Is Erythritol The Same As Xylitol

 Both natural sweeteners found in fruits and plants which are used as a lower calorie, natural sugar alternative, and are often used by those trying to maintain their blood sugar levels.  They are sugar alcohols. To get technical: “alcohol” is simply referring to a chemical structure. Sugar alcohols are modified forms of sugar and not technically an actual sugar, which is why foods containing erythritol and xylitol can be labeled “sugar-free.”

Unlike sugar, honey, and maple syrup, they not trigger a spike in the blood glucose as well as a response in insulin, which can cause diabetes and weight gain.

It has been researched that Erythritol is better in terms of:

• Better aftertaste,
• preferred sugar substitute for people with diabetes,
• promotes oral health and doesn’t lead to tooth decay, and xylitol also aids in the prevention of cavities and reduces plaque formation.
• Causes less digestive distress. (unlike Xylitol has gastrointestinal side effects from xylitol, such as gas, bloating and diarrhea, and digestive stress)
• Erythritol has a Lower GI than Xylitol
• Xylitol contains 2.4 calories per gram while Erythritol contains 0.2 calories per gram.
• Xylitol is 100% as sweet as sugar. Erythritol is 70% as sweet as sugar

Although they are both naturally found in fruits and plants, they go through different processes when they’re commercially produced for use as sweeteners. Erythritol is usually produced by fermenting another natural sugar, glucose, while xylitol is extracted from corncobs or trees

Are you a sugar-free baker?

Xylitol adds moisture to baked goods and gives a sheen to frostings. Erythritol creates the same shiny effect in low-calorie chocolate, adds bulk to dairy products and improves shelf life in baked goods

1 Cup Sugar = 1 + ⅓ Cup Erythritol

1 Cup Sugar = 1 Cup Xylitol

*Note: Xylitol is toxic to dogs/animals. Ensure that your animals do not get hold of it, and do not make any treats for your pets using Xylitol.

How it’s made?

For those who want to know a little more about these sweeteners, here you go:

Xylitol is extracted from corncobs or hardwood trees. It ranks seven on the glycemic scale. Our, YouFirst Xylitol, is made from  corncobs. Corncobs are a preferred source for xylitol, it is much more sustainable and environmentally friendly. In China, most corn is harvested by hand and so at the harvest there are big piles of corn cobs that need to be disposed of. To get rid of this they build xylitol production facilities.

Erythritol, is a sugar alcohol made from sugar with a fermenting agent added. It is naturally found in fruits such as cantaloupe as well as in grapes. It is also a natural byproduct of the fermentation of bacteria in our digestive system. It is normally made from glucose that is created from corn or wheat starch. @Livestrong explains the process to us in a bit more details: “the starch is first treated with enzymes (special proteins) that break the starch down into glucose. This glucose is then mixed with yeast, such as Moniliella pollinis or Trichosporonoides megachliensis, and the yeast ferments the glucose to form erythritol. The fermented mixture is then heated (in order to kill off the yeast) an dried (by boiling off all the water) so that erythritol crystals are formed. These crystals are then washed (to remove impurities), redissolved, purified again (using a special kind of chemical filter) and finally are isolated in solid form, at which point the erythritol is safe for human consumption.”

Monk fruit is an Asian gourd, and it’s extremely sweet. Its extract is often used as a low-calorie sweetener. So, ready to brew a "lifestyle" beer?

While some have reported success using monk fruit sugar as a back-sweetener, it has yet to be readily embraced by brewers, possibly due to the fact it's said to be non-fermentable.

It’s tempting to think, from time to time, that there’s nothing new under the sun in the beer world—that it’s all been done, and now it’s just a matter of recycling and reinvention. Then you hear about something that truly never has been done before, not as far as you’ve ever heard.

When it comes to monk fruit—an Asian fruit whose extract is used for zero-calorie, artificial sweeteners—we are still in the earliest days. But a few brewers are using it as an ostensibly natural way to balance out lighter, bone-dry beers. We have learned what we could.

If you take a look at the labels of a wide range of products, especially energy and sports drinks, you will quickly notice that erythritol is a much more common ingredient than you would first expect. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sweetener in some varieties of fruits and fermented foods, however, most erythritol used in food products is man made. While some erythritol is made from highly-processed GMO cornstarch, the erythritol used in our SoPure Stevia blends is non-GMO to ensure the highest level of purity. At its most basic, erythritol is a sugar alcohol that contains between 60 to 80 percent the sweetening power of typical table sugar. It should be noted that while erythritol is a sugar alcohol, it does not produce any of the same effects associated with the more typically known alcohol in cocktails and wine.

Discovered in 1848 by John Stenhouse, a Scottish chemist, erythritol was quickly noted for its sweetening properties. Erythritol has been highly successful in Japan and since the early 90s has been used in chocolate, yogurt, jellies, jams, candies, and beverages an alternative sweetener to sugar. While erythritol hasn’t been nearly as popular in the United States as it has been overseas, it has, since 1997, been recognized by the FDA as a generally safe food additive. Erythritol is non caloric and does not raise blood sugars in individuals who consume it, making it the perfect companion to our stevia extracts.