Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Sugar alcohols like xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol are heavily marketed to the overweight and diabetic and now those on the keto diet, but over time, their use can lead to worse problems and compromised immunity from gut balance disruption.
The growing diabetes epidemic has spawned a whole new industry of alternative sweeteners known as sugar alcohols. Consumers typically view them favorably because they are not artificial like aspartame. These products with low glycemic indexes are aggressively marketed to the overweight and those with insulin problems as ideal sugar substitutes.
Why? Because they are derived from natural plant-based sources. These chemicals, also known as polyols, are interestingly comprised of neither sugar nor alcohol. The most familiar of these are xylitol, erythritol, mannitol, and sorbitol.
The glycemic index (GI) is the value assigned to a specific food that indicates its effect on blood sugar. The number ranges between 0 and 100, with 100 representing the effect of pure glucose. While the glycemic index of any food can be easily reduced by consuming traditional fats at the same time, for those with blood sugar issues, this is not always enough to prevent problems with insulin.
Below is a table with the glycemic index (GI) of many common sugar alcohols and sweeteners on the market. Note that a higher GI value correlates with a higher blood sugar spike when that particular sweetener is consumed. The sweeteners in bold are sugar alcohols.
Stevia 0
Erythritol 0
Yacon 1
Mannitol 2
Lactitol 6
Xylitol 13
Sorbitol 9
Isomalt 9
Agave 15-30
Date Syrup and Sugar 20
Brown Rice Syrup 25
Coconut Sugar/Coconut Nectar 30
Maltitol 36-53
Raw Honey 35-58
Sucanat 43
Organic Sugar 47
Maple Syrup (Grade A or B) 54
Blackstrap Molasses 54
Evaporated Cane Juice 55
Raw Sugar (Turbinado) 65
Corn Syrup 75
White Sugar 80
High Fructose Corn Syrup 87
Glucose 100
Sugar alcohols contain fewer calories than real sugar and natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. They also have lower glycemic indexes. The sweetness of these chemicals ranges from half as sweet as sugar to equally as sweet.
The low-calorie count and glycemic index combined with the fact that they do not spike blood sugar in the same way as natural sweeteners make the sugar alcohols a marketing bonanza for food manufacturers. It is also highly attractive if not enticing to consumers!
How Common Sugar Alcohols are Made
Let’s examine how each of the most popular sugar alcohols are manufactured:
- Erythritol is derived from corn sugar which is most often from genetically modified (GMO) corn.
- Sorbitol, a slow metabolizing sugar alcohol, can be made from fruits, (GMO) corn, and seaweed, but commercially, the source is dextrose (glucose) produced from gluten-free cornstarch, likely of GMO origin.
- Xylitol is a carbohydrate found naturally in the birch tree. Safer alternatives are manufactured and concentrated from birth wood waste. However, most xylitol on the market is derived from GMO corn.
- Mannitol is manufactured via sugar hydrogenation. This process rearranges the fructose molecule, usually from (GMO) corn, to the sugar mannose.
It is important to understand that all sugar alcohols are highly refined in order to get them into the state in which they are able to be consumed or added to foods. This is true even if the source is natural and a non-GMO source like the birch tree.
Sugar Alcohols are Highly Indigestible
The big problem with sugar alcohols and gut health is that they are, for the most part, indigestible. This is the reason why they are so low calorie in the first place! Indigestibility is not necessarily a problem when the source is a whole food like plantains or potatoes which contain resistant starch, for example.
When the indigestible source is a manufactured, highly refined and processed food like erythritol, sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol that the body would not naturally encounter in that state or quantity simply consuming whole foods, however, it opens the door to creating or contributing to gut imbalance.
Manufactured foods such as sugar alcohols can cause problems even for healthy people of normal weight. They do this by triggering gastric distress, bloating and diarrhea. For those who suffer from any sort of gut disorder or autoimmune disease, sugar alcohols and processed foods containing them should most especially be avoided.
Disruption of the Gut Lining
Sugar alcohols have the potential to disrupt the functioning of the lining of the gut. Ironically, this is the very tissue that is already compromised for those suffering from diabetes and other autoimmune disorders.
The body’s inability to effectively break down sugar alcohols causes them to arrive for the most part intact when they reach the intestines. At that point, a process called “passive diffusion” takes place whereby the sugar alcohol that was consumed draws water into the bowels. This results in only partial breakdown. The unmetabolized portion begins to rot, creating the perfect environment for undesirable bacteria and pathogens to feed, thrive, and grow.
An imbalanced intestinal environment where pathogens and other undesirable microbes have a favorable place to exist is exactly the set of conditions that eventually compromise the gut lining, damage the critical enterocytes that line the gut wall, and promote the development of autoimmune disease symptoms.
And, while it is true that sugar alcohols do not feed pathogenic yeasts like Candida albicans like sugar does, the undesirable fermentation of undigested sugar alcohols has the potential to exacerbate yeast problems.
Sugar Alcohols Contraindicated for Gut Healing Diets
As discussed above, sugar alcohols like xylitol, erythritol, mannitol and sorbitol are incredibly detrimental to gut health. This is particularly true when used over extended periods of time. In recognition of this, healing protocols such as SCD, Autoimmune Paleo, and the bone broth diet do not allow them.
Another effective protocol known as GAPS was developed by Natasha Campbell-McBride MD. It works to reverse a variety of autoimmune conditions including eczema, psoriasis, ADD/ADHD, autism, celiac disease, allergies, asthma, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, diabetes, cancer, and the list goes on.
Kim Schuette, CN, Certified GAPS™ Practitioner and owner of the clinic Biodynamic Wellness in Solana Beach, CA points out that WebMD warns the following about xylitol in particular:
There is not enough information to confirm xylitol’s safety in pregnant and breastfeeding women, so they should not use it for medicinal purposes. Although some animal studies have shown tumor growth resulting from high doses of xylitol over long periods, more research is needed.
She also emphasizes the following for her clients regarding the dangers of sugar alcohols:
It is also important to note that while these refined, highly processed sweeteners have received GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), no rigorous, long-term studies have been performed. Our recommendation is that all refined food products are best avoided. While on the GAPS Diet, limit your sweeteners to fresh fruit, raw honey, and whole leaf stevia in very small amounts.
Flatulence a Common Side Effect
If you doubt that the sugar alcohols you are consuming are harmful to intestinal flora, observe how you feel a few hours or the next day after eating them.
While you might be one of the lucky ones who don’t get bloated or get diarrhea, consider that these alternative sweeteners typically cause flatulence problems at the very least. This is a sign of a negative unbalancing agent present in the gut.
Zero Scientific Data on the Safety of Sugar Alcohols
Rami Nagel, author of Cure Tooth Decay, doesn’t even recommend xylitol gum or supplements despite its reputed ability to fight cavities and quickly resolve ear infections by encouraging proper bacterial balance in the ear canal.
His research combing through the scientific literature for any long term safety data on xylitol turned up the following:
- Epidemiology: No information found
- Teratogenicity: No information found
- Reproductive Effects: No information found
- Mutagenicity: No information found
- Neurotoxicity: No information found
In essence, the xylitol found in a variety of children’s products such as chewing gum and candies is a complete wild card with regard to long term safety.
Warning: Sugar Alcohol Frequently Hides Artificial Sweeteners
While sugar alcohols can be a health danger in and of themselves, the threat grows when they are combined with artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Nutrasweet).
This is exactly what food manufacturers frequently do!
According to Dr. Mercola, sugar alcohols like erythritol are “frequently combined with other low-calorie or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, neotame, saccharin, or as in the case of VitaminWater, crystalline fructose“.
Crystalline fructose is just another name for corn syrup, which is nearly always of genetically modified origin and the same cheap sweetener used in soda.
Don’t fall for the lure of sugar alcohols. While it may seem like a good idea in the short term to wean yourself off sugar, the long term risks to gut health and the potential for autoimmune disease by unbalancing the gut environment and damage to the gut wall aren’t worth it.
Better to address that sweet tooth head-on and fix the source of the problem in a manner that will truly enhance health and not ultimately harms it with a band-aid approach.
References
(1) University of Sydney Glycemic Index Database
(2) The Sour Truth About Sugar Alcohols
(3) Alternative Sweetener Risks
My understanding is that erythritol is different from the other popular sugar alcohol in that 90% is absorbed into the blood stream and eliminated in urine. The remaining 10% is eliminated like the other sugar alcohols. This site is the only site that makes a connection between sugar alcohols and damage to gut micro biome that I have come across. By no means do I want to demean or disparage the author. On the contrary, much of what I read is helpful. Thank you.
I would agree with you in that erythritol is less damaging than xylitol. However, it is still a sugar alcohol and as such, still presents risks to the gut microbiome. Most people, in my opinion, are far too flippant about their gut health. ANYTHING that damages it or reduces its diversity, even if only 10% of other sugar alcohols, is too much of a risk in my view. I won’t do anything that harms my gut microbiome if I can possibly help it. There are other choices that don’t risk flora diversity such a monk fruit sweetener or stevia .. I would suggest using those instead.
THank you so much for explaining my symptoms! I started drinking beet juice due to the claims that it helps stamina during activity. I found that this seemed to be true but absolutely hated the taste of beet juice. I started mixing half and half with various juices including tart cherry juice (to counteract the super sweet, super thick taste of beet juice). After several weeks I realized that when I drank the tart cherry juice mix it seemed like I had food poisoning. Read your article about sorbitol and found tart cherry juice is super high. Into the garbage it goes. What does your knowledge tell you about beet juice? Good or bad? thank you!
Beet juice is very healthy, but should only be consumed in very small amounts. When it is fermented as with traditional beet kvass, this is the best way to consume it. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-beet-kvass/
That’s kinda how I feel..I’ve resorted to sugar free sweets due to diabetes & last 3wks I’ve been sick like a dog with major GI problems
That’s because sugar alcohols decimate beneficial gut bacteria!
Sarah, I’ve been consuming a few squares of chocolate each day that contain Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which is made by naturally fermenting non-GMO corn (to make its erythritol) and extracting young monkfruit. Your article is about the Whole Earth sweetener, but I’m wondering if this monkfruit + erythritol sweetener might be an acceptable one as it contains a fermented NON GMO erythritol. I eat small quantities, but at the same time I’m trying to heal my gut. We do not consume wheat and most grains and I use a little liquid stevia in my tea and occasionally as a sweetener to make almond/coconut flour waffles. I have done well to kick the sugar habit other than having a little chocolate treat each day. Truly I do not want to make my gut issue greater than it already is. Yet, I would love a small treat. HELP!!!!!
Here’s an article on monk fruit that addresses Lakanto. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/monk-fruit/
I would recommend the keto chocolate cups that only uses pure monk fruit with NO erythritol. https://amzn.to/2MQVYvI
Excellent article – thank you. I started on Nutrisystem 10 weeks ago and lost 10 pounds during that time. I was also extremely bloated, suffered from terrible flatulence and loose bowels which got so bad I went to doctor. She explained Nutrisystem uses Maltitol in its products and some people can’t tolerate that – I was one. Even though I do not suffer from IBS, Crohns, etc. I would caution anyone with those issue to steer clear of Nutrisystem. I am now back to normal after two weeks off diet. Weight loss was also every slow – not even close to what they advertise.
The author cites the Great Alarmist himself Joseph Mercola to say that sugar alcohols frequently “hide” artificial sweeteners. But if you click the link to Mercola’s article, he says they are frequently “combined” with artificial sweeteners. Sure. And water is frequently combined with sugar. That doesn’t mean we want to walk around pronouncing that water “hides” sugar. Right?
That there’s no safety data…. here are about 20 on xylitol alone. Where do you look for toxicology studies if you’re not finding them on Toxnet?
toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7967
These studies are pitifully small … just a few people … I couldn’t find one study with a few hundred individuals followed for several years and zero gold standard, placebo-controlled research. I would not consider these “studies” to be proof of much of anything. Be careful not to get sucked into “science for sale” research.
grow your own Stevia plants and use the leaves to sweeten tea or whatever else. You can dry the leaves and grind them up to a powder too.
I just want to note that I began using Lakanto in January or February… not huge amounts, maybe a couple of teaspoons a day mixed with almond butter or made into a microwave chocolate cake. And that would be maybe 3 or 4 times a week. Everything was fine at first… but then my eczema associated with candida overgrowth began showing up on parts of my body where it had never been, upper outer thighs and hips for example. I stopped the lakanto and the eczema decreased in those new locations. It did not go away, but was not so pronounced and itchy. Then I ordered a new form of liquid stevia (for years I used SweetLeaf brand liquid stevia with zero problems, but it’s become pretty pricey and NOW sells a liquid stevia that also contains a sugar alcohol, it does not say which one tho, so I bought it to try after reading positive reviews). It seems the new liquid stevia, which I use for sweetening a couple of cups of coffee or iced tea per day, is causing the same new spots of eczema to flair again. Luckily for me, I do not have a strong sweet tooth… so I’ve gone back to SweetLeaf stevia which still thankfully does not affect me… .I just wanted to share this because you may not be affected by erythritol, which is made from corn, but I am apparently. Just some fyi.
This has very little scientific value and has the marks of industry propaganda. I am VERY sensitive to sugar alcohols like sorbitol and mannitol. I can handle very small amounts of xylitol. Erythritol has zero, none, nada effects on me. When mixed with Monk fruit it is ideal to handle sugar cravings. Why don’t you realize that we are addicted to sugar. An addict will do whatever it takes to get a fix. Abstinence is stupid and will never work long-term. Stop telling everyone to get a cure for their sweet tooth…it ain’t gonna happen. Give us alternatives we can live with, not demonization from some unknown sources on the web who are being supported by who knows who?
How could this article “have the marks of industry propaganda” if it suggests NOT consuming these factory made sweeteners? Your logic makes zero sense.
Listen, do what you like! If you wish to ignore the growing and very compelling body of scientific evidence that using sugar substitutes is a very bad idea, then that is your choice! I am putting this out there for people who don’t want to compromise … they wish to be healthy without some sort of a fake sugar crutch.
So is Truvia go to take or not? It has Erythritol in it.
I personally would not use it.
I have had same results & have avoided all sugar Alcohols for well over 20 years. They are even in meds. otc meds. They are poisonous to certain at risk people. I have UC. I feel these helped contribute to my Diagnosis. The FDA should get to Food Mfgrs. It’s almost criminal.