Polyols vs. pure sugar: making informed choices 

Alternative sweeteners have gained popularity in recent years, largely driven by health-conscious consumers seeking lower calorie or sugar food and beverage products. However, alternative sweeteners like polyols, which are typically found in lower calorie, reduced sugar or sugar-free products, lack the distinctive properties of pure sugars in terms of sweetness profile, functionality and flavour complexity.  

In this blog, we explore polyols, their uses and how they compare to pure sugars. By reading this blog, manufacturers can make more informed choices in how they use alternative sweeteners in product formulations. 

Polyols, also known as sugar alcohols or bulk sweeteners, are organic compounds that contain multiple hydroxyl (hydrogen and oxygen) groups and occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables, such as berries and broccoli. Despite their name, polyols neither contain sugar nor alcohol (ethanol) in the traditional sense. Instead, they are sugar derived compounds.   

Polyols can also be generated by microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, during the fermentation process. However, polyols that are used as alternative sweeteners in industries such as food and beverage and pharmaceuticals are typically manufactured through the hydrogenation of sugars or starches at industrial scale.  

During this process, sugar or starches react with hydrogen gas when subjected to high temperatures and pressures using a catalyst such as nickel, palladium or platinum to facilitate hydrogenation. This causes the double bonds present in sugar molecules to become saturated with hydrogen atoms, creating single bonds between the carbon molecules. The result is a polyol. The polyol may be purified before further processing depending on its application. For example, if a liquid polyol is required, it will go through a process of decolouration and concentration, and if the polyol is required in powdered form, it is crystallised.   

As polyols used in food and beverage production are classed as food additives, they have been assigned E numbers by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and is regulated by the Food Standards Agency in the UK to help consumers identify specific additives on the ingredient list or labels of the food they eat and to highlight that these additives are safe for consumption. 

As well as being used in food, polyols are key components in the production of polyurethanes, used in applications such as flexible foams, rigid coatings and elastomers. 

For product manufacturers, polyols provide a mild sweetness, contain fewer calories and have less of an impact on blood sugar levels compared to sugar.  

The eight polyols approved for human consumption are erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol. Below, we provide more information on which polyols are most common in food and beverage products.  

Closely mimicking the sweetness of sugar, xylitol occurs naturally in small amounts in berries, seaweed, corn husks and some types of mushrooms. Compared to sugar, it has roughly 40% fewer calories at 2.4 kcal/g versus 4 kcal/g in sugar. Xylitol is commonly used as an ingredient in sugar-free chewing gum, mints and toothpaste. 

Erythritol has around 60-80% the sweetness of sugar and is 0.24 kcal/g. It can be found in small amounts in fruits such as grapes, watermelon and pears, and fermented products like cheese, miso and soy sauce. It is used as a sweetener and flavour enhancer in low calorie and low sugar food and beverages.

Sorbitol has 50-60% the relative sweetness of sugar and is about 60% of the calories at 2.6 kcal/g. It is naturally found in fruits such as blackberries, apples and pears and vegetables like broccoli and sweetcorn. It is widely used across the food and beverage industry in sugar-free jams and confectionery like jelly sweets. 

Maltitol has a similar taste and mouthfeel to sugar with around 75-90% the sweetness of sugar at 2.1 kcal/g. It is sourced from starch food products such as corn, wheat, potatoes and barley. It’s often used as a sweetener in foods labelled as ‘no added sugar’ or ‘diabetic’ versions of ice cream, chocolate and sweets as it is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream so has less of an impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. 

While polyols impart sweetness, contribute fewer calories and have a lower glycaemic effect than pure sugars, pure sugars provide a depth of flavour and greater versatility in terms of their functional properties. For example, pure sugars are responsible for: 

Caramelisation through the Maillard reaction. When this reaction occurs, products such as baked goods develop a browned crust, while sauces take on rich caramel tones and deeper flavours. Polyols lack these properties and are usually replicated through the use of colouring additives and additional artificial flavourings. 
 
Enhanced texture and mouthfeel: sugar products such as invert sugar syrup, help create a smooth, creamy consistency in ice cream as it reduces the freezing point, preventing the formation of crystals. The use of polyols in ice cream typically results in a grainy texture and reduced scoopability. 
 
Longer shelf life: while most polyols can mimic the humectant properties of pure sugar products, retaining moisture and extending the shelf life of baked goods, they typically require the addition of stabilising additives to prevent them from drying out too quickly, creating ‘less clean’ labels. 

Although polyols can occur naturally, they are often artificially produced on an industrial scale for the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. In fact, artificial polyols use is increasing. The polyols market in the UK was valued at £606.35 million in 2024 and is projected to reach £957.52 million by 2030. This is largely driven by health-conscious consumers seeking lower calorie, reduced sugar or sugar-free products and by the prevalence of sugar taxes imposed by governments globally as part of a public health strategy to reduce consumption and tackle conditions like obesity.  

However, despite the demand for alternative sweeteners, recent trends show that consumers are shifting their preferences toward more natural, minimally processed ingredients and foods and clean label offerings. They want to know where their food is coming from, how it’s made and how the production process impacts the environment. 

Emerging regulations require greater transparency and visibility from food and beverage companies on their labels. Consumers have begun to scrutinise and closely monitor the foods they are eating, challenging manufacturers to remove chemically synthesised additives or E numbers that are used to add bulk and sweetness and replace them with recognisable ingredients, such as pure sugar.  

At Ragus, we help our customers with their innovation and reformulation processes. For example, we use pure sugar ingredients to replace additives, resulting in products with full bodied flavour and functional benefits that satisfy consumers. 

Ragus supplies pure sugar crystallines and syrups to customers in the food and beverage industries. To learn more about how Ragus’ pure sugar products can enhance your product formulations, contact our Customer Services Team. For more sugar news and updates, continue browsing SUGARTALK and follow Ragus on LinkedIn.