What Is Erythritol? Is This Zero-Calorie Sweetener Too Good to Be True?
On your muscle-building journey, you’ll likely grab a tub of protein powder to help you reach your protein intake goal. If you’re always on the hunt for the best protein powders, you probably read the ingredients before deciding. Somewhere in the ingredients, you’ll find artificial sweeteners. Erythritol, a sugar alcohol, is common in protein powders.
With plenty of debate around the health implications of sugar and its substitutes, you may have come across something called erythritol. But what is erythritol exactly? Here, you’ll learn what the research says about whether this zero-calorie sweetener is too good and sweet to be true.
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
What Is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol that became popular in Japan in 1990. Other examples of sugar alcohols, or polyols, include xylitol and sorbitol. Polyols occur naturally in watermelon, grapes, and mushrooms. They’re also in fermented foods like soy sauce and cheese. Since erythritol occurs naturally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it a natural sweetener. (1)(2)
Erythritol is produced from the fermentation of GMO cornstarch. It is 70 percent as sweet as regular sugar (sucrose) and contains zero calories. It cools your mouth and doesn’t have an aftertaste. (2)
These properties make it a popular additive, and it’s used as a natural sweetener for food products, including candies, chewing gum, baked goods, beverages, protein powder, and a substitute for table sugar. When you see food products labeled as sugar-free, they often contain sugar alcohols. (2)
[Read More: New Study Compares Diet Soda vs. Water For Weight Loss]
Since erythritol is made through fermentation, a natural process, it’s considered more “natural” than other low-calorie sugar alcohols. Erythritol is also unique in that 60 to 90 percent of it gets absorbed by your small intestine, passes through your kidneys, and gets excreted through your urine. This process means it doesn’t affect your blood glucose or insulin levels. It packs a sweet taste without the blood sugar spike. (1)(3)(4)
Before getting excreted, erythritol may act as an antioxidant in your body by attacking free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. Its low glycemic index and antioxidant properties make it a helpful sugar substitute for people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. (1)
Nutrition Facts
Here are the nutrition facts for a one-teaspoon, four-gram serving of granulated erythritol crystals. (5)
- Zero calories
- Zero grams of protein
- Zero grams of fat
- Four grams of carbohydrates
- Zero grams of sugar
Even though it has four grams of carbohydrates, erythritol is considered acceptable on a keto diet since it has a zero glycemic index. (1)
Potential Benefits of Erythritol
Erythritol, on its own, may not offer any health benefits. Eating food products that contain it instead of regular sugar or other sugar substitutes may be beneficial. Evidence shows it can help with fat loss, doesn’t spike your blood sugar, and may function as an antioxidant. It can also protect your oral health.
May Help With Fat Loss
Consuming food products with erythritol as an alternative sweetener to sugar may help with fat loss in two ways. First, it’s a zero-calorie sweetener. If your goal is weight loss, theoretically, you need to consume less calories than you burn. Cutting down on calories in sweet food products may help you lower your caloric intake without feeling restricted. Erythritol is also commonly found in low-calorie and sugar-free food products.
[Read More: New Meta-Analysis Suggests Artificial and Stevia-Based Sweeteners Help Reduce Fat Mass]
The second way erythritol can help with weight loss is that it may help increase satiety or feelings of fullness, which can help you stick to your plan when trying to reduce your intake.
The Science of Erythritol and Fat Loss
Research shows that erythritol increases the production of two gut hormones: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK). These hormones signal feelings of fullness or satiety to your brain and help slow gastric emptying — the time it takes for your stomach to feel empty. (4)
Clinical trials showed that lean participants taking 10 to 50 grams of erythritol had higher gut hormone releases (GLP-1 and CCK) and slower gastric emptying than the placebo group. (4)
Multiple other human trials showed that erythritol stimulates gut hormone production, which can help increase satiety, reduce intake, and help reduce body weight. (2)
[Read More: Added Sugar vs Natural Sugar | What You’re Missing on Nutrition Labels]
Another clinical trial compared participants consuming an erythritol-sweetened beverage with an aspartame-sweetened beverage. Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener but not a sugar alcohol like erythritol. The results showed that the erythritol group also secreted less of the hormone ghrelin, which signals hunger to your brain. (2)
Lastly, a study was done on lean people and people with obesity comparing the effects of erythritol, xylitol, and glucose (regular sugar). The erythritol and xylitol groups had increased GLP-1 and CCK levels, and a decreased gastric emptying rate. (6)
However, both groups reported the same subjective feelings of hunger as the glucose group. So, while erythritol and xylitol secrete more hormones that theoretically may make you feel more full, participants didn’t report lower feelings of hunger in this case. (6)
Doesn’t Spike Blood Sugar
Aside from calories and feelings of hunger, erythritol has a major benefit over regular sugar and other sugar alternatives — it does not affect your insulin levels.
Your body can’t metabolize most of erythritol. It passes through your system without getting absorbed by your blood, so it has no chance to spike your blood sugar or insulin levels. Multiple studies have found this, which makes it a good sugar alternative for people with type 2 diabetes or anyone looking to watch their blood sugar levels. (1)
[Read More: How Exercise Affects How the Body Uses Sugar]
In the previously mentioned study on erythritol and xylitol, xylitol slightly affected insulin levels, and erythritol had zero effect. Other studies also show that erythritol has zero effect on blood glucose and insulin levels. Further studies on people with and without obesity and diabetes also suggested that erythritol doesn’t affect levels of blood glucose and insulin. (2)(4)(6)
May Protect Oral Health
Too much sugar can harm your teeth, but research finds that erythritol may help prevent tooth decay. Erythritol can prevent the bacteria streptococcus mutants from binding to teeth, which is known to cause tooth decay and cavities. (3)
Over 50 years of studies showed sorbitol and xylitol helped protect oral health better than regular sugar. Recent studies showed that erythritol was even better. In clinical studies, children, teenagers, and adults consuming candies or chewing gum with erythritol had less dental plaque. (2)
[Read More: Why This Dietitian Would Tell You to Skip Artificial Sweeteners]
Other oral health studies showed erythritol reduces dental plaque, bacteria development, and cavities more than sorbitol and xylitol. This may be due to its “osmotic effect,” meaning it can break through a cell membrane to slow the growth of bacteria. (7)
May Have Antioxidant Properties
Erythritol may function as an antioxidant. Before it gets excreted from your body, it may be able to hunt down free radicals. (1)
Free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing electrons. They cause oxidative stress and inflammation by scavenging your other cells to take their electrons. Antioxidants give electrons back to damaged cells. This process can heal damage and repair DNA. (8)
People with type 2 diabetes tend to have high levels of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Research shows that erythritol may have a positive effect on people with type 2 diabetes. In addition to not spiking their blood sugar, erythritol may help reduce oxidative stress, relax their blood vessels, and improve their endothelial functions. (7)
[Read More: New Study Shows No Association Between Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer Mortality]
Multiple other studies suggest erythritol is a beneficial antioxidant for people with type 2 diabetes to reduce vascular damage, possibly because it is easy to get a lot of it through their diets. (9)(10)
Chronic inflammation, as it relates to diseases, differs from temporary inflammation caused by exercise. But, if erythritol works as an antioxidant by reducing inflammation, having it in your protein powder may help muscle recovery.
Is Erythritol Safe?
Yes, erythritol is considered safe. In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared erythritol safe. In 2001, the FDA added erythritol to their “GRAS” (generally recognized as safe) list. The FDA approved erythritol as a safe sweetener to add to food products. (2)(11)
Before FDA approval, multiple studies on humans and animals demonstrated that it was safer and easier to digest than other polyols since it gets instantly absorbed and later excreted without affecting your blood. (10)
[Read More: New Study Shows the Sooner You Swap to a Healthy Diet, the More Years You Can Add to Your Life]
However, the long-term effects of erythritol are unknown. A study published in 2023 found that consuming erythritol may be associated with sudden cardiac events (like heart attacks) and thrombosis (blood clots). The study notes that there needs to be more research on long-term effects. (12)
Potential Erythritol Side Effects
Though considered safe by the WHO and the FDA, erythritol could still cause side effects. Sugar alcohols are known to cause digestive issues since they are poorly absorbed. Erythritol and other sugar alcohols may have a laxative effect and cause nausea, gas, and bloating. (2)
However, xylitol seems to trigger more digestive side effects than erythritol. A study showed that when consuming 35 and 50 grams of xylitol or erythritol, the xylitol group had diarrhea, and the erythritol group did not. At 50 grams of erythritol, participants experienced some nausea, while 50 grams of xylitol triggered significantly more diarrhea. (13)
What the Science Says About Artificial Sweeteners
The FDA lists several artificial sweeteners as GRAS (generally recognized as safe). High-intensity sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and monk fruit have all been given the GRAS label. Erythritol belongs to the sugar alcohol family. Sugar alcohols, including erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, and mannitol, have all been labeled GRAS. (14)
[Read More: What Does the Science Actually Say on Artificial Sweeteners?]
For a food additive like an artificial sweetener or sugar alcohol to receive GRAS approval by the FDA, scientists must declare that the product is reasonably sure not to cause harm when used as intended. (14)
The studies linking erythritol to potential cardiac events are newer. (12)
Too Sweet to Be True?
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol commonly found in sugar-free and low-calorie products. It has zero calories and maintains seventy percent of the sweet taste of regular sugar without an aftertaste. It doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels and may even help protect your oral health by preventing tooth decay.
The FDA declares it safe, but recent studies suggest a possible long-term link between erythritol and cardiac events. It may be something to keep in mind as you check the ingredients on your next tub of protein powder.
FAQs
Let’s wrap up with some common questions on erythritol.
Your body doesn’t metabolize erythritol. It passes through your kidneys and gets excreted through your urine.
Erythritol is considered natural since it is found in fruits and vegetables. As a food additive, it gets produced by fermenting cornstarch.
Yes, you can get granulated or powdered erythritol in stores.
They are both sugar alcohols, but xylitol has a few calories and some impact on your blood sugar. Erythritol has zero calories and does not affect your blood sugar levels.
Erythritol seems to be safe for people with diabetes since it does not affect your blood glucose or insulin levels.
Yes, erythritol is gluten-free.
References
- Regnat K, Mach RL, Mach-Aigner AR. Erythritol as sweetener-wherefrom and whereto? Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018 Jan;102(2):587-595.
- Mazi TA, Stanhope KL. Erythritol: An In-Depth Discussion of Its Potential to Be a Beneficial Dietary Component. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 1;15(1):204.
- de Cock P, Mäkinen K, Honkala E, Saag M, Kennepohl E, Eapen A. Erythritol Is More Effective Than Xylitol and Sorbitol in Managing Oral Health Endpoints. Int J Dent. 2016;2016:9868421.
- Wölnerhanssen BK, Drewe J, Verbeure W, le Roux CW, Dellatorre-Teixeira L, Rehfeld JF, Holst JJ, Hartmann B, Tack J, Peterli R, Beglinger C, Meyer-Gerspach AC. Gastric emptying of solutions containing the natural sweetener erythritol and effects on gut hormone secretion in humans: A pilot dose-ranging study. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2021 Jun;23(6):1311-1321.
- 100% Pure Erythritol Crystals. U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.
- Wölnerhanssen BK, Cajacob L, Keller N, Doody A, Rehfeld JF, Drewe J, Peterli R, Beglinger C, Meyer-Gerspach AC. Gut hormone secretion, gastric emptying, and glycemic responses to erythritol and xylitol in lean and obese subjects. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Jun 1;310(11):E1053-61.
- (2018). Erythritol Functional Roles in Oral-Systemic Health. Advances in Dental Research.
- Pham-Huy LA, He H, Pham-Huy C. Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health. Int J Biomed Sci. 2008 Jun;4(2):89-96.
- den Hartog GJ, Boots AW, Adam-Perrot A, Brouns F, Verkooijen IW, Weseler AR, Haenen GR, Bast A. Erythritol is a sweet antioxidant. Nutrition. 2010 Apr;26(4):449-58.
- Boesten, DaniëlleM & Hartog, Gertjan & Decock, Peter & Bosscher, Douwina & Bonnema, Angela & Bast, Aalt. (2015). Health effects of erythritol. Nutrafoods. 14. 1-7.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “GRAS Notices. Basic Search: Erythritol.”
- Witkowski M, Nemet I, Alamri H, Wilcox J, Gupta N, Nimer N, Haghikia A, Li XS, Wu Y, Saha PP, Demuth I, König M, Steinhagen-Thiessen E, Cajka T, Fiehn O, Landmesser U, Tang WHW, Hazen SL. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk. Nat Med. 2023 Mar;29(3):710-718.
- Storey D, Lee A, Bornet F, Brouns F. Gastrointestinal tolerance of erythritol and xylitol ingested in a liquid. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;61(3):349-54.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “High-Intensity Sweeteners.” 14 May, 2014.
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