At the moment of overnutrition, people’s unhealthy lifestyles have led to an increase in diabetes and obesity. People are eager to regain their health by creating a sugar-free and calorie-free food. It is precisely this demand of people that has produced an important sugar substitute industry: sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohols are widely used in food, cosmetics, medicines, etc. Sugar alcohol types include sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, lactitol, and maltitol, etc., gradually becoming widely used sugar substitute products. Erythritol is a relatively new type of sugar alcohol product and has gradually become the “star” in sugar substitute products.
Erythritol is produced by the hydrolysis of aldehydes or ketones in various carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols are naturally present in various fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, mushrooms, and fermented foods such as soy sauce. The most valuable feature of these sugar alcohols is that they have a sweet taste and contain low calories, and at the same time do not cause tooth decay. The characteristics of some sugar alcohols are detailed in the table below.
| Sweetener | GI | Calories(KCAL/g) | Sweetness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cane sugar | 65 | 3.9 | 1 |
| Erythritol | 0 | 0.2 | 0.6-0.8 |
| Xylitol | 13 | 2.4 | 1 |
| Sorbitol | 9 | 2.7 | 0.5-0.7 |
Among sugar alcohols, erythritol can see its obvious advantages. Its sweetness is about 60-80% of sucrose. In addition, erythritol has a better taste than other sugar alcohols, and it does not have the astringency of other sugar alcohols. Taste and irritating. At the same time, compared with other synthetic sugar alcohols, erythritol does not contain energy, making it a “star” in the world of sugar substitutes.
Nowadays, supermarkets, milk tea shops, coffee shops have appeared erythritol products (such as Yuanqi Forest, erythritol sugar cubes, erythritol milk tea, etc.), but new sugar alcohols will inevitably give “the first The “crab-eating” people raise questions-is this sugar substitute reliable?
The reason why Genki Forest is sweet is that it is added with erythritol.
In fact, most of the erythritol cannot be absorbed by the body and most of it is excreted in its original form, so it will not change the blood sugar level and insulin level. At the same time, compared with xylitol and sorbitol, erythritol will not cause diarrhea as long as it is not used in large amounts. According to data, erythritol also has antioxidant activity. The above reasons make it a popular sweetener, and the first choice for people with diabetes, obesity, and body-building.
Of course, due to the production process, the current price of erythritol is still relatively high. At the same time, whether the use of erythritol will cause other “collateral damage” still needs more data and research to support it.
