Table 2.

Properties of nutritive sweeteners

Sweetener	Sweetness	Cal/g	GI*	Type	Source
Erythritol	0.7	0.2	0	Sugar alcohol	Fermentation of glucose by Moniliella pollinis, a fungus
Glucose	0.5	4.0	100	Monosaccharide	Hydrolyzed starch
Fructose	1.5–1.8	4.0	19–23	Monosaccharide	Enzymatically isomerized glucose
HF CS	1–1.2	4.0	60–65	Mixed glc/fru	Hydrolysis of corn starch and isomerization of glucose
HSH	0.5–0.7	2–4	varies	Mixed polyols	Hydrogenated partially hydrolyzed starch
Isomalt/Isomaltitol/Palatinit ™	0.45–0.65	2.0	2	Sugar alcohol	Hydrogenated isomaltulose; equal mixture of gluco-sorbitol and gluco-mannitol
somaltulose/Palatinose ™	0.3–0.4	2.0	32	Disaccharide	Enzymatic isomerization of sucrose with Protoaminobacter rubrum; GRAS March 2006; a sucrose isomer
Lactitol	0.35–0.4	2.4	6	Sugar alcohol	Hydrogenated lactose
Lactose	0.2–0.4	4.0	46	Disaccharide	Milk sugar
Lactulose	0.6	0.2	0	Disaccharide	Alkaline isomerization of lactose when milk is heated; prebiotic
Leucrose	0.5	2.0		Disaccharide	Dextransucrase action on sucrose and fructose; dextran by- product; a sucrose isomer
Maltitol	0.5–0.9	3.0	35–52	Sugar alcohol	Catalytic hydrogenation of high maltose corn syrup
Maltose	0.4	4.0	105	Disaccharide	Enzymatic hydrolysis of starch; long time use
Maltulose	0.3–0.42			Disaccharide	Alkaline isomerization of maltose; a sucrose isomer; little used
Mannitol	0.5–0.72	1.6	0	Sugar alcohol	Hydrogenation of invert or fructose; new fermentation process
Sorbitol	0.6	2.6	9	Sugar alcohol	Hydrogenated glucose
Sucrose	1.0	4.0	61–65	Disaccharide	Cane and beet
Tagatose	0.92	1.5	0	Galactose isomer	Hydrolyzed lactose; galactose converted by alkali; GRAS 2001
Trehalose	0.5–0.7	3.6	45–50	Disaccharide	Patented 2-enzyme process from corn starch; GRAS 2000
Trehalulose	0.5–0.7			Disaccharide	Sucrose isomer; by-product of palatinose production
Xylitol	1.0	3.0	7–13	Sugar alcohol	Hydrogenated xylose

*GI = Glycemic Index

[Source: Godshall M A (2007)]