Sweeteners/Sugar alcohols (polyols)

Erythritol

GoodSugar alcohols (polyols)E968

Sugar alcohol with ~70% the sweetness of sucrose, near-zero calories. 2023 cardiovascular signal under investigation.

72
SweetSpot score
Sweetness vs sugar
70%
Glycemic index
0
no glucose response
Calories
0.2 kcal/g
Verdict
Good

At a glance

6 of 10 metrics graded

How Erythritol compares to table sugar on the three numbers most people actually want.

Sweetness vs sugar
70%
vs sugar 1×
Less sweet
Glycemic index
0
vs sugar 65
No glucose response
Calories per gram
0.2 kcal
vs sugar 4 kcal
95% less than sugar
SweetSpot score
72/100
AvoidPoorModerateGoodExcellent

Ten-metric breakdown

See methodology →
  • Taste quality
    Weight 20%
    75
  • Glycemic impact
    Weight 18%
    80
  • Naturalness
    Weight 10%
    70
  • Tooth friendliness
    Weight 8%
    90
  • Overall safety
    Weight 14%
    Pending
  • Digestive comfort
    Weight 8%
    60
  • Gut microbiome
    Weight 8%
    Pending
  • Aftertaste
    Weight 6%
    Pending
  • Sustainability
    Weight 4%
    Pending
  • Allergen safety
    Weight 4%
    90

Source: public.sweeteners snapshot, refreshed 2026-04-27. "Pending" cells are catalogued but not yet graded by SweetSpot research.

What it actually is

Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol produced by yeast fermentation of glucose. It is 60–80% as sweet as sucrose, has near-zero calories, no glycemic effect, and is mostly absorbed in the small intestine and excreted unchanged — which is why it causes far less GI upset than other polyols.

In 2023, Hazen et al. published a Nature Medicine paper linking circulating erythritol to thrombosis and major adverse cardiac events. The signal is real but interpretation is contested: erythritol is also produced endogenously from glucose via the pentose phosphate pathway, so high blood erythritol may be a marker of metabolic disease rather than caused by dietary intake.

Where it lands now: well-tolerated, deeply studied, but a question mark hangs over heavy long-term use. People on healthy diets using it occasionally are likely fine; the signal applies more to those with existing cardiovascular risk factors using high doses daily.

What it does well
  • Best-tolerated sugar alcohol — minimal GI effect
  • Zero glycemic impact
  • Tooth-friendly — non-cariogenic
Where it falls short
  • 2023 cardiovascular association under investigation
  • Cooling sensation on the tongue
  • 70% sweetness — needs more volume than sugar

Regulatory status

FDA (United States)
GRAS
EFSA (Europe)
Authorised E968
Acceptable daily intake
Not specified; well-tolerated up to 0.66 g/kg

In practice

Best for
  • Keto baking, sugar-free chocolate
Avoid if
  • High cardiovascular risk + heavy daily use
  • Strong cooling sensation aversion
Where you'll find it

Truvia, Swerve, ChocZero, most 'keto' baked goods

The evidence

Selected peer-reviewed sources behind the score. Open access where possible. Read our scoring methodology for how we weight evidence tiers.

Recommended swaps

Higher-scoring alternatives that perform similarly in use.

Allulose
88

A rare sugar that tastes 70% as sweet as sucrose with ~10% the calories and a negligible — sometimes mildly suppressive — insulin response.

Monk Fruit
86

Mogrosides from Siraitia grosvenorii. 150–250× sweeter, no glycemic effect, cleaner aftertaste than stevia.