food sweetener arabinose

What is Sweetener L-arabinose powder?

Food-grade arabinose, also known as L-arabinose, originated from gum arabic, hence the name. Another type of sugar found in nature is D-arabinose, which can be absorbed by the body and produces energy. However, L-arabinose is only half as sweet as white sugar, cannot be absorbed by the body, and does not produce calories; therefore, it is commonly referred to as a low-energy sweetener.
 

Plants with high L-arabinose content (food grade)

In nature, L-arabinose rarely exists in a free state, only in the core of some coniferous trees, and mostly as a heteropolysaccharide in the husks of fruits and whole grains. The following plants have high L-arabinose original powder content in their cell wall hemicellulose and pectin:

- Rice husks, wheat, and other grains
- Corn husks, corncobs, and straw
- Sugarcane bagasse
- Sugar beets, apples, and other plants

Physiological Functions of Arabinose

The sweetness of sucrose provides a pleasant sensation, and its sweetness is pure, stable, and has a pleasant aftertaste. People greatly enjoy the lasting sweetness of sucrose and are deeply dependent on its unique flavor. However, excessive consumption of refined sugars leads to excess energy intake, a major cause of obesity.

As a disaccharide, sucrose can only be absorbed and utilized by the body after being broken down into one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose (both monosaccharides) by sucrase.
 

How to Use L-Arabinose Sugar

L-arabinose powder works best when taken with sucrose. Adding 3.5% L-arabinose to sucrose can inhibit the body's absorption of approximately 70% of sucrose and improve glucose tolerance.

When sucrose is supplemented with food-grade arabinose, its sweetness and properties remain unchanged, and it can still be used in various foods.

Besides being used in combination with sucrose, Arabic sugar sweetener can also be taken alone. Generally, taking 0.5-3g of L-arabinose daily is sufficient to effectively inhibit the breakdown and absorption of sucrose.
 

The Effect of L-arabinose Sweetener on Sucrose Absorption

As a natural sucrase inhibitor, arabinose, a food sweetener, blocks the metabolic conversion of sucrose in the intestines of humans and animals, thereby inhibiting the body's absorption of sucrose, reducing the glycemic load, and effectively improving glucose tolerance.

Besides being responsible for 100% of the digestion and absorption of sucrose, sucrase also plays a role in the breakdown of maltose, an intermediate product of carbohydrate hydrolysis such as starch, accounting for approximately 25%. Therefore, L-arabinose sweetener can also partially delay the digestion and absorption of starch, thus reducing the rise in blood sugar caused by the intake of starchy foods.
 

The Effects of Arabic Sugar Additives on Fat

Due to the action of L-arabinose additives, sucrose that has not been broken down into glucose and fructose cannot be absorbed in the small intestine and must continue to the large intestine. In the large intestine, it works synergistically with ingested arabinose powder to promote the growth of lactobacilli and is broken down by intestinal microorganisms to produce a large amount of short-chain organic acids. These have a similar effect to dietary fiber. These organic acids can inhibit the liver's synthesis of fat, thus controlling the increase in blood triglycerides and the accumulation of body fat caused by excessive sugar intake.

Even with long-term intake of the food-grade sweetener L-arabinose, it still inhibits sucrase without causing antibiotic resistance.