It is common to think that sweet food is harmful to health, but this is not necessarily the case. It all depends on the sweetener used. While sugar consumption has many aspects that make it an unhealthy product, others allow food to be sweetened without damaging health. This is the case of the natural sweetener erythritol, whose consumption offers multiple advantages compared to other products with the power to sweeten meals. Find out what is erythritol and why to take it.
What is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a polyol, a type of carbohydrate that occurs naturally in various foods. It is present in fruits such as pear and watermelon, certain mushrooms, and other products such as soy sauce, wine, or beer. It is also obtained from the fermentation of simple sugar derived from the most popular corn, dextrose. Eritritol is also called monk fruit sweetener.
As part of these foods, erythritol has been a part of the human diet for millennia. After studying in-depth the nutritional information of erythritol, its benefits and advantages are known over other sweeteners. For this reason, it is commercialized, and its popularity is growing like foam. It is less known because of its slightly higher price, making it less interesting for the industry. But its advantages make it much more suitable for domestic consumption.
Four Benefits of Erythritol
Erythritol or Eritritol provides 0 calories. One of the significant advantages of this natural sweetener is that it allows for zero calories. Therefore, it is ideal for giving that touch of sweet flavor that you like so much without its consumption causing weight gain. If you want to lose weight or maintain suitable body weight, you do not need to give up sweet flavors. Only take them through natural and healthy products like this one.
The equivalence of erythritol with sugar is similar, so you can add the same amount to your desserts that you would add sugar to. But with the peace of mind of knowing that it is a product that does not provide calories.
1.It is suitable for diabetics and weight control diets
The recommendation of erythritol for people with diabetes is straightforward; the body absorbs it but does not metabolize it. What does this mean? Which is eliminated through the urine without having any impact on the level of glucose in the blood. And neither in insulin secretion. Therefore, diabetic people can consume natural sweetener erythritol without negatively affecting their disease.
2.Help take care of your oral health
It may catch your attention to know that erythritol takes care of your oral health. It is not only that it does not harm her but also contributes to her maintenance. For one thing, it does not contribute to the formation of cavities and does not promote tooth decay. But, again, it contributes to the decrease in the amount of acid produced by oral bacteria. Thus, it prevents them from damaging tooth enamel. As if that were not enough, it also contributes to maintaining the mineral density of the teeth.
3.It is easily digestible
Once the small intestine absorbs erythritol, the body does not metabolize it, as we have already pointed out before. The body does not ferment it. Therefore, it is considered an easily digestible food, which does not cause heaviness or flatulence problems. Nor does it have laxative effects on the body. Does sugar usually cause these effects in your body? In that case, this is an ideal alternative for you for this and the other reasons already mentioned.
This is deleted after 24 hours. So it does not accumulate in the body.
4.It has a sweet and clean flavor profile
Another of the significant advantages of erythritol is its taste. It is a type of natural sweetness and without an aftertaste, clean and fair. Therefore, it is ideal to use in countless home recipes for the production of food without sugar. And also to sweeten products for immediate consumption, such as yogurt, coffee, or herbal teas.
Frequent Doubts About the Natural Sweetener Erythritol
How much quantity should be added?
The erythritol sugar equivalence is approximately 1 to 1. In other words, the sweetening capacity of both products is similar. So for the preparation of desserts, you can use the amount indicated by each recipe, only substituting the erythritol for sugar.
When it comes to sweetening your yogurt or coffee, use a similar amount to how you would use sugar. But with the peace of mind of knowing that you are using a healthy, calorie-free product. That it does not cause glycemic peaks in your body or negatively affect your oral health.
How much can be taken each day?
Various studies have been carried out in this regard. It has been established as a norm in the US and other countries that the consumption of 1 gram of erythritol per kilo of body weight is the optimal daily amount for adequate consumption. In other words, a person weighing 69 kg can safely consume 69 grams of erythritol every day in a single dose or distributed throughout the day in different foods.
Can you cook with erythritol?
Of course, you can. If you want, you can use it in the preparation of healthy recipes and make healthy pastries. You can also use it in mixtures to cook in a pan, oven, or microwave. It does not degrade in the heat of cooking. So you can prepare oatmeal pancakes or flan fit, among other foods. And you can also make ice cream, sweeten shakes, yogurts, or infusions, for example.
Is it suitable for vegan diets?
It depends on its origin. It can naturally come from animal sources or plant sources. In this second case, it is suitable for this type of diet. It is information that is usually provided on its packaging.
Featured Erythritol Products
Now that you know about erythritol and its benefits, you are probably wondering what products you can use to take advantage of it. These are the most prominent.
Erythritol powder
You can find it in different formats. Depending on the use you give it, you can buy it of greater or less weight. It is a pure product, and being powder not only dilutes wonderfully even in cold preparations but is also an idea to sprinkle. For example, on a fruit salad or to finish fit cakes.
Erythritol
It is 100% erythritol, without any additive and food allergens. It is also suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets as it does not come from any food of animal origin. You can find it in 454 grams or 1,134 kilograms format. Ideal if you use it every day also to prepare recipes. Or if several people are going to use it at home, they are convenient formats due to their weight.
Erythritol Now Foods
It comes from plant sources, which makes it suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. It is a crystalline powder without GMOs, natural, sustainable, and ideal as a natural table sweetener. However, you can also use it to prepare recipes.
Suppose you can’t resist sweet flavors but like to take care of yourself. In that case, the healthiest alternative to sugar and other commercial sweeteners is erythritol. Its benefits and advantages make this a type of sweetener suitable for daily consumption. Try it and decide for yourself how to use it in your regular diet.
