What Are Polyols? A UK Guide to Sugar Alcohols on Food Labels
What are polyols? Polyols, also called sugar alcohols, are a group of carbohydrates that taste sweet but aren't sugars. Erythritol, xylitol, maltitol and sorbitol are the common ones. On UK labels they can appear as "of which polyols" under carbohydrate, and as named sweeteners, such as "sweetener: erythritol", in the ingredients list.
At a glance
- Sugar alcoholsthe other common name for polyols, used mostly in the US
- Not sugarsUK law counts polyols as carbohydrate but excludes them from sugars
- 7 E numbersthe main polyol sweeteners run from E420 sorbitol to E968 erythritol
- Optional line"of which polyols" sits under carbohydrate, next to sugars and starch
On this page
Turn over a pack of chocolate, chewing gum or a sugar alternative and you'll often find a line on the nutrition table that few of us learnt about at school: "of which polyols". This guide explains what polyols are, which ingredients count as polyols, and where they show up on UK labels. If you want the arithmetic of carb counting, our separate guide covers how polyols are counted on UK labels, so we won't repeat it here.
What are polyols? The definition on UK labels
UK food labelling rules come from Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, which still applies in Great Britain as assimilated law. Annex I of that regulation gives the legal definition in one line: polyols are "alcohols containing more than two hydroxyl groups".
That's a chemist's definition. A hydroxyl group is one oxygen and one hydrogen atom joined together, and sugars carry several of them too. The European Association of Polyol Producers describes polyols as sugar alcohols or "hydrogenated carbohydrates": molecules very close to a sugar in structure, but in a different chemical family.
The same annex sets out how polyols relate to the other lines on a label:
- Carbohydrate means any carbohydrate metabolised by humans, and the definition says it includes polyols.
- Sugars means all monosaccharides and disaccharides present in food, but the definition says it excludes polyols.
So, in UK law, polyols are carbohydrates but they aren't sugars. That's the single most useful thing to know when you read a label.
Why are polyols called sugar alcohols?
So what are sugar alcohols, exactly? "Sugar alcohol" describes the chemistry: a molecule shaped much like a sugar, carrying alcohol (hydroxyl) groups. It doesn't mean the alcohol in wine or beer. Ethanol, the alcohol in drinks, has only one hydroxyl group, so it doesn't meet the legal definition of a polyol at all. The European Association of Polyol Producers notes that "polyols" isn't a very consumer-friendly word, so you'll also see them called sugar replacers or bulk sweeteners, and scientists sometimes use "polyhydric alcohols" or "polyalcohols".
Where do polyols come from?
Some occur in everyday foods: the European Association of Polyol Producers lists pears, melons, grapes and mushrooms among foods containing erythritol. The polyols used as ingredients are made commercially: erythritol by fermentation using yeast, sorbitol from starches such as maize and tapioca, and isomalt from beet sugar.
Common polyols: erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol and more
When polyols are added to food as sweeteners, they're food additives, and each one has its own E number. The Food Standards Agency's list of approved additives and E numbers includes these polyols in its sweeteners section:
| Polyol | E no. | kcal/g* | Where you'll see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorbitol | E420 | 2.4 | Gum, cakes |
| Mannitol | E421 | 2.4 | Gum, chewy sweets |
| Isomalt | E953 | 2.4 | Boiled sweets |
| Maltitol | E965 | 2.4 | Chocolate, biscuits |
| Lactitol | E966 | 2.4 | Biscuits, ice cream |
| Xylitol | E967 | 2.4 | Gum, mints |
| Erythritol | E968 | 0 | Table-top sweeteners |
E numbers from the Food Standards Agency's approved additives list (sorbitol and maltitol also come as syrups; the list also includes E964 polyglycitol syrup). *The energy conversion factor that UK labels must use, from Annex XIV of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Typical uses from the European Association of Polyol Producers.
How sweet are polyols?
Less sweet than you might expect, in most cases. The European Association of Polyol Producers says polyols range from about half as sweet as the same amount of sugar to equally sweet. It puts erythritol at roughly 60% as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), and xylitol at roughly as sweet as sucrose. Because they add bulk as well as sweetness, polyols are used in roughly the same amounts as sugar, which is why they're sometimes called bulk sweeteners.
That's also why polyols are often paired with a much more intense sweetener. Our Granulated Erythritol & Stevia Blend, for example, lists just two ingredients on its product page: erythritol and stevia glycosides.
Sweeteners that aren't polyols
Not every sugar alternative is a polyol. Stevia (steviol glycosides, E960a), sucralose (E955), aspartame (E951) and acesulfame K (E950) are all on the FSA's sweetener list too, but they're intense sweeteners, used in tiny amounts, and they aren't polyols. Monk fruit isn't a polyol either: in our Monk Fruit Decoction & Erythritol Sweetener, the polyol is the erythritol, and the monk fruit decoction supplies extra sweetness. For a side-by-side look at the main options, see our guide to low-carb sweeteners.
How polyols appear on UK nutrition labels
Polyols can show up in three places on a UK pack: the nutrition table, the ingredients list, and, for some foods, a required statement elsewhere on the label.
"Of which polyols" in the nutrition table
Article 30 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 lists the nutrients a manufacturer may add to the mandatory nutrition declaration, and polyols are one of them. So "of which polyols" is optional: some packs show it and some don't. When it's there, Annex XV sets the order: carbohydrate, then of which sugars, of which polyols and of which starch.
Here's how it looks on two of our own product pages, read on 27 October 2026:
| Per 100g | Granulated | Buttons |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 98.5g | 34g |
| of which sugars | 0g | 1g |
| of which polyols | 98.5g | 30g |
From the live product pages for our Granulated Erythritol & Stevia Blend and Dark Chocolate Buttons, 27 October 2026. The Buttons page also lists fibre (17g per 100g) as a separate, optional line; it isn't part of the carbohydrate figure.
In the granulated blend, all of the carbohydrate is polyols, which makes sense because erythritol is the main ingredient. In the Dark Chocolate Buttons, sweetened with erythritol and stevia, the polyols make up most of the carbohydrate, and sugars are just 1g. Neither figure is subtracted from anything on the label itself: the polyols sit inside the carbohydrate total. Our net carbs guide picks up from there, and our guide to cacao vs cocoa explains the cocoa side of the Buttons label.
Energy values for polyols
Annex XIV of the regulation sets the conversion factors manufacturers must use to work out the energy figure on a label. Carbohydrate (except polyols) is counted at 4 kcal (17 kJ) per gram, polyols at 2.4 kcal (10 kJ) per gram, and erythritol, which has its own entry, at 0 kcal (0 kJ) per gram. That's why the factors in the table above are the same for every polyol except erythritol.
Polyols in the ingredients list
Annex VII, Part C, says that additives in certain categories, including sweeteners, must be listed by the name of the category followed by their specific name or E number. So you'll see wording like "sweetener: erythritol", "sweeteners: maltitol, sucralose" or "sweetener (E965)". If a polyol is there for another job, such as keeping a cake moist, it's listed under the category for its main function, so sorbitol may appear as "humectant: sorbitol".
The required statement on foods with more than 10% added polyols
Annex III, point 2.4, sets one more piece of wording. Foods containing more than 10% added polyols authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 must carry the statement: "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects". That's the exact legal label wording, so if you see it on a pack, it's there because the law requires it for that level of added polyols.
To spot polyols on a UK pack, look for three things: an "of which polyols" line under carbohydrate, a "sweetener" entry in the ingredients naming one of the polyols in the table above (or E420 to E968), and the required statement on foods with more than 10% added polyols.
Polyols in low-carb baking: erythritol and xylitol in practice
In home baking you're most likely to meet erythritol, on its own or blended with stevia or monk fruit. Here's how polyols behave in a recipe compared with sugar.
Crystals and swapping
Granulated erythritol looks and pours much like granulated sugar. The European Association of Polyol Producers describes it as a white crystalline powder with a clean sweet taste similar to sucrose. On its own it's less sweet than sugar, so most baking sweeteners blend it with something more intense to match sugar's sweetness. Our Granulated Erythritol & Stevia Blend's product page suggests swapping it 1:1 for sugar, so you can keep a recipe's quantities as they are. Where a recipe needs finer grains, as in our caster sugar guide, a powdered sweetener or a quick whizz in a blender does the job.
The cooling taste
Erythritol has what the European Association of Polyol Producers calls a "high cooling effect": a faint, fresh coolness on the tongue, a little like mint without the flavour. You'll notice it most in uncooked things such as buttercream or cheesecake fillings, and much less in a warm sponge. Blending erythritol with stevia, as in our blends, is one way manufacturers round out the taste. Our comparison of erythritol vs stevia goes into taste in more detail.
Browning, caramel and crunch
Sugar browns and caramelises in the oven; polyols generally don't. The European Association of Polyol Producers says that unlike sugar, polyols don't usually give a crisp brown surface to baked foods. In practice, bakes made with erythritol can look paler when they're cooked through, so go by the recipe's timings and a skewer test rather than colour alone. Where colour and a caramel note matter, our guide to demerara and brown sugar covers a low-carb brown blend. Erythritol can also recrystallise as it cools, so glazes, syrups and icings can turn grainy. A powdered sweetener such as our Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend dissolves more smoothly for those, and our guide to icing sugar and powdered sugar has more on fine textures.
Xylitol and maltitol
Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sugar, according to the European Association of Polyol Producers, so it's sometimes used gram for gram on its own. The same association describes maltitol as behaving very like sucrose with no cooling effect, which is why it turns up in ready-made chocolate and biscuits. The sweetener blends linked in this guide are all erythritol-based.
Free delivery is on orders over £30.
Frequently asked questions
Are polyols the same as sugar alcohols?
Yes. Polyols and sugar alcohols are two names for the same group of ingredients. Polyols is the term UK food law and nutrition labels use, while sugar alcohols is more common in US writing and on American packs. Scientists also call them polyhydric alcohols. Despite the name, they aren't the alcohol found in drinks.
Are polyols sugar?
No. Polyols are carbohydrates, but UK food law treats them separately from sugars. The legal definition of sugars covers monosaccharides and disaccharides and specifically excludes polyols. So a food can list polyols under carbohydrate while showing little or no sugar. Many polyols taste sweet, from about half as sweet as sugar to roughly as sweet.
Why do UK labels list polyols separately?
Because the law lets manufacturers show them as their own line. Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, of which polyols is an optional entry under carbohydrate, alongside sugars and starch. It shows how much of the carbohydrate comes from polyols rather than sugars. Polyols also have their own energy conversion factor for working out a label's energy value.
Is erythritol a polyol?
Yes. Erythritol is a polyol, approved in the UK as the sweetener E968. It's made by fermentation and is roughly 60% as sweet as sugar, according to the European Association of Polyol Producers. It's the main ingredient in our Granulated and Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blends, where it's paired with stevia glycosides.
Do polyols count as carbs?
Yes, on UK labels they do. The legal definition of carbohydrate includes polyols, so they're counted within the carbohydrate figure, and the of which polyols line shows how much of that figure they make up. Whether to subtract them is a separate question, and our guide to net carbs on UK labels explains the label maths step by step.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, as it applies in Great Britain, via legislation.gov.uk: Annex I (definitions of carbohydrate, sugars and polyols), Article 30 (optional nutrients), Annex III (points 2.1 and 2.4, required statements), Annex VII (Part C, naming additives), Annex XIV (energy conversion factors) and Annex XV (order of the nutrition declaration).
- Food Standards Agency. Approved additives and E numbers (section 5, sweeteners).
- European Association of Polyol Producers. FAQ (names, sweetness, uses and browning) and the ingredient pages for erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, lactitol and mannitol (origin, sweetness and typical uses).
- Groovy Keto product pages: Granulated Erythritol & Stevia Blend, Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend, Monk Fruit Decoction & Erythritol Sweetener and Dark Chocolate Buttons (ingredients, nutrition lines and suggested swap). Checked 27 October 2026.
