What Are the Differences Between Allulose And Erythritol?

What Are the Differences Between Allulose And Erythritol?

Allulose and erythritol are both common sweeteners. They differ in terms of source, sweetness, calories, and metabolic modes, as follows:

1. Source.

Allulose: The content of allulose in nature is extremely small. Most of it is produced by biotechnology by converting raw materials such as corn starch through enzymes and other processes.

Erythritol: It can be extracted from starch-rich agricultural products such as corn and wheat, or it can be made from glucose after fermentation and then purified by ion exchange resins and other processes. It also exists naturally in fruits such as grapes, pears, and watermelons, as well as fungi such as mushrooms.

2. Sweetness.

Allulose: The sweetness is similar to that of sucrose, about 70%-80% of sucrose, and can be used to replace sucrose in food to provide sweetness.

Erythritol: The sweetness is relatively low, about 60%-70% of sucrose, and it is used more in some products that do not require particularly high sweetness.

3. Calories.

Allulose: The calories are very low, about 0.3% of sucrose, which is almost negligible. It has great advantages in weight control and blood sugar management.

Erythritol: The calories are also low. The calories per gram of erythritol are about 0.2kcal, which is about 5% of the calories of sucrose. It is a low-calorie sweetener.

4. Metabolism.

Allulose: After entering the human body, most of it is not absorbed and enters the intestine directly. Only a small amount is absorbed into the blood in the small intestine, and it does not rely on insulin for metabolism, so it has little effect on blood sugar.

Erythritol: The metabolic pathway in the human body is different from that of allulose. It can be absorbed by the small intestine, but most of it will be excreted from the body with urine after absorption. It almost does not participate in metabolism in the body and will not cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels.

5. Stability.

Allulose: It has good thermal stability and chemical stability. In different pH environments and high temperature conditions, its properties are relatively stable, and it is not easy to decompose or deteriorate. It is suitable for a variety of food processing technologies, such as baking, high-temperature sterilization, etc.

Erythritol: It is also relatively stable, but it may have slight color and flavor changes when heated at high temperatures for a long time, but it generally does not affect its application in most foods.

6. Safety.

Allulose: It is recognized as a "generally recognized as safe (GRAS)" substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Moderate consumption has no obvious harm to human health, but excessive intake may cause intestinal discomfort.

Erythritol: It is relatively safe and is also a widely recognized safe sweetener. Moderate consumption by the general population will not cause adverse effects on the body, but large intake may also cause gastrointestinal problems.