Isomalt

Isomalt is a sugar substitute made of a mixture of two disaccharide alcohols, 1,6-GPS and 1,1-GPM, valued mainly for reproducing sugar's physical properties rather than for sweetness alone; it has little effect on blood glucose or insulin, does not promote tooth decay, and provides about 2 kilocalories per gram, half that of ordinary sugar. It is less sweet than sugar on its own but can be combined with high-intensity sweeteners such as sucralose to match sucrose's sweetness, and it is produced by converting sucrose, typically from beet sugar, into isomaltulose using bacterial enzymes and then hydrogenating the result with a Raney nickel catalyst. Like other sugar alcohols it is incompletely absorbed in the small intestine, so consuming large amounts can cause osmotic diarrhea and flatulence, though regular consumption tends to reduce these effects; it has been approved for use in the United States since 1990 and in many other countries.