Maltitol
Maltitol is a sugar alcohol used heavily in sugar-free chocolate and candy because it tastes and behaves close to sugar. Its trade-off sets it apart from the other polyols: it has the highest glycemic impact of the common sugar alcohols, so it affects blood sugar more than they do.
At a glance
What maltitol is
Maltitol is a sugar alcohol produced from maltose, a sugar derived from starch. It is one of the sweetest sugar alcohols — roughly 75–90% as sweet as sugar — and it mimics sugar's bulk, texture and mouthfeel unusually well. That makes it a favorite in sugar-free chocolate, hard and soft candy, and baked goods, where it can stand in for sugar with less reformulating than other polyols require.
Unlike most sugar alcohols, maltitol carries little or no cooling aftertaste, which is another reason manufacturers reach for it in chocolate.
How the body handles it
Maltitol is partly absorbed and partly fermented in the large intestine. It contributes about 2.1 calories per gram. The point that most distinguishes it from the other sugar alcohols is its glycemic impact: maltitol has a moderate glycemic index — meaningfully higher than erythritol, xylitol or sorbitol — so it raises blood glucose more than those do, even though still less than sugar.
Like other polyols, the unabsorbed portion can cause gas, bloating and a laxative effect at higher amounts, and maltitol-containing products commonly carry a laxative-effect notice.
Is maltitol safe? What the evidence says
Maltitol has a long record of permitted use; the points to know are its glycemic impact and digestive tolerance.
The regulatory position
Maltitol is FDA-recognized for use and is permitted in the US, the EU and many other countries.
Maltitol has been used as a sweetener for decades and is permitted by the FDA and assessed by the European Food Safety Authority.
How to read the evidence
Maltitol has not been the subject of a cancer classification or a major cardiovascular scare. The two practical points are well established: its glycemic impact is the highest among common sugar alcohols — relevant for anyone choosing a sweetener specifically to limit blood-sugar response — and higher amounts reliably cause digestive discomfort. Neither is a safety alarm; both are documented characteristics worth knowing before choosing it.
Where official guidance stands
California's AB 1264 names maltitol; the Dietary Guidelines advise limiting non-nutritive sweeteners generally.
California's 2025 Real Food, Healthy Kids Act (AB 1264) names maltitol among the substances marking a food as "ultraprocessed" for the K-12 school phase-out between 2029 and 2035. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines advise limiting non-nutritive sweeteners. Neither is a consumer ban. For context, the World Health Organization's 2023 advisory on non-sugar sweeteners does not cover sugar alcohols such as maltitol — its scope is the high-intensity sweeteners — so maltitol sits outside that particular advisory, though it remains a caloric polyol named by AB 1264.
The honest pros and cons
WHERE MALTITOL IS USEFUL
- Tastes and behaves close to sugar — strong in chocolate and candy.
- Little or no cooling aftertaste, unlike most polyols.
- Lower in calories than sugar.
- FDA-recognized, with a long use history.
THE TRADE-OFFS
- Highest glycemic impact of the common sugar alcohols.
- Higher amounts cause gas, bloating and a laxative effect.
- Not a true low-glycemic choice the way erythritol or allulose are.
- Named in California AB 1264 and the Dietary Guidelines' guidance.
Maltitol compared to allulose
| Property | Maltitol | Allulose |
|---|---|---|
| Type of ingredient | Sugar alcohol (polyol) | Rare sugar (monosaccharide) |
| Is it a sugar? | No | Yes |
| Calories per gram | ~2.1 | ~0.4 |
| Glycemic index | Moderate — highest of the polyols | Zero |
| Browns & caramelizes | Limited | Yes |
| Digestive tolerance | Laxative effect at higher amounts | Generally well tolerated in normal use |
| Named in California AB 1264 | Yes | No |
| US regulatory status | FDA-recognized | FDA GRAS |
Maltitol behaves well in chocolate, but it has the highest glycemic impact of the sugar alcohols and is higher in calories than allulose. Allulose is a real sugar with a glycemic index of zero that browns and caramelizes, and it is not named in California's AB 1264. For anyone choosing a sweetener specifically for blood sugar, that glycemic gap is the key distinction.
Common questions
Does maltitol raise blood sugar?
Yes, more than other sugar alcohols. Maltitol has a moderate glycemic index — the highest among common polyols — so it raises blood glucose more than erythritol, xylitol or sorbitol, though still less than sugar.
Why is maltitol used so much in sugar-free chocolate?
Maltitol mimics sugar's bulk, texture and mouthfeel closely and has little cooling aftertaste, so it can replace sugar in chocolate with less reformulation than other sugar alcohols require.
Does maltitol cause digestive problems?
Higher amounts of maltitol can cause gas, bloating and a laxative effect, because part of it is fermented in the gut. Many products carry a laxative-effect notice.
Is maltitol safe?
Maltitol is FDA-recognized and permitted for use. Its main considerations are its glycemic impact and digestive tolerance, not a safety alarm.
Selected sources
- US Food & Drug Administration — maltitol additive status.
- European Food Safety Authority — assessments of maltitol.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 — guidance on non-nutritive sweeteners.
- California AB 1264 (2025), the Real Food, Healthy Kids Act.
Compare the alternatives
See how maltitol and the other sweeteners line up on calories, glycemic impact and baking behavior — all 21 side by side.
Open the comparison hub →What are sugar alcohols? →