Lactitol

Lactitol is a disaccharide belonging to the polyalcohol category , used as a sugar substitute in light foods , supplements and various dietary products. Its sweetening power is in fact equal to 40% of that of sugar (sucrose), while the energy density is only 2.4 kilocalories per gram (compared to 4 for sucrose ).

The slightly sweet and clean flavor of lactitol is free from the unpleasant metallic aftertaste common to many artificial sweeteners . Thanks also to its characteristics of stability and easy solubility, lactitol is used in many low-calorie food products, such as sugar-free biscuits , chocolate , various sweets, chewing gum and sugar substitutes.

Production

Lactitol is not extracted from foods , but artificially prepared from milk sugar , through reduction of glucose under pressure and at high temperatures (remember that lactose is made up of the union of a glucose molecule with a galactose molecule ).

Properties and Uses

Unlike the typical milk disaccharide, lactitol cannot be digested by brush border lactases ; consequently it cannot even be absorbed by the intestinal villi . For this reason, at high doses, lactitol causes osmotic diarrhea and can therefore be used as a laxative .

Lactitol also acts as a prebiotic , decreasing the fecal pH and preventing the proliferation of putrefactive bacterial flora (producing ammonium), in favor of useful bacterial strains, which ferment it, producing, among other things, organic acids absorbable by the intestinal mucosa ( which justifies its non-negligible caloric value).

Lactitol can also be used by diabetics , given its very low glycemic index , and is acariogenic (does not favor the onset of dental caries ).

Side effects

At high doses, given the body’s poor digestion and absorption capacity, lactitol – in addition to accelerating the transit of feces and producing a valuable prebiotic action – can cause side effects such as bloating , abdominal cramps , diarrhea and flatulence .