The key difference between erythritol and Splenda is that erythritol is a natural sugar, whereas Splenda is a brand of artificial sweetener containing sucralose sugar.
Erythritol and Splenda are important terms in the food industry because these are used as sweeteners, specifically for sugar-free food to get a sweet taste.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Erythritol
3. What is Splenda
4. Similarities – Erythritol and Splenda
5. Erythritol vs Splenda in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Erythritol vs Splenda
What is Erythritol?
Erythritol is an organic compound useful as a food additive and a sugar substitute. It is categorized as a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally. We can obtain this compound from corn starch using enzymes and fermentation.
The chemical formula of erythritol is C4H10O4, and the IUPAC name is (2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol. Its chemical formula can be given in an extended way as follows: HO(CH2)(CHOH)2(CH2)OH. The molar mass of this compound is 122.12 g/mol. The density is 1.45 g/cm3. The melting point of erythritol is 121 degrees Celsius, and the boiling point ranges from 329 to 331 degrees Celsius. Moreover, erythritol is a white-colored, odorless, hygroscopic, heat-stable crystal having a sweetness similar to about 60-80% to that of sucrose. The crystal structure can be described as bipyramidal tetragonal prisms. Further, erythritol is freely soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol, but insoluble in diethyl ether.
When considering the uses of this compound, it is used as a sweetener and flavor-enhancer in food and beverage products. It is an approved component in more than 60 different countries. The most common beverages in which erythritol is used as a sweetener include coffee, tea, liquid dietary supplements, juice blends, soft drinks, flavored water products, biscuits, cookies, tabletop sweeteners, etc.
What is Splenda?
Splenda is a global brand of sugar substitutes and reduced-calorie food products. This company is usually known for the original formulations consisting of sucralose. But it also manufactures items with the use of natural sweeteners, including monk fruit, stevia, and allulose. The owner of this company is Heartland Food Products Group. Originally, the high-intensity sucralose that was used originally by this company was manufactured by a British company named Tate and Lyle.
The researchers in Tate and Lyle and other researchers in Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, discovered sucralose in 1976. At the same time, they were able to develop sucralose-based Splenda products in partnership with Johnson and Johnson company.
There is a range of product varieties of Splenda, including Splenda Original Sweeteners, Splenda Stevia Sweeteners, Splenda Monk Fruit Sweeteners, Splenda Allulose Sweeteners, Splenda Liquid Sweeteners, Splenda Coffee Creamers, Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes, etc.
When considering the energy content of Splenda, it has about 3.36 kCal per serving. One saving equals about 1.0 grams. There are 1.0-gram packets available in the Splenda brand. This serving is equal to about 31% of the single serving of granulated sugar, which has about 10.8 kCal. The granulated sugar usually comes in 2.8 grams packets.
What are the Similarities Between Erythritol and Splenda?
- Erythritol and Splenda are sweeteners.
- Both are useful as sugar substitutes.
- Both sweeteners can be used by diabetic patients.
What is the Difference Between Erythritol and Splenda?
Both erythritol and Splenda are sugar substitutes used for low-calorie food products. The key difference between erythritol and Splenda is that erythritol is a natural sugar, whereas Splenda is a brand of artificial sweetener containing sucralose sugar.
The below infographic presents the differences between erythritol and Splenda in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Erythritol vs Splenda
The key difference between erythritol and Splenda is that erythritol is a natural sugar, whereas Splenda is a brand of artificial sweetener containing sucralose sugar. Therefore, erythritol is not made from sugar, while Splenda is made directly from sugar.
Reference:
1. “Artificial Sweeteners: Any Effect on Blood Sugar?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Erythrit” By Thomas Kniess – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Splenda Logo” By Splenda – Brands of the World (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia