Sugar Alcohols in Protein Bars, Explained

What are sugar alcohols?

Despite the name, sugar alcohols are not sugar and they are not the alcohol in beer or wine. FDA's Interactive Nutrition Facts Label puts it plainly: they are carbohydrates that chemically have characteristics of both sugars and alcohols, and they do not contain the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.

They show up in two ways. Small amounts occur naturally in some fruits and vegetables. Most of what you see in packaged snacks is commercially produced from sugars and starch, then added as a reduced-calorie sweetener. FDA lists common uses in sugar-free and reduced-sugar products such as baked goods, chewing gum, desserts, frostings and sweets. Protein bars sit in that same sweetener toolbox: the bar needs sweetness and bulk without filling the Added Sugars line.

Sugar alcohols also do work that high-intensity sweeteners alone cannot. FDA notes they add bulk and texture, help retain moisture, and can create a cooling sensation in the mouth when used at high concentrations. They are often paired with high-intensity sweeteners such as stevia leaf extract or monk fruit extract, which are used in tiny amounts and do not add grams to the sugar lines.

Common sugar alcohols on a protein bar label

The names to know, from FDA's Interactive Nutrition Facts Label examples, are erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH), isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol. FDA's high-intensity sweeteners page groups the same family as sugar alcohols and notes that their sweetness ranges from about 25% to 100% as sweet as table sugar.

On a protein bar, the ones you see most often in the ingredient list are:

• Erythritol. Often in sugar-free chocolate chips or coatings. FDA's calorie factor is 0 calories per gram.
• Maltitol. Common in sugar-free chocolate and "sugar-free" style bars because it behaves a lot like sugar in texture. FDA's factor is 2.1 calories per gram.
• Sorbitol and mannitol. Older polyols still used in some candies and bars. FDA requires a specific label statement when foreseeable daily intake may reach 50 g of sorbitol or 20 g of mannitol: "Excess consumption may have a laxative effect."
• Xylitol. Sweetness close to sugar; FDA factor 2.4 calories per gram. More common in gum and mints than in bars, but it still belongs on the polyol list.
• Isomalt, lactitol and HSH. Less common on bar wrappers, still on FDA's calorie-factor list (2.0, 2.0 and 3.0 calories per gram).

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The closer a sugar alcohol is to the top of the list, the more of it is in the bar. If the panel prints a Sugar Alcohol line but the ingredient list uses a specific name, match them: the grams on the panel are the total for that serving.

How the Sugar Alcohol line works on Nutrition Facts

Under 21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(iv), "Sugar alcohol" is a voluntary Nutrition Facts declaration, indented under Total Carbohydrate. A company may list the grams. It must list them when the label or labeling makes a claim about sugar alcohol or total sugars, or about added sugars when sugar alcohols are present in the food.

Two formatting rules matter in the aisle:

1. One sugar alcohol vs more than one. If only one sugar alcohol is present, the panel may use its specific name (for example, "Erythritol") instead of the generic "Sugar Alcohol." If two or more are present, the line uses "Sugar Alcohol."
2. Rounding. Content is expressed to the nearest gram. Less than 1 g may be stated as "Contains less than 1 gram" or "less than 1 gram." Less than 0.5 g may be expressed as zero.

That is why some bars with a "sugar free" or "no sugar added" claim print a Sugar Alcohol line, and why a bar with a small amount of erythritol in a chocolate chip blend still shows a number. The line is answering a labeling rule, not grading the snack.

For the full top-to-bottom walkthrough of every panel line, see how to read a nutrition facts label.

Calories: sugar alcohols are not calorie-free

Table sugar is counted at about 4 calories per gram. Sugar alcohols use their own factors in 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(i)(F):

So a bar can print 0 g Added Sugars and still contribute calories from its sugar alcohols, fiber, fat and protein. FDA's Interactive Nutrition Facts Label makes the same practical point for sugar-free products that use sugar alcohols: compare the calories and nutrients on the panel to a regular version, because those products may still have a significant amount of calories, carbohydrate and fat. The calorie line on the panel is still the calorie line.

Sugar alcohols vs total sugars, added sugars and "sugar free"

These four ideas get mixed up on protein bar packaging. Keep them separate.

• Total Sugars counts free mono- and disaccharides such as glucose, fructose, lactose and sucrose. Sugar alcohols are not in that sum.
• Added Sugars counts sugars put in during processing or packaged as sweeteners (syrups, honey, table sugar and the rest). Sugar alcohols are not added sugars. For the two sugar lines in detail, see our guide to protein bars with no added sugar.
• Sugar Alcohol is its own optional line under Total Carbohydrate, with the trigger rules above.
• "Sugar free" is a nutrient content claim under 21 CFR 101.60(c), not a synonym for 0 g added sugars. It means less than 0.5 g of sugars per reference amount and per labeled serving, with extra rules about sugar ingredients and calorie statements. A bar can use sugar alcohols and still qualify for a sugar-free claim on the sugars line, because polyols are not sugars under the Total Sugars definition. That is a claim rule, not a free pass on calories or carbs.

"No added sugar" / "no sugar added" is a different claim under the same regulation. It is about whether sugars (or ingredients that functionally substitute for added sugars) were added during processing. Sugar alcohols can appear in a no-added-sugar bar. They still belong on the Sugar Alcohol line when the claim rules trigger the declaration.

Allulose is not a sugar alcohol

Allulose shows up next to polyols on a lot of bar labels, so the difference is worth a clear line.

Allulose is a rare sugar. Under FDA's October 2020 guidance, the agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion so that allulose can be left out of Total Sugars and Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts panel, and so that its calories can be counted at 0.4 calories per gram instead of 4. It still appears by name in the ingredient list.

Sugar alcohols are a different chemical family under 21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(iv), with their own panel line and their own calorie factors. Calling allulose a sugar alcohol (or the reverse) mixes two labeling paths. If both appear in a recipe, read the ingredient list for both names, read the Sugar Alcohol line for the polyol total, and do not assume allulose grams are printed on the panel.

We do not invent allulose gram amounts when a brand has not broken them out. If the number is not on the panel, it is not on the panel.

Net carbs are not a Nutrition Facts line

"Net carbs" is a marketing figure, not a federal Nutrition Facts nutrient. FDA does not define it on the panel. Companies usually start from Total Carbohydrate and subtract fiber, sugar alcohols, or both. Methods vary. Some subtract every gram of every sugar alcohol. Some count erythritol differently from maltitol. None of those methods is a required panel calculation.

If you track carbs, read the panel itself: Total Carbohydrate, Dietary Fiber, Total Sugars, Added Sugars and Sugar Alcohol (when declared). Then decide how you want to count. Do not let a front-of-pack "net carbs" callout replace the grams under Total Carbohydrate.

Digestion and tolerance (what the label actually says)

FDA's Interactive Nutrition Facts Label is direct about tolerance: sugar alcohols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine, which is why they provide fewer calories per gram than sugar and produce a smaller change in blood glucose than other carbohydrates. The unabsorbed portion can be fermented in the large intestine, and that can mean abdominal gas, bloating or diarrhea in some people.

That is a dose and individual-response story, not a reason to panic over a 1 or 2 gram line. Bars that lean hard on maltitol or sorbitol for bulk can deliver much larger polyol loads per serving than a bar that uses a small amount of erythritol in a chocolate chip blend. If you know sugar alcohols bother you, read the Sugar Alcohol grams and the ingredient names before you buy a multi-bar box.

Two polyols carry a specific federal label statement when foreseeable daily intake is high enough: sorbitol at 50 g a day (21 CFR 184.1835) and mannitol at 20 g a day (21 CFR 180.25). The required wording is "Excess consumption may have a laxative effect." Erythritol does not have that same statement in those sections. Tolerance still varies person to person.

If you run, see what not to eat before a run for the other common stomach triggers.

How to read a protein bar for sugar alcohols

Use this pass when you flip a bar over:

1. Find Total Carbohydrate. Everything below it (fiber, sugars, sugar alcohol) is part of that number.
2. Check for a Sugar Alcohol line. If it is missing, the bar may still contain sugar alcohols that were never declared because no sugar claim triggered the rule. Check the ingredient list either way.
3. Match the ingredient names. Look for erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, lactitol or HSH. Note how high they sit in the list.
4. Separate the sugar lines. Total Sugars and Includes Added Sugars are not the sugar alcohol line. A bar can show 0 g added sugar and still list sugar alcohol grams.
5. Ignore "net carbs" as a panel fact. Read front-of-pack net carb numbers as the company's own math.
6. Scan for allulose by name in the ingredient list. It is not a sugar alcohol and may be left out of the sugars lines under FDA's 2020 guidance.
7. Read calories last on purpose. Zero added sugar does not erase the calorie line.

For more on choosing a bar once you can read the sweeteners, see what to look for in a healthy energy bar. Unfamiliar flavor wording is covered in what natural flavors are.

A real protein bar panel: sugar alcohol in context

Here is the carbohydrate block from one real bar, our Chocolate flavor, transcribed from the box. The point is the reading method.

Source: STAT Chocolate Nutrition Facts panel. Full panels for all three flavors are on STAT by the numbers.

Across the three flavors, the Sugar Alcohol line reads 2 g on Chocolate, 2 g on Peanut Butter Espresso and 1 g on Salted Caramel Coffee. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Espresso list erythritol inside the dark chocolate chips. All three also list allulose by name in the ingredient list; the panel does not break out allulose grams, so we do not invent them. Net carbs are not printed on our panels.

For what's inside every STAT bar, including how sugar alcohols sit next to the other sweeteners on the label, turn the box over and start with the carbohydrate block.

Our recommendation: STAT Energy Bar

STAT Energy Bar: 100 mg caffeine, 16-19 g protein, 0 g added sugar.

If you want a bar whose sugar-alcohol line is small and printed, our pick is STAT Energy Bar. Sugar alcohol is 2 g on Chocolate, 2 g on Peanut Butter Espresso and 1 g on Salted Caramel Coffee. Added Sugars is 0 g on all three. Total sugars is 2 g. Protein is 16 g, 17 g and 19 g. Fiber is 6 to 7 g. Each bar is 200 to 210 calories. The caffeine is stated as 100 mg on the package.

It's 3am, there are four hours left on your shift, dinner was a long time ago and the next break could get pulled any minute. Nurse, firefighter, dispatcher, warehouse lead, anyone on a long shift: that's the moment STAT Energy Bar was made for, when seconds count. Each bar has 100mg of caffeine for energy and alertness, about what's in a strong cup of coffee, plus 16 to 19g of protein and 0g added sugar, and you can eat it in two minutes and get right back to work. Most protein bars have no caffeine at all. STAT has 100mg, along with maca, ashwagandha, cordyceps and reishi. If you like chocolate, the Chocolate bar (16g protein) gets its caffeine from coffee fruit extract. If you're a coffee person, Peanut Butter Espresso (17g) and Salted Caramel Coffee (19g) use real coffee plus coffee fruit extract. Each bar's protein comes from a blend of whey and milk proteins. All three contain milk and soy; Chocolate and Salted Caramel Coffee contain almonds, and Peanut Butter Espresso contains peanuts. See what's inside every STAT bar, compare all three panels on STAT by the numbers, or start from the shop.

Not sure which flavor fits? Variety, 3 Boxes has one 12-count box of each, or you can shop all three flavors. Subscribe and save 10%, and orders over $50 ship free.

Sugar alcohols in protein bars: FAQ

What are sugar alcohols in protein bars?

They are carbohydrate sweeteners, also called polyols, used to sweeten and add bulk with fewer calories per gram than table sugar. Common names on bar labels include erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. They are not the alcohol in alcoholic beverages.

Do sugar alcohols count as sugar on the Nutrition Facts label?

No. Total Sugars covers free mono- and disaccharides. Sugar alcohols are not included in Total Sugars or Added Sugars. They can appear on their own Sugar Alcohol line under Total Carbohydrate.

Is the Sugar Alcohol line required?

It is voluntary under 21 CFR 101.9, except when the label makes a claim about sugar alcohol or total sugars, or about added sugars when sugar alcohols are present. Then the grams must be declared. If only one sugar alcohol is present, the panel may use its specific name.

How many calories are in sugar alcohols?

It depends on the type. FDA's factors range from 0 calories per gram for erythritol to 3.0 for hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. Maltitol is 2.1, xylitol 2.4 and sorbitol 2.6. Table sugar is about 4.

Are sugar alcohols the same as allulose?

No. Allulose is a rare sugar. Under FDA's 2020 guidance it can be left out of Total Sugars and Added Sugars and counted at 0.4 calories per gram. Sugar alcohols are a separate family with their own panel line and calorie factors.

What are net carbs, and do sugar alcohols count?

Net carbs is not a Nutrition Facts line. Brands often subtract fiber and sugar alcohols from Total Carbohydrate, but methods vary. Read Total Carbohydrate, fiber and sugar alcohol from the panel instead of relying on a front-of-pack net carb number.

Can sugar alcohols upset your stomach?

FDA notes that incomplete absorption can lead to abdominal gas, bloating or diarrhea in some people. Foods with sorbitol or mannitol must carry an "excess consumption may have a laxative effect" statement when foreseeable daily intake is high enough. Start with the grams on the panel if you know you are sensitive.

Do STAT Energy Bars have sugar alcohols?

Yes. The panels list 2 g on Chocolate, 2 g on Peanut Butter Espresso and 1 g on Salted Caramel Coffee. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Espresso name erythritol in the dark chocolate chips. Added sugars are 0 g on all three flavors.

Ready to put it into practice? Flip the next bar over, then compare it with STAT.

References

1. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(iv), Sugar alcohol declaration; 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(i)(F), caloric factors for sugar alcohols. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Interactive Nutrition Facts Label: Sugar Alcohols (October 2021). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/assets/InteractiveNFL_SugarAlcohols_October2021.pdf
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. High-Intensity Sweeteners (content includes sugar alcohols as a separate sweetener class). https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/high-intensity-sweeteners
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Declaration of Allulose and Calories from Allulose on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels: Guidance for Industry (October 2020). https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-declaration-allulose-and-calories-allulose-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels
5. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 101.60(c), Sugar content claims (sugar free; no added sugar). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-D/section-101.60
6. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 184.1835(e), Sorbitol laxative statement. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/subpart-B/section-184.1835
7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-nutrition-facts-label
8. STAT Nutrition Facts panels and ingredient lists. /stat-by-the-numbers