sugar alcohol Sweeteners Oral

Erythritol

A naturally occurring sugar alcohol used as a zero-calorie sweetener, with minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin levels.

Sci.(2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol advantitol erythritol erithrytol erylite erythritol erythritol erythritol distearate erythrol organic erythritol
1 form
Oral

About Erythritol

Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol (polyol) naturally occurring in some fruits and fermented foods. It is commercially produced by fermenting glucose with yeast or fungi. As a member of the polyol family, it is a low-calorie, non-cariogenic sweetener that is poorly metabolized by the human body, with most of it absorbed in the small intestine and excreted unchanged in urine. It provides about 0.24 calories per gram and approximately 70% of the sweetness of sucrose.

Official resources

Fact sheets from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements related to this ingredient group.

Dietary Supplement Label Database

Ingredient group data in NutriNav is aligned with the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD).

DSLD group id
1381

At a glance

Max safe daily

No official UL established. A single bolus dose above 50g may cause gastrointestinal discomfort (e.g., bloating, nausea) in some individuals.

Approval status

GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) in the US; approved as a food additive (sweetener) worldwide (e.g., EU, Codex Alimentarius).

Compare All Forms

1 form

Compare supplement forms of Erythritol by absorption quality and what your body actually gets from each:

High Moderate Low
Form Absorption Steps to absorb Notes Action
Erythritol

Zero-calorie sweetener, tooth-friendly, suitable for diabeti...

  • UNII: RA96B954X6
  • CAS: 149-32-6
  • Label category: Fermentation derived
 — — — View →

Also appears on labels as

Additional names seen on supplement labels for forms of this ingredient (beyond the main aliases above).

1,2,3,4-Butanetetrol, Erythrit, Erythroglucin, meso-Erythritol

Type: Sweeteners

Category for Sweeteners ingredients

Potential Benefits

Benefits associated with Erythritol forms:

Sugar Reduction Dental Health Blood sugar management Low-Calorie Sweetening High Digestive Tolerance

Potential Side Effects

Side effects associated with Erythritol forms:

Digestive Upset (high dose) How serious: Mild Gastrointestinal Discomfort How serious: low Cooling Sensation How serious: low

What does the research say?

Extensive human clinical trials support its safety, metabolic profile, and dental benefits. It is not metabolized by oral bacteria, reducing caries risk. Studies show high digestive tolerance with a lower likelihood of causing gastrointestinal distress compared to other sugar alcohols. Research indicates it has a negligible effect on blood glucose and insulin levels, making it suitable for diabetics. Long-term consumption studies demonstrate no adverse effects.