SUGAR ALCOHOLS

1) What are sugar alcohols? Are they really sugar or alcohol?
The term sugar alcohols (also known as polyols) is misleading because sugar alcohols are neither sugar nor alcohol. Instead, they are a type of bulk sweetener widely used in food products today to replace table sugar (sucrose). They are called "bulk" sweeteners because they measure at least one for one with regular sugar and therefore provide both sweetness and volume to a recipe. This is unlike "intense" sweeteners, such as sucralose (also known as Splenda), that are 200 to 500 times sweeter than table sugar. These intense sweeteners are used in very small quantities and provide no mass or bulk to a recipe.

Sugar alcohols occur naturally in plants and include sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, mannitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH). Of these sweeteners, Santé Gourmet cakes contain erythritol only because it is digestive friendly.

Although they are technically classified as carbohydrates, sugar alcohols are not digested in your body like typical carbohydrates. When you eat normal carbohydrates like bread or pasta, they are broken down into a simple sugar called glucose that increases blood sugar levels and provides energy for your body. Sugar alcohols, however, are not digested completely or at all, which means little or no impact on blood sugar levels as well as reduced calories. This is why the term Net Carbs is often defined as Total Carbs minus sugar alcohols and dietary fiber (another substance which is not digested or absorbed in the body).

2) What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is used as a replacement for sugar in reduced calorie foods. It is all-natural, non-caloric, and has been part of the human diet for thousands of years because of its presence in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, as well as foods like mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese.

Erythritol has a high digestive tolerance, is safe for people with diabetes, and does not promote tooth decay. Since 1990, erythritol has been commercially produced and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as enhance their taste and texture.

Benefits of erythritol:
• Low in calories. Erythritol has a very low caloric content: 0.2 calories per gram for food labeling purposes in the United States and 0 (zero) calories per gram for food labeling purposes in Japan. This very low calorie value is due to erythritol’s unique absorption and elimination process which does not require the metabolism of erythritol.

• High digestive tolerance. Erythritol is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine due to its small molecular size and structure. Several clinical studies conducted in Europe and Japan have shown that more than 90% of ingested erythritol is absorbed and excreted unchanged in urine within a 24-hour period. This digestive pathway allows less than 5% of ingested erythritol to reach the large intestine and be fermented into volatile fatty acids or metabolized into carbon dioxide. As a result, foods containing substantial amounts of erythritol are very unlikely to cause gaseous and laxation side effects sometimes associated with excessive polyol consumption. A recent clinical study concluded daily consumption of 1 gram per kilogram body weight is well tolerated by adults as compared to sucrose-containing foods.

• Safe for people with diabetes. Single dose and 14-day clinical studies demonstrate erythritol does not affect blood serum glucose or insulin levels. Clinical studies conducted in people with diabetes conclude that erythritol may be safely used to replace sucrose in foods formulated specifically for people with diabetes. However, those with diabetes should consider the diet impact of other ingredients used in foods sweetened with erythritol.

• Does not cause tooth decay. Erythritol like other non-cariogenic polyols is resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria which break down sugars and starches to produce acids which may lead to tooth enamel loss and cavities formation. The American Dental Association has recognized the usefulness of polyols, such as erythritol, as alternatives to sugars and as part of a comprehensive program including proper dental hygiene. The FDA has approved the use of a "does not promote tooth decay" health claim in labeling for sugar-free foods that contain erythritol or other polyols.

Safety of erythritol:
The safety of erythritol as a food ingredient under conditions of its intended use is substantiated by a number of human and animal safety studies, including short- and long- term feeding, multi-generation reproduction and teratology studies. A GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) affirmation petition submitted by a consortium of erythritol manufacturers was accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on January 15, 1997. This allows manufacturers to produce and sell erythritol-containing foods in the United States. Erythritol is regulated as a direct food ingredient in Japan and has been used in this country since 1990 in candies, chocolates, soft drinks, chewing gums, yogurts, fillings, cookie coatings, jellies, jams and sugar substitutes. Petitions have been submitted to additional governmental agencies throughout the world to expand the use of erythritol.

Sources: Calorie Control Council, Cargill

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