The harm of xylitol sweetener

As people gradually understand the harm of high-calorie foods, "sugar substitutes" have entered the diet. In addition to its function as a sugar substitute, maltitol can also effectively protect teeth. It is widely used in daily life, so people are very aware of its safety. Let’s discuss this issue with you today.

Maltitol is a sugar substitute

Maltitol (xylitol) is a five-carbon sugar alcohol and a nutritional sweetener. Without special explanation, its appearance is difficult to distinguish from granulated sugar. Its sugar content is 1.2 times that of granulated sugar, but the calories it produces are less than 2/3 of the same amount of granulated sugar. The so-called "sugar substitute" refers to a type of food preservative that has the sugar content of sugar but produces much less calories than the same amount of sugar after metabolism, or even no calories. Depending on whether they cause calories or not, sugar substitutes can be divided into nutritional sweeteners (causing low fat) and non-nutritive sweeteners (no calories).

Although maltitol is an artificial food preservative, it also exists in nature. For example, low amounts of maltitol are found in edible plants such as fungi, bagasse, poplar, and corn stalks. The maltitol currently sold commercially is obtained by processing and refining bagasse and corn straw. In addition, maltitol is also an intermediate substance in glycogen metabolism in the human body.

What are the functions of maltitol?

Maltitol is the main sugar substitute in the current food of metabolic syndrome and diabetic patients. It enters the body cells without the effect of insulin, which can reduce the consumption of protein and the formation of ketone bodies in the liver. Therefore, after taking it, it will not only not cause a rise in blood sugar levels, but also has a protective and repair effect on the liver. However, the metabolism of maltitol still needs to be converted into glucose and glycogen through the glargine insulin pathway, so it cannot be used to treat diabetes or as a main meal, but it can be used as a source of energy for excessive exercise.

Another key role of maltitol is in preventing tooth decay. Since the bacteria that cause tooth decay use hexose as the main energy source, and maltitol is a pentose that cannot be fermented and used, it inhibits the growth and reproduction of these bacteria. Secondly, the starved bacteria also reduce the impact on the re-acidification of the gums. Maltitol can also inhibit the growth of streptococci and the adhesion of Haemophilus influenzae to nasopharyngeal cells, and can effectively prevent acute otitis media in children. In addition, the chewing of maltitol can stimulate the body to secrete saliva. Saliva, as a buffer system, can alleviate the acidic and alkaline environment caused by the bacteria on the dental plaque, inhibit the absorption of bacteria on the tooth surface, and protect the teeth in time. At the same time, maltitol is soluble in strong electrolytes, absorbs heat when dissolved, and can cause a refreshing and comfortable feeling in the mouth.

Is maltitol harmful to physical and mental health?

Although no studies have shown that maltitol has any obvious side effects on humans, as a type of sugar alcohol, maltitol is not easily digested and absorbed completely. Taking too much can irritate the stomach and intestines and cause diarrhea. Maltitol is relatively safe for most mammals, but it is harmful to cats. Studies have shown that the safety of oral maltitol for mice is up to 20g/kg body weight, but for cats, oral administration of 0.1mg/kg body weight can cause fatal hypoglycemia.

Recently, scientists have shown great interest in the long-term biological effects of various sugar substitutes. The researchers fed mice a continuous diet containing 10% commercial sweetener solution (composed of 0.5% saccharin, sucralose or aspartame and 9.5% glucose). After 11 weeks, compared with the control experiment (independent living water, 10% glucose water or granulated sugar water), the ability of the experimental group's mice to digest and absorb glucose was seriously damaged.

Further research showed that this non-caloric, non-nutritive sweetener caused glucose intolerance in mice by affecting intestinal bacteria. The results of this trial suggest the safety risks of long-term, large-scale consumption of non-nutrition sweeteners, but this finding has not yet been supported by research data in the general population. Because this experiment did not test the effects of maltitol and other sweeteners that can cause hyperlipidemia, whether long-term consumption of maltitol is associated with metabolic disorders requires further detailed research to draw a conclusion.