Is Erythritol Bad For You?
Also Known As: (2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol
Short answer
Erythritol is a sweetener with nearly zero calories that is completely safe to consume. It shouldn't be consumed in large amounts, however, because it can cause unpleasant side effects like diarrhea.
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol, which is made by fermenting the sugar in corn. Sugar alcohols occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Sugar alcohol does not have the intoxicating properties of ethyl alcohol nor the high calorie content of sugar. Erythritol, in fact, has zero calories. However, it looks just like sugar and tastes like it, just slightly less sweet. Erythritol is even safe for diabetics because it doesn't raise blood glucose or insulin levels. It doesn't cause tooth decay like regular sugar.
Sugar alcohols have been proven to not be carcinogenic. It is an antioxidant, and the most effective one of all the sugar alcohols because it is not metabolized and stays in the same form while in the body. Over 90% of Erythritol gets absorbed by the small intestine, which is good news, because sugar alcohols can wreak havoc when they reach the large intestine, causing diarrhea.
Erythritol starts causing problems when it is consumed in large amounts. These side effects aren't serious health risks but they can be seriously uncomfortable. Erythritol can cause headaches and gastrointestinal distress, including upset stomach, stomach rumbling, nausea, bad gas, bloating, and diarrhea. You should not consume more than 50 grams of Erythritol a day. Some people are more sensitive to sugar alcohols and will experience these problems with far less erythritol.
Since erythritol in the US is made from fermented corn sugar, and 90% of corn in the US is genetically modified, unless there is indication otherwise the erythritol most likely comes from a GMO crop. There is a lot of controversy over and conflicting studies about whether or not GMOs are harmful to health, and if so, how harmful and in what ways. However, you're not eating the actual corn, the organism with unnatural genes, at all, but rather a chemical extracted from the fermented corn starch. Even if you are completely intent on avoiding GMOs it's probably okay to consume erythritol anyway, but that's a personal judgment call.
Possible short-term side effects
- headache
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bloating
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upset stomach
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stomach rumbling
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nausea
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gas
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diarrhea
Commonly found in
- diet foods
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candy
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gum
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frozen desserts
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mouthwash
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protein bars
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fruit spreads
Benefits
- low calorie content
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does not cause tooth decay
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does not spike blood sugar
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