Educational Information
Is Zerose™ erythritol natural?
Yes. Humans have been consuming erythritol since the dawn of time. Erythritol occurs naturally at low levels in grapes, melons, and pears and can be found at higher levels in fermented products like wine. In modern times, it was found that a yeast-like culture isolated from fresh pollen found in a honeycomb produces higher quantities of erythritol when grown under the right conditions.
Is Zerose™ erythritol like Splenda® or Equal®?
No. Splenda and Equal are not naturally occurring in any plants or fruits. Splenda® and Equal® are artificially produced sweeteners that are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. In their commercial form they are blended with dextrose or maltodextrin to reduce the sweetness to eight times that of an equal weight of sugar.
How is Zerose™ erythritol made?
Erythritol can be produced from a variety of carbohydrate sources such as organic sucrose (sugar) non-GM (genetically modified) sugar, or dextrose from starch. The carbohydrate is mixed with water and fermented with a natural culture. This process is similar to how yogurt is made from milk. (In yogurt, dairy cultures are used; whereas in erythritol, cultures isolated from a natural source are used.) It is then filtered, crystallized and dried resulting a final product that’s 99.5% pure.
Is Zerose™ erythritol GRAS?
Yes. Erythritol has been used as an ingredient in foods and beverages since the late 1980’s in Japan and was more recently approved for use in the U.S. (self-affirmed GRAS). It was approved for use in foods and beverages in Canada in November of 2004. These approvals were based on extensive scientific and medical testing that has been reviewed by an expert panel of independent physicians and toxicologists who approved erythritol as safe for use in foods and beverages.
How many calories does Zerose™ erythritol contain?
Erythritol has zero calories. Calories are the units of measure that tell us how much energy we get from the foods we eat. When we taken in more calories than we burn off in our activities throughout the day, that extra energy is stored as fat. This is where erythritol can help, because erythritol contains no calories.
Is Zerose™ erythritol a sugar alcohol?
Erythritol is classed as a sugar alcohol, but it is neither a sugar nor an alcohol. Scientists call them sugar alcohols because part of their structure chemically resembles sugar and part is similar to alcohols. However, these sugar-free sweeteners are neither sugars nor alcohols, as these words are commonly used. Sugar alcohols are the common name for a class of food ingredients like sorbitol, maltitol, and isomalt that you will find in many sugar-free and low carbohydrate foods.
Do all sugar alcohols have zero calories?
No. Most sugar alcohols have 2 or 3 Kilocalories per gram. Erythritol has zero Kilocalories per gram. Sugar has 4 Kilocalories per gram.
Can sugar alcohols lead to digestive upset if consumed in large quantities?
They can. Products that contain them will often warn consumers on their label that short-term digestive upset like gas or laxation can occur if the product is over-consumed. However, Erythritol is different from other sugar alcohols. It can be consumed at much higher levels without leading to these problems. While the FDA requires mandatory laxation warning labels on products with some sugar alcohols, products that contain erythritol do not have to display a warning. Compared to other sugar alcohols [polyols], erythritol has the highest digestive tolerance.
How is Zerose™ erythritol different from other sugar alcohols?
Your body handles erythritol differently than other sugar alcohols. The other sugar alcohols are large molecules that are not absorbed and they pass into the lower digestive tract where they are fermented by the naturally occurring bacteria present in every human’s large intestine. This fermentation can produce gas that can lead to digestive discomfort and laxation. Because erythritol is a smaller molecule than the other sugar alcohols, it is well absorbed in the upper digestive tract (the small intestine) and removed unchanged by the kidneys and is excreted in the urine. It does not get fermented in the lower intestine like other sugar alcohols. The human body does not convert erythritol to energy or fat, so it contributes no calories.
Why is Zerose™ erythritol used with other sweeteners?
Erythritol tastes great by itself, but it costs more than sucrose as a sweetening ingredient. It has been found that combining a little erythritol with more intense, non-caloric sweeteners will change the sweetness to be more like that of sugar. It prevents the after-taste and off-flavors sometimes associated with intense sweeteners used alone.
Is Zerose™ erythritol an artificial sweetener?
No. Erythritol occurs naturally at low levels in grapes, melons, and pears and can be found at higher levels in fermented products like wine. In modern times, it was found that a yeast-like culture isolated from fresh pollen found in a honeycomb produces higher quantities of erythritol when grown under the right conditions.
What are polyols?
Polyols are sugar-free sweeteners. Polyols are carbohydrates but they are not sugars. They are used cup-for-cup [volume-for-volume] in the same amount as sugar is used, unlike acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose which are used in very small amounts.
What other names are used for polyols?
Since "polyols" is not a –commonly known term, many nutritionists and health educators refer to polyols as "sugar replacers." Scientists call them sugar alcohols because part of their structure chemically resembles sugar and part is similar to alcohols. However, these sugar-free sweeteners are neither sugars nor alcohols, as these words are commonly used. Other terms used primarily by scientists are polyhydric alcohols and polyalcohols.
What sugar replacers (polyols) are now used in the U.S.?
Those currently used in foods in the U.S. are erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (including maltitol syrups), isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol.
What kinds of products use sugar replacers (polyols) as sweetening ingredients?
In the U.S., they are now used in a wide range of products, including chewing gums, candies, ice cream, baked goods and fruit spreads. They are also used in toothpastes, mouthwashes, breath mints and pharmaceuticals such as cough syrups or drops and throat lozenges.
What other foods sweetened with sugar replacers (polyols) are expected in the future?
Sugar replacers (polyols) function well in fillings and frostings, canned fruits, beverages, yogurt and tabletop sweeteners. Also, some functional foods or nutraceuticals are sweetened with them.
What are the benefits of polyols?
Sugar replacers (polyols) provide fewer Kilocalories per gram than does sugar, they do not promote tooth decay and they do not cause sudden increases in blood glucose levels. Because they taste good, it can help people manage their calorie intake without having to sacrifice the pleasure of eating sweet foods they enjoy.
Do polyols cause gastrointestinal problems?
For the vast majority of consumers, these sweeteners do not cause a problem. In some people, excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas or laxative effects, similar to reactions to beans and certain high-fiber foods. Such symptoms depend on an individual's sensitivity and the other foods eaten at the same time.
Are polyols GRAS?
Sugar replacers (polyols) have been used in foods around the world for many years. An Expert Committee of the World Health Organization has carefully reviewed them and concluded that they are safe for human consumption. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies some as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) and others are approved food additives.
How do polyols calories compare with sugar?
Sugar provides approximately 4.0 Kilocalories per gram. The FDA allows the use of the following caloric values:
| 3.0 Kilocalories per gram | hydrogenated starch hydrolysates |
| 2.6 Kilocalories per gram | sorbitol |
| 2.4 Kilocalories per gram | xylitol |
| 2.1 Kilocalories per gram | maltitol |
| 2.0 Kilocalories per gram | isomalt |
| 2.0 Kilocalories per gram | lactitol |
| 1.6 Kilocalories per gram | mannitol |
| 0.0 calories* per gram | erythritol |
*NOTE: Zero calorie determination is based on recent scientific studies cited in a petition submitted to the FDA.
How do polyols function differently as ingredients in foods?
Sugar replacers (polyols) usually do not absorb water the way sugar does; therefore, foods made with them do not become sticky on the surface as quickly as do products made with sugar. Molds and bacteria do not grow as well on these sweeteners, as they do on sugar, so products last longer. When used in medicines, they generally do not react with pharmacologic ingredients as much as sometimes happens with sugar.
Can polyols be used in foods that are heated or cooked?
Sugar replacers (polyols) generally do not lose their sweetness when they are heated and can be used to flavor hot beverages and in foods that are heated when processed or cooked. However, unlike sugar, they do not usually give a crisp brown surface to foods which are baked. The non-browning property is an advantage for products for which a change in color is not desired.
How are polyols used differently in the body?
Sugar replacers (polyols) are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. The portion that is absorbed is metabolized by processes that require little or no insulin. Some of the portion that is not absorbed into the blood is broken down into smaller segments in the large intestine.
Why do polyols not cause tooth decay?
Sugar replacers (polyols) are not readily converted to acids by bacteria in the mouth. Therefore, they don’t promote tooth decay. The FDA has authorized the use of the "does not promote tooth decay" health claim for food products containing erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, or a combination of these. The American Dental Association has adopted a position statement recognizing the role of sugar-free foods and medications in maintaining good oral health.
Are polyols useful for people with diabetes?
Because these sweeteners have lower caloric values, they may help people with diabetes with managing their weight. Sugar replacers (polyols) also cause smaller increases in blood glucose and insulin levels than do sugars and other carbohydrates. Therefore, snacks sweetened with them may be useful. People with diabetes should consult their physician or other health professional about the usefulness of sugar replacers (polyols) in their daily meal plan.
What should a person do if he or she is sensitive to polyols?
Gastrointestinal symptoms, if they occur at all, are usually mild and temporary. If a person believes she/he is sensitive, the amount eaten on a single occasion should be reduced. Most people will adapt after a few days, the same way they do to high fiber foods. Many people with diabetes, for example, have learned from their health professional to eat only a small amount of sugar-free products containing polyols at first and then to gradually increase these foods in the diet.
How should polyols be calculated in exchange lists for meal planning?
Experts in diabetes management advise that if less than 10 grams of sugar replacers (polyols) is consumed, that serving is considered a "free food." Above 10 grams, subtract half of the grams of sugar replacers (polyols) from the grams of total carbohydrate and then calculate the exchanges.
Where is information about sugar replacers (polyols) found on the food label?
The name of the polyol appears in the ingredient list. The words "sugar alcohol" or the specific name of the polyol may also appear in the Nutrition Facts panel.
When are polyols included in the Nutrition Facts panel?
The grams in a serving may be shown voluntarily. If a claim such as "sugar free" is made on the label, the polyol content must be shown in the Nutrition Facts panel. FDA regulations specify that the name of the specific polyol may appear in the Nutrition Facts Panel if only one polyol is in the food. If more than one is in the food, the term "sugar alcohols" must be used. FDA is considering whether the term "polyol" would be less confusing to consumers than "sugar alcohol."
Why are some polyols used in combination with other sweeteners?
Sweetness varies among the sugar replacers (polyols) and depends in part on the products in which they are used. They vary in sweetness from about half as sweet as the same amount of sugar to equally as sweet as sugar. Sometimes combining sugar replacers (polyols) gives a more pleasant taste.
Sugar replacers (polyols) are frequently combined with other alternative sweeteners, such as acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin and sucralose, in sugar-free chewing gums, candies, frozen desserts and baked goods. The sugar replacer (polyol) gives these foods mild sweetness as well as the bulk and texture of sugar; the other alternative sweeteners bring the sweetness up to the level consumers expect.