Erythritol is a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol derived from a corn source and is naturally found in small amounts in various plants, fruits and fungi, including mushrooms. It contains virtually no calories (95% less calories than table sugar), has a low glycemic impact, and doesn't contribute to tooth decay. Basically all the bad things about sugar are absent in Erythritol, yet it tastes just like sugar and is about 70% as sweet. 1 1/3 cups erythritol will give the equivilent sweetness of 1 cup of sugar.
NOW Food Erythritol has a clean, sweet taste and is the perfect natural substitute for sugar in many applications. There's really no need to use refined table sugar ever again.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
October 05, 2007 Reviewer: Stephanie in Maryland
Oh, Erythritol. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1. I love that non-dieters have no idea that you are not sugar.
2. I love that you maintain bulk in my baking recipes
3. I love that you mask the taste of other artificial sweeteners when I mix you with them
4. I love that you caramelize on the top of creme brulee
5. I love that you protect my teeth and gums
6. I love that you mix with chocolate in a way that Splenda never could
7. I love that you have almost no calories
8. I love that you don't cause gastric distress
9. I love the full bodied flavor you give to simple things like kool-aid
10. I love that you even look just like Sugar
Only two things I do not love:
1. Your price tag!
2. The cooling effect that occurs in some baked goods unless I mix you with some other sweetener.
Baking with granulated erythritol has really made a huge difference in the taste and texture of my desserts. I've found that to mitigate the 'cooling' effect of the sugar alcohol, you can use a 50/50 mix of erythritol and Splenda, and nobody will every know it's not made with real sugar. By mixing the two sugar substitutes you get the best of both without the aftertaste of Splenda or the cooling effect of the erythritol.
Something else I love about erythritol: it doesn't have the gastrointestinal effects that other sugar alcohols do. I can eat this stuff all day long and never have a bit of gas or bloating.
Great stuff -- now that I've tried it I can't live without it!
Tastes exactly like sugar, contains ZERO calories and doesn't give you gas or cramps or the trots like all the other sugar alcohols.
True, it's considerably more expensive than Xylitol, which is what I used previously.
But ... xylitol has 70 percent of the calories of sugar, this one has zero percent (so it's really diabetic safe -- be careful with xylitol if you're diabetic, it sent my brother's blood sugar through the roof).
Plus, erythritol doesn't have as much of that 'cold' feeling on your tongue. And the not-passing-gas thing -- I can tell you from personal experience, your friends and family will thank you (even my dog has turned his back on me and stalked away, following copious consumption of Xylitol).
The only thing you may notice in terms of difference between this and sugar is that the crystals are slightly larger and thus a bit 'grittier,' but not in a bad way, more like a sugar-cookie. (and you could always whir it in the blender for a sec to make it superfine).
The price here is pretty good too.
(Plus I love how quickly Netrition ships -- I'm on the East Coast and it almost always arrives overnight!)
I went low carb a few years ago and found several products to make it easy...except sweeteners. I can deal with the aftertaste, but there is one with Splenda. I was thrilled to try this this time around. I read the other reviews, and jumped in both feet. They are right, it has a literal cool feeling. But when used in conjunction with Splenda..woohoo..sweet, no aftertaste(surprised my family)and no coolness if you don't over do. I made PB cookies today and found I can back off on both sweeteners. I love it, and ordered two bags this time.
This is a bit pricey, but worth the cost compared to Splenda or sugar alcohols. My blood sugar levels don't go up with this product. When mixed with Stevia, this is a great substitute in all my recipes--my high-carb kids gobble up treats made with this stuff.
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