Erythritol is a natural sweetener without calories (0.24 kcal for each gram) with few contraindications and many advantages.
Basically it has all the sweetening power and flavor of sugar (unlike stevia which has a licorice aftertaste) without adding calories and without altering the blood glucose level.
Erythritol belongs to the category of polyalcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol and maltitol which are widely used in the sugar-free products industry. In large-scale production, this sweetener (which is also found in small quantities in fruit and vegetables) is produced by microbial fermentation by selected yeasts.
Unlike other polyalcohols, it has fewer kcal (0.24 per gram compared to xylitol which has 2.4 per gram) and fewer undesirable effects from a digestive point of view.
Because of their structure, polyalcohols cannot be digested and so they reach the colon intact where they ferment. If taken in excessive quantities they can cause intestinal problems, gar and diarrhea.
Erythritol is different, 90% is absorbed from the bloodstream before reaching the intestine and is then excreted in the urine. Only 10% reaches the colon thus creating less digestive discomfort.
Excellent for everyone but in particular for diabetics because by not altering the levels of glucose in the blood it does not affect the production of insulin, unlike sugar.
