Sweeteners and sorbitol: 33 foods rated

Isomalt is a polyol used mostly in hard sweets and lozenges, where it does not melt or brown. Same fermentation in the colon as sorbitol, same dose dependence.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Lactitol is a polyol made from lactose, and it is prescribed as a laxative in its own right - which tells you plainly what a food-sized dose does.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Maltitol is a polyol, and the one used to replace sugar in "sugar-free" chocolate. It behaves like sorbitol in the gut, so a sorbitol profile flags it even though the name differs.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

This is sorbitol itself, listed as E420. Above 10% added polyols a product must carry the warning that excessive consumption may have laxative effects - that labelling requirement is the clearest measure of the dose involved.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Xylitol is a polyol, and where a polyol sits on this axis is a question about how much of it survives the small intestine. For xylitol there is a controlled answer rather than an inference: in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 64 adults, a single 50 g dose in water significantly raised nausea, bloating, borborygmi, colic, watery stools and bowel-movement frequency against a sucrose control - and 35 g was already enough to increase the passing of watery stools. At every dose tested it produced significantly more watery stools than erythritol. Those are BOLUS doses in water, which is not how anyone eats a sweetener, so read them as a ranking of the polyols rather than as a serving size.

• Storey D. et al., Eur J Clin Nutr 61:3 (2007) 349-354, gastrointestinal tolerance of erythritol and xylitol ingested in a liquid

Mannitol is the polyol of mushrooms and of some sugar-free products. It shares sorbitol's mechanism but is absorbed a little better, which is why it sits a level lower here.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Acesulfame K is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Aspartame is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Aspartame-acesulfame salt is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Cyclamate is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Erythritol is a polyol, but the exception among them: roughly 90% is absorbed in the small intestine and leaves in the urine, so very little reaches the bacteria that ferment the others. That tolerance was measured rather than assumed. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 64 adults, 20 g and 35 g of erythritol in water produced NO significant symptoms at all, and 50 g raised only nausea and borborygmi - where the same 50 g of xylitol raised six different complaints. At every dose tested, erythritol gave significantly fewer watery stools than xylitol. The doses are single boluses in water, which flatters nothing: it is the hardest form to tolerate.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery
• Storey D. et al., Eur J Clin Nutr 61:3 (2007) 349-354, gastrointestinal tolerance of erythritol and xylitol ingested in a liquid

Neohesperidine DC is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Neotame is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Saccharin is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery

Sucralose is not a polyol and carries no sorbitol of its own. It is flagged low because it rarely travels alone: sugar-free products commonly pair an intense sweetener with sorbitol or maltitol for bulk, and the ingredient list is where you check.

• Lenhart A. & Chey W.D., Adv Nutr 8 (2017) 587-596, a systematic review of 79 studies on the effects of polyols
• Zumbé A et al., Br J Nutr 85 Suppl. 1 (2001) S31-45, polyols in confectionery