Sorbitol: A Sugar Substitute and Its Benefits
With so many Americans focused on their health and eating more functional ingredients, it seems likely a sugar substitute would make a tremendous splash, and food ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s sorbitol might just be the punch you want for your newest products.
What is Sorbitol?
To define sorbitol, picture a sugar alcohol - a polyol, to be precise - originally found in fruits such as apricots and berries that enhances foods with a sweet flavor as it maintains a more robust moisture level in those products. You may also recognize sorbitol by another name, glucitol, or by its chemical formula, C6H14O6.
Sorbitol Versus Sugar
Unlike table sugar, sorbitol maintains approximately 60% of the sweetness level at a slightly greater amount (66%) of the caloric content. While this may seem negligible, consider how the body absorbs sorbitol: in the small intestine, sorbitol proves not nearly as digestible as sugar. In other words, with approximately the same taste as sugar, more of it is flushed through the small intestine. Once in the large intestine, the “good bacteria” of your colon ferment sorbitol.
Diabetic Freedom
Digestive changes are not the only health benefit of manufacturing foods and beverages with sorbitol, though. Giving those with diabetes the freedom to enjoy sweet foods is a challenge. Adding sorbitol has such a small effect on blood sugar levels, most diabetic patients can enjoy it.
Unlike the bacteria in the large intestine, the bacteria in the mouth do not treat sorbitol as a food source as readily. This gives many manufacturers good reason to add sorbitol rather than table sugar in gums, lozenges, and mints. The moisture retention property of sorbitol causes these products to work more effectively, especially chewing gum, which maintains its pliability level longer than if table sugar were added. Many consumers also note a cooling sensation when eating items containing sorbitol, which gives it a role in toothpaste and other mint-flavored applications.
Great news for manufacturers using sorbitol
The humectant ability of sorbitol—pulling in moisture—is extremely advantageous as an addition to baked goods. These products remain fresher longer without drying out and tasting stale. Cooking with sorbitol has another secret benefit: if a syrup is created with water, sorbitol will not caramelize, and the glaze will remain clear rather than brown. Goods subjected to heating will find sorbitol an amazing sugar substitute since it is heat-stable, meaning it does not readily decompose when heated.
In frozen goods, sorbitol lowers the freezing point of water. This makes ice cream creamier and deters the formation of ice crystals, which dominate when products are frequently frozen and thawed.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including sorbitol. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.