Erythritol Blends Well With Our Stevia Extracts

In our previous blog, we here at SoPure Stevia explained what erythritol was and why we have included it in certain stevia extract blends that we offer. While our previous post went into a few of the benefits that erythritol has as an added agent to our stevia extract blends, we felt that we didn’t do a well enough job of truly getting into what erythritol is, what advantages is has over sugar, and why it is an excellent addition to our stevia lineups. So, in today’s blog, we thought we would address those exact things. We hope that by the end of this blog, you are even more convinced that erythritol is beneficial not only as an alternative to large amounts of sugar but also has additional health benefits.

Erythritol is a Sugar Alcohol With Some Interesting Attributes

Erythritol is sugar substitute that looks and tastes very much like sugar. It is offered in both granulated and powdered form and, to the common consumer, would probably be indistinguishable from normal table sugar. Erythritol is also non caloric in nature, meaning that it adds no additional calories to whatever you put it in. When Erythritol enters the body, only about 10 percent of it actually enters the colon as the majority of the substance is absorbed by the small intestine. After it travels through the bloodstream, around 90 percent of erythritol consumed is expelled through urine. One benefit of erythritol is that, because most of it is absorbed by the small intestine it does not typically cause some of the unfortunate laxative effects that are associated with other sugar alcohols. Additionally, erythritol has the following benefits that make it stand out as a sugar alcohol:

• Noncarcinogenic: Multiple studies have proven that erythritol does not cause cancer.

• Is an Antioxidant: That’s right, erythritol has been shown to help fight free radicals within the body which are associated with the aging process. Also, erythritol is considered to be a very efficient sugar alcohol because of how easily it is absorbed and excreted by the human body.

• Heat Stable: Erythritol further stands out from other sugar alcohols because it is heat stable up to 160 degrees Celsius. This makes erythritol ideal for cooking and baking applications that call for large amounts of sugar. Our erythritol and stevia extract blends provide appropriate sweetening power with appropriate baking mass.

• Non-Glycemic: One of the biggest benefits of erythritol over other sugar substitutes is that is it does not raise the blood sugar levels of those who ingest it. This makes it a suitable sugar substitute for people who suffer from diabetes and why it is also a perfect blending agent for stevia which is also non-glycemic.

• GRAS Status: While certain websites will decry the safety of erythritol, the FDA, the authority on food safety, has recognized that erythritol is safe for human consumption within appropriate levels.

• Does Not Cause Tooth-Decay: While tooth decay is an issue that has been around for 100 of years, the increased amount of sugars in today’s food has caused an alarming spike in cases of tooth decay. Erythritol causes absolutely zero tooth decay while still providing consumers with the sweet taste they desire.

Does Erythritol Carry Any Risks?

Like any food additive, erythritol does come with some side effects; these side effects, however, are almost always greatly blown out of proportion. The most common complaint people voice when describing the negative side effects of erythritol, is that erythritol can cause them to have an upset stomach. However, what these complaints rarely mention is the fact that it takes a very large amount of erythritol, over 50 grams, to cause any sort of gastrointestinal distress. Like all things in life, erythritol should be enjoyed in moderation so as to not overload the body.
We hope that this blog has helped to fully answer any questions you may have had about the erythritol used in our SoPure Stevia + Non-GMO Erythritol blends. If you have any more questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact us today at SoPure Stevia.