Mannitol is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol, or polyol, which are water-soluble compounds that occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Mannitol is also commercially produced for use in chocolate coatings, confections, chewing gums, powders and tablets to provide body, sweetness, cooling taste and texture and contains about 60 percent fewer calories than sugar and is half as sweet. It’s also useful as an anti-caking agent due to its minimal ability to absorb water.
Mannitol occurs naturally in fresh mushrooms, brown algae, tree bark and most fruits and vegetables. While the safety of mannitol (and other sugar alcohols) is well-documented, when eaten in excessive amounts some sugar alcohols (e.g., mannitol and sorbitol) can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including gas, bloating and diarrhea.
