Consumers say they regularly use low-calorie, sugar free foods and beverages to stay in better overall health and want more from which to choose. Low-calorie, sugar free products, as part of a sugar free diet, can easily replace higher calorie foods and beverages to meet this consumer demand.

A group of reduced-calorie sweeteners known as polyols (or sugar alcohols) provide some unique qualities to reduced-calorie products. These sweeteners are neither sugars nor alcohols. Instead, they are a group of low-digestible carbohydrates used as sugar replacers. These sweeteners taste like sugar but have several special advantages. As part of a sugar free diet, polyols assist in the maintenance of good oral health, aid in weight loss or weight management, and reduce overall dietary glycemic load. For more details on any specific polyol (or sugar alcohol), please visit the links provided on this site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sugar replacers (polyols) are now used in the U.S.?
Those currently used in foods in the U.S. are erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (including maltitol syrups), isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol.

What kinds of products use sugar replacers (polyols) as sweetening ingredients?
In the U.S., they are now used in a wide range of sugar free food and other products, including chewing gums, candies, ice cream, baked goods and fruit spreads. They are also used in toothpastes, mouthwashes, breath mints and pharmaceuticals such as cough syrups or drops and throat lozenges.

What other foods sweetened with sugar replacers (polyols) are expected in the future?
Sugar replacers (polyols) function well in fillings and frostings, canned fruits, beverages, yogurt and tabletop sweeteners. Also, some functional foods or nutraceuticals are sweetened with them.

What are their health benefits?
Sugar replacers (polyols) provide fewer calories per gram than does sugar, they do not promote tooth decay and they do not cause sudden increases in blood glucose levels. Because they taste good, people can improve the healthfulness of their diets without having to sacrifice the pleasure of eating sweet foods they enjoy as part of a sugar free diet.