Dr. Julian Whitaker's
Health & Healing
Your Definitive Guide to Wellness Medicine
September 2007 Vol. 17, No. 9

ERYTHRITOL FOR HEALTHY SWEETENING
It looks like sugar, it tastes like sugar, and you can even cook and bake with it just like sugar. But unlike sugar's 16 calories and 4 carbohydrates per teaspoon, it has zero calories, no carbs to speak of, and it doesn't affect glucose levels, which makes it perfect for diabetics and people watching their weight. Talk about sweet nothings!

So, what is "it"? A sweetener called erythritol, and it may well be the latest and greates way to sweeten the pot. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol naturally present in many fruits and vegetables. While many sugar alcohols are notorious for their laxative effects, erythritol has far less potential for causing GI distress when consumed in moderation. As for safety, an entire issue of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology was dedicated to this sweetener, and only minimal side effects were noted at high doses.

Good brands of erythritol include ZSweet, available by calling (866) 227-9338 or visiting ZSweet.com, and NOW Foods' Erythritol, sold in health food stores nationwide. You can find more healthy sweeteners in the Subscriber Center this month at drwhitaker.com.