As obesity, diabetes and heart disease incidence rates increase each year, consumers are looking to alternatives such as sugar alcohols and sugar substitutes to aid in weight management. Erythritol and xylitol -- two sugar alcohols -- and stevia, an herb-based sugar substitute, are ingredients found in many food products on grocery store shelves. As all three are associated with health benefits, consumers can rest assured foods manufactured with these ingredients are safe for consumption.
What are Sugar Alcohols?
When you flip over the package of sugar-free chewing gum, mouthwash, mints, or cough drops, you may notice several ingredients ending in "ol." These ingredients are sugar alcohols, found naturally in the fibrous components of many fruits and vegetables. Through hydrogenation, manufacturers adapt sugar alcohols by adding a hydrogen atom; the result is a product that is sweet and partially indigestible by the body. The advantage is sweetness similar to sugar at a fraction of the calorie content.
Erythritol
Erythritol, a common ingredient in chewing gums, can decrease the incidence of dental caries or cavities. Chewing sugar-free gum manufactured with erythritol stimulates the production of saliva, which decreases the cavity-promoting effects of sugar. Unlike products with many other sugar alcohols, products sweetened with erythritol have little gastrointestinal effect when consumed in greater quantities.
Xylitol
Xylitol also has prevention-cavity actions, and many dentists recommend it also for its ability to remineralize and strengthen teeth and gums. Like erythritol, xylitol offers sweetness at far fewer calories than sucrose or table sugar. This sugar alcohol is also available in packet form to use in everyday sweetening of beverages. A common complaint, however, as with most sugar alcohols, is bloating and diarrhea.
Stevia
A fairly new addition to the sugar substitute world, stevia is making its way into more food products as a healthy, more natural alternative to sugar. Extracted as an herb from a small shrub native to South America, stevia offers sweetness at a fraction of the calories in sugar. Stevia is used more commonly used in drink mixes, food products and beverages. With no apparent gastrointestinal complications, stevia may offer a reasonable alternative to xylitol for beverages.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Functionality of Sugars: Physiochemical Interactions in Foods; July 1995
- American Dietetic Association; Sugar Alcohols Are Listed on Some Food Labels. What Are They?
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Sugar and Dental Caries; R. Touger-Decker and C. van Loveren; October 2003
- American Dietetic Association: Hot Topic: Stevia
- Food Insight; Stevia Sweeteners: Another Low-Calorie Option; May 2002
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