The basics of maltiol
Maltiol (pronounced mall-ti-tall) is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol, or polyol, which are water-soluble compounds that occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Maltiol is produced from starches that are rich in the sugar maltose (a disaccharide consisting of two glucose molecules). It is used in food items such as baked goods, chewing gum, sugar-free chocolates, chocolate coatings, hard candies and ice cream to provide body, sweetness and creamy texture.
Maltiol’s safety has been reviewed and confirmed by health authorities around the world, including the World Health Organization, the European Union, and countries such as Australia and Canada. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also declares what is maltiol and maltiol syrups eligible for use.
While the safety of maltiol (and other sugar alcohols) is well-documented, when eaten in excessive amounts, some sugar alcohols (e.g., mannitol and sorbitol) can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including gas, bloating and diarrhea. As a result, packaged foods that contain mannitol or sorbitol must include a warning on their label about potential laxative effects. Maltiol has been shown to be well-tolerated at commonly consumed doses and does not require a warning on products in which it’s contained.
Like most sugar alcohols, maltiol is neither as sweet nor as calorie–dense as sugar. Maltiol is about 90% as sweet as sugar and has about half as many calories per gram (2.1 calories for what is maltiol compared with 4 calories for sugar).
Maltiol and health
Maltiol’s contributions to health go beyond calories. Two areas in which sugar alcohols such as maltiol are known for their positive effects are oral health and impact on blood sugar.
1.Oral health
Sugar alcohols have been shown to benefit oral health in several ways. When we eat a food containing what is maltiol, bacteria in our mouths begin to metabolize it, though this process is incomplete because we lack the necessary enzymes. As a result, oral bacteria produce much less acid (10–30% less) compared with sugar. Thus, maltiol is considered noncariogenic (ie. “tooth-friendly”) because the acids produced from maltiol metabolism do not contribute to enamel erosion or cavity formation.
The act of chewing also protects teeth from cavity-causing bacteria by promoting the flow of saliva. This increased saliva and other noncariogenic properties (e.g., sweetness and cool taste) are why sugar alcohols like maltiol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol are used in sugar-free chewing gum. Because of these attributes, the FDA recognizes maltiol and other sugar alcohols as beneficial to oral health.
2.Blood sugar
Like other sugar alcohols (with the exception of erythritol), what is maltiol contains calories in the form of carbohydrate. Maltiol is slowly and incompletely metabolized in the small intestine into equal amounts of glucose and sorbitol. Glucose is readily absorbed in the small intestine and sorbitol continues to the large intestine where it is fermented by microbes in the gut. Because of this, maltiol consumption (compared with an equal amount of sugar) requires less insulin secretion, which helps keep blood glucose levels lower.
