Sugar alcohol
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2008-07-02T04:47:56Z
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/* Sugar alcohols as food additives */
A '''sugar alcohol''' (also known as a '''[[polyol]]''', '''polyhydric alcohol''', or '''polyalcohol''') is a [[hydrogenation|hydrogenated]] form of [[carbohydrate]], whose [[carbonyl group]] ([[aldehyde]] or [[ketone]], [[reducing sugar]]) has been reduced to a primary or secondary [[hydroxyl group]]. Its general formula is H(HCHO)<sub>n+1</sub>H, whereas sugar's is H(HCHO)<sub>n</sub>HCO. They are commonly used for replacing sucrose in foodstuffs, often in combination with high intensity [[artificial sweetener]]s to counter the low sweetness. Furthermore, they do not contribute to tooth decay.
Some common sugar alcohols:
{{multicol}}
*[[Ethylene glycol|Glycol]]
*[[Glycerol]] (aka glycerine)
*[[Erythritol]]
*[[Arabitol]]
*[[Xylitol]]
*[[Ribitol]]
{{multicol-break}}
*[[Mannitol]]
*[[Sorbitol]]
*[[Isomalt]]
*[[Maltitol]]
*[[Lactitol]]
{{multicol-end}}
[[Disaccharide]]s and [[monosaccharide]]s can both form sugar alcohols; however, sugar alcohols derived from [[disaccharide]]s (e.g. maltitol and lactitol) are not entirely [[hydrogenated]] because only one [[aldehyde group]] is available for reduction.
==Sugar alcohols as food additives==
{|class="wikitable sortable" align=right
|-
! Name
! Sweetness<br/>(sucrose = 1.0)
! Caloric content<br/>(kcal/g)
! Sweetness per<br/>caloric content<br/>
|-
| [[Arabitol]]
| 0.7
| 0.2
| 3.5
|-
| [[Erythritol]]
| 0.812
| 0.213
| 3.498
|-
| [[Glycerol]]
| 0.6
| 4.3
| 0.14
|-
| [[Hydrogenated starch hydrosylate|HSH]]
| 0.4–0.9
| 3.0
| 0.13–0.3
|-
| [[Isomalt]]
| 0.5
| 2.0
| 0.25
|-
| [[Lactitol]]
| 0.4
| 2.0
| 0.2
|-
| [[Maltitol]]
| 0.9
| 2.1
| 0.43
|-
| [[Mannitol]]
| 0.5
| 1.6
| 0.31
|-
| [[Sorbitol]]
| 0.6
| 2.6
| 0.23
|-
| [[Xylitol]]
| 1.0
| 2.4
| 0.42
|-
| ''Compare with:<br>[[Sucrose]]''
| ''1.0''
| ''4.0''
| ''0.25''
|-
|+style="font-size:0.9em"|Source: [http://scientificpsychic.com/fitness/carbohydrates1.html Antonio Zamora, "Carbohydrates"]
|}
As a group, sugar alcohols are not as sweet as [[sucrose]], and they are also less caloric than sucrose. Their flavor is like sucrose, and they can be used to mask the unpleasant [[aftertaste]]s of some high intensity [[sweetener]]s. Sugar alcohols are not metabolized by oral bacteria, and so they do not contribute to [[tooth decay]]. They do not brown and [[caramelize]] when heated.
In addition to their sweetness, some sugar alcohols can produce a noticeable cooling sensation in the mouth when highly concentrated, for instance in sugar-free [[candy|hard candy]] or [[chewing gum]]. This happens, for example, with the [[crystalline]] phase of [[sorbitol]], [[erythritol]], [[xylitol]], [[mannitol]], [[lactitol]] and [[maltitol]]. The [[Basic_taste#Temperature|cooling sensation]] is due to the dissolving of the sugar alcohol being an endothermic (heat-absorbing) reaction, one with a strong [[Enthalpy change of solution|heat of solution]]. <ref>{{cite journal
| first = HK
| last = Cammenga
| authorlink =|
| coauthors = LO Figura, B Zielasko
| year = 1996
| month = |
| title = Thermal behaviour of some sugar alcohols
| journal = Journal of thermal analysis
| volume = 47
| issue = 2
| pages = 427–434
| id =|
| url =|
| doi = 10.1007/BF01983984
}}</ref>
Sugar alcohols are usually incompletely absorbed into the blood stream from the [[small intestine]]s which generally results in a smaller change in [[blood glucose]] than "regular" sugar ([[sucrose]]). This property makes them popular sweeteners among [[diabetes mellitus|diabetic]]s and people on [[low-carbohydrate diet]]s. However, as for many other incompletely digestible substances (such as [[dietary fiber]]), overconsumption of sugar alcohols can lead to [[bloating]], [[diarrhea]] and [[flatulence]] because they are not absorbed in the small intestine. Some individuals experience such symptoms even in a single-serving quantity. With continued use, most people develop a degree of tolerance to sugar alcohols and no longer experience these symptoms. As an exception, [[erythritol]] is actually absorbed in the small intestine and excreted unchanged through urine, so it has no side effects at typical levels of consumption.
The table above presents the relative sweetness and measured caloric content of the most widely-used sugar alcohols. Despite the variance in caloric content of sugar alcohols, [[European Union|EU]] labeling requirements assign a blanket value of 2.4 kcal/g to all sugar alcohols.
People who have undergone [[gastric bypass surgery]], specifically Roux-en-Y (RGB), should be careful not to eat too many sugar alcohols as doing so can lead to [[Gastric dumping syndrome| "dumping"]].{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Sweeteners]]
[[Category:Polyols]]
[[Category:Sugar alcohols| ]]
[[de:Alditol]]
[[fr:Polyol]]
[[nl:Polyol]]
[[sv:Sockeralkohol]]
[[ja:糖アルコール]]
[[pl:Alkohol cukrowy]]