A lot of our fans wonder why we use erythritol as a low-calorie sweetener instead of sugar in our plant-based products. Well, besides the overwhelming research on the deleterious effects of consuming too much sugar, there’s a few other reasons why we use this sweet alternative.
Sugar Alcohol? Come again?
First, it’s important to understand the chemical structure of erythritol and why it’s different from sugar. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, which is made up of part sugar molecules and part alcohol molecules. When eaten, your body breaks it down into carbohydrates. And no, the “alcohol” portion doesn’t contain any ethanol (the ingredient that makes you drunk from drinking alcohol). Sugar alcohols, like erythritol, contain less calories than sugar while maintaining a majority of its sweetness. Respectively, it contains about .24 calories/gram and about 70% of the sweetness.
Erythritol doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin levels, nor does it raise your blood pressure or increase your risk of diabetes or tooth decay. While some can experience gas or bloating from it, it has little negative health effects. It’s basically like sugar’s cooler, friendlier cousin.
How is it made?
Erythritol is naturally found in some fruits and fermented foods. It can be produced by a fermentation process involving sugars, specific yeasts, and other ingredients.
Why is it in my No Cow bars?
No Cow’s proprietary sweetener blend is our pride and joy. With the perfect mix of erythritol, stevia, and monk-fruit, it allows us to not have to use too much of each ingredient while creating just the right amount of sweetness in our products. Most importantly, it helps us keep that 1g of sugar per bar. Just take one bite of Birthday Cake and you’ll think, how the heck do they make it taste so bomb with just 1g of sugar?
Why not just sugar?
We’re not here to preach to the choir, but it’s nice to hear a reminder every once in a while! Simply put, less is better. High sugar intake is one of the main contributors to obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle. It contributes to certain risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some types of cancers. So, eating nutrient dense foods with less sugar provides many positive benefits to getting after a healthy life, which is what we are all about!