What Is Erythritol? Taste, Baking and Side Effects
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Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (polyol) used as a bulk sweetener in low-carb baking. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar, measures much like sugar in recipes, and has a mild cooling aftertaste. Blends with stevia or monk fruit are common when you want a closer 1:1 swap.
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In low-carb and keto baking, erythritol is one of the most common bulk sweeteners because it looks and measures much like sugar. This guide covers what it is, how it compares with sugar and other sweeteners, how it tastes, and how to use it in the kitchen.
What is erythritol?
Pronounced “ear-RITH-ri-tall”, erythritol is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol (polyol) that people use in place of sugar, mainly in baking. It was first isolated in 1848 by the Scottish chemist John Stenhouse. Japan has used it since the early 1990s in sweets, jams, chocolate, yoghurt and drinks. It later became widely available in the USA and across Europe, including the UK, where it is listed on labels as erythritol or E968.
Commercially it is made by fermenting plant sugars. Small amounts are also found in some fruits. On its own it is only about 70% as sweet as sugar, which is why many baking blends pair it with a high-intensity sweetener such as stevia or monk fruit decoction so the finished mix can swap closer to 1:1 for sugar.
How does it compare to sugar?
Table sugar brings sweetness and bulk. Erythritol brings bulk and a sugar-like crystal texture, with milder sweetness. That makes it useful when you want a granulated sweetener you can spoon and bake with, rather than a tiny drop of a high-intensity sweetener on its own.
On a UK nutrition label, erythritol is counted in the carbohydrate figure. Many packs also show it underneath as “of which polyols”, though that line is optional. Check each product page for the full nutrition table and the net carb figure we publish per serving.
How does it compare to other sweeteners?
High-intensity options such as stevia or monk fruit decoction are far sweeter than sugar and have little or no bulk, so they are hard to measure into biscuit dough on their own. Erythritol is the opposite: plenty of bulk, milder sweetness, and a mild cooling note. Combining them is a common way to get a blend that measures like sugar and tastes closer to sugar than either ingredient alone.
For a side-by-side with monk fruit, see our guide to monk fruit vs erythritol. For a wider round-up, see our guide to low-carb sweeteners.
What does erythritol taste like?
Erythritol tastes close to sugar, with a clean, slightly fresh finish and a mild cooling sensation — a little like mint — especially when you eat the crystals on their own. In hot drinks and baked goods that cooling note is usually much less noticeable, and blends with stevia or monk fruit soften it further.
Does erythritol have side effects?
Some people find that large amounts of erythritol, or of sugar alcohols in general, can cause digestive discomfort such as bloating. Tolerance varies from person to person, so start with small amounts, see how you get on, and follow the serving suggestion on the pack or product page.
Tips for using erythritol
Start with a small amount in a recipe and adjust to taste, because brands and blends vary in sweetness. Granulated blends are the easiest 1:1-style swap in pastry, biscuits and cake batters. For icing, use a powdered blend so the texture stays smooth.
If you’d rather avoid polyols altogether, a pure monk fruit decoction powder or liquid drops may suit drinks better; for baking you’ll still want a bulk sweetener or a ready-made mix.
Try our Granulated Erythritol & Stevia Blend for everyday baking, our Powdered Erythritol & Stevia Blend for icing, or our Monk Fruit Decoction & Erythritol Sweetener when you want monk fruit in the blend. Browse the full erythritol and stevia range.
Frequently asked questions
What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (polyol) used as a bulk sweetener. It is found in small amounts in some fruits and made commercially by fermentation. In the UK it appears on labels as erythritol or E968. Bakers like it because the crystals look and measure much like sugar, even though it is only about 70% as sweet on its own.
How sweet is erythritol compared to sugar?
Erythritol is about 70% as sweet as table sugar. That is why many baking products blend it with stevia or monk fruit decoction, so the finished sweetener can replace sugar closer to a spoon-for-spoon swap. Always check the pack or product page for the blend ratio and how the maker suggests measuring it in recipes.
What does erythritol taste like?
It tastes close to sugar, with a clean finish and a mild cooling sensation, a little like mint, when you taste the crystals alone. In hot drinks and most bakes that cooling note is much less obvious. Blends with stevia or monk fruit usually soften it further, which is why those combinations are popular for everyday baking.
How do you bake with erythritol?
Use a granulated erythritol blend when you want bulk in pastry, biscuits and cake batters, and a powdered blend when you are making icing. Start with the amount the recipe or pack suggests, then adjust to taste, because pure erythritol is less sweet than sugar. For icing tips, see our guide to low-carb alternatives to icing sugar.
Is erythritol the same as a monk fruit sweetener?
No. Monk fruit decoction is a high-intensity sweetener with little bulk; erythritol is a polyol that supplies bulk and only mild sweetness. Many shop products labelled “monk fruit sweetener” are mostly erythritol with a little monk fruit added. For the full comparison, read monk fruit vs erythritol.
Does erythritol have side effects?
Some people find that large amounts of erythritol, or of sugar alcohols in general, can cause digestive discomfort such as bloating. Tolerance varies from person to person, so start with small amounts, see how you get on, and follow the serving suggestion on the pack or product page.
