Erythritol is an alternative sweetener that’s approximately 70% as sweet as sugar, but many times more friendly on the human body. While it’s still relatively difficult to find in the United States, Erythritol is sweeter than stevia, and in 1990 was approved by Japan as a legitimate sugar substitute. In 1997 it was officially approved by the FDA to be used by food manufacturers. It’s also been approved for use by the EU, as well as many other places.

Erythritol is white, available in both powdery or granulated form, taking a bit more time to dissolve in water than sugar. It is a type of sugar alcohol, or polyol, derived from plants, and is naturally found in a number of fruits and fermented foods such as melons, mushrooms and beer. It doesn’t affect insulin levels or cause tooth decay, and therefore makes an ideal replacement for sugar not only for diabetics, but for anyone interested in watching their health or controlling their caloric intake: out of all the sugar alcohols, erythritol has the least effect on blood sugar levels, and is quickly expelled. Across the world, erythritol is commercially used to flavor all sorts of items, such as artificial jellies, soft drinks, candies and yogurt.

Erythritol sugar substitute is reputed to have a cooling effect on the mouth, often considered an undesirable aftertaste, and is usually mixed with other sweeteners in order to both mask that effect and to simulate the texture of ordinary sucrose. On its own, erythritol is easy on the digestive system and doesn’t cause nearly as much gas in the average adult digestive tract as regular sugar–but when mixed with other, more corrosive sweeteners, it’s important to be aware that the mixture’s reaction with the digestive system may be the same as sugar, especially when looking for specifically diabetic friendly products.