Many foods contain alternative sweeteners such as erythritol and crystalline fructose. If you have gout, a type of arthritis, choose what artificial sweeteners you consume carefully as some of them may worsen your condition. Consult your health care provider about erythritol and crystalline fructose to determine which is the healthiest for your diet.
About Gout
Gout, also known as gouty arthritis or hyperuricemia, is a medical condition marked by joint inflammation that is caused by a build-up of uric acid and uric acid crystals. This type of arthritis generally affects one joint, triggering pain and inflammation. Men are more commonly affected by gout than women, and it may be genetic. You may also have a higher risk of developing gout if you are obese or have diabetes, leukemia or kidney disease.
About Erythritol
Erythritol is an alcohol sugar, or polyol, which is found naturally in pears, melons, grapes, mushrooms and foods that rely on fermentation such as wine, cheese and soy sauce. This sweetener is used in many commercially produced foods, although you can also purchase it for home use. This white powder imparts a taste similar to table sugar, although it is roughly 70 percent as sweet, according to the Calorie Control Council. You may experience laxative side effects after consuming erythritol in a beverage, but this effect is lessened if you consume this sweetener in food.
About Crystalline Fructose
Crystalline fructose is a sweetener made from corn, although it is processed more than high fructose corn syrup to make it almost 100 percent fructose. This sweetener is 20 percent sweeter than table sugar, notes Craig Ruffolo, vice president of Mckeany-Flavell Co., a California company that analyzes the sweetener industry. It is used in commercially produced foods an alternative sweetener and a preservative, although consuming it may contribute to fatty liver disease or cirrhosis.
Sweeteners and Gout
Consuming crystalline fructose is linked to the development of gout because when your liver metabolizes fructose in any form it produces toxins and waste products, including high quantities of uric acid. This uric acid may build up and trigger gout. Dr. Andrew Dickens of the Healing Pathways Medical Clinic in Arizona suggests consuming erythritol to avoid the potential dangers of crystalline fructose.
