Erythritol Sweeteners – a Better Choice for your Sweet Tooth

Erythritol was first discovered in 1848 by Scottish chemist John Stenhouse and first isolated in 1852.
Back in 1950, erythritol showed up in yeast-fermented blackstrap molasses.
By the 1990s, erythritol was commercialized as a sugar alcohol in Japan.
In the 2000s, erythritol began to be marketed in the United States and other countries.

Erythritol brand names

Some of the early erythritol brand names included:
Splenda (a blend of erythritol and sucralose)
Truvia (a blend of erythritol and stevia)
Ery-Lite
Naturlose
Erythritol Granules
Erythritol Powder
Some of these erythritol brand names are still in use today, while others have been discontinued.
Here are some of the defunct erythritol brand names:

Ery-Zol, Ery-Tab, Ery-Sweet, Ery-Cal, and Ery-Thin.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is naturally found in some fruits and vegetables. It is also produced commercially by fermenting glucose with yeast. It is about two-thirds the sweetness of sugar and has no calories or glycemic index. It is also non-cariogenic, meaning that you don’t need to worry about tooth decay.

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Erythritol is popular for weight loss or managing blood sugar levels. It is also a good choice for people with diabetes or other medical conditions that require them to limit their intake of sugar.

As opposed to earlier artificial sweeteners, erythritol is generally safe for most people to consume. However, some people may experience side effects such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. These side effects are usually mild and go away on their own.

Stevia

Stevia does not contain erythritol. It is a natural sweetener that is extracted from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is produced commercially by fermenting glucose with yeast.

However, many stevia products are blended with erythritol. This is because erythritol helps to improve the texture and mouthfeel of stevia. This also helps to reduce the bitterness that some people find in stevia.

Both erythritol and stevia are considered to be safe and effective sugar substitutes for weight loss. However, there are some potential benefits of each that may make one a better choice for you than the other.

Advantages of Erythritol

Switching to erythritol has been shown to have a number of potential benefits for weight loss, including:

Reducing appetite: Some studies have shown that erythritol may help reduce appetite and calorie intake.
May help improve gut health: Erythritol is a prebiotic, which means that it can help feed beneficial bacteria in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome is associated with a number of health benefits, including weight loss.
Increase energy expenditure: Some studies have shown that erythritol may help increase energy expenditure, which can lead to weight loss.

Advantages of Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener that is extracted from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It is about 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and has no calories or glycemic index. Stevia is also non-cariogenic, meaning that it does not cause tooth decay. Stevia has also been shown to have a number of potential benefits for weight loss, including:

Reduce appetite: Some studies have shown that stevia may help reduce appetite and calorie intake.
May help improve insulin sensitivity: Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy. Improved insulin sensitivity can help the body to better regulate blood sugar levels and may lead to weight loss.
Protect against metabolic syndrome: Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Stevia has been shown to help protect against metabolic syndrome in animal studies.

Recent studies maintain that artificial sweeteners of any kind send the wrong signals to your body. They say that the lack of calories in artificial sweeteners set one’s metabolism to gain weight anyway. Maybe just stick with sugar?