Sorbitol

From Freepedia

Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, is a sugar alcohol the body metabolises slowly. It is an artificial sweetener often used in diet foods. It is called a nutritive sweetener because it provides 2.6 calories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the 4 calories (17 kJ) of sugar and starch. Sorbitol is poorly digested by the body. It is also used as a humectant in some cigarettes.

Sorbitol is also produced by the body. Too much sorbitol in cells can cause damage. Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy may be related to too much sorbitol in the cells of the eyes and nerves.

Ingesting large amounts of sorbitol can lead to some abdominal pain, gas, and mild to severe diarrhea. Sorbitol can also aggravate irritable bowel syndrome.

Sorbitol is often used in modern cosmetics as a humectant and thickener. Some transparent gels can only be made with sorbitol as it has a refractive index sufficiently high for transparent formulations.

This product is commonly used in "Sugar Free" products and since it is a sugar alchohol are those products truly sugar free? The answer is yes, in the same way that something containing vinegar does not contain alcohol. Only someone wholly ignorant of chemistry could equate sugars and sugar alcohols.

See also

• mannitol
• xylitol

External link

NIH Diabetes dictionary — see entry on sorbitol