What Is Erythritol?
Erythritol has bene growing in popularity especially among the KETO diet. It is a type of carbohydrate called sugar alcohol and is one of the most common artificial sweeteners available. It’s popular in foods marketed for weight loss and diabetes. But research suggests that erythritol, and other artificial sweeteners, may have serious health risks—and may be worse for you than table sugar.
Did you know that “Sugar Alcohols Have a Key Role in Pathogenesis of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Whole Blood and Liver Tissues.” – Israa T Ismail et al. 2020.
What Are the Dangers of Erythritol?
There’s increasing scientific evidence on the dangers of erythritol and other artificial sweeteners/sugar alcohols for your health. Recent research shows erythritol may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and more.
Erythritol is on the list of “Generally Recognized as Safe” foods by the FDA because it is “naturally occurring”. So, long-term safety studies of erythritol aren’t required currently. It means food makers don’t have to list erythritol on product nutrition labels which is quite scarry! The crazy part is that the quantities of erythritol that are used in foods (especially KETO baked goods) are much higher than what is known to be safe for your body. FDA says erythritol is good for oral health because it slows the growth of one type of bacteria and decreases the acid that bacteria make which helps protect enamel however side effects far outweigh the benefits in my opinion.
In addition to increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke, erythritol can cause mild to severe digestive issues if you consume large amounts of it. That includes bloating, cramping, excess gas, and diarrhea. Many of my clients experience severe runny stools after consuming ice cream or baked goods with sugar alcohols (including xylitol) in them.
How do you know if your food contains erythritol?
While food labels aren’t required to list erythritol as an ingredient, there are some hints it might be in your food. If the package has these words, it may mean your food contains erythritol:
- Contains sugar alcohol
- Keto-safe
- Diabetes-safe
- No sugar
- Low sugar
- Artificially sweetened
- Naturally sweetened
- Sweetened with natural compounds
- Low calorie
- No calories
Sugar alcohols such as erythritol are often mixed in with monk fruit or stevia to bulk up the product and make it more affordable. If you use Swerve, Lakanto sweetener and other brands of sugar free sweeteners, you’re most likely consuming sugar alcohols so check the label!
Alternatives to Sugar Alcohols
- Pure Green Leaf Stevia
- Liquid stevia (pure extract only)
- Raw honey
- Coconut Sugar
- Yacon Syrup
Sugar Alcohol Facts
- Erythritol: This is a sweetener that’s only been approved on the market since 2001, and becoming more popular in recent years. It isn’t recognized as sugar in the body and hasn’t been shown to raise insulin levels, compared to its cousin malitol which is why people are using however it is not well tolerated by people with IBS and has a great many side effects.
- Xylitol: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with about 40% of the calories of regular sugar, so it can contribute to insulin resistance and Type II diabetes if consumed in high amounts.
- Maltitol: Maltitol is a sugar alcohol with fewer grams of sugar than pure sugar. But at around half the calories of sugars, it’s not a good option for avoiding insulin resistance and Type II diabetes. It can also lead to significant diarrhea and bloating issues.