Maltitol and diabetes: what the sources say
Maltitol is a sugar alcohol you may meet on the ingredient list of a sugar-free chocolate. This page collects what published sources say about its effect on blood sugar and on the stomach, in the amounts studied.
General information only. If you have diabetes or another medical condition, ask your doctor or dietitian before you change what you eat. Read on 2026-10-16.
Does maltitol raise blood sugar?
A review in Nutrition Research Reviews (2003) on polyols as sugar replacers says that polyols are hydrogenated carbohydrates used as sugar replacers. It adds that the literature on glycaemia and insulinaemia after polyol ingestion was analysed and expressed as glycaemic index (GI) and insulinaemic index (II) values, which were 35 and 27 for maltitol, against 65 and 43 for sucrose. It also says that the values for the polyols listed ranged from 0 for erythritol to 39 for polyglycitol, with maltitol at 35. The same page says that GI values on replacing sucrose were independent of both intake (up to 50 g) and the state of carbohydrate metabolism (normal, type 1 with artificial pancreas and type 2 diabetes mellitus).
On those figures maltitol sits well above erythritol, which is why the erythritol guide reads differently.
Does maltitol upset the stomach?
A randomised double-blind cross-over study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) on polyols in milk chocolate says that 59 healthy volunteers aged 18-24 years each ingested 100 g of milk chocolate containing 40 g of bulk sweetener as sucrose, isomalt, lactitol or maltitol, or as a mixture of sucrose with isomalt, lactitol or maltitol. It adds that ingestion of 40 g maltitol caused less intolerance than 40 g isomalt, with evidence of only flatulence, borborygms and colic (P < 0.01), the symptoms being rated as only mild. It also says that a reduction to 30 g maltitol led to a decrease in all symptoms except mild flatulence. The same page says that maltitol did not have any laxative effect when ingested at either 30 g (P = 0.32) or 40 g (P = 0.13) per day. It adds that with all three polyols the incidence and severity of symptomatology was dose dependent.
That study used healthy volunteers aged 18-24 and a single serving of chocolate on each test day. It does not tell you how a person with a digestive condition would react.
Where regulators and the WHO stand
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says on its sweeteners page that maltitols (E 965) are listed among the sweeteners authorised for use in the EU, with the status of EFSA's safety assessment given as “Re-evaluation ongoing” on a page last reviewed on 17 February 2026.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says in its 2023 news release on non-sugar sweeteners that its recommendation against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight does not apply to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives containing calories and are therefore not considered non-sugar sweeteners.
On the label
Look for maltitol in the ingredient list and for a sugar alcohol line on the panel. The label guide shows where to find them, and the label terms guide shows what “sugar free” has to meet.
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-16 against Nutrition Research Reviews 2003, “Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers” (PubMed), European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996, polyols in milk chocolate (PubMed), EFSA: Sweeteners, WHO news release, 15 May 2023. Read the source again before you rely on a number, because rules and studies change.