Xylitol or Erythritol, Which Is Better for People?

Many people are looking for sugar substitutes as an alternative to sugar, especially if they are concerned about dental health, weight loss or have diabetes. If so, you may have encountered one or both of these sweeteners in recipes or prepared products or mixtures: xylitol and erythritol. But which of these is the healthier choice?

Taste Profile

Of all the natural sugar substitutes, xylitol offers the closest taste and texture to sugar. Xylitol does not have the same aftertaste as the stevia present in many sugar replacement blends.
Depending on your application, you may notice that erythritol has a "cooling effect"/menthol feel. Other than the "cooling effect", erythritol does not have the same aftertaste as stevia, which is found in many sugar replacement blends.

 

Natural Xylitol Sweetener

 

Calories

Sugar alcohols are low-calorie sweeteners. Xylitol has 40% fewer calories than sugar.
Erythritol has the lowest calorie content of any natural sweetener, at 0.2 calories per gram. This means that it contains 95% fewer calories than sugar.

 

Sweetness

Xylitol has the same sweetness, flavor and volume as sugar and can be used in many of the same ways.    
Erythritol is only about 70% as sweet as sugar, while xylitol is the same sweetness as sugar. In most low carb baking, you can still convert 1:1 because the volume is the same, but it will be slightly less sweet. Please find more 

 

Benefits

As a sugar substitute, xylitol matches the sweetness of sugar with 40% fewer calories - great for weight management. Xylitol is ideal for people with diabetes or those who are reducing their carbohydrate intake without sacrificing sweets.
Regular xylitol consumption also causes dental cavity bacteria to starve and die by nearly 75%, which is good news for our teeth and cavity prevention.    
Erythritol inhibits the growth of oral bacteria, such as streptococci, which form biofilms on teeth and cause tooth decay. Inhibition of microbial growth leads to less acid production in the gut. As a result, teeth are less likely to develop cavities and plaque.
Erythritol is ideal for those who are sensitive to changes in blood sugar and erythritol is easily digested in the intestinal tract. It also has a very low glycemic index.

 

Where it comes from

Xylitol is naturally found in a variety of fruits and vegetables such as berries, plums, strawberries, pumpkins and even cauliflower! It is also naturally present in our bodies. The xylitol now sold commercially comes from plant sources such as birch and corn cobs.
Erythritol originally came from a variety of plant sources such as fruits (e.g., pears, grapes and melons), vegetables and fermented foods (e.g., sake and wine). Erythritol is now made from corn products.