Erythritol. You’ve probably seen it in food label ingredients and wondered what exactly it is…or you may not even known you’re consuming it daily!
What is it?
Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol or polyol that contains about 60 percent to 80 percent of the sweetness of table sugar. Other sugar alcohols include sorbitol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol and xylitol. Fruits like watermelon, pear and grapes naturally have minor amounts of erythritol, as do mushrooms and fermented foods like cheese and wine, so with that in mind, it’s passed along and approved as safe and “natural”. It’s now commonly added to many packaged food and drink items as well as sugar-free gums, mints and even some medications.
It’s commonly added to stevia to produce bulk to make it easier to measure and “stretch” the substance (aka: make stevia less expensive for the company to produce).
Truvia, which markets itself as stevia, is actually about 95 percent genetically modified erythritol with a little bit of rebiana (a stevia derivative) and “natural flavors” thrown in.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Sugar alcohols like erythritol are well-known for their link to digestive issues. Some of the most common erythritol side effects are painful and undesirable GI problems due to it’s lack of digestibility.
Bloating is just the start of artificial sweetener consumption. Diarrhea is a well-known common side effect, especially with erythritol. When consumed in excess, unabsorbed erythritol can attract water from the intestinal wall and cause diarrhea.
SIBO and IBS Sufferers
SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) occurs in many people suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) (IBS) and is defined as excessive bacteria in the small intestine. While bacteria occurs naturally in the digestive tract, the small intestine is supposed to have relatively low levels of bacteria. When people suffer from SIBO or IBS, what they put into their bodies on a daily basis can truly spell the difference between healing or increased distress – and I for one have dealt with it first hand and on a DAILY BASIS (that’s why I am sooo particular about what goes into my own body!)
Polyols like erythritol top the list for ingredients to avoid with a digestive problem like SIBO because they can so commonly be irritating and problematic to the digestive system.
Even if erythritol is NOT found/used in a stevia brand, read this post about why you should stay away from stevia regardless and why I personally do!).
Insecticide
If you’re not yet convinced to stay away from erythritol, researchers at Drexel University were pursuing a patent on erythritol as an insecticide and are continuing to study its effectiveness. Yup! The researchers show that erythritol is toxic to flies, so I guess if you have a fly infestation you should keep some erythritol on hand!
BETTER SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES ARE…..
• Raw honey
• Yacon Syrup and
• Blackstrap Molasses….Not only are these better, but they’re actually HEALTHY FOR YOU and I talk about the benefits of each in their posts.
