Sugar Alcohol

A sugar alcohol (also known as a polyol, polyhydric alcohol, polyalcohol, or glycitol) is a hydrogenated form of carbohydrate, whose carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone, reducing sugar) has been reduced to a primary or secondary hydroxyl group (hence the alcohol). Sugar alcohols have the general formula H(HCHO)n+1H, whereas sugars have H(HCHO)nHCO. In commercial foodstuffs sugar alcohols are commonly used in place of table sugar (sucrose), often in combination with high intensity artificial sweeteners to counter the low sweetness. Of these, xylitol is perhaps the most popular due to its similarity to sucrose in visual appearance and sweetness. Sugar alcohols do not contribute to tooth decay.

However, consumption of sugar alcohols does affect blood sugar levels. Sugar alcohols may also cause bloating and diarrhea when consumed in excessive amounts.

Some common sugar alcohols:

  • Methanol (1-carbon)
  • Glycol (2-carbon)
  • Glycerol (3-carbon)
  • Erythritol (4-carbon)
  • Threitol (4-carbon)
  • Arabitol (5-carbon)
  • Xylitol (5-carbon)
  • Ribitol (5-carbon)
  • Mannitol (6-carbon)
  • Sorbitol (6-carbon)
  • Galactitol (6-carbon)
  • Iditol (6-carbon)
  • Inositol (6-carbon; a cyclic sugar alcohol)
  • Volemitol (7-carbon)
  • Isomalt (12-carbon)
  • Maltitol (12-carbon)
  • Lactitol (12-carbon)
  • Maltotriitol (18-carbon)
  • Maltotetraitol (24-carbon)
  • Polyglycitol

Both disaccharides and monosaccharides can form sugar alcohols; however, sugar alcohols derived from disaccharides (e.g. maltitol and lactitol) are not entirely hydrogenated because only one aldehyde group is available for reduction.

The simplest sugar alcohols, ethylene glycol and methanol, are sweet but notoriously toxic chemicals used in antifreeze. The more complex sugar alcohols are for the most part nontoxic.

Read more about Sugar Alcohol:  Sugar Alcohols As Food Additives

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