What’s erythritol and is it really healthy?
What is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a sweetener in the category of sugar alcohols. There are many sugar alcohols on the market, most often found in sugar free commercially prepared sweets. The ones you've likely seen on ingredient labels are maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol. They're usually very low calorie and rank very low on the glycemic index, with the exception of erythritol, which is calorie free with zero net carbs and a glycemic index of 0.
Is Erythritol an Ariticial Sweetener?
Despite their name, sugar alcohols are actually non-alcoholic and contrary to popular belief they are not artificial sweeteners (like aspartame and sucralose). They are found abudantly in nature and produced through the process of fermentation. For example, erythritol is the by-product of fermenting corn.
Is Erythritol Healthy?
Erythritol is low in carbphydrates, calorie free, and has a glycemic index of 0, which means it doesn't have any impact on insulin or blood sugar levels. Research has show that it may even have some antioxidant benefits (although the research is still in it's infancy on this). It makes an excellent substitute to sugar and sugar alternatives, especially for diabetics or individuals looking to keep their blood sugar steady, even when they enjoy a sweet treat.
Sugar alcohols are not well absorbed and metabolized by our digestive system and can have a mild laxative effect if consumed in large quantities, with the exception of erythritol. Studies have show that it gets rapidly absorbed in the small intestine and excreted through urine, without degradation [1, 2].
Where can I find Erythritol?
It's not easy to find Erythritol in stores, but you can find it on-line. I get mine in 1 kg bags on Amazon and it keeps for a long long time.
How do I use Erythritol?
Erythritol tastes and acts a lot like sugar and can be used in place of sugar in almost any recipe. Keep in mind that it has slightly less sweetening power than sugar, which is a positive thing in my opinion, as it helps train the taste buds to appreciate things with less sweetness.
Granulated erythritol can be used to replace granulated white sugar while powedered erythritol can be used to replace powdered white sugar in many preparations, including whipped buttercream, sugar cookie glaze, and so much more.
Some sources say to add 1/3 more erythritol than the sugar called for in a recipe to match the sweetness while other sources say to use no more than 1/2 cup of erythritol in any recipe as it tends to crystalize and cause dryness. I haven’t tested this sweetener exhaustively, but as I use it more frequently in my baking experiments, I’ll update this post accordingly.
In summary, erythritol is an excellent alternative to sugar that won’t cause blood sugar spikes or tooth decay!!!
While this is a bonus for anyone with children who love sweets, those who suffer from diabetes and anyone with a sweet tooth who wants to keep their blood sugar in check, it’s not an open invitation to consume this sweetener with wreckless abandon.
There’s still something to be said for reducing your reliance and dependence on overly sweet flavours and training your taste buds to enjoy the natural sweetness of foods without additions or alterations.
The other thing t consider is that, erythritol itself my be low carb and low GI, but if you’re adding it to cake recipe, the other ingredients may not be. So if this is a concern for you medically, tread with caution.
Moderation is always a good idea, especially when it comes to new things that science is still studying.
