GLOSSARY

Maltitol is a polyol produced by hydrogenating maltose and used in some sugar-free sweets and chocolates. It differs from maltose and maltodextrin, and its glucose effect is not necessarily as small as erythritol's.

Polyols contain multiple hydroxyl groups and behave differently from ordinary sugars nutritionally. 'Sugar alcohol' does not mean ethanol or an intoxicating effect. They may occur naturally in foods or be added as sweeteners. A 'sugar-free' claim alone does not specify the product's total energy or carbohydrate content.

Polyols do not all provide the same energy, and labelling conventions matter. EU energy calculations use 2.4 kcal per gram for most polyols and zero for erythritol. These conventional factors do not imply identical blood-glucose responses or digestive tolerance for all polyols, nor a universal factor across every labelling system.

The unabsorbed fraction of some polyols can retain water in the gut and undergo microbial fermentation; large amounts may cause bloating, cramps or diarrhoea. Effects differ between substances and people. Combining several sugar-free foods can matter even when each individual serving appears small.