Is Erythritol Safe For Kidneys

What Are The Valuable Properties Of Erythritol

Erythritol is widely used as an artificial sweetener mainly because it is mildly sweet. It is as sweet as sucrose but with lesser calories.

If you add one teaspoon of sugar to your tea, one spoon of erythritol should do .

But if you use sucralose, which is a synthetic substitute that is much sweeter, you might have to add only one-fourth of a teaspoon.

You get the drift, right?

Apart from having sugar equivalence, erythritol offers the following benefits.

Erythritol Can Lead To Overeating

One of the claims about low-carb sweeteners is that consuming them can lead to overeating.

Here is one statement about erythritol:

It does not metabolized , and therefore, your body may not be getting calories or sugar. Its also not registering that any fuel got put into your body at all. This is why you can end up still feeling hungry after you consume products with alternative and fake man-made sugars.

Well this doesn’t make sense if you are using erythritol as a sweetener in foods that have calories in them, like these Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Balls or these Almond Joy Bars. You are getting LOADS of calories with them. And they are YUMMY calories to boot!

One blogger point to this article to back up his statement about erythritol leading to weight gain. The problem is that that article doesn’t even mention erythritol. And while the article talks about weight gain with sugar alcohols, it doesn’t link to any support for that claim.

What it does say is that:

Weight gain has been seen when these products are overeaten.

Oh, OK. Thanks for that shocking bit of news.

Look–ANY food eaten to excess can cause weight gain.

Pretty much–except for celery and such foods that use more calories to digest them than they supply to the body.

Does Not Spike Blood Sugar Or Insulin

Humans dont have the enzymes needed to break down erythritol.

Its absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted unchanged in the urine.

When healthy people are given erythritol, there is no change in blood sugar or insulin levels. There is also no effect on cholesterol, triglycerides or other biomarkers .

For those who are overweight or have diabetes or other issues related to the metabolic syndrome, erythritol appears to be an excellent alternative to sugar.

Summary

Erythritol does not raise blood sugar levels. This makes it an excellent sugar replacement for people with diabetes.

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What Is Erythritol Erythritol Side Effects Dangers And Benefits

Erythritol is a form of alcohol sugar , commonly found in artificial sweeteners and other low/zero-calorie products. It is a sweet-tasting substance that is mostly unabsorbed during digestion and can be excreted in urine without any serious medical problems. This product can generally be found in diet sodas, low-calorie sweetener sachets and other foods that aim to reduce the amount of calories and calories-from-sugar they contain.

Erythritol was developed in response to two things: the need to replace refined sugars whilst retaining sweet taste, and the shortcomings associated with other sweeteners, particularly alcohol sugars which would cause digestive problems. It is, properly speaking, a corn by-product that has been fermented with yeast or other fungi to produce erythritol. In this sense, we might say that it is a natural sweetener, but it does not occur naturally and is produced on an industrial scale. This may alter the way that we view the natural label.

It is chemically similar to earlier alcohol sugars such as sorbitol a famous sweetener which would also cause digestive issues such as bloating or unpleasant gaseous emissions. Erythritol is believed to be symptom-free in this area, though of course this is dose-dependent. As opposed to many other sweeteners, there is no laxative effect associated with this product, even though it is primarily undigested and insoluble.

Erythritol As A Sugar Substitute

Low-sugar and low-carb diets are popular nutritional trends. It’s therefore not surprising that interest is high in a sweetener that’s practically calorie-free and safe for our health and, in terms of taste and texture, is almost identical to sucrose our household sugar. Were talking about erythritol, a sugar alcohol or sugar substitute.

Erythritol is also designated as E 968 and is produced through fermentation.

In its natural form, we find these compounds in small quantities in ripe melons, pears or grapes, but also in wine or cheese and pistachios.

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Monk Fruit Sweetener Warnings: Why So Dangerous

From various reviews, stevia vs monk fruit sweetener is the best pure sweetener that tastes higher than sugar with nutritional information that supports so much use. However, have you heard of sweeteners from monk fruit? is monk fruit safe for diabetics? Find out more Monk Fruit Sweetener Warnings: Why So Dangerous!!

• How to choose monk fruit sweetener

The monks fruit is often called Luo Han Guo or Swingle, a fruit that originated in southern China. The shape is small brownish-yellow or brownish-green. For centuries, monk fruit has been used in traditional Chinese medicine.

The name monk fruit dates back to the 13th century, this fruit plant is found on the edge of the mountain that is avoided from direct sunlight. The way to plant them is known to only a few selected monks and is passed on to the next generation. Therefore, this fruit is called monk fruit.

This fruit is widely used as a sweetener. The juice concentrate is 150-300 times sweeter than sugar. Therefore with sweetness equivalent to sugar, the number of calories can be much less. Monk fruit consumption is known not to raise blood sugar levels, this fruit extract can be used with a mixture of sucrose, fructose, and erythritol.

Effects Of Intensive Sweeteners On The Gut Microbiota

Intensive sweeteners have negligible caloric content and high-power sweetening and are used in low quantities in foods. All of them have been classified in synthetic and natural sweeteners . Their structures and ADI, as well as their main biological effects, are summarized in .

Synthetic sweeteners

Acesulfame K

Acesulfame is an acidic cyclic sulfonamide and acesulfame K is the potassium salt of acesulfame. Acesulfame K is metabolized by the human body and has an ADI of 15 mg/kg body weight .

Acesulfame K decreases glucose fermentation by the cecal microbiota in Cara rats, suggesting that sweeteners might affect glucose transport systems . The effects of acesulfame K were not associated with gut microbial functional capability .

The principal reason for these contradictory results is likely related to the acesulfame K dose administered in each study in the first study, a dose of 15 body weight mg · kg1 · d1 was used , and in the second study, a dose of 37.5 body weight mg · kg1 · d1 was used . With regard to human consumption, the Uebanso et al. study used the maximum ADI level, whereas the Bian et al. study exceeded by more than twice the ADI recommendation. Indeed, this work might be physiologically irrelevant .

Aspartame

Neotame and advantame

Cyclamate

Saccharin

Sucralose

Effects of natural sweeteners on the gut microbiota

Steviol glucosides

Glycyrrhizin

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, and monellin

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Effects Of Sweeteners On The Gut Microbiota In Human Trials

Sweeteners are used in many food processes, and the impact of the consumption of these kinds of compounds affects health status and microbiota composition. Today, the potential modifications of the intestinal microbiome, mediated by specific sweeteners, in healthy adults or children are a matter of concern. However, there are few clinical studies.

In another study, 31 adults completed a 4-d food record and provided a fecal sample on the fifth day. Their intestinal microbiota were analyzed by pyrosequencing. The abundance profiles were not associated with sweetener consumption, especially with aspartame. However, the overall bacterial diversity varied across both consumers and nonconsumers of sweeteners .

Is Stevia Bad For Your Kidneys

Though widely available throughout the world, in 1991 stevia was banned in the U.S. due to early studies that suggested the sweetener may cause cancer. In December 2008, the FDA accepted this argument, declared stevia GRAS, and allowed its use in mainstream U.S. food production.

Beside this, Why is stevia bad for you?

There are some health concerns surrounding the stevia plant. Stevia may cause low blood pressure, which would be of concern to some taking blood pressure medications. There is also continuing research going into certain chemicals naturally occurring in stevia that may cause genetic mutations and cancer.

Likewise, Is Stevia worse for you than sugar?

Is it healthier than sugar? Stevia has fewer calories than sugar and may play a role in weight management by helping you eat fewer calories. Because its free of calories and carbs, its a great sugar alternative for people on low-calorie or low-carb diets.

Also, Why was Stevia banned in the UK?

magine a plant so sweet it makes sugar taste positively bitter. Instead, they are barred by the European Union from selling the plant, called stevia, as a food or food ingredient because of concerns over its safety.

What is the problem with stevia?

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Erythitol Often Has Additives In It

This is the same faulty reasoning that I pointed out in the “Why I Quit Eating Stevia” argument in this post on stevia safety.

In that post, I addressed the concern that other bloggers had made about stevia, stating that it should be avoided since there are often other things added to stevia, like maltodextrin, and the like.

This is pure silliness.

Other things are often added to meat and grains and even vegetables. Most people put salad dressing on their greens. Does that mean that we shouldn’t eat greens?

OF COURSE NOT!

For goodness’ sake, there are so many products with water as the base and LOADS of additives, but we don’t skip drinking water as a result.

If you want to use erythritol, just buy plain erythritol with nothing added!

Does Erythritol Have Side Effects

Erythritol goes virtually unrecognized through the digestive system! See, we humans don’t have the enzymes needed to break down erythritol. Its absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted unchanged in the urine.

Erythritol has been studied for toxicity and serious side effects. No research or testing has resulted negative side effects. Erythritol administered orally to humans was rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and quantitatively excreted in the urine without undergoing metabolic change. Every human body is different and for some people, erythritol can cause digestive issues because it is processed when it reaches the colon. It hasnt been shown to have serious side effects, but we do recommend starting on it slowly rather than in large quantities.

When tested for carcinogens it did not show any indication of causing or promoting the growth of tumors. In fact, one of Lakantos biggest champions is Alison Gannett, who has successfully been in cancer remission for years and kept the growth of a persistent tumor in checkall while enjoying Lakanto products regularly.And unlike, xylitol, erythritol is not toxic to dogs if your furry friend accidentally gets into some.

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Types Of Artificial Sweeteners And How To Use Them

Equal, Nutrasweet, Truvia : The safe limit is 40mg/kg/day of body weight. This translates into 2800mg = 1/2 teaspoon for a 70 kg person . A can of diet pop contains about 180mg of Aspartame, meaning youd have to drink about 18 cans daily or consume 75 packets to exceed the safety limits. Aspartame cannot be used by individuals with a metabolic condition called phenylketonuria.

Splenda : 5mg/kg/day of body weight is the safe limit. Each packet contains 12mg of Splenda. The upper limit for consumption is 23 packets per day. One can of diet pop contains about 40mg.

Acesulfame Potassium : The safe limit is 15mg/kg/day. To exceed the safe limit, youd have to consume 23 packets per day. One can of diet pop contains about 40mg of Ace-K. This artificial sweetener contains potassium. If you have CKD and need to limit your potassium, this may not be suitable for you.

Sweet n Low, Sugar Twin : 11mg/kg/day is the safe limit for Cyclamate. One packet contains about 260mg.

Stevia: Stevias safe upper limit is 4mg/kg/d of body weight.

These artificial sweeteners can all be safely consumed with CKD.

How Can You Tell If A Food Contains Sugar Alcohols

Just as sugar lurks behind different terms on food labels, sugar alcohol also has many names. When you see one of these products on a label, heres what you are getting:

• Xylitol, often used in gum, is about as sweet as sugar. It comes from wheat straw and some cereals. Food makers produce it from corncobs.
• Maltitol is about 75% as sweet as sugar and comes from corn syrup.
• Erythritol is 60% to 80% as sweet as sugar. It comes from things like pears, soy sauce and watermelon. Manufacturers make it by fermenting corn.
• Mannitol is 50% to 70% as sweet as sugar. Naturally, it occurs in carrots, olives and asparagus. Manufacturers make it from seaweed.
• Isomalt is about 45% to 65% as sweet as sugar. It comes from beet sugar.
• Sorbitol is about half as sweet as sugar. Naturally, its in apples and pears. Food manufacturers make it from corn syrup.
• Lactitol provides about 40% of the sweetness of sugar. Manufacturers make it from milk.
• Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates range between 40% and 90% as sweet as sugar. Manufacturers produce them by mixing different sugar alcohols.

Besides reading the ingredients on food labels, Bissell says you can identify products containing sugar alcohol by looking for:

• Baked goods, candy and gums labeled sugar-free.
• Labels that state: Excessive consumption can cause a laxative effect.

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What Is Sugar Alcohol

The term sugar alcohol is misleading: Its neither sugar nor alcohol. Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate and have a chemical structure thats similar to sugar, says Bissell.

Food manufacturers use sugar alcohols to sweeten their products while reducing calories. They stimulate the tongues sweet taste buds, adding flavor without extra sugar or calories, explains Bissell. Food companies can market their foods as low-carb, sugar-free or diabetic-friendly without sacrificing taste.

Common sugar alcohols include:

• Maltitol.

Helps In Weight Loss And Management

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Sucrose has an adverse effect on your weight and adiposity build-up. Most health enthusiasts and people trying to lose weight stop the intake of sugar and switch to artificial sweeteners if they cannot go completely sugarless.

Erythritol has a very low glycemic index . Adding it to your beverages, muffins, or sweets will reduce the blood glucose build-up that triggers weight gain .

Although it caused weight gain in some cases, erythritol plays an essential role in managing weight, especially among obese individuals.

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Does Erythritol Contain Corn

In large-scale production, erythritol is created when a type of yeast ferments glucose from corn or wheat starch.

At Lakanto, we use only Non-GMO erythritol that is safe for people with corn allergies. Lakanto sweeteners are safe for people with corn intolerance, sensitivities, or allergies because it doesnt contain corn proteins that trigger allergic reactions. 100% of corn protein is eliminated during the fermentation process used to create erythritol.

What Is A Sugar Substitute

A sugar substitute is a substance used to sweeten foods by mimicking the effect that sugar would otherwise have in that product. Some sugar substitutes are derived from products found in nature, while others are artificial or man-made.

Sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners have varying levels of sweetness and are sometimes combined to achieve different textures, consistencies and levels of sweet. Many sugar substitutes have a concentrated level of sweetness and it takes less of the sweetener than sugar to achieve a similar sweet result.

There are five sugar substitutes that are frequently found in lower calorie foods and beverages. These sweeteners have all been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.

Aspartame Marketed under the brand name NutraSweet and Equal, Aspartame is an odorless, white powder that is made from two amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Aspartame is not very stable when cooked and is not a good sugar substitute in baked goods since under heat it breaks apart into its original amino acids. It is typically used to sweeten diet sodas, such as Diet Coke®, and in sugar-free chewing gum. It is also available as a packaged sweetener to be added to drinks such as coffee and iced tea which are otherwise unsweetened.

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Erythritol Is Bad For Those With Sibo

Some websites state that erythritol is terrible for those with SIBO , due to how irritating it is to the digestive system.

Well, I addressed that irritation above, but let’s go a step further.

According to the comment on this article, it’s more complicated than that and the author states that erythritol is allowed on hir recommended Fast Tract Diet. I think it makes sense, if you have SIBO, to see how you do with erythritol and go from there.

Could Lead To Overeating

If youre trying to lose weight, what is erythritol is a good question to ask! This is because you can add weight gain to the list of erythritol side effects. Your body cant process erythritol, and as such, it doesnt know what to do with it. When you eat natural sweeteners, your body metabolizes the sugar, and releases hormones to decrease your appetite. But with substances like erythritol, that hormone isnt released, leaving you not feeling full. This may cause you to overeat, which can then lead to weight gain.

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Is Erythritol Safe For Diabetics

Though erythritol is one of the newer sugar alcohols on the market — xylitol and mannitol have been around longer — researchers have done a number of studies of it in animals and humans. The World Health Organization approved erythritol in 1999, and the FDA did the same in 2001.

It’s also OK for people with diabetes. Erythritol has no effect on glucose or insulin levels. This makes it a safe sugar substitute if you have diabetes. Foods that contain erythritol may still contain carbohydrates, calories, and fat, so it’s important to check the label.