The Healthy Alternative to Sugar - Organic Erythritol (Certified Organic by CERES)
Erythritol, is a sugar alcohol (or polyol) that is naturally present in small quantities in fruits such as pears, melons and grapes, and foods such as mushrooms and in fermented foods such as wine, soy sauce and cheese.
Erythritol is a white crystalline powder that is odourless, with a clean sweet taste that is like sucrose. It is approximately 70% as sweet as sucrose and flows easily due to its non-hygroscopic character. Like other polyols, erythritol does not promote tooth decay and is safe for people with diabetes. However, erythritol's caloric value of 0.2 calories per gram and high digestive tolerance distinguishes it from other polyols. It has approximately 7 to 13% the calories of other polyols and less than 5% the calories of sucrose. Because erythritol is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly eliminated by the body within 24 hours, laxative side effects sometimes associated with excessive polyol consumption are unlikely when consuming erythritol containing foods.
Commercially, it is produced from glucose derived from certified organic corn by fermentation with a yeast (Moniliella pollinis).
Erythritol, is 70% as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), yet it is non-caloric, has a zero glycemic index and does not affect blood sugar. Erythritol cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria, so it does not contribute to tooth decay. For these reasons, Erythritol is recommended for diabetics and people on low-carb diets.
Canadians consume on the average of 110 grams of sugar per day representing 440 calories per day or an unhealthy 22% or of total calories of a 2,000 calore per day diet.
If diabetics or the overweight were to replace 60% (66 grams) of their average daily intake of sugar with Sweet 'n Safe® then calorie intake from sugar would fall to 44 grams of sugar per day (176 calories per day), or a healthier 8.8% of total calories of a 2,000 calorie per day diet; and weight loss would begin along with the reduction in obesity, diabetes, heart disease, liver and kidney diseases.
