Function

Lower Caloric Value: Forfood labeling purposes in the United States, an energy value of only 2 caloriesper gram is used for isomalt. Isomalt's lower caloric value is partly due tothe fact that intestinal enzymes are not able to easily hydrolyze its morestable disaccharide bond. Less of it is digested and, therefore, less absorbedfrom the small intestine into the blood, and this happens slowly.

Supports Gut Health:Daily intake of 30 g isomalt was demonstrated to promote an increase of the “good”bacteria in the large intestine, the bifidobacteria, demonstrating theprebiotic effect of isomalt. The water-binding property of isomalt mayinfluence the structure of the content of the gut, making it softer. If theconsistency of the feces is too soft, it can be regulated by cutting downintake and allowing some time for adaptation. Like dietary fibers, isomalt isbroken down by the gut bacteria to so called short chain fatty acids (SCFA) andgases. SCFA have the advantage of decreasing acidity in the large intestine andsome SCFA are discussed as being beneficial for a healthy epithelium in thelarge intestine.

Less Dental Caries Risk:Isomalt is anti-cariogenic and does not promote dental caries, because oralbacteria cannot readily convert it into decay causing acids. Therefore, theacidic conditions that lead to tooth demineralization do not develop afterconsuming isomalt, as occurs after eating sugar and other fermentablecarbohydrates. Furthermore, isomalt cannot be converted by oral bacteria intopolyglucan, the substance from which dental plaque is synthesized.