What Are Sugar Alcohols, and Are They a Healthy Sugar Swap?

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Sugar alcohols are lower in calories than regular sugar and can be healthy sugar substitutes when used in moderation

Sugar alcohols or polyols are used as sweeteners and make healthier alternatives to regular sugar because they are lower in calories and do not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.

Additionally, sugar alcohols add texture to food, improve moisture retention, and when heated, prevent food from browning.

However, sugar alcohols are poorly absorbed in the body and, if ingested in excess, may even have a mild laxative effect.

Read the nutrition facts on the label when thinking about any meals that include low-calorie sweeteners. Something with less sugar might have a lot of calories, fat, and carbohydrates.

What are sugar alcohols?

Sugar alcohols are a type of carb that can be found naturally in fruits and vegetables. They share a molecular composition with sugar and can stimulate sweet taste receptors in the tongue. 

However, they have about 33%-50% fewer calories than regular sugar and are converted to glucose more slowly, require little to no insulin to be processed, and do not cause sharp spikes in blood sugar. This is why sugar alcohols are popular among people with diabetes.

There are also commercially made sugar alcohols, which are used as low-calorie sweeteners in sugar-free products such as chewing gum, baking mixes, jams, ready-to-use frostings, and other dessert products.

7 types of sugar alcohols

1. Sorbitol: Sorbitol is naturally found in some fruits and commercially manufactured from corn syrup. Because sorbitol only has 50% of the sweetness of regular sugar, recipe amounts need to be doubled in order to achieve the same level of sweetness. Compared to mannitol, it is less likely to cause diarrhea. It is frequently used as an ingredient in sugar-free gum and treats.
2. Mannitol: Mannitol occurs naturally in asparagus, pineapples, olives, sweet potatoes, and carrots and can be extracted from seaweed. Mannitol has about 50%-70% of the relative sweetness of sugar. Because mannitol stays in the intestines for a very long time, it often results in bloating and diarrhea.
3. Lactitol: Lactitol has roughly 30%-40% of the sweetness of sugar. It tastes and dissolves like sugar and is often used in sugar-free ice cream, chocolate, hard and soft candies, baked products, and chewing gum.
4. Maltitol: Maltitol has about 75% of the sweetness of sugar. Because it provides a creamy texture to foods, it is used in sugar-free hard candies, chewing gum, chocolate-flavored sweets, baked goods, and ice cream.
5. Xylitol: Xylitol or “wood sugar” can be found in straw, corncobs, fruit, vegetables, cereals, mushrooms, and some other foods. Xylitol is comparable to sugar in terms of sweetness. It is often used in chewing gum.
6. Isomalt: Isomalt has about 45%-65% the sweetness of sugar, and it has a lower tendency to diminish or degrade when heated. Because it does not absorb much water, it is used in hard candies, toffee, cough drops, and lollipops.
7. Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH): HSH is made from corn that is partially hydrolyzed. HSH are nutritive sweeteners that have sweetness levels between 40%-90% of sugar. HSH does not crystallize and is widely used in baked foods and mouthwashes.

Is sugar alcohol bad for you?

When used in moderation, sugar alcohols can be a healthier alternative to regular sugar. Studies have suggested that keeping sugar alcohol intake to 10-15 grams a day is safe.

However, potential negative effects of sugar alcohols include the following:

• Laxative effect: Sugar alcohols can stay and ferment in the intestines instead of getting absorbed in the stomach. Some varieties are even prescribed by doctors as laxatives. Children and people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome are more likely to experience this side effect.
• Weight gain: Although they have fewer calories and carbohydrates than regular sugar, sugar alcohols still contain both and can lead to weight gain when consumed in excess.
• Digestive discomfort: Some unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms may occur shortly after consuming sugar alcohols because the body cannot properly digest them. In one study that examined the effects of xylitol and erythritol, it was found that both sugar alcohols were associated with mild side effects like diarrhea, gas, bloating, and stomach discomfort. Erythritol seems to have milder effects on the digestive system, but when administered in large doses, it can worsen nausea and flatulence.