Is Allulose Safe? What Does Research Show?

Not to get too excited, but I think we’re about to see a huge shift in the sugar and diet industries (multi billion dollar industries). Research shows the anti-hyperlipidemic effect of D-allulose, combined with its anti-inflammatory actions on adipocytes, is beneficial for the prevention of both obesity and atherosclerosis and is accompanied by improvements in insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. SEE ARTICLE HERE

Research thus far shows that allulose is not only safe but that it has the potential to revolutionize how we can handle and treat obesity. As Chung et al (3) states, “we can develop D-psicose (allulose) as a sugar substitute and food ingredient since it can prevent obesity in normal people, but also suppress adiposity as a sugar substitute or food ingredients with antiobesity effect in obese people. D-psicose can be unique functional sweetener because of its function of reducing visceral fat mass and weight gain.”

Allulose passes through the body without significant metabolism.

Allulose is absorbed by the small intestine and excreted in the urine without being significantly metabolized. A study in 14 healthy adults consuming allulose at 5 to 20 g reported urinary excretion of allulose at 66-79% and low microbial fermentability of allulose in the large intestine [1]. In another study, 8 healthy adults consumed 15 g unlabeled allulose with 776 nCi of ¹⁴C-allulose. Results showed that 86% of the radioactive dose was excreted in the urine, less than 3% excreted in the feces, and virtually no radioactivity was detected in expired air. Of the radioactivity in the urine, intact allulose was predominant (84%) with no other metabolites detected indicating that allulose is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in the urine without undergoing significant metabolism [2].

Allulose produced a neglible amount of energy

The energy value of allulose is predicted to be 0.2 kcal/g, a negligible amount based on human studies. A study in healthy adults reported that allulose, absorbed in small intestine, was not metabolized into energy as neither carbohydrate energy expenditure (CEE) nor respiratory quotient (RQ) increased in three hours after ingestion of 0.35 g/kg body weight or 20 g allulose [1]. A 0.9 to 1.6 kJ/g energy yield (0.2-0.4 kcal/g) was predicted based on low breath hydrogen excretion (due to low colonic fermentation) following intake of 5-20g allulose in the same study [1]. Another study evaluating absorption, metabolism, and excretion showed no significant metabolism of allulose [2]. Thus, the caloric value of allulose is likely negligible.

References

[1] Iida T, Hayashi N, Yamada T, Yoshikawa Y, Miyazato S, Kishimoto Y, Okuma K, Tokuda M, Izumori K. Failure of d-psicose absorbed in the small intestine to metabolize into energy and its low large intestinal fermentability in humans. Metabolism 2010; 59:206-214.

[2] Williamson et al. A single dose microtracer study to determine the mass balance of orally administered, 14C-labeled sweetener in healthy adult men. FASEB J 2014; 28(1):LB450.

What Allulose Is Not

I feel like we’ve covered, “what is allulose,” so now we need to cover what allulose is not…Allulose is NOT an “artificial sweetener” with the questionable reputation, functionality and sensory profile of saccharin or aspartame. It has 10% the Calories of Traditional Sugar. It’s sugar, by another name.

The U.S. FDA grants Allulose Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status and sanctions its use in moderate amounts by consumers of all ages.

There you have it.