Artificial Sweeteners (cont.)
What are sugar alcohols?
Sugar and sugar alcohols are each considered nutritive sweeteners because
they provide calories when consumed. Sugar alcohols, or polyols, contain fewer
calories than sugar. Sugar provides 4 kcal/gram, and sugar alcohols provide an
average of 2 kcal/gram (range from 1.5 kcal/gram to 3 kcal/gram). Contrary to
their name, sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols. They are
carbohydrates with structures that only resemble sugar and alcohol.
Foods that contain sugar alcohols can be labeled sugar-free because they
replace full-calorie sugar sweeteners. Sugar alcohols have been found to be a
beneficial substitute for sugar for reducing glycemic response, decreasing
dental cavities, and lowering caloric intake.
Sugar alcohols naturally occur in many fruits and vegetables but are most
widely consumed in sugar-free and reduced-sugar foods. The sweetness of sugar
alcohols varies from 25% to 100% as sweet as table sugar (sucrose). The amount
and kind being used will be dependant on the food. The following table lists the
details on each of the sugar alcohols.
| Sugar Alcohol |
Calories/Gram |
Sweetness Compared to Sucrose |
Sources |
| Sorbitol |
2.6 |
50% to 70% |
Sugar-free hard and soft candies, chewing gum, flavored jam and
jelly spreads, frozen foods, and baked goods |
| Mannitol |
1.6 |
50% to 70% |
Chewing gum,
hard and soft candies, flavored jam and jelly spreads, confections, and frostings |
| Xylitol |
2.4 |
100% |
Chewing gum, hard candies, and pharmaceutical products |
| Erythritol |
0.2 |
60% to 80% |
Confectionery and baked products, chewing gum, and some beverages |
| Isomalt |
2.0 |
45% to 65% |
Hard and soft candies, ice cream, toffee, fudge,
lollipops, wafers, and chewing gum |
| Lactitol |
2.0 |
30% to 40% |
Chocolate, cookies and cakes, hard and soft candies, and frozen dairy
desserts |
| Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) |
3.0 |
25% to 50% |
Sugar-free foods and candies, and low-calorie
foods |
| Maltitol |
2.1 |
90% |
Sugar-free chocolate, hard candies, chewing gum, baked
goods, and ice cream |
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