Erytrol is a very good solution for people who cannot imagine life without a bit of sweetness. It is a sweetener belonging to the group of polyhydroxyl alcohols. It has a low energy value and does not increase blood glucose levels. It is a healthy sweetener with a zero Glycemic Index, which makes it safe for diabetics to take. Erytrol inhibits the development of caries, it also protects the body against the influence of free radicals. This sweetener supports weight loss and does not contain calories.
Where does erythrols occur?
The natural habitat for ertytrols is pollen, fruit (pears, melons, grapes), hat mushrooms, seafood, fermented drinks, seaweed and lichens.
The sweetener offered by the shops is not obtained from any of these places. It is the result of synthesis by Yarrowia lipolytica Wratislavia yeast from waste glycerine.
These yeasts are obtained from soil or food products such as vegetable oils, margarine, mayonnaise, mould cheese. Waste glycerine is a by-product in the production of biofuels. This method of obtaining erythrols is very profitable for producers, because it does not involve high costs.
Taste of erythrols
Erytrol is not as sweet as white sugar. Its sweetness is about 30% less. This feature makes it necessary to use a little more than the commonly used sugar to obtain the same degree of sweetness.
Erytrol has a quite attractive taste compared to other sweeteners. It gives the impression of a pleasant coolness, while at the same time leaving no foreign taste in the mouth. These properties make the manufacturers sometimes combine it with aspartame. In this way, they reduce the taste a little bit different from the sweet one, they also increase the sweetness of aspartame.
Effects of erythrols on health
Erythrols are not absorbed by the human body. In an unchanged form, he is expelled from the body. This feature distinguishes it from other sweeteners and sugar. Erytrol does not contain enzymes that would cause its breakdown in the body. Xylitol, sorbitol or maltitol break down, decompose in the body, ferment in the intestines, may cause diarrhea. Erytrol does not cause such unpleasant ailments.
This sweetener also has the advantage that it does not change the glucose level in the blood. Its index is exactly zero. So it is a great way to sweeten the life of diabetes.
So far, we have mentioned the neutral character of erythrolium, but it also has a positive effect on our health. Thanks to it, we can inhibit the fermentation process of some sugars by bacteria in the oral cavity. In this way we prevent the development of caries.
The sweetener is also an antioxidant protecting the body against the destructive effect of free radicals.
Support for weight loss
Erytrol can be successfully used by people who want to lose weight. It is a substance of low energy value, its use does not cause fat tissue growth, and even contributes to weight loss.
What is the energy value of erythrols against the background of white sugar? A kilogram of sweetener provides 0.2 to 0.4 kcal (sometimes on the packaging there is information about the calorific value of this product, as you can see it is not entirely true, although it is certainly close to the truth). 1 kg of white sugar delivers 4 kcal.
Erytrol is not only unrivalled in comparison with white sugar. This is the least calorific sweetener of all available on the market.
Does erythrols have side effects
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that erythrols are a completely safe food product.
Erytrol can be consumed even in very large quantities, without harming the body.