Sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol are popular sugar alternatives. But how healthy are these alternatives really? We'll explain exactly what sugar has to do with alcohol, the differences between the sweet alternatives, and how you can use sugar to optimize your mental performance.
Table of contents
Sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol have nothing to do with intoxication and partying. The name is a bit misleading, because you don't buy them in bottles, but rather in cans like regular sugar. But why not buy a kilo of household sugar at a discount store, but instead go for the more exotic approach of xylitol and the like?
The advantages of sugar alcohols over the classics are numerous. They're better for your teeth, have fewer calories, and are great for diabetics, to name just a few. In this article, you'll learn what makes sugar alcohols so special, how to best use them, and what benefits they have for your health.
1. What exactly are sugar alcohols?
Sugar alcohols are a type of " poorly digestible carbohydrate ." This category also includes muscle and plant fibers , as well as resistant starch . Sugar alcohols occur naturally in many fruits and are also called " polyols ."
Unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols are not completely calorie-free because we are able to digest and absorb them to a certain extent . The absorption rate, the ratio of the amount of a substance absorbed by the mucosal cells to the amount actually consumed, varies among sugar alcohols, from about 50% for xylitol to almost 80% for sorbitol , depending on the individual. Erythritol is almost completely absorbed but not broken down , so it provides almost no calories .
Sugar alcohols are often used to help you lose weight more easily and quickly because they contain far fewer calories than regular sugar. While refined sugar contains approximately 400 kcal per 100g, sugar alcohols contain a maximum of only 300 kcal. Erythritol, for example, contains only 20 kcal per 100g.
Sugar alcohols are ideal for diabetics due to their low glycemic index . For all non-diabetics: The glycemic index indicates the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association also describes sugar alcohols as a sweet sugar alternative [1]. Although research into sugar alcohols is not quite as advanced as that for sweeteners, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, and others still have great potential to become popular sugar alternatives.
| Calories (in kcal per 100g) | Glycemic index | ||
| Sorbit | 260 | 9 | |
| Erythritol | 20 | 0 | |
| Xylitol | 300 | 13 | |
| Sugar | 400 | 68 |
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2. What is sorbitol?
Although a small amount of sorbitol is present in some fruits, the commercial source of sorbitol is dextrose (glucose), which is derived from cornstarch . Sorbitol is produced by hydrogenating (adding hydrogen) dextrose. Although another name for sorbitol is glucitol (similar to glucose), sorbitol is the term commonly used in the food industry.
Sorbitol is about 60% as sweet as regular table sugar and has 260 kcal per 100g . Sorbitol is often used in hard and soft candies, as well as flavored jams, baked goods, baking mixes, chewing gum, and even cough drops. The maximum permitted amount of sorbitol in each of these products is prescribed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) https://www.efsa.europa.eu/de.
3. What is erythritol?
Erythritol is, so to speak, the newest sugar alcohol. Discovered only a few years ago, erythritol is produced from glucose through a fermentation process. Erythritol has approximately 70% the sweetness of traditional sugar and provides only about 20 kcal per 100g. It also has a mild cooling effect in the mouth .
Erythritol is found primarily in sweets and baked goods, chewing gum, and some beverages. A 2005 publication in the British Journal of Nutrition also describes the rapid excretion of erythritol. Researchers E. Arrigoni, F. Brouns, and R. Amadò found that it is very rapidly absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in the urine [2].
4. What is xylitol?
Xylitol, or less commonly called birch sugar, has approximately the same sweetness as regular sugar . It also has a cooling effect in the mouth , which is even stronger than erythritol. Xylitol has a distinct minty flavor, which is why it is often found in sugar-free chewing gum, candies, and chewable vitamins.
Xylitol is also frequently used in food formulations for diabetics. With 300 kcal per 100g, xylitol has the highest calorie content of any sugar alcohol. To produce xylitol, xylan-containing plant materials are ground, and the xylan is extracted. Typically, corn, beech, or birch wood is used for this, which has a xylan content of approximately 27%. Xylitol can be produced from xylan using various processes.
5. Sugar alcohols and your mental performance on a ketogenic diet
The energy your body needs to power through the day usually comes from glucose. Our brain requires 30% of our energy . However, if you follow a ketogenic diet, meaning your entire diet is geared toward your body getting its energy from ketone bodies rather than glucose (carbohydrates), then the motto for your diet is: fat instead of carbohydrates!
But because sugar is a carbohydrate, it's practically off-limits for you. But everyone craves something sweet sometimes, right? The solution is sugar alcohols ! Although they're also very sweet, sugar alcohols contain a very low percentage of usable carbohydrates and are therefore barely noticeable – perfect for your ketogenic diet!
But even independent of the ketogenic diet, the energy your body draws from sugar alcohols is ideal for your insulin levels . They are absorbed by your body much more slowly and in smaller amounts than regular sugar, and they don't affect insulin levels because they can be utilized independently of insulin.
So you don't have to worry about low blood sugar. You'll also be spared the negative effects of too much glucose on your brain , such as tremors, hot flashes, and lack of concentration. This makes sugar alcohols a perfect alternative for people who like sweet treats but still want to optimize their mental performance. So, nothing stands in the way of sweet treats, even on a ketogenic diet! Sugar substitutes combine particularly well with MCT oil .
6. Other benefits of sugar alcohols
Xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol have several other health benefits, most notably, they contain far fewer calories than conventional sugar. Xylitol has many health benefits. The most well-known health benefit of xylitol is certainly its effect on dental health .
Some studies have shown that xylitol is more effective than fluoride in preventing cavities . For example, a one-year study by Italian and Swedish researchers showed that chewing gum containing xylitol significantly reduced the incidence of cavities [3].
Finnish researcher KK Mäkinen is also certain that xylitol reduces the development of caries and does not increase it like conventional table sugar [4]. Sugar alcohols also have a much lower impact on blood sugar levels than artificial sweeteners or conventional sugar.
Furthermore, sugar alcohols aren't as sweet as artificial sweeteners, which are several hundred times sweeter than sugar. Furthermore, unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols provide a few calories, so the discrepancy between the calories your body expects when you eat something sweet and the amount of calories it actually receives isn't that great. This video revisits the question of whether sugar alcohols are healthy or not. Watch it and find out the answer:
7. Disadvantages of sugar alcohols
The downside of sugar alcohols is that they can affect your digestive health and well-being. Because sugar alcohols are largely indigestible , they draw water into the digestive tract and can cause diarrhea .
Additionally, their indigestibility can cause them to ferment in the intestines, causing bloating . However, some people can adapt to this in one to two months. Of the sugar alcohols, erythritol is the most easily digestible and therefore causes the least problems. Therefore, if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive problems, you should avoid consuming sugar alcohols.
8. Conclusion
If you are trying to reduce your sugar consumption or reduce the disruptions to your metabolism that occur with regular consumption of sugar and other sweeteners, then sugar alcohols are ideal for you.
However, they are not as sweet as sugar, but rather have a milder sweetness. Sugar alcohols still contain calories and carbohydrates, so if consumed in excess, there's little difference compared to consuming other sweet things.
The best way to avoid fake sugar is to switch your diet to a healthy, whole-food diet that only occasionally includes sweeteners. If you don't eat sweets regularly, you'll gradually lose your appetite for them and find a piece of fruit incredibly satisfying.
Compared to sweeteners, sugar alcohols are a safer alternative to conventional table sugar. Not only do they have much better effects on your metabolism and weight than sugar and sweeteners, but they can also be a real boon to your teeth (xylitol).
9. Sources
[1] http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/sugar-alcohols.html?referrer=https://www.google.de/
[2] https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/87A2797F505A71C1E5EA3ADDD2E2A166/S0007114505002291a.pdf/div-class-title-human-gut-microbiota-does-not-ferment-erythritol-div.pdf
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28303470
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836749/
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