Erythritol and Glycemic Control

Evidence from Clinical Studies

• The American Diabetes Association confirms that sugar alcohols, including erythritol, produce a lower postprandial glucose response than sucrose or glucose and have lower available energy 1
• Erythritol produces a lower postprandial glucose response than sucrose or glucose 1, 2

Guideline Recommendations

• The American Diabetes Association states that erythritol is safe for use by people with diabetes and can be used as an acceptable alternative to sugar for glycemic control 4
• Erythritol has been designated as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA and has undergone rigorous regulatory scrutiny 3, 4

Caloric Content and Metabolic Profile

• Erythritol provides only 0.2 kcal/g, compared to 4 kcal/g for sucrose, making it essentially noncaloric 3

Practical Clinical Application

• Erythritol can be used as a sugar substitute without concern for glycemic spikes, making it particularly beneficial for people with diabetes or prediabetes 4
• When calculating carbohydrate content of foods containing sugar alcohols, subtraction of half the sugar alcohol grams from total carbohydrate grams is appropriate for most sugar alcohols, though erythritol's minimal absorption makes this conservative 1

Safety Considerations

• The use of sugar alcohols including erythritol appears to be safe, though they may cause diarrhea, especially in children, due to osmotic effects in the colon 1, 4
• During pregnancy, erythritol should be consumed with moderation within FDA acceptable daily intake levels, though it is considered safe 4

Important Caveats

• Recent observational studies have shown associations between plasma erythritol levels and cardiovascular disease 5, 4
• Healthcare professionals should assure patients that erythritol has undergone extensive safety evaluation and can allay unnecessary concerns about harm, while recommending moderation 5