Erythritol is a natural substance and a natural sweetener, which is widely found in foods we often eat, such as mushrooms, watermelons, pears, grapes and other agricultural products and fermented products such as wine, sake, beer and soy sauce, with the highest content of 0. 13%. [ 1]
At present, erythritol used in industry mainly uses glucose as raw material, which is transformed into erythritol by Candida lipolytica, Cladosporium or Myxomycetes, and then refined to obtain food additive erythritol crystal products.
The sweetness of erythritol is 60-80% of sucrose, and the energy coefficient is 0 kJ/g, so the sweetness is pure and there is no bitterness. It is also mentioned in GB 2760-20 14 "Standards for the Use of Food Additives" in China that erythritol can be used as a sweetener in milk and dairy products, candy, baked goods, beverages and other foods according to production needs. Usually, we often use it moderately.
02
What happened to erythritol?
In previous studies, the safety of erythritol has been widely recognized, and early studies have also hinted at its potential benefits, including the antioxidant potential reported in animal models of diabetes, and the improvement of endothelial function in diabetic patients after drinking beverages containing erythritol for 4 weeks. [2] Later, many countries approved its use in prescribed foods.
Although erythritol has developed rapidly in recent years and is loved by everyone, with the deepening of research, a recent study in the authoritative journal Nature Medicine mentioned the negative effects of erythritol.
Erythritol can significantly enhance the collagen-dependent platelet adhesion rate and thrombosis, which is related to the significantly increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events, including death or non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke. It is necessary to further study the safety of erythritol. [2]
However, although this study hit erythritol in the face, we don't need to worry too much.
This study focuses on the United States and Europe, and their daily intake of erythritol is more than 30 grams. In this study, healthy subjects were also asked to monitor the plasma level of erythritol after drinking erythritol sweet drink (containing 30 grams of erythritol, equivalent to a single can of drink).
However, the content of erythritol in sugar-free drinks in China is mostly 1~4%. For example, the sugar-free drink that everyone often drinks in the picture below roughly calculates that the erythritol content is about 18g/ can.
Image source: an e-commerce platform
And any behavior that only talks about toxicity but not dosage is unreliable.
The effect of eating erythritol for a long time on health is still inconclusive and needs further study. If you are worried about the potential harm of erythritol, don't be dazzled every day, or often drink drinks containing erythritol. It is ok to relieve your craving once in a while, for example, once a month 1~2 times.
For people who already have cardiovascular diseases, you can try to avoid sugar substitute foods or drinks containing erythritol in the ingredient list.
03
Pay attention to these five sweeteners.
In addition to erythritol, when choosing sugar-free foods or drinks, you should also pay attention to the following sugar substitutes.
Aspartame:
Aspartame is also one of the commonly used sweeteners in food, and its dosage is also clearly stipulated in the standard GB 2760-20 14 for the use of food additives in China. But its security has always been controversial. Some people say that aspartame can cause depression, Parkinson's disease, brain cancer, epilepsy and other diseases, and some experiments say that it will not be harmful to human body. [3]
In particular, patients with phenylketonuria need to pay special attention to foods containing aspartame, because one of the decomposition products of aspartame is phenylalanine, which can not be effectively metabolized by patients with phenylketonuria, which will lead to nerve and brain damage.
Sucralose:
The sweetness is 600 times that of sucrose, and there is no bitterness, so it is widely used in food.
In the study of it, most people think that sucralose is safe and nontoxic, but some studies have found that sucralose and its hydrolysate have certain toxicity, such as damaging the DNA of rats' stomach and lungs and reducing the sperm motility of mice and people. [4] Further research is needed.
Stevioside:
The sweetness is 200~300 times that of sucrose, and the calorie is only about 1/250 of sucrose. However, compared with sucrose, stevioside is not only obviously delayed in sweetness, but also obviously bitter. [5]
Stevioside is generally considered to be safe to eat, but some studies have found that it may have a certain carcinogenic effect. Hong Kong, Singapore, Macao and other places prohibit the sale of food containing stevioside. [6]
Saccharin sodium:
The sweetness of saccharin sodium is equivalent to 300~500 times of sucrose, but it will have a metallic bitterness when used in large quantities. There is also some controversy about its safety, and the product may contain carcinogen o-toluenesulfonamide. [6] China has strict control over its production and use, and it is not allowed to be used in infant food.
Xylitol:
Since 1970s, xylitol, as a sweetener instead of sucrose, has been gradually used to prevent caries, and is also suitable for diabetics to enjoy "sweets". However, excessive intake is easy to cause diarrhea, and adults should not exceed 50g/d at most. [7]
Especially those who have dogs at home should pay attention. The FDA says xylitol is toxic to dogs. After eating xylitol, dogs will stimulate insulin secretion in a short time, and the rapid release of insulin will lead to a rapid drop in blood sugar and hypoglycemia. Generally, dogs will have symptoms after eating 10~60 minutes. If not rescued in time, dogs may die. [8]
There are many kinds of sugar substitutes used in the market at present, and the research on sugar substitutes has been controversial. But we should also worry too much and treat it rationally so as not to take too much.
For friends who like to drink sweet drinks, eating too much added sugar will bring many health risks. Relatively speaking, choosing sugar-free drinks instead of sugar will indeed reduce the intake of added sugar.
However, because the potential harm of many sugar substitutes is still controversial, you still need to pay attention to controlling your intake. If you are worried, just quit and choose healthy boiled water.
Don't show off sugar every day, just eat it once in a while, which can add a little "sweetness" to life, and there is no need to be overly nervous.
Source: Popular Science China
Some of the above pictures are from the Internet. If there is any infringement, please contact us and we will delete it in time.
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