Sorbitol
Also known as: Glucitol
Sugar alcohol from corn glucose. Half as sweet as sugar, frequent cause of laxative effects.
At a glance
How Sorbitol compares to table sugar on the three numbers most people actually want.
Ten-metric breakdown
See methodology →- Taste qualityWeight 20%60
- Glycemic impactWeight 18%70
- NaturalnessWeight 10%60
- Tooth friendlinessWeight 8%80
- Overall safetyWeight 14%Pending
- Digestive comfortWeight 8%30
- Gut microbiomeWeight 8%Pending
- AftertasteWeight 6%Pending
- SustainabilityWeight 4%Pending
- Allergen safetyWeight 4%85
Source: public.sweeteners snapshot, refreshed 2026-04-27. "Pending" cells are catalogued but not yet graded by SweetSpot research.
What it actually is
Sorbitol is a polyol made by hydrogenating glucose. It occurs naturally in stone fruits and apples. Sweetness sits at ~60% of sucrose with a low glycemic load.
Its main practical issue is digestive: sorbitol is poorly absorbed in the small intestine, ferments rapidly in the colon and pulls water in osmotically. EU labelling rules require a warning above 10% concentration. People with IBS often react at much lower doses.
Useful where you want humectancy (it holds moisture) and low glycemic effect — sugar-free hard candies, pharmaceutical syrups, some toothpastes — but not a great everyday tabletop sweetener.
- Low GI (~9)
- Humectant — keeps food moist
- Tooth-friendly
- Reliable laxative above ~20 g/day
- Frequent IBS trigger
- Only 60% the sweetness of sugar
Regulatory status
In practice
- Sugar-free candies, pharmaceutical syrups, toothpaste
- IBS
- Sensitive gut
- Tabletop use at high volume
Sugar-free gum, cough syrups, diabetic candies
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.