WHAT IS ERYTHRITOL
Erythritol is all-natural but tastes exactly like sugar with the exemption of calories. It actually has all the good things about a regular sugar that we are used to but with the exclusion of the negatives of the classic sugar. Erythritol belongs to a group of compounds that is called sugar alcohol. Various sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol are widely used by food makers. The majority of them functions as low-caloric sugars in sugar-free or low carbohydrate foods. Most sugar alcohols are formed in small amounts in nature. It is formed during the fermentation process of fruits and vegetables. The manner in which these particles are structured enables them to animate the sweet taste receptors in your tongue. Erythritol appears to be somehow different from the other known sugar alcohols. To begin with, let us get to know more about this celebrity sweetener that can be an answer to the health concerns of a sweet tooth like you.
Sweet Best Erythritol is your best natural sugar alternative, is non-GMO, USDA Certified Organic and most of all, the ONLY FDA-approved erythritol product in the Philippine retail market.
HOW WE MAKE IT
The erythritol in Sweet Best is sourced from non-GMO corn. The fermentation process of non-GMO corn produces erythritol.
WHERE DOES ERYTHRITOL COME FROM
Erythritol was found in 1848 by Scottish scientist John Stenhouse. Erythritol was first segregated in 1852. In 1950 it was found in blackstrap molasses that was aged by yeast, and it got marketed as a sugar liquor during the 1990s in Japan.
THE BEST NATURAL SUGAR ALTERNATIVE PACKED WITH BENEFITS
1. Anti-Diabetic Properties
Erythritol does not increase serum levels of glucose or insulin in your body, while the same dose of glucose raises insulin levels rapidly within 30 minutes.
It also does not have any significant effect on the serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and free fatty acids.
Erythritol is safe to consume and is, in fact, a better option for diabetic patients because more than 90% of ingested erythritol is readily absorbed and excreted through urine without degradation (1).
2. Helps in Weight Loss and Management
Sucrose has an adverse effect on your weight and adiposity build-up. Most health enthusiasts and people trying to lose weight stop the intake of sugar and switch to artificial sweeteners if they cannot go completely sugarless.
Erythritol has a very low glycemic index (GI=0). Adding it to your beverages, muffins, or sweets will reduce the blood glucose build-up that triggers weight gain (2).
3. Prevents Tooth Decay (Non-Cariogenic)
Erythritol suppresses the growth of oral bacteria, such as Streptococcus, which form a biofilm on your teeth and cause tooth decay.
Inhibition of microbial growth leads to a reduction in the acid produced by your gut. This way, the teeth don’t develop caries and plaques.
When compared to other natural and synthetic sweeteners – like xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and sucralose – erythritol takes the longest to form plaque and is the mildest of all.
Owing to these properties, dentists can use erythritol as a matrix in subgingival air polishing, replacing the traditional root scaling in periodontal therapy (3).
4. Gut-Friendly and Non-Acidogenic
Since erythritol is a small four-carbon molecule, it gets easily digested in your gut. Also, because it has a very low glycemic index, it gets digested slowly and almost completely.
Unlike sucralose, xylitol, sorbitol or mannitol, whose remnants can be found in the large intestines, about 90% of erythritol gets absorbed.
This is why you have lesser acidity and flatulence when you take about 50 g/kg of erythritol, while other sweeteners cause watery stools, nausea, and diarrhea at 20-30 g/kg intake (4).
5. Potent Antioxidant Activity
Erythritol is an excellent scavenger of free radicals. The sugar alcohol forms erythrose and erythrulose that are excreted through urine.
It scavenges hydroxyl free radicals specifically and can protect your body from cardiovascular damage, hyperglycemia-induced disorders, and lipid peroxidation.
Having erythritol instead of other sweeteners can lower inflammation in organs like the kidneys, liver, and intestines (5).
References:
- “Serum glucose and insulin levels and erythritol balance after oral administration of erythritol in healthy subjects.” European Journal of
Clinical Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine - “Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers, with emphasis on low glycemic properties.” Nutritional research reviews, US National
Library of Medicine - “Erythritol Is More Effective Than Xylitol and Sorbitol in Managing Oral Health.” International Journal of Dentistry, US National Library of
Medicine - “Gastrointestinal tolerance of erythritol and xylitol ingested in a liquid.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, US National Library of
Medicine - “Erythritol is a sweet antioxidant.” Nutrition, US National Library of Medicine