Chances are, you’ve probably seen the ingredient Erythritol on your food or beverage label, but you don’t know exactly what it is. Or maybe even how to pronounce it.
ur·i·thruh·taal
Now that we know how to say it, let’s talk about what it is exactly. We’ve written about Erythritol and a few more of our sugar substitute offerings in a past blog post, but here’s the break down in a nutshell.
What is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a polyol, which is a sugar alcohol, that occurs naturally in fruits such as pears, melons, grapes, mushrooms and fermentation-derived foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese. It is an all-natural, non-caloric alternative to sugar that is used as a bulk sweetener in reduced calorie foods. It has been commercially produced and added to food and beverage products since 1990.
What does it look like?
Erythritol is an odorless, white crystalline powder
What does it taste like?
Erythritol has a clean, sweet taste that is similar to sucrose. It is approximately 70% as sweet as sugar and flows easily due to its non-hygroscopic character.
How does it affect your body?
The difference between erythritol and other sweeteners is the fact that the sweetness comes from sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols don’t break down in your body, which means they don’t create an insulin spike when they enter the bloodstream (a.k.a. there is no sugar high and crash) and they also don’t feed harmful bacteria in your mouth or gut. After sugar alcohols pass through your digestive system and bloodstream, they are excreted through your urine in an almost entirely unprocessed state, causing no known harm.
What can it be used in?
Erythritol can be used in just about any food and beverage product as a sugar substitute.
• Sauces and condiments
• Ice Cream
• Beverage
• Nutrition bars
• Natural Energy Drinks
• Protein Powders
• Sugar Free Candies
• Keto products
Gillco sources both standard granular & fine powder forms of Erythritol. Interested in adding this ingredient to your product? Reach out today.