Sorbitol can be metabolized into fructose in the liver, directly linking its consumption to the same harmful pathways that cause fatty liver disease and metabolic dysfunction. This discovery forces a sobering reevaluation of the artificial and alternative sweeteners millions consume daily in an effort to live healthier lives.
Sugar alcohols aren't inherently worse than regular sugar, they're just metabolized differently. Regular sugar is fully digested and predictably raises blood sugar levels. Sugar alcohols like erythritol are only partially absorbed, so they typically provide fewer calories and have a smaller impact on blood sugar, although some types can still raise it modestly.
Scientists at Tufts have found a way to turn common glucose into a rare sugar that tastes almost exactly like table sugar-but with far fewer downsides. Using engineered bacteria as microscopic factories, the team can now produce tagatose efficiently and cheaply, achieving yields far higher than current methods. Tagatose delivers nearly the same sweetness as sugar with significantly fewer calories, minimal impact on blood sugar, and even potential benefits for oral and gut health.
Diet sodas fulfill Americans' endless desire for a supposedly healthy alternative to our favorite indulgences. Going on decades now, people have known soda isn't good for you, being nothing but sugar water full of empty calories at its core, but we do really really love our sodas and giving them up isn't so easy. The average American drinks at least one 12 ounce can of soda a day,
Sauer has experience turning a nascent RTD brand into a household name. Garage Beer, which he acquired in 2021 and relaunched in 2023, has shown triple-digit year-over-year growth, with sales increasing more than 500% in the 12 months ended in early April 2025, he says. It's now valued at around $200 million and is continuing to grow, despite an overall slump in the beer industry, according to a September report from The Wall Street Journal.