Sugar Alcohols List: Calories, GI and Sweetness Chart

Sugar alcohols, also called polyols, are sweet carbohydrates such as erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, lactitol and isomalt, used in sugar-free gum, candy, protein bars and keto snacks. Despite the name, they aren't sugar and they aren't alcohol. They also differ a lot from one another: one 2017 review lists erythritol at about 0.2 calories per gram with a glycemic index (GI) of 0, while maltitol comes in at 2.1 calories per gram with a GI of 35 (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology review, Table 1). The chart below puts every common one side by side, then shows you how to spot them on a US label.

Key takeaways

• Seven names cover most US labels: erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, lactitol and isomalt, plus a blend called hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH).
• Calories and blood sugar impact vary by type. Erythritol sits near zero on both, and maltitol ranks highest of the common ones in a 2017 review.
• Digestive effects depend on how much you eat. Erythritol is usually the easiest to tolerate, while sorbitol and maltitol are more likely to cause gas or a laxative effect.
• The Nutrition Facts panel shows one combined "Sugar Alcohol" total. Only the ingredient list tells you which ones are inside.

Sugar alcohols list: calories, GI and sweetness chart

Sugar alcohols taste sweet but are only partly digested and absorbed, which is why they deliver fewer calories than sugar and raise blood sugar less. The figures below come from Table 1 of a 2017 review in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (PMC5756564), except the isomalt GI of 9, which comes from Livesey's 2003 review in Nutrition Research Reviews (Cambridge). Sweetness is measured against table sugar, which counts as 1.0.

Published figures vary between studies and most products blend several sweeteners, so treat these as reference points.

What each name means on a label

• Erythritol: Most of it is absorbed in the small intestine and leaves the body unchanged, which explains its near-zero calories.
• Xylitol: About as sweet as sugar, so it often works alone in gum and mints. It's highly toxic to dogs, a risk the FDA has warned pet owners about.
• Sorbitol: One of the oldest polyols. Besides sweetening, it helps keep products moist.
• Maltitol: Popular in sugar-free chocolate because it behaves a lot like sugar. It also has the highest GI on this list.
• Mannitol: Shows up in some gums and medicines, but rarely in mainstream grocery items.
• Lactitol: Made from lactose (milk sugar) and fairly uncommon on US shelves.
• Isomalt: Made from sucrose and used mostly in hard candy and sugar-free cough drops.
• Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH): A catch-all term for a polyol mix made by partly breaking down starch, often seen on sugar-free candy.

How many calories are in sugar alcohols?

Most sugar alcohols supply roughly 1.6 to 2.7 calories per gram, and erythritol only about 0.2, according to the 2017 review (PMC5756564). That's well below table sugar, which your body fully digests and absorbs for energy.

The gap comes from absorption. Your body only takes up part of most polyols, and the rest passes into the large intestine, where gut bacteria break it down. Erythritol is the exception because it's absorbed early and then excreted without being used for energy.

Fewer calories per gram doesn't make a product low in calories, though. A maltitol-sweetened "sugar-free" chocolate bar still gets calories from the polyol, fat and protein, so check the calorie line rather than the front-of-pack claim.

Sweetness matters too. Lactitol and sorbitol are noticeably less sweet than sugar, so manufacturers often pair polyols with high-intensity sweeteners such as sucralose, stevia or monk fruit. To compare those, see our guides to artificial sweeteners in food and stevia vs monk fruit.

Which sugar alcohol is best?

No single sugar alcohol is best for everyone. The right pick depends on whether you care most about calories and blood sugar, about digestion, or about safety in a home with pets. All the common ones are permitted in US foods, either as approved food additives or under the FDA's generally recognized as safe (GRAS) framework.

For calories and blood sugar

Erythritol has the lowest calorie value in the 2017 review and shares the lowest GI (0) with mannitol, while xylitol, sorbitol and lactitol also sit in the low range. Maltitol stands out with a GI of 35 in the same table, so a "sugar-free" treat made with it isn't the same as one with no blood sugar impact. If you manage blood sugar, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how they'd like you to count polyols.

For digestion

Erythritol is usually the best tolerated because most of it is absorbed before it reaches the large intestine. The others reach the gut bacteria in larger amounts, and fermentation there can cause gas, bloating or a laxative effect. These effects depend on the dose. A few pieces of gum rarely bother anyone, but a whole bag of sugar-free candy is a different story, especially with sorbitol or maltitol.

For a home with a dog

Skip or carefully store anything with xylitol. Gum, mints and some peanut butters are the usual culprits, so check labels before sharing a spoonful with your dog.

Where sugar alcohols show up in US groceries

Sugar alcohols appear mostly in products sold as "sugar-free," "no sugar added," "keto" or "low carb." At Target, Walmart, Costco or Trader Joe's, look for them in:

• Sugar-free gum and mints (xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt), usually near checkout
• Protein bars and keto snacks (erythritol, maltitol)
• Sugar-free chocolate and candy (maltitol, isomalt, sorbitol)
• Low-carb baked goods and bread (erythritol, xylitol)
• Flavored protein drinks and powders (erythritol)
• Sugar-free ice cream and frozen desserts (sorbitol, erythritol, maltitol)

If you already compare low sugar snacks at US grocery stores or shop for healthy protein bars, you've likely picked up several of these. Sugar alcohols aren't counted as sugars on the label, so they won't appear on a list of hidden names for sugar. They need their own check.

How sugar alcohols appear on the Nutrition Facts label

Sugar alcohols can be listed in grams under Total Carbohydrate, on a line labeled "Sugar Alcohol." Under FDA labeling rules, that line is voluntary unless the label makes a claim about sugars or sugar alcohols, such as "sugar free," and the food contains them. They're not counted in Total Sugars or Added Sugars.

Here's how to read a package quickly:

1. Find the "Sugar Alcohol" line. It gives one combined total for all polyols in a serving.
2. Read the ingredient list for names. Only the ingredients tell you whether that total is erythritol, maltitol or a mix.
3. Look for a laxative statement. Products that could lead to a daily intake above set amounts of certain polyols, such as sorbitol or mannitol, must say "Excess consumption may have a laxative effect."
4. Compare serving size to what you'll eat. Digestive effects scale with the amount, so a realistic portion matters more than the claim on the front.
5. Treat "net carbs" as a brand calculation. Some brands subtract sugar alcohols from total carbs, but net carbs isn't an FDA-defined term. Our guide to net carbs vs total carbs explains how to check the math.

The bottom line on sugar alcohols

With sugar alcohols, the specific name matters more than the category. Erythritol is close to zero calories and usually gentle on digestion, maltitol has a noticeably higher GI, sorbitol and mannitol can have a laxative effect in larger amounts, and xylitol needs to stay away from dogs. Reading past the "sugar-free" claim to the ingredient list is the most reliable way to know what you're buying. If decoding polyol names on every wrapper sounds tiring, the Osana app can scan a barcode and flag sugar alcohols and other additives for you.

Frequently asked questions

Do sugar alcohols count as carbs on a nutrition label?

Yes. Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates, so their grams are part of Total Carbohydrate on the Nutrition Facts panel. Some low-carb shoppers subtract them to get "net carbs," but that's a brand or diet calculation, not an FDA term.

Are sugar alcohols safe for kids?

Sugar alcohols are permitted in US foods, and small amounts in gum or a treat are common. Because digestive effects depend on the dose, a portion that suits an adult can be a lot for a child, so watch servings of sugar-free candy made with sorbitol or maltitol.

Is erythritol linked to heart problems?

A 2023 observational study in Nature Medicine linked higher blood erythritol levels with more cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke (PubMed), but it couldn't show that erythritol caused them. Erythritol remains permitted in US foods, and our erythritol vs stevia guide covers the study in more detail.

Are sugar alcohols the same as artificial sweeteners?

No. Sugar alcohols are polyols made from sugars or starches, and most still provide some calories. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are high-intensity sweeteners used in tiny amounts, with a completely different chemical structure.