Does erythritol break a fast? — Explained by Simple

Written by Melissa Renae

Medically reviewed by Louise Bula, RD

Erythritol — it’s not exactly a household word. So, either you already know what it is and are here to find out about all things erythritol and fasting, or you’ve gone down the “what breaks a fast” rabbit hole and landed here! No matter what brought you here, welcome! If you’ve gone through the looking glass and have no idea what erythritol is or if it’ll break a fast, don’t worry — we can help you out.

But before we get to that, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Fasting isn’t for everyone. If you fit into any of these categories, we recommend you avoid fasting altogether:

• You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.
• You have type 1 diabetes.
• You are on prescription medications. 
• You are under the age of 18 or are 80 years old or older. 
• You are extremely active.
• You have a body mass index (BMI) < 18.5.
• You have an eating disorder or a history of one (or are at risk of developing one).

If you don’t fit into any of those and the fasting rabbit hole seems like your new happy place, you’ll want to know, among other things, “What to eat during intermittent fasting?” and “What to drink while fasting?” We’ve got all those answers for you and more. We recommend you start off with our Simple quiz for some personalized guidance on this adventure. 

Now, back to our original question, does erythritol break a fast? Let’s find out! 

What is erythritol? 

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in some fruits, but it is often made commercially by fermenting glucose with yeast. It’s frequently used in sugar-free or reduced-sugar foods. 

Nutritional value

Erythritol has about 0.2 kcals per gram compared to sugar’s 4 kcals per gram and provides no other nutritional value.

Will erythritol break a fast?

Around here, our rule of thumb is anything <10 calories doesn’t break a fast. At a fraction of sugar’s calories, it would take ~50 g or just over 4 tablespoons to hit the 10-calorie mark. So, will erythritol break a fast? It could, but the likelihood of someone consuming enough in one setting is small. 

Health benefits and possible drawbacks of using erythritol while intermittent fasting

  Benefits

• Supports weight loss — Virtually calorie-free compared to natural sweeteners, erythritol and intermittent fasting both work toward reducing calorie intake.[1] 

• Supports blood sugar management — Erythritol can help scratch that itch in your sweet tooth without increasing blood sugar or triggering a rise in insulin levels, further supporting the relationship between intermittent fasting and insulin resistance (aka how intermittent fasting helps blood sugar control).[2]

• Easy on the tummy — Other sugar alcohols have been known to cause some GI discomfort.[3] However, because of where erythritol is absorbed, it’s much less likely to cause discomfort than other artificial sweeteners. 

Drawbacks 

• It’s not as sweet — Erythritol is about 60%–70% as sweet as sugar. It could take more erythritol to meet the same flavors you’re used to.  

• It may not be easy on the heart — One recent study showed an increased risk of cardiovascular events with increased erythritol intake.[4] More long-term research is needed to explore this link further.

Tips on using erythritol during a fast

• Start slowly — Use it in small amounts to make sure erythritol agrees with you. 

• Use it during your eating window — Although the chances are slim, erythritol can still result in calorie intake and GI discomfort, so we recommend you consume it with food and not on an empty stomach.

• Moderation is key — With limited research on the long-term effects of increased erythritol intake, we think it wise to keep it to a minimum. 

Written by Melissa Renae

Medically reviewed by Louise Bula, RD