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Isomalt is not harmful. This sugar alternative was discovered in the late 1950s and has become firmly established in the food industry.
Does “non-harmful” also mean healthy? Isomalt put to the test
Isomalt is a sugar substitute. In the list of E numbers, you will find it in the category E 950 to E 967. Isomalt is designated E 953. If you buy sugar-free foods, you may see this abbreviation in the list of additives.
- Replacing sugar with isomalt does not automatically mean that a product is calorie-free. Although isomalt is a sugar substitute, it still has slightly more than half the calories of conventional table sugar.
- After all, isomalt and table sugar have the same origin: sugar beets. First, a carbohydrate—isomaltulose—is extracted from the beet sugar. This is then broken down, leaving isomalt.
- Unlike sugar, however, isomalt does not cause insulin levels to spike. The substitute has a low glycemic index and is therefore often used in diets suitable for people with diabetes.
- The sugar substitute has no harmful side effects, but some consumers suffer from flatulence after consumption.
- Excessive consumption can cause laxative effects. There is no legally defined maximum dose, but products containing more than 10 percent isomalt must carry a warning label.
- E 953 also has no adverse effect on dental health. The sugar alternative is even considered tooth-friendly because it does not form acids that attack tooth enamel.
How to use isomalt
Isomalt is not only firmly established in the food industry. Pastry chefs and amateur bakers are also aware of the advantages of this sugar substitute.
- Isomalt is particularly suitable if you want to make solid shapes, such as candies, lollipops, or sugar icing decorations.
- Isomalt is heat-stable and tasteless, so it remains colorless when heated and food coloring has a particularly intense effect.
- This sugar alternative has another advantage: it binds and gives cakes and pastries good “stability.” However, please keep in mind that isomalt is less sweet than sugar and may therefore change the taste of your creations.
