive to make. - 17268
Erythritol occurs naturally in different fruits like grapes, pears and melons. It can also be found in some types of mushrooms and in foods that have a fermentation process. Things like wines, beers and cheeses. Over the course of a normal day almost everyone will eat something that naturally contains at least a small amount of erythritol.
Erythritol is produced by combining a sucrose or dextrose base with water and then fermenting it with a natural culture. This process is very similar to the way yogurt is made. Erythritol is very different from other types of sugar alcohols. Unlike the others, erythritol has zero calories and none of the laxative-type effects that are associated with other sugar alcohols.
Most of the artificial sweeteners available today are many times sweeter than sugar. The opposite is true with erythritol. It is only seventy-percent as sweet as sugar and in some tests has only been as high as 40-60% as sweet. That means people who substitute it teaspoon for teaspoon with sugar will either have to get used to foods that are not as sweet or add more erythritol. Keep that in mind if you decide to bake with this product. You can also mix erythritol with sugar or other sugar replacements.
The biggest, and coolest, difference between erythritol and other sweeteners is that erythritol has zero effect on the glycemic index. That makes it a huge hit with diabetics. With erythritol both glucose and insulin levels remain unaffected. In research tests, it was also highly tolerated, up to one gram for each kilogram of body weight. Very good news for diabetics.
Erythritol has some other benefits as well. It is absorbed into the bloodstream and then secreted in the urine. Studies have shown that ninety-percent of it is excreted from the body in urine within twenty-four hours. Because it moves quickly through the small intestine and not slowly like other sugar alcohols, there is much less chance of erythritol having the same laxative effects many people experience with sugar alcohols, such as isomalt, maltitol or xylitol. It also does not mix with acids in the mouth to cause tooth decay.
It is hard to find erythritol in supermarkets. It isn't something a lot of stores are carrying yet. But it can be ordered from health food stores and is most commonly available on the internet. It comes in both powdered, granulated, and liquid forms. Erythritol is also very popular in baking, especially where other sweeteners just don't cut it, like with chocolate. The only reason you don't see erythritol on the contents labels of more reduced-calorie foods is that it is expensive to make. - 17268
About the Author:
Erythritol is a diabetic friendly sweetener. It works like sugar does, except it won't raise your blood sugar levels.
posted by X - Men at
8:19 AM
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