" Sugar substitutes " generally include sugar alternatives (sugar alcohols), sweeteners, and natural alternatives (syrups, honey). In more differentiated terms, sugar substitutes and sweeteners are among the sweeteners classified as food additives. Because of their low calorie content, sweeteners are used in many soft drinks and light products. The use of sugar substitutes in foods and beverages has also increased in recent years.
If you want to reduce your sugar intake, but you don't want to completely give up the sweet taste, sugar substitutes are a possible alternative. Among the main ones we find Xylitol and Erythritol .
Let's see the differences
Xylitol
Xylitol, also known as birch sugar, is a sweetener naturally present in small quantities in vegetables, fruit and the bark of some woody species such as birch and beech.
With a sweetening power of 98% to 100% , xylitol tastes as sweet as regular sugar and has a mild cooling effect on the tongue. Birch sugar is used, for example, as table sugar or in the production of chewing gum and sugar-free sweets.
Erythritol
Given its almost zero caloric intake, Erythritol is proposed as a substitute for table sugar (sucrose, resulting from the union of glucose and fructose) suitable for those who want to reduce their sugar consumption , for those who are following a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate diet and for those who suffer from diabetes. Furthermore, Erythritol can be considered an ally of dental health because it is not associated with the development of tooth decay.
In conclusion, both are used both in cooking and in pastry making for the preparation of desserts, but at the same time also in drinks, in baked preparations with the same sweetening power, with the difference that Xylitol has only 40% less calories than normal sugar and Erythritol provides practically no caloric intake and is more suitable for diabetics since it does not affect blood sugar levels. 