Have you also heard that erythritol contains calories only in small amounts and is therefore much healthier than sugar? That's really what's behind it!
Eating sweets without eating calories sounds like every sweet tooth's dream.
Because household sugar contains a lot of calories and has a bad reputation, more and more people are turning to sugar substitutes like erythritol.
But are they really that much healthier?
What is behind erythritol, what is it made of and why does erythritol have 0 calories? Questions upon questions. Let's clarify all of them step by step.
Table of contents
What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a sugar substitute. More precisely, it is a sugar alcohol. Don't worry, it's not a classic alcohol as we know it from wine, beer and co - sugar alcohol is just a chemical name - so you can drive after eating and even children are allowed to eat erythritol.
This sugar alternative is popular with all those who follow a low carb diet. The fact that erythritol contains calories only to a small extent makes it exciting for anyone who wants to lose weight.
Erythritol tastes sweet and looks confusingly similar to household sugar.
You can so that elderflower syrup prepare just as well as a Low carb strawberry cake. Or my absolute favorite: Blueberry pie with cottage cheese.
Erythritol is produced from starch. More precisely, from corn. Enzymes break down the starch in a biochemical process. The mass is then fermented with yeasts and fungi and finally the sugar substitute is obtained from it.
Erythritol is
- purely visually like sugar
- as good as calorie free
- somewhat weaker in sweetening power than sugar
- very versatile (cooking, baking, drinks etc)
When it is in processed foods, it is also listed under the names E 968, Xucker-Light or Erylite.
You can now buy it in supermarkets and health food stores. However, it is quite expensive compared to normal sugar. I therefore like to buy it from Amazon in a 1 kg can.
Why does erythritol have 0 calories?
It is often advertised that erythritol gives calories the cold shoulder. The sugar substitute is said to contain 0 calories. But this is not quite true. You can say that it is almost calorie-free.
Sugar substitutes such as erythritol have very similar properties to sugar. However, the energy content is much lower. Among all sugar substitutes on the market, erythritol is the best choice if you want to eat a low-calorie diet.
100 grams in comparison
- Household sugar 400 calories
- Birch sugar 240 calories
- Erythritol 20 calories
But how can it be that erythritol simply leaves out calories? Here's where it gets exciting. When we ingest eryhritol, it is quickly absorbed through the small intestine. However, we excrete 90 percent directly through the urine. Our body cannot use erythritol.
This also explains why erythritol is calorie-free.
However, the sweetening power is lower, only 60 percent compared to household sugar. Therefore, you have to use more erythritol in recipes. The bottom line is that you still do much better in the calorie balance.
Small tip: If you bake a cake with erythritol instead of sugar, then try to replace the sugar 1:1 with erythritol. Often most recipes are totally over-sugared. For me, it's usually enough to swap the amount to the same extent.
These 8 healthier alternatives replace household sugar!
Is it healthy?
Many studies show that you can safely enjoy the sweetener erythritol. Side effects are not expected even if you eat a lot of it.
While birch sugar and other sugar substitutes often lead to flatulence, that does not happen here. The bloated belly only develops in the large intestine when the sweeteners are broken down by the intestinal bacteria. Because erythritol does not end up in the large intestine, you are spared this problem.
A big advantage is that with erythritol cravings attacks should be completely absent. Because the irrepressible desire to eat something sweet, usually occurs when the blood sugar game rises sharply and falls again.
However, erythritol works independently of insulin. It therefore has no influence on your blood sugar level, which is not exactly the case with conventional household sugar.
Because the insulin level is not affected, erythritol is also suitable for diabetics.
Where does low-calorie erythritol occur?
If you take a closer look and consider erythritol in terms of food law, then it is actually just an additive. Which, by the way, has a cooling effect. That is why it is often found in sugar-free chewing gum, candies and sweets of all kinds. But also in drinks, desserts and chocolate.
In some foods, however, the sugar substitute occurs naturally. Like in fruits, vegetables or fermented foods.
You can find erythritol in
- Grapes
- Pears
- Melons
- Wine
- Cheese
- Pistachios
- Miso bean paste
- Soy sauce
Erythritol also has side effects
After all the praise, however, we must also consider the other side of the coin. Basically, erythritol is healthy because it is better tolerated. The fact that erythritol contains calories only in small amounts also gives it a big plus.
But... If you take too much erythritol, as with all sugar substitutes, you can get diarrhea. Pay attention to how your body handles it. Most people have no problem with it until the erythritol content in food is below ten percent.
Important: choose organic quality
The basis for erythritol is corn. During fermentation, genetically modified fungal cultures are often used. Therefore, you should only buy erythritol with the EU organic seal. Otherwise, there may be long-term side effects that are not yet known.
Our conclusion
Those who use this sugar substitute benefit from several advantages. Because erythritol contains virtually no calories, it is ideal for figure-conscious cooking. Likewise, it can be eaten by diabetics without hesitation.
However, if you get too much, you can get diarrhea. But you don't have to worry about classic household quantities. As with any sugar - whether it's a substitute or "real" household sugar - use it sparingly.
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